YumNoms

I drove by Donut Kraze on Dingens St (next to Sunoco by the 190N entrance ramp) tonight and became intrigued, having never heard of it before. It seemed only providential that they were open 24/7, so I decided to ignore my full stomach and stop to check it out (I never come to this area). It was almost midnight and they appeared to have been cleaned out of a lot of things (time of day + lack of choice made me concerned I might be making a mistake), but with some staff help I picked a couple things to try. I really hope that this wasn’t a fluke, because these doughnuts were amazing. Out of three doughnuts (Bavarian Cream, Strawberry Custard, and a bacon-free bite of the Maple Bacon), all of them were lightly crisp on the outside and nicely chewy on the inside. There was just enough filling to balance out the doughnut. They offer a nice array of both inventive and classic flavors. My biggest critique is that the filling could stand to be ‘fresher’ (read: homemade); the Bavarian Cream reminded me of nothing more than SnackPack vanilla pudding, and the strawberry filling (though tasty and perfectly balanced in conjunction with vanilla custard and delicious doughnut) was gel-like and tasted like commercial pie filling. I was really happy that the Strawberry filling was actual ‘filling’ and not over-sugared Jam like most places use, but, though tastier, I would hazard a guess that the stuff is made of strawberry flavoring, corn starch, and corn syrup (which is not too far from the sugary jam). Because of the quality of the doughnut portion and the fact that the end product was fresh, well executed, tasty, and at a wonderful price point, I’m still happy with it; this is junk food, and it’s not pretending to be anything more or less than what it is.

Donut Kraze also apparently serves bagels; sandwiches; and, according to their on-site signage, hot dogs/hamburgers. From what I have been able to find out, they have been open for about six months and, in my opinion, are definitely worth checking out. They have different crazy flavors on the daily (e.g.: the maple bacon “Heart Attack”), but carry the staples you would expect all the time. These are the best filled doughnuts I’ve had in over ten years. For those of you who eat meat: I mean, come on, they have a maple-bacon doughnut topped with bacon pieces and filled with marshmallow creme — how can you say you are living without trying something so ridiculously indulgent at least once?

Seriously. Look at the crumb on this!

Yums: ✭✭✭✰

Here is the verdict on my first experience with ‘The Cheesy Chick - Grilled Cheese on the go’, Buffalo’s newest food truck. Firstly, the window girl was super-nice and the service was a bit slow (but understandably so - they seemed a little overwhelmed). I ordered a grilled cheddar sandwich on wheat with apple and a side of pickles. It didn’t taste like they used butter (more like commercial margarine or cooking spray), so my sandwich had a slight, unpleasantly chemical, bitterness to it with every bite. Cheese was great (nice melting mild cheddar), bread was good (crusty, not your standard wonderbread fare), apple was too sweet and so thinly sliced so it got lost in the sandwich — they should really use a tart apple (e.g.: granny smith) sliced about twice as thick to keep it from getting lost. Also, the dill pickles are not good quality; I would like to see a better dill pickle (spears or long slices) that comes as a garnish with the sandwich.

My sandwich was a good size, but the boyfriend’s lucky7 was freakishly small (1/3 the size, yet almost 2x as expensive) with some of the meat inside it still cold (one expects their grilled sandwich to be hot) and he ended up describing it as ‘wholly disappointing’. The biggest short term changes they can make are to use a quality salted butter to grill the sandwiches and to standardize (or make proportional) sandwich components (so you don’t have a freakishly large/small sandwich or apples that you can’t taste). Based on the sandwiches I observed coming out of the truck, price is a pretty decent value for what you get (it just needs to be tweaked and executed better). I wanted to try the tomato basil soup, but they were out; ideally they should be crossing off unavailable items as they run out. Lastly, their sign and website advertise dips but do not list what they are (it just says to ask); these really need to be written on the menu so people can formulate their order by the time they reach the order window… I don’t want to wait in line for 5-10 minutes only to not be sure of what I’m going to get, and being able to read a complete menu also helps pass the time. They have the right pieces to do something really great here, but as of now still have a lot of work to do; I would like to give them another shot when they have been open longer and have fully refined their product. For now, I rate them 1.5 out of 4.

