The Roaming Table

Last week a few friends and myself took a culinary tour of Lewiston with The Roaming Table. Led by Chris and Alicia, the tour was full of food and beer tastings and history of Lewiston. What I liked even more were some of the fun facts that Alicia threw in because she grew up in the area.

{The tour group!}

We made six stops on the tour, starting at the Silo and trying the ever so popular "Haystack." From there we went to Water St. Landing and enjoyed some smoked gouda mac n' cheese and the Bavarian burger. We "washed" that down with a sample of the 42 North pilsner. After Water St. Landing we walked up Main St. all while learning about the history of Lewiston.

{First stop The Silo}

{D'Avolio's}

While on Main St. we also stopped at D'Avolio Olive Oils, Vinegars & More, Orange Cat Coffee Company {one of my favorite spots on the tour}, The Brickyard Pub & BBQ and The Village Bake Shoppe. In between a couple stops we veered off Main St and walked through neighborhoods to see Lewiston outside of the main strip.

{History was a part of the tour}

Throughout the tour Chris and Alicia asked us what festivals we like to go to, told us about themselves and answered any questions we had. When I asked them what their favorite part of the business was they each had a different response. Alicia mentioned its a unique experience and its something new, it challenges yourself. Chris responded saying he loves meeting new people, he always wanted to open his own restaurant and this is the next best thing. Both work full time jobs outside of hosting tours thru the Roaming Table and I give them lots of props for doing both, they are great hosts!

I had never been on a culinary tour before so I didn't know what to expect, but after the tour I will say I would definitely go back and do it again. The amount of food and drink your receive along with the history and learning of all the things taking place in town is highly worth it. For a list of tour times and availability go here. A big thank you goes out to Alicia and Chris for inviting me out to spend a fun afternoon with them!

Cheers!

-B

{Photos - Just a Blonde in Buffalo}

{One of my favorite spots on the tour!  Orange Cat Coffee Co.}

{Alicia and Chris took us through the neighborhood}

Enjoying the New, Old First Ward Tavern

It was 1934 when Adolf's Old First Ward Tavern opened. Since then a lot of changes have taken place specifically over the last 2 years. Mike Burns and his team have renovated the bar and the new patio is open with live music on Saturday nights. Now they are working on a food menu option so customers can enjoy some high quality basic food {like a Guinness Sandwich} when they are at the bar. Born in South Buffalo, Mike is working with local groups in the neighborhood so everyone can work together.

The Old First Ward Tavern offers 45 different bottles of beer and they have expanded their liquor selection based on customer demand. Mike loves the small business and running a business the best that he can - at the end of the day he just likes when people have a good time and wants his customers to have fun.

Having never been to the Old First Ward Tavern, in my opinion Mike has done something great. The live music that was going on when I was there was great. The bar is beautiful and spotless and the beer is ice cold! Make sure to put them on your list of places to go for a drink for Memorial Day weekend or this summer.

-B

{Just a Blonde in Buffalo photos}

From the 716 to the 585

Continuing with my trip to Rochester a couple weekends ago, after paying a  visit to Black Button Distilling, we drove past the Public Market that had ended and then grabbed some food at La Casa a delicious Mexican restaurant {I highly recommend going there!} and then we met up with some of Arica's co-workers at Swiftwater Brewing. If I had to compare it to a brewery in Buffalo I would say it reminded me of Big Ditch with their big garage style doors and open feeling. That was a pretty cool place and I would definitely go back again.

{La Casa}

Its funny how Rochester is so close, but when I was there I felt like I was on a mini road trip.

Until next time..

-B

{Just a Blonde in Buffalo photos}

{Swiftwater Brewing}

Cheers to the Weekend!

{Repping the Buffalo in the 585}

If you live in Buffalo and are looking for something to do this weekend a short trip down the 90 to Black Button Distilling is a good place to go! When Jason Barrett, owner of the distillery reached out and invited me to come see the distillery I am not going to lie, I was pretty excited for the invitation! It made for a fun Saturday afternoon visiting my friend Arica who moved to Rochester from Buffalo a few months ago. When we arrived we were greeted with smiles, laughs and a delicious cocktail {Bees Knees}. With are cocktails in hand, we took a tour of the distillery to learn how Black Button Distilling was started, how the distilling process works and what they offer. After the tour we had a tasting before purchasing some product to take home with us.

