Food Friday

Labels: Greek, Panos

By Kenny:

This week's Food Friday takes to this pizzeria-cum-bar called the Pizza Plant. The first thing that strikes you about the place is the strong smell of cheese and freshly baked pizzas and when you enter the place, you are immediately amazed the quirky yet somehow apt decor.

However, we are not here to examine decor, we are here for pizzas! So how are they?

Before I tell you about their pizzas, I'll start off first with the appetizers we ordered, baked chicken, which is somewhat similar to Buffalo Wings. It is very saucy, so you should take care when eating them, and very sweet. It is also extremely tender and overall a very good way to start your meal at the Pizza Plant.

The pizzas arrived shortly after the baked chicken and we ordered the classic Hawaiian and an all meat pizza called Animal House 5. The Hawaiian is not unlike the Hawaiians found in other pizzerias but it has a unique twist - the cheese, which Kevin describes as being milky. Animal House 5 on the hand was pure unadulterated meatiness. It has large chunks of meatballs and ham and what not and if you are meat-lover like I am, you've got to do yourself a favor and try it!

That's all for this time, stay tuned for next week's Food Friday!

Labels: baked chicken, pizza, Pizza Plant

Hailee:
Uno Chicago Grill has this deep-dish pizza, where the height of each ingredient-loaded slice is estimated to be at least 1-inch. Being a pizza fan, I had to try it. Before that, we had calamari as an appetizer. They were mixed with bits of hot peppers and tomatoes which balance out the greasiness since it is a deep fried dish. Otherwise, nothing much about the dish.

For pizza, we had Numero Uno since it has almost everything in it- Sausage, pepperoni, onions, red and green peppers, mushrooms, chunky tomato sauce, mozzarella and grated Romano. The unique part about deep-dish pizza lies in its flaky crust, but I was more interested in the pizza pan. There is a grille to level up the pizza so that oil can drip and we can enjoy it with less calories! Back to the pizza, which I think is great value for money. It serves 2-3 (asian appetite) at the cost of USD18++. I'll definitely be back for more.

Kenny:
It's Food Friday again and this time, we decided to visit a pizzeria called Uno's Chicago Grill which is only minutes away from our place. The reason we chose Uno is because of the special pizza they serve.

Uno serves this very special pizza called the deep-dish pizza, which is a thicker variation of traditional pizzas. This deep-dish pizza has a very flaky crust which reminds me of Delifrance pastries. We decided to have Uno's flagship pizza, the Numero Uno, and it was topped with so much ingredients that I can't remember what was on it. The pizza was fantastic and as my girlfriend has pointed out, very good value for money considering it's only USD 20 and it feeds three quite comfortably.

Uno's is a place no pizza lover should miss.

Labels: calamari, pizza, Uno Chicago Grill

Hailee:
When it comes to eating out, I personally prefer to order meat as a main course because I can hardly make decent meat dishes. So at Chester’s, I had to have the Chicken Marsala, with Coleslaw and Seafood Jambalaya (2 sides of my choice). Surprisingly, the side dish, Seafood Jambalaya surpasses the main dish - Chicken Marsala. The thick piece of chicken breast meat tasted really bland if I don’t slap on the mushroom gravy. I guess the chicken was boiled then pan-fried, with little marinating done to it. On the other hand, Seafood Jambalaya, a spicy rice dish was flavorful. Every grain of rice was filled with spice and sweetness. Every bite caused a mild explosion in my mind. I never knew rice can taste so good!

Dinning at Chester’s was a happy experience, the staffs were attentive and most importantly, they were flexible at adjusting to patrons’ needs.
Kenny:
Eating at Chester’s was the first time I sampled New Orleans fare and it is really something unique. For Singaporean readers who are wondering what New Orleans cuisine is like, I would say that it is comparable to Indian cuisine because it is spicy and rich with flavor.

I had the New Orleans Chicken which was a baked rice dish with chicken, melted cheese and a special sauce. The sauce was rich in spices, which made the rice very tasty and the chicken was tender and savory.

However, this richness of flavors is a double-edged sword. One on hand, the food is delicious and tantalizing to the taste buds but at the same time, it is also very easy to get overwhelmed by the taste. This is not necessary a big thing, but definitely something to consider.