Update:
I’ve been back to the Cheesy Chick several times and had food that was consistent…ly awful. On the most recent occasion a few months ago, I went there on a rainy day when they were parked over on Hertel. I ordered a simple grilled cheese on white bread with cheddar cheese. First, they gave me attitude about ordering something that wasn’t on their board, and then they charged me extra money to make it. I was annoyed at this because it’s not like I was asking for anything crazy, and they treated me like it was impossible to make even though there was only one other person there during the entire 15 minutes I was there (so they weren’t exactly busy). But anyways, I brushed off my annoyance, waited outside in the rain for my sandwich, and went on my way.

Less than five minutes later I opened my sandwich to eat it. The super-processed generic white bread was completely-and I mean completely-sopping with the bitter-tasting fake margarine they use instead of butter; it was so saturated with it that the bread was actually disintegrating when I picked it up. The cheese wasn’t fully melted (this is an ongoing problem with the Cheesy Chick), which surprised me because I waited for my sandwich for fifteen minutes (there was only the one order in front of me and she only had a single sandwich as well) so they had plenty of time to cook it properly. Because I was hungry, I had driven 20 minutes out of my way for it, and the sandwich wasn’t exactly cheap (If I recall they charged me something like $7+ for it), I tried to eat it. I made it about 1/3 of the way through but I just couldn’t do it. It made me feel sick for the rest of the day. One star is too kind for this truck, considering myself and my ex-boyfriend both went there at least 10 times and each of us failed to have good food even once. Other people I’ve spoken to have had similarly lacking experiences.

In summation: this place is awful sauce. Stay away, there are much better food trucks out there. The only reason to go to the Cheesy Chick is if you’re interested in wasting 7-9 dollars to see how somebody can actually screw up grilled cheese.

Yums: ✭✰✰✰

The Bad Beginning (unintentional Lemony Snicket reference…):
I went to Laughlin’s Beef & Barrel in downtown Buffalo NY with a party of about 10 for a friend’s pre-bachelorette party dinner. We spent about 30 minutes at the first floor bar drinking while waiting for our entire party to arrive, at which time I had the misfortune to order the Pineapple Cake Martini (I think that’s what it was called… to my recollection, it contained: rum, pineapple juice, peach schnapps, grenadine, etc.); it was, in a word, subpar. It was watery and had an ‘off’ flavor (most likely due to crappy fruit juice), and also had an extremely patchy and messy ring of graham cracker crumbs around the rim. My maraschino cherry garnish was cutely cut and stuck on the rim of the glass, but it tasted dry and waxy (I can’t not consume a maraschino cherry if it is put in front of me…). Alas, I thought, I should have known that a drink containing fruit juice at a restaurant in Buffalo would be terrible, that the garnish would be dried out; I should know by now to not expect fresh fruit or juices, and a smarter choice for me to order would have been wine. I digress…

We were eventually given a private table in the cramped far end of the 3rd floor; in fact, we were the only party on our floor. My excitement at that fact was dissipated when I looked down and noticed that our table was really dirty - covered with food debris and dried liquid spills. Shortly afterwards, I was similarly disappointed when I went to the bathroom: the enormous mirror in front of the sink is black (but still reflective, being a mirror and all) and has a TV set behind the glass. Pretty cool, I thought, until I noticed the smudges/smears all over the glass, and then looked down to see pools of water all over and paper towels/TP littering the floor. Strike two for cleanliness, and I am starting to be scared to eat their food…