{Cheers}

It was a fun afternoon and one of the best distilleries I've been to. A few facts to know:

• Black Button Distillery is 2 1/2 years old
• It is 100% a Farm Bureau Distillery
• Jason's parents have a Button factory in Rochester
• Jason moved out West {Washington} and won a best distiller award in the United States at the age of 24
• Black Button removes the propanol which is an ingredient that causes you to have hangovers
• When I asked Jason what his favorite drink is right now - Bees Knees {in it - Black Button Citrus Forward Gin, Lemon Juice and Honey Syrup}  its sooo good!
• Looking to have a party - try a bottle making party at the distillery - click here for the details.

{Ready for the tasting part of the tour}

A little taste of the South

Last week my friend Nicole and I were finally able to get together for what we try to be a monthly wine/let's catch up night. After a long hiatus, we met up at Toutant, a southern restaurant with grass roots cuisine right on Ellicott St. What I thought was a small place, surprised me with their upstairs seating with a balcony that overlooks the downstairs entrance and bar.

Our waitress was great, offering her favorite dishes, filling our wine glass when she passed by and explaining some items we didn't know about. If you haven't been or if you're looking for some really good southern food definitely check Toutant out.

What we ate and I recommend: Fried Chicken and the Shrimp & Grits. Appetizer: the Hush Puppies.

-B

{Just a Blonde in Buffalo photos}

{A surprise dessert - delicious!}

An East Side Treasure

{R&L Lounge}

Imagine going into a place where the owners of the business stopped what they were doing and got to know their guests. Ron and Lottie from  R & L Lounge did just that. Growing up on Fillmore and attending St. Stanislaus, the east side is a neighborhood close to my heart and to see and remember how the neighborhood was when I was little and to see it now gets me a little sad. But then to meet Ron and Lottie who have an old fashioned conversation with you when you walk into their bar, they tell you stories, listen to yours and make you feel so welcome, it makes me feel better.

{Ron sharing stories with my Dad}

This past Saturday my Dad, Mom and friends of the family joined me as we visited this East Side Treasure, we drank Tyskie, tasted homemade Krupnik and had a lot of laughs while listening to polka music. For that afternoon it felt good to not be connected to the world on my phone, through social media, but rather hear of the stories from years ago and reminisce on when I was a kid. If you're looking for a good ol' fashion conversation, delicious and homemade pierogi, golumpki, or fish fry's R& L Lounge is a place to visit.

-B

{Just a Blonde in Buffalo photos}

The Trio Bringing Healthy Back to Buffalo

A new place I am a big, big fan of and excited to share with you is up on the blog today. Learn more about Bootleg Bucha and the trio who make the operation work!

{Todd, Heather & Jeff}

Bootleg Bucha opened its doors at 364 Connecticut Street in November. For Heather, Todd and Jeff the home brewing began a long time ago in their homes, providing a healthy beverage to family and friends and with the popularity of kombucha growing it left them no other option than to expand.

All 3 have been friends for a number of years and they offer something no one else in Buffalo does. So what is kombucha? It is a fermented tea that originated in East Asia and is known for its healing properties.

Bootleg Bucha’s kombucha is brewed and organic evaporated cane sugar and Scoby (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast) are added during the fermentation process. After 2-3 weeks the fermented tea is flavored with juices, extracts and herbs, then undergoes a secondary fermentation. The end result is a healthy light carbonated beverage full of antioxidants, amino acids, Vitamin B and more!

So who does what within the company? Todd takes the lead in marketing and social media, Heather creates the delicious and wide variety of flavors and Jeff brews the tea. All three take part in working at the shop with the help of Meghan who is there almost, if not every day.

What are their favorite flavors? Heather enjoys the Ginger Lime Cayenne and Todd’s is the plain. The popular flavor among customers is their Tart Cherry Mint (its soooo good!!)

