Plus Buffalo’s only Ukrainian babushka cooking, Big Gameday specials, and Tipico’s vegan extravaganza
Mary Jo Mammoser Machnica is a made woman in the restaurant world, a career server who’s served generations of customers. Skills she’s mastered outside dining rooms include photography, and motorcycling.
When I learned she’d planned a coast-to-coast motorcycle vision quest, riding U.S. Route 20 with Ezra, her German Shepherd, as co-pilot, to raise money for cancer research, I waited for the day when I could tell everyone.
So heads up, Western New York: Ezra and Mary Jo are hitting the highway July 1. They’re starting in Boston and finishing in Newport, Ore. Read all about their journey, and donate if so moved, at dogonahog.com.
Follow their path via live GPS, and enjoy frequent visual updates from Machnica on the Ezra’s Ride for Roswell Facebook page.
REVIEW: In Clarence Hollow, This Little Pig has finally become something substantially like the restaurant that Jeff and Mandy Cooke wanted all along. With enough rambling rooms to hold a hungry battalion and enough space to smoke the meat the barbecue menu demanded, it’s time for the Cookes’ close-up.
NEWS NUGS
Smoke signal: Yankee BBQ owner Brian Nagy has asked for help finding a bigger, better spot for his Southtowns smoking standout, known for straight-up spare ribs, brisket, the region’s only brontosaurus-scale beef rib, and spins like loganberry-glazed burnt ends.
“If anyone spots a place available please let us know,” Nagy wrote. “We would prefer an old restaurant with minimal build out, but any suggestions are welcome.”
Send tips to yankeebbq716@gmail.com.
Vegan finery: Five-course vegan extravaganza Jan. 25 at Tipico, 1084 Elmwood Ave., from chef Kevin Thurston, who earlier explored his multi-culti vegan leanings at Cafe Godot.
Smoked paprika roasted eggplant, tahini, chili oil, pickled shallots, mint; tofu, mushrooms, tamari, rice wine vinegar, black vinegar, rice; winter panzella of BreadHive rye, beets, fennel, caraway, dill; and prosecco raspberry gelee.
Tickets available here.
GAMEDAY SPECIALS
Fortifying the Bills faithful for tonight’s epic gridiron contest in Orchard Park is today’s mission for Buffalo restaurants. Here’s a few of the specials that caught my eye.
At Toutant, 437 Ellicott St., smoked prime rib pimento cheesesteaks lead James Roberts’ lineup, available on DoorDash.
Slow smoked prime ribeye, Toutant pimento cheese, fresh baked po’boy roll, pickled Fresno chiles and caramelized onions. Add Nashvillesauced chicken tenders for the stinger-plus version. King cake is the Sunday pastry, and Roberts’ Louisiana roots means it’s legit.
Vegan stalwart Strong Hearts, 295 Niagara St., has game day specials too, without animal involvement.
Kansas City Short Rib Sandwich with housemade KC BBQ sauce: grilled tempeh, onion, pickles and ranch. Plus the Spicy Veggie Sandwich: hot peppers, tomatoes, and onions grilled then topped with melted mozzarella, marinara, balsamic glaze.
ASK THE CRITIC:
Q: Are there any Ukrainian restaurants in Buffalo?
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Anya, via email
A: It depends on what you mean by “restaurant.”
The standard definition is a place where anyone can buy food. By that definition, the answer is “no.”
But if you’ve paid the $10 annual membership fee, you can walk into the Ukrainian-American Civic Center, 205 Military Road, in Black Rock, and get borscht with mushroom dumplings made by a Ukrainian grandmother. The Ukrainian platter, cabbage rolls, and more are available later in the week.
Narodnij Dim was built in 1914 to “serve the needs of the growing Eastern European immigrants centered around the Black Rock neighborhood.”
“The club provided an opportunity for newcomers to America to practice their culture, meet potential friends and mates, and it provided a venue for Ukrainian cultural events. In addition, the club provided a way for these new Ukrainian-Americans to learn about job opportunities from other Ukrainians.
At the time, the neighborhood was bustling with industrial activity, with a multitude of factories in the neighborhood, including Pratt and Letchworth Steel, Pratt and Lambert Paint, and Pierce Arrow. By the mid-2000, club membership was nearing only eight members.
(Above: video of banquet room pre-wedding, with booming music and special guest star Bill Dokey.)
Under new leadership, The Ukrainian-American Civic Center, as it is currently known, has welcomed a new generation of patrons with a series of special events including a raucous Oktoberfest celebration. Be sure to sample a bottle of Ukrainian Obolon beer or one of the other Slavic selections. The club is open to the public on Thursday and Friday evenings.”
You can join without any Ukrainian heritage, though I did get a thrill checking the “yes” box thanks to my paternal grandmother, Marie Dudar. Members also get notifications of upcoming events, like the Feb. 24 Annual Limburger Lunch. Phone: 716-877-7200.
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