Our waitress was friendly and seemed to have extensive knowledge of the intricacies of the menu and specials. I do, however, think she forgot about us in the beginning - it took at least 20 minutes for her to bring back the waters and other drinks that we ordered shortly after sitting down. Again, I digress. I had scoped out their menu ahead of time and had been happy to see that it included far more meat-free options than I expected from a restaurant that boasts ‘beef’ as part of its name. They have a good selection of vegetarian-friendly appetizers and meat-free salads. So I ordered myself a glass of merlot (was easy drinking and was a good house merlot), Laughlin’s Farmer Cheese Pierogies (Appetizer), the Battered Onion Rings (Appetizer), and a Mesclun Salad with pears, gorgonzola, and walnuts for my entree.

Appetizers:
The pierogi was pan fried to perfection and had a great crust on it, but the filling tasted like straight unseasoned ricotta cheese and was a touch bland. Lucky for me, during ordering I consented when the waitress asked me if I wanted sautéed onions on it - it made a world of difference and gave an otherwise bland dish most of the oomph it needed. I liked it, but it would be so much better if they added a little bit of salt and pepper (or a second, stronger cheese) to the filling and put some slightly more caramelized onions in with the filling.
The onion rings were near-perfect. Ever taken a bite of an onion ring and had the onion fall out of the breading on the first bite? These fresh and super crispy rings did not suffer from this problem. The breading stayed put. They were cooked the perfect amount of time to a lovely golden-brown crust. I could not bear to mar them with so inferior a condiment as ketchup. My only preference would be that they be cut slightly thinner (I like a slightly less fat ring), but they were by and large the most outstanding thing that I ate there.
I also had an opportunity to taste the stuffed peppers that somebody else ordered. Two enormous hot peppers were stuffed with cheese that overflowed from the top, and the overflowing part was covered with breadcrumbs and cooked to crisp golden-brown awesomeness. My first bite of the hot peppers was just a bite of the lower portion (pepper and cheese only), and it was average; but when I took some of the overflowed cheese with breadcrumbs from the top portion and combined it with the naked pepper stuffed with cheese on the bottom portion, it was magical. Weird thing though? The hot peppers were served with this generic fluffy bread that reminded me of a hot dog roll, and didn’t really do anything for the dish. Dear Laughlin’s Chef: a little more imagination, please?

Entree:
As previously stated, I got the Pear/Gorgonzola/Walnut salad on a bed of mesclun greens, as did two others in our party (I added dried cranberries to it, and they opted to do so as well). The salads, though they advertised walnut in the name, all came with rather bland almonds (read: the walnuts are not walnuts). The greens were all clean, dry, and extremely fresh (you would think that would be a given, until you order a salad at Cheesecake Factory and are served 70% black decayed mulch, and are given a little sass from the manager about wanting something else). The salad was good, but not what was advertised, not what we ordered, would have been better with walnuts, and I did not feel quite so compelled to polish my salad plate as I did with the appetizers. The balsamic dressing was also generic tasting grocery store garbage that I preferred to do without.

At the end of the meal, a few people ordered coffee and tea. Chunky, half frozen creamer was served to our table with the coffee. The coffee/tea crowd was concerned that it might be spoiled, and were all pretty turned off from drinking the coffee/tea they had just ordered. When our waitress finally came back to check on us and they complained, she admitted that the only creamer they had was frozen, that they “[didn’t] usually serve brunch or anything”, and that the kitchen staff had told her not to even bother providing our table with creamer but she had taken the frozen creamer because she did not feel that it was acceptable to serve coffee without it. Now, I liked our waitress - she was perfectly nice and quite competent - but why would you not just either tell the table what the deal was, or ask them if you could substitute creamer with milk? I felt this to be worth mentioning, because it further attests to the restaurant’s lack of concern for the customer experience in a way that can only be coming from the ownership/management.

