Photo courtesy of www.Buffalochow.com
When you think of food that's synonymous with Buffalo, you probably think of spicy chicken wings with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks on the side.
Photo courtesy of www.Buffalochow.com
And beef on weck (full name, roast beef on kummelweck), the region's signature sandwich.
But wrap your brain around the idea of chicken wings dusted with Indian spices and baked in a tandoor oven. And a soup that tastes like one of your favorite sandwiches -- a reuben. Or a fresh-tasting papaya salad with shrimp.
Now, set your GPS for downtown Buffalo.
On July 10 and 11, our neighbor to the west will showcase its more exotic culinary stuff at the 27th annual Taste of Buffalo.
Photo courtesy of Taste of Buffalo: Fireside Inn's bruschetta on homemade Italian baguette, from a past Taste of Buffalo
Buffalonians -- and other residents of the Niagara Frontier -- love their food. And more than 450,000 people are expected to jam the city's streets to check out the creativity of the region's restaurants, listen to music and take home some new kitchen tricks, thanks to a roster of chef demonstrations.
All told, promoters say, the event will spotlight more than 50 restaurants and six wineries. Most (but not all) of the restaurants are locally owned and operated.
Photo courtesy of Taste of Buffalo
"We really try to stay away from chains and show off our local culinary talent,'' says Jim Fink, a reporter for Buffalo Business First. He's a member of the Taste of Buffalo board and a long-time festival organizer.
Asked to share a few of his personal favorites, Fink listed the jerk chicken from Caribbean Experience, Buffalo; spicy chicken wing soup with homemade croutons from Danny's Restaurant, Cheektowaga and Orchard Park; blackened chicken over Cajun rice from Chester's Cajun Grill, East Amherst; Indian-style wings from Tandoori's Royal Indian Cuisine, Williamsville; and the corned beef sliders served by W.J. Morrissey Irish Pub, Buffalo.
Organizers say Taste of Buffalo is the largest two-day food festival in the country, and they describe it as "fun by the forkful.'' Vendors set up shop along Delaware Avenue, beginning at Chippewa Street and stretching south toward City Hall, in the heart of downtown Buffalo.
Participating restaurants offer four or more menu items, including one designated "healthy option'' and one sample-size "Taste" item. There is no admission fee. Food ranges in price from two tickets (each ticket costs 50 cents) to eight tickets. Tickets are sold at booths along the festival route and are available in advance at Tops stores.
Heading west next weekend? Check out Taste of Buffalo. It sounds like a winner.
Photo courtesy of Taste of Buffalo
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