Dining en plein air: A lake-to-lake sampling
By Joe George, Jessica Keltz, Vicki G. Marshall, Kevin Purdy,
Christopher Schobert, and Margaret M. Toohey
Photos by kc kratt (unless otherwise noted)
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One of the many fresh seafood dish
options from Root Five in Hamburg |
Waterfront Restaurant
The lake-side dining area at this Hamburg eatery has one of the best views of the Buffalo skyline you can get without having a pilot’s license. Arrive thirty minutes before sunset on a clear day, and the orange-red landscape of shimmering water and office-building glass, portside relics, and passing birds is a postindustrial panorama.
Good food and drink choices: The kitchen seems to change up its game every summer, which is a good thing. Fresh seafood makes it onto the specials board quite frequently, and the regular menu is a bit more diverse than your average chain. Choices include adobe chicken, pear and goat cheese salads, sizable prawns over rice, and a wine selection that has a refreshingly large number of by-the-glass selections.
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A view of Lake Erie at Root Five in Hamburg
Photo by Jim Bush. |
4914 Lake Shore Rd. (Rte. 5), Hamburg, 627-5551
—K.P.
The Hatch
It never ceases to amaze me how quick and easy it is to get to the Hatch, but when I’m there I feel like I’m miles away from the city. The menu is somewhat basic; that’s not what will draw a person to this place, it’s the location. The view is nothing short of breathtaking (and it might make you wonder why we haven’t developed more of our beautiful waterfront).
Good food and drink choices: The selections, while good, are primarily fast food. The menu is divided into two sections: breakfast and lunch. The breakfast menu is what you might expect: eggs, home fries, omelets, and the like. (Morning is an excellent time to go here because there are few customers and it’s a nice and tranquil way to start the day.) And the lunch menu also has the usual suspects—sandwiches, a variety of hotdogs and hamburgers, salads, and fried items.
Prices are reasonable; a full breakfast averages about $3–$4 (without beverages), and a kid’s breakfast is only $2. Lunch, beer, and wine are affordable, too.
The scene: The Hatch actually encompasses two buildings. One is the main restaurant where most of the menu is offered. The smaller building has a counter on two sides; one sells ice cream and the other is a clam bar, where beer and (generic) wine are also sold.
329 Erie St. at the Erie Basin Marina, 851-6501
—J.G.
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Calamari at Water Street Landing
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Caffé Aroma is a small and bustling European-style café that specializes in Italian food, wine, and coffee. Situated at the corner of Elmwood and Bidwell, it’s in the very heart of the Elmwood Village.
Good food and drink choices: According to their website, Caffé Aroma was the first restaurant in WNY to offer panini sandwiches. Whether or not this is true is up for discussion, but one thing is for sure: their version is authentic and delicious. There are a few varieties from which to choose, but I tend to opt for a classic vegetarian panini loaded with tomatoes, mozzarella, and pesto. The sandwiches are big enough for a complete lunch or light dinner, and average about $5 or $6 each. Other good choices are their wraps, small pizzas, and baked goods. The coffee is good, and there is a nice selection of wine by the glass or bottle.
The scene: Seating inside the café is often tight, which gives it a big city feel. There are eight or so small tables, a few seats at the bar, and a couple more at a counter in the front window overlooking Bidwell Park. But the outside patio is what really makes this place shine in the summertime. Whether you’re whiling away a lazy Sunday afternoon over a cappuccino, having a tête-à-tête with someone over wine, or having a light meal, this Buffalo summer spot is not to be passed up.
957 Elmwood Ave., 884-4522, www.vinoaroma.com
—J.G.
The River Grill
The River Grill is one of those places you whiz by in your car, always saying to yourself, “I hear that place is good …” And I mean literally whizzing by, since the sign (which actually says Eddie’s River Grill) is visible from the 190. It’s located at 70 Aqua Lane. (Yup, even the address is kinda cool.) This is the foot of Sheridan Drive, across from the GM plant in Tonawanda, and it can be a bit tricky to get to. But hey, the search is part of the fun. The food is good, there’s a dance floor for those interested in that kind of movement, and the covered deck is perfect for enjoying the water and the tunes. Once the spring and summer hit, the River Grill features live music several times a week; the Blues Society of Western New York’s website, www.wnyblues.org, features a schedule of performances.
The scene: You can dance if you want to. When a band is playing, obviously, it can be a loud experience. The feel is authentic grunge—nothing faux about it.
Good food and drink choices: Seafood is tops here, with noticeably large portions.
Extras: Look for the red palm tree.
70 Aqua Lane, Tonawanda, 873-2553
—C.S.