Overall, I liked the food for the most part, but the lack of cleanliness and overall consistency of the experience really deters me from wanting to give them my business. There are some very simple, basic things that they could be doing to elevate their food and the dining experience that they offer. Also? All of the things that I really liked were fried, and making fried food great is not all that hard to do. I would definitely give them another opportunity to change my mind in the future, but I will not go out of my way to try Laughlin’s again.

Yums: ✭✭✰✰

I have been eagerly awaiting the opening of Chow Chocolat at the Walden Galleria for several reasons, mainly:

1. They are replacing Godiva, and hey, i’ve never been all that jazzed about Godiva anyway.
2. They are a local business!
3. It’s new to me and has to do with food… need I say more?

I walked in and noticed two small to medium aged children that (hopefully) belonged to the 30-something couple that seemed to be in charge… I think, “how sweet, it’s a family establishment!” I am subsequently sad for them, because I am the only browser/customer in there, and so decide to use this as an excuse to Boyfriend when he reproaches me later for buying chocolates now. I give the shop a nervous once-over and approve of the square armchair in the corner, and the presentation of the (albeit few) products they have on display.

Because of the limited selection and my own desire to not be chastised by Boyfriend for being ridiculous, I chose four random things to try: some sort of Chai-caramel chocolate square, a Cognac truffle, a cherry cordial, and a blackcurrant jelly square (because, well, I’m a sucker for blackcurrant candies). By the time I meet up with Boyfriend, I partially forget what items I had selected and decide to make an adventure of tasting and trying to remember what I actually purchased. I open my tiny brown bag and pull out my shiny, clear box with its little bow and Chow Chocolat business card. I am pleased with the open view of the dainty little assortment I picked out, but after reflecting upon the flimsy plastic box I think it might not travel well or be (easily) recyclable.

First I try the blackcurrant jelly square. I enjoy the flavor, finding it to be fresh, strong, and natural, and the texture is akin to an all natural fruit roll. After the first bite though, I feel a bit turned off by the monotonous texture; I think I would enjoy it much more if my big, sad, jelly square were cut into eight or so jelly bean sized pieces and frosted with sour sugar (less Jell-O Jiggler and more Rowntrees’ Fruit Pastilles).
I proceed to the three actual chocolates. The first tastes creamy and overwhelmingly clove-y, and at first we think it is caramel pumpkin pie. Once I realize that it is supposed to be Chai, the excessive clove taste makes a bit more sense (but not enough for me to be fond of it); still, I appreciate the delicate texture and richness of the chocolate coating, and am pleased with the quality of their chocolate base. Feeling that my palate may find my next flavor more agreeable, I move on to the Cognac truffle. I am pleasantly surprised with the complexity of its strong Cognac flavor and smooth center, but notice that the filling has receded a bit from the chocolate layer enrobing it (which I find to be a little dry).

Lastly, I try the cherry cordial. As a child, I would eat these things by the box whenever I could get my hands on them; as an adult, I cannot resist trying a cherry cordial at any new chocolatier that I visit. I often find the chocolate to be too thick or waxy, the filling to be too solid or grainy, and the taste to be too chemical or Cadbury-Easter-Egg-like. Fortunately for me, I found none of these flaws with the Chow Chocolat cordial! Its shell was the perfect thickness, and the chocolate was delicate in flavor and well tempered. I broke through it and my taste buds burst with a delicate cherry flavor. After marveling at the fresh, natural taste of the filling, I got the sugary finish typical of a cherry cordial. That’s what I call a cherry cordial.

I did some research when I started writing this and it looks like they have been in business for almost two years at their Main Street location. They are indeed a family business, and there are some glowing things being said about them on the internet by both patrons and employees. From what I can gather, their ingredients are natural and ethically sourced. All in all, I think I will find myself patronizing Chow Chocolat again and again.

—

Chow Chocolat at the Walden Galleria has long since closed. They are still open at their Main St location and are also typically a presence at the Elmwood-Bidwell Farmer’s Market. In May(?) 2011, they opened up another location on Elmwood Ave, a few doors down from Blue Monk (Elmwood and Breckenridge) where Firebrand used to be. Having patronized Chow Chocolat at all three locations on a number of occasions, I would rate it a 3 of 4. I would like to see them improve their customer service and their product quantity/selection.

