Reviews

Lamb mandi on rice, Almandi We were dining at Almandi, six blocks west of the Broadway Market, while my friend Faress told his family’s story of how they became American. […]

Conchigle pasta with lamb bolognese, Bistro Avera In February, I got the chance to play art critic at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. The exhibit “Dine In” explores the ultimate […]

Grilled beef ribs, Hanai Hawaiian BBQ If you’ve never heard of “Hawaiian plate lunch,” the menu at Hānai Hawaiian BBQ might seem somewhat discombobulated. Beef ribs cut thin, marinated in […]

As restaurant concepts go, “farm-to-table” has faded like the “CHEW MAIL POUCH TOBACCO” slogans painted on barns in another century. At its Buffalo-area peak a decade ago, every other new […]

Ethiopian genius on injera at Horn of Africa If it wasn’t for tastespotter Scott Field, who knows how long it would have taken me to discover Horn of Africa. The […]

Boeuf on Weck, Café Bar Moriarty When a friend coming in from out of town tells me they can only meet for lunch, I ask if Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday […]

Bruleed grapefruit at Swan Street Diner (Photo: Mickey Harmon) Tucked into the Larkinville neighborhood of former industrial buildings east of downtown, Swan Street Diner offers Buffalo breakfast and lunch seekers […]

House-cut and twice-cooked, it takes two days to make a Frank fry. Millions of tons of potatoes are processed into frozen fries each year in the United States, making French […]

Whole fried red snapper, Bamboo Ridge Lancaster For a suburb of 45,000 Lancaster already has its share of excellent places to eat. Serious tavern grub at Skoob’s Village Grill, righteous […]

Corned beef hash and eggs, with housemade toast, at The Country Hen. As a restaurant critic, part of my job is to help you stay in touch with the realities […]

Sushi assortment, Kuni’s Feasting on local delicacies is one of the best reasons to invest in travel. Seeing how other places feed themselves three times a day expands your sense […]

Extra-sharp cheddar toast with blue cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, and garlic pickles at Five Points Bakery. Sixteen years ago, I met Melissa Gardner at her new bakery in the […]

Mahi mahi piccata, Bistro 93 If snowdrifts have you dreaming of the Caribbean but your household budget doesn’t allow for cruise tickets, consider taking a drive to Akron instead. Against […]

Pho dac biet at 99 Fast Food I may have eaten at 99 Fast Food more than any other restaurant in Western New York. That’s counting meals at the original […]

Veal parmesan, The Dove With so much changing in our information diets, it seems appropriate to start the first Four Bites review of 2026 by briefly pointing the spotlight at […]