Any Excuse to Make a Big Fuss

Last Wednesday, my bestie KH & I made a big fuss... on a weeknight no less! What am I talking about exactly? Well, an organization called Feed Your Soul, which produces "Buffalo's best culinary events," threw it's fourth-annual Big Fuss party at Artisan Kitchens and Bath in Blackrock. The event is set up as a fundraiser for a local farm each year (the farm in need changes annually). A number of notorious WNY chefs provide food while Community Beer Works, Chateau Buffalo and Lockhouse Vodka quenches thirsts.

The crowd @ Big Fuss

This year, the chosen farm was Prudum Farms from Niagara County, a family business that lost nearly everything in a fire this past spring. They have been able to scrape by since, but much of their core business is still "rubble" we were told on the night. The money raised through Big Fuss will go to help rebuild the farm and the food served... well that will go straight to my waistline and memory as a great experience!

The chefs turned out an amazing spread and really brought their A-game. I was so impressed by the pate crostini from Bourbon & Butter that I decided to book a table for this coming week! It was also really cool that Toutant and BMFT's Marble+Rye premiered some treats, prior to either being open. Needless to say, I'm salivating waiting for both those spots to open up next year.

The Llyod's Taco guys looked to be expanding their repertoire to desserts with their sweet dish of upside down apple pie with an amazing cranberry wafer. Craving, Elm Street Bakery, Lombardo's and my newest obsession The Black Sheep also plated up some fantastic dishes.Check out the pics below for a visual...apologies for the palate envy! So basically all my fav restaurants in Buffalo were all in one location; I obvi had an awesome time!

CrAving chef going at it!

Tender pulled pork biscuit from CrAving

Hashing it up @ Toutant

Please open ASAP Toutant!

ESB's Chicken Liver Pate with brussel sprout leaves

Up close & personal with Lombardo's butternut squash & ricotta crostini

LLoyd's dessert: hoping this becomes a regular menu item on the trucks!?

Marble+Rye's Apple Walnut pie amazingness

All in all the evening was a great success and bonus that it was for a great cause! Can't wait to throw a big fuss next year!

Run Neon Tiger There's Thai on Your Mind...

However you define a place called home, whenever you leave it, you leave behind not only loved ones but, possibly more importantly, the food as well. Neon 17 on Camden St is one of those places with food that I crave when away from my second home in Dublin.

Neon 17 all decked out for V-day!

Close-up of the operation

Thai Street food in Dublin, you say? But Lauribeth you’re in NEW YAWK, there must be a Thai equivocal or even better than in DUBLIN?! Nope. Well, maybe there is but I haven’t found it and really don’t care to honestly! I have found the one, Neon is it for me!

I visited Neon on Valentine’s Day this February with my dear friend CMc and am happy to say, the love affair endures. I ordered my standard Green Curry with chicken while CMc opted for the Massamam curry with chicken. We also got a side order of prawn crackers with Neon’s zingy sweet chili sauce. 

CMc's Massamam... look at those chillies!

I really like the simplicity of Neon: you order, grab either a side spot or a seat at the long communal table and within 10-15 minutes, your steaming hot dish of delight is served to you. Oh and did I mention there is a self-serve soft-serve ice cream machine for dessert? Everyone gets a cone with your dish, and if you have enough room (who doesn’t have room for soft serve!?) you may go at it as they say!

My beloved Green Curry

CMc's mad soft serve skillz

Aww yeaaa

Right, so back to the food. My green curry was phenomenal as always! Great portion of green peppers, onions, baby corn and carrots with nice big juicy chunks of chicken swimming in a wonderful ratio of creamy coconut milk and curry flavor. The rice was nicely sticky to sop up the nearly drinkable sauce, too (and yes, I did save a little sauce to slurp at the end!). CMc’s Massamam was excellent she noted as well, potatoes nicely cooked and not too soft with just the right mild hit of spice! We enjoyed a refreshing bottle of Sauv Blanc (€13.50 chica-chica yeaa!) to wash down our meal before hitting up the soft serve.

As I'm writing this I'm having a serious craving for some Neon and the pang hits deeper than my gut! It's a great spot for a casual meal and hearty feed. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the South Dublin 'hood.

Mwahahahha

Neon 17

17 Camden St

Dublin 2

01 405 2222

http://neon17.ie/

See you soon Neon 17!

Staycation 2013: Seriously CRaVIng

Following that brief interlude over my love affair of great grocers, let's get back to the task at hand. On a perfect Buffalo summer's Friday eve, myself and two friends met up for a meal at one of the newest digs on Restaurant row (AKA Hertal Ave), CRaVIng. The owners, Jennifer and Adam Goetz, previously of extremely successful and innovative Sample, closed the doors on Allen earlier this year with the idea to open a full entree-style spot in North Buffalo. Thus, CRaVIng was born.

Bacon-wrapped Dates with the Lobster Poutine creeping in the background!

Myself and my friends, K & A, were very much looking forward to exploring the extrapolated Sample menu, concept and location. To our delight, every expectation was exceeded! We started the eve with a crisp glass of Rose at the bar, with the bartender making sure we were happy with our selection. So happy, in fact we decided to order a bottle once at the table! The menu is a great mix of appetizers pizza, pasta, small and large plates. Sample's infamous Fried Chicken Dinner is also included, so fear not! We decided to order a slew of plates, including the bacon-wrapped dates, lobster poutine, Caesar salad, a margherita pizza and kale gnocchi. The bacon-wrapped dates were definitely interesting and we all thought it was just the right amount of rich! Everything was delicious but for me I simply could not stop going at the lobster poutine and kale gnocchi. If we hadn't been in public I would have been licking the plates!! 

The best part of CRaVIng? They change the menu regularly (save the Fried Chicken, that's a staple) so I cannot wait to hit it up again the next time I get the chance! CRaVIng is a great addition to the Hertal strip so check it out!

*shoutout to Millz the manager, like an Irish steak well done son!

CRaVIng
1472 Hertal Ave
Buffalo, NY 14216