Tried Delish! again today and was wholly disappointed. I love the concept, I love the location, I even love the marketing, but the product itself is such a disappointment. Third time’s the last straw? The following are my three experiences with Delish! over a substantial period of time.

Having heard about Sprinkles Ice Cream Bar at Delish! during its introductory summer, I was excited to try it out. I went with my boyfriend, his little sister, and another friend of mine. They got milkshakes, and I got an “Amazing! Sundae”, which was essentially a vanilla sundae with crumbled “Amazing” cookies, nuts, and some sort of excessively sugared bourbon butter sauce. It was good, but the bourbon sauce consistency was a little off, and the cookie was very good but too sparse for such an expensive sundae. My main qualm though, was the service; it took two girls about 45 minutes to make two milkshakes and a sundae. When it came time to pay, they charged us for more expensive milkshakes than we had actually gotten, and refused to accept a credit card from my friend because the amount was less than ten dollars (FYI: charge minimums are a violation of the card issuer regulations for Visa/MasterCard/AmEx, if you catch retailers violating their merchant agreements with these companies you should report them to your card issuer). The girls working there were unprofessional, rude, and didn’t seem to have a clue what they were doing (so much so that we almost left there with nothing). Delishappointed, strike one!

A couple of months later, I found myself wanting to give Delish! a second chance. We walked into the open store, and began looking at the pastry display case for something to buy. The girl working at the counter turned around, and told me that they were Closed. I apologized, and told her that the door had been open and the Store Hours sign on the door indicated that they were supposed to be open for another 2 1/2 hours, and couldn’t I please get something? She replied that they were slow and she had been told to close early, so we had to leave. Seeing as it was just a normal midweek evening and not a holiday of any sort, why would you kick a paying customer out of your store? Delishappointed, strike two!

Tonight while shopping at the Lexington Coop, I decided I would like a sweet treat for after dinner. We went across the street to Delish! to check out their ‘Fairy Cake’ selection; as I am a firm believer that any establishment ought to have a solid foundation of tasty basics, I opted for a Vanilla French Buttercream Fairy Cake. This was essentially a plain vanilla Cupcake with white buttercream frosting, topped with a buttercream rose and a dusting of large decorative sugar crystals. I soon found out that its only redeeming quality is that it was pretty. When I went to eat it, the first thing that I noticed upon slicing it in half with a knife was that 70% of the Cupcake in height was buttercream; pretty, but completely impractical for anyone to ever eat. I believe in flavor before presentation, so I was very disappointed to see such a disproportionate ratio of Fairy Cake to Buttercream. Upon tasting it I briefly noticed an unappealingly dry crumb, but then my taste buds were overwhelmed with such a ridiculous amount of sugar that I gagged. I cut down the buttercream frosting to what I considered to be a reasonable amount, and focused on discerning flavors from the ‘Cake’ part. Thirty percent of the way through it, my palate was so clogged with sugar I could no longer taste much of anything; seventy-five percent of the way through, I was so nauseous from the wretched thing that I had to throw it out. Delishappointed, strike awful!

Dessert should leave your palate refreshed and you feeling sated, not make your teeth hurt and give you a sugar headache. The service and the quality of product that they provide at Delish! is far below substandard, and I am personally shocked that this place has yet to go out of business. Do yourself a favor and go a couple blocks up to Zillycakes for a real cupcake.

I rate Delish 1 of 4, and hope that I will never force their awful food upon my palate again.

—-

Update (06/2011): The Elmwood location has closed. They are moving to Amherst Street near Wegmans. How they are still in business? I have no idea… But on the bright side, DOLCI snapped up the space and is moving back onto the Elmwood strip.