Ukrainian pierogi operation brings cheburek and gizzard pierogi to ex-Kentucky Greg’s, readers pop off on corkage

During decades in the restaurant business, including cooking at Oliver’s and rolling sushi at SeaBar, Jeffrey Dalfonso had a lot of time to think about the sort of place he wanted for himself.

The result is Dalfonso’s Italian Imports. Last month, the sandwich and premium Italian ingredient shop joined a neighborhood growing into a destination for the hungry and thirsty of Buffalo, to Five Points Bakery, Butter Block, Remedy House, Paradise Wines, and Extra Extra Pizza.

“I wanted a place where my family’s recipes would fit in, a place I wanted to shop,” Dalfonso said. After the pandemic made him realize he might only get one chance, he took the leap and landed at 445 Rhode Island St. 

“There’s something happening in Five Points,” he said, “and we wanted to be part of it.”

At Dalfonso’s Italian Imports, the proprietor will draw you a proper espresso with a bubbly water chaser, make you a sandwich for lunch, or serve as your sommelier of dried Italian pastas.

Dalfonso draws on family recipes for old-world staples like marinated eggplant, and generations of preferences to stock shelves with bundles of oregano still on the twig, and an entire menagerie of Italian pastas, from fregola to organic lumache made with Alpine water. Plus olive oil, salty fishy things, cheeses fresh and cured, and quarts of Dalfonso tomato sauce and meatballs to go. 

Plus the first puccia sighting in Western New York, for his sandwiches.

Puccia is a dense-crumbed disc made for stuffing, centered in Salento, Puglia, with roots in Roman-era street food. 

Dalfonso splits, toasts, and stuffs puccia with mortadella, cherry peppers, provolone, greens ($15), or fresh mozzarella with roasted peppers, banana peppers, and balsamic vinegar ($14).  Offered 11 a.m.-2 p.m, choices change weekly, but always come in vegetarian, and not.

For now, two sandwiches, and the only puccia around, will have to do. If things pick up, the menu may broaden, if Dalfonso, at last captain of his own ship, decides to make it so.

Dalfonso’s Italian Imports, 445 Rhode Island St., Instagram, Facebook

Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Closed Sunday, Monday.

REVIEW: A Burmese family’s journey to a better life has given Hamburg handcrafted dumplings, buns, and braises, offering Asian food fans a whole new continent to explore. At 007 Chinese Food, the Southtowns has been graced with a high-level culinary talent who could cook anywhere in the world, but set up at 84 Lake St. to produce handmade dim sum daily. (Later today, for patrons.)

In more refugees making restaurant news: It’s Pierogi Time.

That’s the name. A Ukrainian family uprooted by the Russian invasion has opened a dedicated pierogi and cheburek operation at 2184 George Urban Blvd., Depew, where Kentucky Greg’s last smoked.

What’s a cheburek, plural chebureki? Think Ukrainian pastelillos, deep-fried pockets stuffed with pork or chicken.

It’s Pierogi Time also boasts the broadest pierogi repertoire ($10.99-$12.99) I’ve ever seen. Strawberry, and cherry, even.

Pork butt, Buffalo spicy pork butt, and chicken gizzard-liver-heart are new to me. Add fried bacon cubes for $1.99 and you’ve got a plate you’ll want to polish. (rimshot)

Or how about a nice radish, turnip, and sour cream salad? A fresh bit for $3.99.

See menu and order here.

(Thanks to Polish-American community journalist Andy Gołębiowski for the heads up, and the delicious photos.)

It’s Pierogi Time, 2184 George Urban Blvd., Depew, 716-612-0746

Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Thursday-Saturday.

ASK THE CRITIC

Last week’s report of a $50 corkage fee in a Buffalo restaurant brought a few different vintages from vino veterans:

“I’ve seen most corkage at better places to be about $25 which is fair enough given the fact that you’re using their glasses and it’s being poured by the restaurant server.  If in fact the corkage is that high, it’s simply the restaurant monetarily discouraging you from bringing your own wine.

The two places I believe that charge that much are Hutch’s and Lombardo’s, two places that have high end wine lists.

In the end that corkage had nothing to do with “increased costs” but rather a not so subtle effort at discouraging a guest from bringing their own bottle. – Dennis Kozuch

“I think a corkage fee should be close to the cheapest bottle of wine on the menu, so probably around $35. $20-50 seems like an acceptable range imo. Also, I think guests should — when they make a reservation — inform and ask about corkage fees as well.” – Kevin Thurston

“You need a Michelin star and a lights out wine list to charge a $50 corkage fee imo. Eleven Madison Park is $65, as a frame of reference. Sure, Per Se is $150, but the majority of Michelin establishments keep it under $100. $50 for a local steakhouse is hard charging, but it is sort of in line with the steakhouse P&L mentality.” – Peter Jacobi

More reading from Michael Chelus

• Mr. Galarneau wrote about a personal favorite in my hometown – The Dove [Four Bites]

• Fat Bob’s and 42 North have opened their downtown collaboration – Queen City Bistro [Four Bites]

• On the latest episode of Four Bites Show, Andrew interviewed Chef James Roberts, chef and owner of Toutant [FourBites]

• Francesca wrote about Atsuko Nishida-Mitchell, a founding member of the Buffalo Cherry Blossom Festival [Buffalo News]

• Brian’s Buffalo Beer Briefs told us of Resurgence Brewing’s expansion to Canalside, the first ever Meadfest at Nickel City Brewz and more [Step Out Buffalo]

• Tiny Thai, Hawaiian BBQ and more are joining Food Truck Tuesdays in Larkinville [Buffalo News]

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