“Keep it inexpensive please!” is the theme most of us dine out on these days. When looking for an inexpensive meal, or fairly inexpensive; sometimes quality is sacrificed. Not at the Buffalo Street Grill.
The Buffalo Street Grill, Hamburg NY, is a snug restaurant whose wide windows offer a perfect view of village charm (61 Buffalo St.). The quaint bar offers a dozen choices of wine ($6.00-$8.00, or order a carafe!), beer ($3.25-$5.00) and liquor (prices vary) to sip on while waiting for your table; although the bar chairs leave little room for comfort. Dim lighting and custom folk art set the mood for a relaxing evening.
With a decluttered menu, you can easily scan for a variety of food options. As my friend and I are both lactose intolerant, we immediately skipped over the warm spinach artichoke dip ($7.00) and a shrimp and crab dip layered with fresh meat and a dijon cheese sauce ($8.50). Both of which were consumed fairly quickly at a table adjacent to ours. When asked their thoughts, our happy neighbors could only muster two thumbs up as they happily slopped up any reminance of dip left on the platter. My friend and I opted for a less invading experience on our stomachs; ordering a lightly crusted won ton shrimp ($7.50). I could immediately taste the lime juice and earthy olive oil. With a sprig of sage; this tasty dish usually comes with chedder cheese, the chef most graciously entertained our lactose intolerance by making it without cheese. This dish is also complimented with a red pepper bisque dipping sauce. Seeing as that wasn’t an option; the chef, whithout being asked, made a sauce from scratch…..dairy not included.
Stomachs happy and ready to move on to the main course; a beautifully colored salmon and pasta of our choice was brought to the table. The menu offers a choice of chef prepared pasta dishes or a make your own option. While the server looked a little un-nerved taking down my meticulous request for sauces; the chef was only too happy to reply. Brought forth was an al dente penne pasta topped with portabella mushrooms and an emerald green basil pesto sauce ($10.00 for the pasta, $1.00 each vegetable). The sauce was fresh and not over run with olive oil; with the perfect amount of garlic, this sauce balanced the dish nicely.
The glazed Salmon was not only perfectly moist and pink in color but was served with a sauce of our choice. The onion straws (which are lightly fried) were replaced with glazed onions (due to gallbladder sensitivities) and a side of fresh vegetables.
What made this experience most enjoyable was the all to willing to accomodate chef, who had to make a basil pesto sauce from scratch so that there was no trace of dairy. As we polished off our carafe of wine, we were greeted by the chef who took time out of a packed restaurant to ask how our meals were. When thanking him for putting up with our menu changes, he stated he was only to happy to accomodate us and liked the challenge. Now that’s service!
Although the menu does not entertain a gluten free diet; for those with celiac disease, it does offer plenty of options for digestive sensitivities.
Exposed brick and earth tones in the connected alley give way to outdoor tables for summer entertaining; which during the Hamburg Music Festival (April 28th, 2012), is jammed packed. With extra tables lining the sidewalk infront of the restaurant, there is more then enough seating to take in the gorgeous Western NY summer evenings. During the winter months the floor to ceiling windows give a great view of the Christmas decorations in the village. Minus a slightly longer wait time between courses, this restaurant is a delight each and every time I go. It does not disappoint.