Why did they start their own business? What do they love about this area? For Heather and Jeff, they lived in Chicago for a few years and new Buffalo was home, coming back here and seeing all the growth was exciting and they knew they wanted to be a part of it. For Todd a lot of his friends left the area after college and he wanted to give them a reason to come back. The energy and collaboration among local businesses (i.e. at Horsefeathers Market) is great. Working and collaborating together has helped form friendships amongst one another.

For Jeff, Heather and Todd living in the area helped them chose their business location – the West Side of Buffalo is up and coming and there is a lot to offer in the neighborhood.

So when I asked what Bootleg Bucha wants to be known for, the response was:

“Bringing Healthy Back” Buffalo is known to be one of the unhealthiest places – we have delicious food and we are finally beginning to incorporate healthier options around town. Buffalo is in a better place than 5 years ago, and its because of new businesses like Bootleg Bucha that it's only going to get better and they are happy to be a part of that.

What are some other things you should know about Bootleg Bucha?

• Bootleg Bucha is the only kombucha brewery in Upstate New York
• You can bring your own bottles in and they can fill them for you –beer growlers, 32 oz. containers, etc.
• 4 new flavors were offered this past week
• You can visit them at the Horsefeathers Market on Saturdays or during the week {click here for their hours}. Also, catch them at Riverworks Thawfest and the Buffalo Mini Maker Faire at the Buffalo Science Museum

{Just a Blonde in Buffalo Photos}

10 Years of Dyngus!

 

{Just a Blonde in Buffalo photos}

Whether you're heading to the Historic Polonia District to celebrate today or staying in the suburbs have a very happy Dyngus Day!!

For everything you need to know about todays festivities - Dyngus Day -Buffalo

Friday's Fish Fry Finds

With this being Good Friday and the last Friday of the Lenten season, I thought I'd share one more fish fry with you and it comes from the local favorite -Danny's. Last Friday my Dad kindly tagged along and went out for a Fish Fry with me, I ordered it baked and it wasn't bad. Out of all the places I had a fish fry this season, I would say Danny's was my favorite.

Until next time.

-B

Fish Fry Finds

Last week's fish fry find was at Pearl Street where surprisingly I've never ordered a fish fry before. Keeping along with the basic fish and chips order the plate was typically what you would expect, so I added some hot sauce to it for a little bit of spice. With Lent being almost over, I'm looking forward to my fish fry dinner date with my Dad tonight.

Have a great weekend!

-B

Fish Fry Finds

With the Lenten season upon us I thought I would share the Fish Fry's I have this season. So the first one I've had was at 716 last week and to my surprise it wasn't bad. Sometimes the fish can be to greasy or to fried and this was actually the opposite, I was actually impressed.

While you may not think of 716 for a fish fry, it actually makes for a good place to go if you're downtown at Canalside or a Sabres game on a Friday night and looking for a non-meat option. I was happy to find a new place to add to the fish fry list. They still have a little ways to go to be up there with the Conlon's and Wiechec's {Buffalo fish fry staples}, but maybe they will get there one day.

Until the next one,

-B

::EXPO::

Expo Market opened last week Thursday and it is the best thing that happened to Downtown Buffalo in a while. A food court style venue that offers a lot of Buffalo favorites.

• Bobby Alfman's Gourmet Sandwiches
• Crush Juicery
• Gypsy Bohemian Grove Bar
• Newbury Street
• Osteria
• Sun Restaurant

I stopped by Mercato by Osteria and built my own pasta dish that was extremely delicious and affordable. You can't go wrong with any one of the vendors as all of them had steady lines of people during the lunch hour. It is a new hot spot to be for lunch or dinner and as they have on their website it is "Downtown Buffalo's gathering place."

If you work downtown this is a place to go when you need to take a break.

-B

{Just a Blonde in Buffalo photos}

A Hidden Gem in the Heart of the West Side Neighborhood: Tipico Coffee

Calling all Coffee Lovers! Have you been to one of the newest places on Buffalo’s West Side? Tipico Coffee opened a few short months ago and it is A-Mazing!!!

I was lucky enough to sit down with the owner Jesse Crouse and talk about how he got started and what made him open a coffee shop in the heart of the west side neighborhood.