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Stuffed sirloin at Water Street Landing
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This patio pretty much seals the deal. It offers a lovely view of the, well, the creek (more specifically, Ellicott Creek Falls), and couldn’t be a more convenient place to find, dropped smack dab in the middle of Main Street in Williamsville. It’s a nice, pleasant, laid-back vibe, perfect for lunch or dinner. And even though the outdoor aspect is what makes it unique, it’s a fine restaurant year-round. (Full disclosure alert: I happen to know two people who have been to the Creekview—no exaggeration—probably a hundred times in the last three or four years. So yeah. It gets repeat business.)
The scene: A nice atmosphere in which one could get away with jeans or a suit. Since it is located on the cusp of the northtowns, it tends to draw an older crowd. But I certainly didn’t feel out of place dining there.
Good food and drink choices: The Creekview is known for having daily specials, and one old-timer I know swears by the oysters and oyster stew. I’ve heard raves about pretty much everything on the menu, from soups to pies. They are also fully stocked in the booze department (see below).
Extras: There’s a pretty nifty—and quite popular—bar. The few times I’ve been there, it’s been a people stew. One caveat: It’s not outdoors. But hey, this is outdoor dining, not necessarily outdoor drinking.
5629 Main Street, Williamsville, 632-9373
—C.S.
The Dockside Inn
My first visit to the Dockside Inn was on Memorial Day a few years ago; I was aching from sunburn and eager for a nice cold beer. We took our seats on the patio, which is just a few feet from the Erie Canal in downtown North Tonawanda. Sunshine, cheap drinks, fried food, and complete relaxation—that’s the Dockside.
Good food and drink choices: Fried shrimp, fried potatoes, tap beer, and frozen drinks. The beer selection is pretty good for a casual summer spot and includes Flying Bison, Blue Moon, and, if memory serves me right, Sam Adams.
The scene: Tonawandans waving from their motorboats as they drive by, can of beer in the nonwaving hand. More Tonawandans strolling down the footpath that separates the canal from the Dockside’s patio. Should one venture inside, the decor has a nautical theme, in keeping with the building’s history as a lumber transfer station, then a mule feed depot, during the canal’s shipping heyday. Downtown North Tonawanda and the City of Tonawanda are around the corner and industrial buildings are visible. Overall, the crowd is low key, unpretentious, and fun-loving, perfect for summer in WNY.
153 Sweeney St., North Tonawanda, 693-3100
—J.K.
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Twist of the Mist
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Few things have changed at these iconic takeout and ice cream stands—the latter with a kitschy soft-serve-twist roof—since their original owner stepped away in the fall of 2006. There’s a (relatively) smaller menu, but the view from any picnic table still takes in the scurrying tourists, the Rainbow Bridge, and everything triumphant and tacky about Niagara Falls, USA.
Good food and drink choices: Anything that evokes being young, or simply careless with calories. The sweet potato fries with honey and butter are as good as any takeout stand, and their burgers and Buffalo chicken sandwiches are hefty and served up with fresh rolls. I’ll take a black-and-blue burger from the Dog if I’m pressed for a choice, and grab whatever flavor Perry’s dreamed up this month at the Twist.
The scene: Depending on where you sit, you’ve got a great view of cars and walkers scurrying across the bridge and past tourist traps, or a prime seat to watch a pay-per-ride helicopter lift off.
Extras: The distant roar of the falls and interaction with over-eager birds hooked on breading bits, free of charge.
18 Niagara St. (at Rainbow Boulevard South), Niagara Falls
—K.P.
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Interior of Water Street Landing
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The best word to describe the setting for this restaurant is spectacular. Sitting above the Niagara River, Water Street Landing is perched above the Lewiston boat docks with views down the river toward Youngstown and the mouth of Lake Ontario, and up river to Artpark and the constantly swirling rapids. Canada seems close enough to touch and the blazing sunsets to the west are breathtaking. Add to this a choice of fine or casual dining both indoors or outdoors, and you have the perfect ambiance for whatever your mood might be.
Good food choices: For fine dining, the restaurant and covered veranda offer a wide variety of contemporary dishes, including pan-seared sea bass finished with a roasted red pepper coulis; fresh Prince Edward Island mussels with capellini pasta, basil, and diced tomatoes in a white wine sauce; and an excellent selection of prime steaks and beef. The casual SideBar on the north side of the restaurant and the covered patio below (where the bar expands to a horseshoe shape with a view of the river from every seat) offers such favorites as baked mac and cheese with andouille sausage, or the SideBar Sloppy Joe—a spicy Cuban twist on this American tradition.
Extras: Clam Slam on summer Mondays when patrons down a combined 3,000-plus clams; live music every Friday night and Sunday afternoon.
115 Water St., Lewiston, 754-9200, www.waterstreetlanding.com
—V.G.M./M.M.T
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