My advice would be to come with friends and share the food. This way you not only get more variety, but also ensure that the richness of the food doesn’t overwhelm you.

Labels: Chester's New Orleans Bar

Left bank was initially where we wanted to go last week. Unfortunately, the reservation was full until 10pm!! Wow, first signs that it's really popular. The secretary in my office warned me to make my reservations early as it is just a small restaurant and reservations fill up quickly. Finally on the following Monday, I managed to get a reservation for 3 at 5.45pm for friday.

It's quite a drive to the restaurant but it's all worth it. Upon seated, soft crusty bread were served with their scrumptious homemade sundried tomatoes and olive oil dip (free). That's so good and thinking of it still makes me drool. I had an excellent seafood pasta ($19), with generous portions of shrimp, lobster, crab, and garnished with breaded artichokes. The delicious artichokes were crispy on the outside and succulent inside which really adds a nice touch to the whole dish. Another foodfriday success with great service and food. Rating: 5/5

The Left Bank
511 Rhode Island St, Buffalo, NY 14213, 716-882-3509
http://www.leftbankrestaurant.com/

Mr Big says: Chester's was a bar and grill place which specialize in Cajun fares. The dinning area was about the same size as the bar area (i.e., small). We waited for about 45mins before we were sitted, but it was worth the wait. I had the New Olrean Chicken and Rice and a French Onion soup (why not right, since the French Quarter was there). The Chicken and rice was very favorfully... spicy to say the least. The favor was IN the rice, not ON it. It had french rolls, so I could dip them in the gravy which was delightful. I love Cajun food, so I will definitely try out the other dishes. Wish they had more space and cooks (4.8/5)

Penny says: Chester's Grill & Bar is a hole in the wall but the food is excellent and utterly satisfying. We shared a fried clam strips which was just chewy and well done. Personally, I just have to order myself a Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo because it's a New Orleans must-have. For entreé, I had Cajun Shrimp & Rice and the shrimps tasted so fresh and succulent. I hope we'll be able to find more places like this one to make our Food Friday a even more memorable one everytime. (5/5)

A very elegant and high-scale restaurant on the waterfront. What a great view and perfect ambience. Although there's nothing shanghai about Shanghai Red but you'll find a nice variety of seafood, steaks, chicken and pasta entrees. Most of the entrees range between $15-$25. I must say I am not a big fan of the food but for the experience, this is definitely a must-see when you are in Buffalo. Rating: 4/5

Kelvin: I like the concept of the place... nice view of...er... the waterfront... birdsin the diving for fish... The entrance of the restaurant was pretty cool too. like a small garden...
But I think the food was so-so., nothing fantastic. I actually find it a little bland. But the good news is, we found out that there was a decommissioned ship near the restaurant.

So anyway, I went for the Bx3 concert on the following day and it was great. Bx3 is the bass version of G3 with Stu Hamm, Billy Sheehan, and Jeff Berlin. Managed to take a picture with all 3 of them at the end but the person who took the pic messed it up. I was looking at another direction and 2/3 Jeff's head was gone. That is why I don't like to let others handle the camera!

Tsunami located at 1141 Kenmore Avenue Kenmore is our nineth food friday outing. How was it? Let the photos speak for itself. Rating: 4.5/5
1141 Kenmore Avenue Kenmore, New York 14217. Tel: 447-7915

This week's my turn to decide the venue for food friday. I did research for almost four days and no, I'm not kidding you. Finally deciding on suposedly best barbeque in Buffalo — Fat Bob's! Located at 41 Virginia Place, Buffalo, NY 14202, Fat Bob's right next to Mother's (see food friday #4). The ambience casual, relaxed, with picnic-style tablecloths and a wall-sized aquarium separating the dining room from the bar. I ordered their famous St. Louis Pork Ribs, half rack with two sides (onions rings and hush puppies $12.25). FINGER-LICKIN-GOOD! It's done just right and the meat comes right off the bone. The sides are absolutely perfect too, and the portion's generous. Definitely recomend FATBOB's to anyone who has cravings for good BBQ. Rating: 5/5