From coffee to lattes to tea and more, Tipico rotates their coffee on a regular basis and on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays they have pastries from local vendors such as Breadhive and Butter Block, they also have an ever so tasty and popular avocado toast! Jesse started his passion for coffee while he was studying poetry in Chicago. Down the street from him was Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea, a high end specialty coffee shop that drew him in and over the last 5+ years he has worked with coffee farms studying the supply aspect of the business.

After having children, Jesse and his wife Kristen {originally from Western New York} were trying to find an affordable place to open a business and decided to move to the area, after being on the west coast for a while. "Buffalo felt right" The couple along with Jesse's in-laws wanted to help influence and shape the community they are living in. Their love for making food and the idea of homesteading offers a unique gift to customers as well. Bringing in 80-90% of their produce and milk from New York State their menu may be small, but is nice and compliments the drinks they serve. Jesse's goal is to offer a revolving menu once the spring time comes and host more casual gatherings and events throughout the year.

Having the largest masonry stove, an iced coffee window that will be offered in the warmer weather months, being one of the first walking destination businesses in the middle of the West Side's residential neighborhood, hosting brunches from time to time {the list goes on}; if you think you're going to walk into the same old coffee shop, you're wrong - Tipico is not your average café, its more than that. It's a place where you go and the staff remembers your name, says thank you for stopping by and see ya soon when you leave. During my interview with Jesse he said hello and goodbye to every person that walked in and out of the door. That is what a small business owner in my opinion is. They know their customers, care about them and want to build a relationship with them.

Starting on a shoe string budget, Jesse thought of doing a pop up shop, but just so happened to stumble upon his current location through his landlord. Everything was built out and the only thing he had to focus on was the equipment, putting a menu together and finding employees. It took 2 months to open and it wasn’t an easy process, but when you have passion for something you care about so much, it helps get you through. When I asked Jesse what he loves about the area, he said he loves the community. The warm welcoming he receives from the customers and community is what he and his staff give back to the area. The West Side of Buffalo is turning into the walking side of the community and having it be a walking destination gets people who may not be familiar with the area, out and about, seeing all the great things taking shape.

Tipico is really in the heart of the west side of Buffalo - the "hidden gem" in the neighborhood. To me, seeing a business like this in an area that is developing is really exciting. As someone who enjoys going to new places, it's nice to meet local business owners who have a passion and believe in the area they work in. To see them excited, makes you get excited to see the growth of the community. If you enjoy coffee you should definitely make a stop to Tipico. And if you aren't a coffee lover you don't have to worry, Tipico also carries a wide variety of teas for tea lovers. It really is a one-of-a kind café in the area.

-B

{Latte- YUM!}

{Just a Blonde in Buffalo photos}

Where's Lloyd?!? Hitting up Hertel Ave. for the Taco Factory

{Snozzberry Mule, chicken burrito and spring rolls}

{Just a Blonde in Buffalo photos}

Last week I joined some friends at the newest addition to Hertel Ave - Lloyds Taco Factory. You've seen the trucks all over Western New York and now they have a permanent residency on Hertel Ave. We arrived just before 6pm on a weeknight which was perfect timing because once 6 hit there was a steady line of people the rest of the night.

{See them making the tortillas and more}

{graffiti walls and a bottle drop - recycle!}

Offering not only their delicious tacos, nachos and burritos, they also offer small sides {like spring rolls} and a full service bar. My favorite things {besides the food} are the garage style doors in the front of the restaurant, the "bottle drop" pipes and the communal style table in the middle of the restaurant. Hitting up the taco factory just made me love what Pete and his team are doing for this area even more.

-B

{Classic crowd shot}

NY Beer Project, Another Great Addition to WNY

{Just a Blonde in Buffalo photos}

Fairly new to the Northtowns, NY Beer Project sits off of South Transit Rd in Lockport and its pretty hard for you to miss it. I went there last weekend to celebrate a friend's surprise birthday party and was overly surprised at how massive the venue is.

With a restaurant and bar downstairs and an open area upstairs for private parties and games it is a place Western New Yorkers should check out if they are into the beer scene or just need a new place to go to grab a bite to eat.

{Upstairs game area and private party areas}

{Group shot}

{Bar photo from upstairs}

NY Beer Project is hosting their Grand Opening on January 20 with their craft beers pouring at 5pm. If you have nothing going on and are looking for something to do, this is what I predict will be a fun event to attend.

