SUNDAY NEWS: Delicious Buffalo-area options for Mother's Day, from snacks to excursions

*Five Points Bakery extra sharp cheddar toast plate*

Personally, I don’t have any trouble coming up with an appropriate way to show appreciation for the person who brought me to life. Grill Phyllis Galarneau a steak, and she’s happy as a clam.

For those who are still looking for the right thing, I have suggestions. Jill Colella of Miller’s Thumb Bakery pitched me some incisive questions, and I swung away.

Q: Where would you go for gifting mom $50 of foodie fun? Imagine spending the day together and stopping into two or three places in the guide to share some fun, casual bites.

*You can mind your own beeswax at Farm Shop in the Elmwood Village*

I’d suggest the Farm Shop for some intensive browsing of what creative geniuses working in the mediums of ice cream, baked goods, and more hath wrought.

I’d stop by Five Points Bakery for a toast plate and enjoy its careful little touches upstairs in the communal room.

*Assorted Syrian baklava sold by the pound at Fresh Arabic Sweets*

I’d wander into Fresh Arabic Sweets, and agonize together over which of the eight Syrian baklava varieties you might prefer, before deciding on a sampler box of them all.

At lunchtime, I’d make a date with Cafe Bar Moriarty tapas, and explore what bite-sized delights $3 or $4 gets me this week.

Canele de Bordeaux at Waklight Bar a Vin

At night, I’d make a reservation and get better acquainted with how Waxlight Bar a Vin can expand your horizons and give you plenty to talk about for less than $8.

Q: What are some unexpected choices for Mother’s Day brunch?

A: If mom isn’t looking for a white tablecloth, the breakfast tacos at Southern Junction might be just the thing. Or the Texas-sized cinnamon roll.

If mom would feel at home in a West Side neighborhood tavern, consider Gypsy Parlor, where tostadas and trash plates join bananas Foster pancakes on the menu.

If mom has a hankering for real Southern cooking, consider Southern Belle Diner. The chicken fried steak is pounded out in house and breaded twice, and the cheese grits have green chile too. Plus if you miss “hash browns” – not homefries – for breakfast, Southern Belle has you covered.

If mom thrills to live music, consider Art’s Cafe Springville, whose Mother’s Day brunch will include a live performance by Abigayle Oakley, a 3-chair turn star from this season’s The Voice. It starts at 10 a.m., then Oakley goes on at 11 a.m.

Then if mom is any kind of a gardener whatsoever, she’ll thrill to a tour of the rooftop garden, accessible via elevator. It’s $40 and you can get tickets here.

Q: If someone is missing their mom on Mother’s Day, where would you send them for a meal that feels like a hug from mom?

A: I would send them to a place that has been in business for a long time, serving families, where the owners and staff are by now family, even if they didn’t start out related by blood.

That means The Dove in Orchard Park, for Italian-American; Dick & Jenny’s in Grand Island, for Cajun-Creole cuisine, Cozy Thai in Hamburg, for Thai and a touch of Burmese, and Almaza Grill, in Amherst, for Lebanese and rotisserie chicken.

REVIEW: In February, Thai Bowl Kitchen replaced Poke Thai Kitchen in the restaurant space at 1020 Elmwood Ave. The switch went unnoticed among most passersby, partly because the new name was only 33 percent different. Drawn to its dining room by tastespotters, we found a family-friendly restaurant run by a Burmese family, dishing up brilliant versions of Burmese and Thai classics. (For patrons, later this week.)

TACO WORLD TOUR: On Tuesday May 5, restaurants at the West Side Bazaar, 1432 Niagara St., will each offer a taco, for an international taco tour. Here’s the lineup.

One Thai Cuisine: chicken larb taco

Mahboba’s Kitchen: chicken biryani taco

Egyptian Bites: Egyptian taco

Soulboxx: Cajun elite shrimp taco

Happy Taco: beef bulgogi taco

Malkia & Co.: veggie taco

*Flower pots for sale, Providence Farm Collective*

PROVIDENCE FARM STORE OPEN: Providence Farm Collective Farm Store opened for the season Saturday. The red barn at 5701 Burton Road, Orchard Park, has dahlia tubers, assorted hanging flower baskets, and farmer-made compost.

Throughout May, the store will be open Thursdays 1 p.m.-4 p.m. In June, hours expand to include Mondays 3 p.m.-7 p.m. through October.

*There’s nothing like Woo Chon Korea House’s gas-fired grill tables*

ASK THE CRITIC

Q: I am looking to grab some Korean food this week and was wondering if anyone has a recommendation. In your opinion, what is the best Korean restaurant in Buffalo right now?

I have seen some older posts recommending Woo Chon Korea House, Koreana, and Arirang. I wanted to see if those are still considered the best options or if there are other restaurants that now top them? Are any of them best for a group of 6-8?

– u/Happy–Little–Tree, r/Buffalo

A: Woo Chon Korea House in Amherst has the broadest Korean menu in town, down to Korean steak tartare with Asian pear. Even more importantly, it’s the only Korean restaurant in Western New York with gas-fired grills built into its BBQ tables, where a group of six to eight can share in cooking different meats and scarfing all the banchan.

More reading from Michael Chelus of Nittany Epicurean: