Taste of Buffalo Winners Announced

The results of this year’s Taste of Buffalo are in, and I’m pleased to say that there are some surprises (to me) in the list, and some hopeful restaurants on my list of “favorite restaurant” contenders.  Let’s take a look at the results, as printed in yesterday’s Buffalo News:

The 2008 winners were:

• People’s Choice: Ms. Goodies, Buffalo, junkyard dog fish sandwich.
• Chairman’s Choice: Joe’s Deli, Buffalo, muffaletta sandwich.
• New York Award (presented by Erie County Clerk Kathleen Hochul): Filippo’s Ristorante Italiano, Buffalo, arancina (stuffed rice balls).
• Lou Billitier Memorial Rookie of the Year Award: Fireside Inn, Lancaster, lobster bisque.
• Best Seafood: Red Coach Inn, Niagara Falls, lobster crab cake.
• Best Vegetarian Food: Tandoori’s Royal Indian Cuisine, Amherst, sabzi pakora (vegetable fritters).
• Best Dessert: Village Desserts, Williamsville, ultimate peanut butter cookie.
• Children’s Choice: Clarence Center Coffee Company and Cafe, Oreo cookie shake.
• Best Wine: Casa Larga Estates, Fairport, Fiorivadao ice wine.
• Best Overall Food: Lafayette Tap Room, Buffalo, smoked barbecue chicken wings.
• Best Meat Item: JP Bullfeathers, Buffalo, Jack Daniels glazed chicken fingers.
• Carol Ann Roe Memorial Best Decorated Booth:  Tandoori’s Royal Indian Cuisine.
• Pat Sardina/Abby Stalker Memorial Award: Fiamma Steak, Buffalo, tenderloin slider sandwich.
• Independent Health Healthy Choice Options:
• First Place: Kabab & Curry, Clarence, malai tikki with vegetables (grilled chicken with vegetables).
• Second Place: Clarence Center Coffee Company and Cafe, mango smoothie.
• Third Place: Tandoori’s Royal Indian Cuisine, saag channa (spinach with chickpeas with naan bread).

Looking at the list, I’d say I’m most interested in visiting Ms. Goodies and the Lafayette Tap Room.  I’m familiar with the Tap Room, less so with Ms. Goodies, but anything with “junkyard” and “dog” in the name has got to be the most interesting thing I’ll ever eat.  The Tap Room I know more for its music and bikers, and less for its food, though certainly now that’s all changed.  With a distinction like “Best Overall Food,” they’re doing something right.  And I don’t usually like smoked things (though I LOVE salmon, I can’t stand lox; odd, I know, especially for my Jewish family members to understand); but their smoked barbeque wings sound enticing.  I’m also not an Indian/curry person, as hard as I’ve tried and with however many people I’ve tried to sample the albeit flavorful cuisine with, it’s just not my thing.  If one more person tells me I just haven’t had the right curry, I’m going to lace your bed sheets with curry powder.  Clarence Center Coffee (one of our favorite locales in Clarence) is on the list twice with their healthy mango smoothie and their kid-friendly Oreo cookie shake.  How could you go wrong with those?  I’d also like to get into Fiamma, the next time my pennies are lined up, and see what everybody has been raving about all this time.  Their tenderloin sliders sound sophisticated and also very fun.

Take a look and see what you can sample and what favorites are represented by this year’s winners.  Perhaps you have your own choices for award-quality foods from this year’s Taste.  How do you think this year’s winners compare with what other items you enjoyed this year?

Photo of Fiamma’s tenderloin slider sandwich courtesy this guy.

Posted by on 07/15 at 11:12 AM