To The Suburbs We Go...

Nestled off of Transit Rd in Depew {across from Depew High School} is the Thai House. I never heard of this restaurant until my friend Annette told me about it. We went there for her birthday dinner and it was a cute place. You can dine in or take out. I went with the Pad Thai dish with shrimp and it was good {if I ordered it again, on the spicy scale I would have ordered it hot instead of medium because it wasn't to spicy}.

It's a cute restaurant in the suburbs and a great place to go if you are catching up with a friend, the staff checks on you once or twice, but is pretty scarce so if you are on a time limit  it may be best to do the take out option.

Until next time...

-B

Mmmm...Coffee!

I don't usually celebrate all of these National food or beverage days, but when it comes to coffee I'll make an exception. So I thought I would share a list of my favorite coffee shops to go in town. And some coffee shops that I still have to check out.

Cheers!

My go to spots:

Spot Coffee - I change my order depending on my mood

Perks Café & Market - I just recently went here for a meeting and it is probably one of my new favorite places to go downtown

Public Espresso - for the days I just need an extra pick me up

Tim Hortons - classic medium coffee with cream, sugar and a shot of Mint or Vanilla

Places I want to check out:

Daily Planet Coffee - 1862 Hertel Ave.

Sweetness 7 Café - 301 Parkside or 220 Grant St.

Kornerstone Coffee - Coffee Delivery

A Hidden Gem in Newfane

Part of my adventure on Saturday with Kate and Brian was a stop to Gordie Harper's Bazaar. A place I came across on social media and it landed on my bucket list of places to go. A restaurant {serving breakfast until 2pm}, lunch and dinner. With an added touch of shopping antiques and flea market finds, making it a fun place to visit. On a beautiful day you can sit outside on the patio and enjoy the pretty flowers, fresh air and good conversation.

The food we had was delicious - I had the Chicken in the Grass sandwich, Kate had a Veggie Burger and Brian had the Sirloin Steak Sandwich.  Gordie's seems to be a favorite with the locals in Newfane and if you're coming in from the City of Buffalo you can't find anything like this {at least I haven't yet} "back home."

-B

{Patio seating}

{A classic record player}

{Flea Market Finds}

#BuffaloLinks - Distillery Edition

Clayton Distillery down the 90 to Clayton, NY their slushies {for adults} are delicious! And strong. They are right next door to miniature golf making it a fun afternoon of activities if you're visiting the 1,000 Islands

Buffalo Distilling Company- offering Apple Brandy and One Foot Cock Bourbon you can find their product in local liquor stores and at Larkinville.

Tommy Rotter Distillery on Seneca St. is a NYS farm distillery - their vodka is smooth yet tasty making it one of the only liquor I could drink on the rocks. They also offer Gin as well.

{Niagara Distilling photo from Facebook}

The only product I haven't tried out of the list - Niagara Distilling Co. located on Ellicott St. uses organic grain for the distilled process. With a 1,500 square foot tasting and retail space they are on my list of places to visit.

8 Lunch Spots to Check Out Downtown

Today I'm talking about places to go on lunch if you work downtown. Its always nice to get out of the office and walk around if you can, so I've compiled a list of places to check out for your next lunch meeting or just to get out of the office for a little bit.

Code Blu Juice Bar - now at Canalside and offering salads as well as juice - tables are set-up over the bridge to sit and enjoy people watching to grab and go if you're in a time crunch.

Liberty Hound - a great place to take in the views while enjoying some great plates

Clinton's Dish - the stand has come along way offering wraps, sandwiches and salads and ice cream. Its a great spot to go.

Roux - Soup Bar & Café inside the Buffalo News Building (5th Floor) - offers soup and sandwiches and is a great place to go for a quick meal.

Pearl Street is always a good spot to go - especially if its nice out - the patio is a great spot for a work meeting or a lunch date with friends.

Vasilis on Main St. is always a great place to go as well - offering a wide array of food options.

The Archer is a great place to hold a lunch meeting for work.

Fables Café inside the Buffalo Erie County Library offers soup, sandwiches and salads. Enjoy a bite to eat and grab a book to read.