Tandoori's
7740 Transit Rd, Buffalo, NY 14221 (See Map)
Phone: (716) 632-1112
Web: tandooris.com

Open lunch buffet M-F 11:00am to 2:30pm
Sunday dosa brunch 11:00am to 2:30pm
7 Nights for dinner starting 5:00pm
Our Average Cost: US$15/person

Kevin opinion:
After a fun-filled drive, we finally arrived at our exotic destination of the day: Tandoori's. We've been staring at this place for the longest time ever since we often found ourselves camping across the street at Atlanta Bakery Cafe (decent food/beverages, free WiFi!). From the outside all might seem quiet, but once you're in the restaurant, your senses tingle with the smell of saffron rice and the bright colors of traditional indian fabric adorning the space around you.

Once seated by our friendly server, the mood was set as he lit our table candlelight. In a flurry, we were served traditional indian crackers and three fried vegetarian pattes (one for each of us). These "meat balls" as I called them were quite tastefully deceptive... While the server told us they were made of vegetables, they tasted like the juiciest meat to the rest of us! These complimentary appetizers came immediately with two difference sauces, one sweet and the other spicy, perfect for those starving and can't wait for their entrees.

The Boti Peshawari I ordered made an entry as it sizzled on the hotplate (watch the video for that unmistakable sound). As I mentioned, although the meat was intentionally dry, you could taste a lemon flavor to the tender chunks of lamb. The juicy sauted vegetable added crunch to the soft meat, making this a well balanced, mildly spicy dish. The fragrant Saffron Rice I added went perfectly with this hearty meal, making this a highly recommended combination. Simply delightful! (Kevin gives 9.5/10)


Kelvin's opinion:
I didn't really expect much from this place. I thought: Just another Indian restaurant around the Buffalo area... I stand corrected! From the moment we stepped in, I knew this was a restaurant that valued its customers and would go the extra mile to make their meal a gastro experience. The backdrop of the restaurant was sprinkled with soft dim lighting but ornamented with bright multicolored fabic that is synomous with the Indian culture.

The Kadai Gosht was amazing spicy (I ordered it "HOT"). The lamb was just tasted right with the amount of spicyness from the curry. I'm not a spicy eater but I will eat spicy food if they are worth it, and trust me, this is worth it! You can also have it prepared mild or medium spicyness too. I got the wheat bread with mashed potato inside it. It tasted pretty good too with the lamb. As Kevin said, "This is like a trip back to Singapore without the expensive plane ticket." I agree, the standard of this restaurant is comparable to authenic Indian food in Singapore. The waiters were also very professional and helpful.... giving us useful descriptions of the dishes and what would be closest to the kind of dish we wanted. What I would like them to have to make my experience even more enjoyable? More Indian music... and a little more lighting. (Kelvin gives 9.5/10)


Penny's opinion:
Yummy! (Penny gives 10/10!)

Go with a friend and use this coupon which gives you 50% off a second main entree. If you're still not convinced, here are what others say about Tandoori's.

So this is our first stop in our Food Friday (FF) series. The idea behind FF is really to be adventurous, step out of our safety zone and try different restaurants in and around Buffalo. Lest we leave Buffalo like the frog who just stares up from the bottom of a well.

The investigative method is simple. Each Friday, we will dine at a restaurant that we have never been before. We will take turns to research on the restaurants
(i.e., Newspaper reviews, internet reviews, word of mouth), and then try out the restaurant on friday. Then we will rate the restaurant and its food based on our subjective measures. Yes! We make the rules because we can. If it bothers you, go start your own FF. Or better still, you can called it something else (like Makan Monday)... and remember this, we called it first!

Steel Drums was somewhat a cultural-exchange for us. The setting was pretty cool, a little like a 60s swing dancing bar. Almost looks like the patrons were going to spontaneously burst out into a song. A salsa CD was looping throughout the night but it was ok, pretty nice music that suited the restaurant's food.

Two words to describe the food.... Deliciously tender! Reminds me of Kong Ba (stew pork). Really good stuff. Worth checking out for the food and ambience (if you want to escape the thought of wintery Buffalo for a few moments). (Kelvin says: 8.5/10) (Penny says: 8.5/10)