Sunday News: New generation at Milkie’s Lounge launches vegan-friendly menu

Cozy places for winter lunch, Valentine’s Day in Medina, daNando culettos coming

Nikki Rosenberg has launched a new menu after taking over Milkie’s.

In a bid to become the Elmwood Village’s favorite dive bar, Milkie’s Elmwood Lounge has added a menu of housemade bar food, including substantial vegan options, prepared by the owner herself.

Nikki Rosenberg debuted at Milkie’s in 2014, hired as a bartender by Lebanese restaurateur Mike Milkie. After a serving career that included Johnny Rockets, corner bars, and Honey’s at the Boulevard Mall, Rosenberg found herself feeling oddly at home.

The Elmwood Village live entertainment venue at 522 Elmwood Ave., once best known as Lance Diamond’s home stage, is a bar and performance space. It’s also an auxiliary living room for people who just want to get out of the house.

Chicken finger sub at Milkie’s (Photo: Nikki Rosenberg)

Milkie tried for years to get Rosenberg to take over. “I said no for a long time,” she said. “Then during Covid, I was like, ‘I don’t want to go anywhere else. I love it here.’ I’m so comfortable here. I love the fans that come here, the regulars, everything. I don’t want to go anywhere else.”

The Rosenberg era at Milkie’s started with making customers something good to eat. Instead of frozen chicken tenders and pizza logs, Milkie’s offers a housemade selection of wings, chicken tenders, and the New York City favorite chopped cheese sandwiches, devised with help from chef Jake Bauer.

Vegan “chicken” fingers at Milkie’s. (Photo: Nikki Rosenberg)

Vegans and vegetarians can get “chopped cheese” and “chicken tenders” too, using plant-based proteins, since Rosenberg added a fryer for meat-free dishes. More munchie cures include fries, jalapeno poppers, tater tots, and curry-dusted onion rings.

Milkie’s has tables in the main barroom, with the bar and stage. The side room has couches, easy chairs, and period chandeliers, more like a communal den. A pool table, chess set and more games are available for patrons. It can hold about 150 people.

Milkie’s hosts entertainment every night it’s open, five days a week.

There’s still something happening every night Milkie’s is open, five days a week. “Tuesday through Saturday, we have some type of entertainment,” she said. Tuesday’s karaoke, Wednesday’s comedy open mic. Thursday, Friday, Saturday are DJs, live bands or something else.

“I have a lot of passion for this place,” Rosenberg said. “I don’t think of it as ‘I’m just going to give it a try’ here. When I’m in something, I’m putting everything into it.

“It’s always been a dive bar,” Milkie’s owner said. “We’re trying to be a bit better than that right now by serving homemade bar food. But that’s what we’re doing, trying to make Milkie’s your dive bar.”

Mighty meatloaf at Hilltop Restaurant & Bar, Lockport

REVIEW: In Lockport, the Hilltop Restaurant & Bar has worked its way into the lives of Lockportians with old-school touches like housemade bread with entrees, a takeout window for easy pickup, and family packs for one-stop family feeds. Tapping into their restaurant family tree, Anthony and Crystal (nee Bitsas) Conrad are serving up baklava cheesecake and Bunyanesque meatloaf platters that would do any family proud. (Later today, for patrons.)

French chef Lionel Heydel and Chef David Gawron offer Valentine’s dinner at Shirt Factory.

VALENTINE’S RESERVATIONS: If a unique dinner offered by a topnotch French chef drawing on fine local ingredients sounds romantic, set your wayfinder for Medina. Bonus: a long drive with that special someone is a fine time for intimate conversation.

Chefs Lionel Heydel and David Gawron’s three-course menu has carnivore and vegan paths, with three choices for mains: sea bass, carrot vadouvan, shaved brussels sprouts; braised beef short rib, creamy polenta, roasted root vegetables, gremolata; and local mushroom risotto, roasted beet gel, microgreens salad (vegan). All paths end at molten chocolate espresso cake with Amarena cherries.

It begins at 6 p.m. Feb. 14 in Shirt Factory, 115 West Center St., Medina. Tickets, $225 per couple including tax and tip, available here.

CLOSED: At 3347 Delaware Ave., Tonawanda, Joe and Michelle Fanara said farewell after 15 years of operating Fanara’s, formerly Manzella’s.

“We would like to wish the new owners the best of luck and hope you continue to support them as you have all done for us over the years.”

Fanara’s last night of service was Jan. 31. Another restaurant will be opening at the address, they said.

OPENING: In Clarence, Nando Silenzi’s daNando Italian sandwich shop starts its soft opening Feb. 8.

At 4401 Transit Road, the Main-at-Transit space where This Little Pig started, Silenzo’s into channeling hardcore Roman specialties like culettos, hollowed-out Italian loaves stuffed to overflowing with meatballs, pork, salumi, enriched with pecorino romano truffle spread or more flavor accelerants.

Caponata, panzanella salad, and sfogliatella napoletana – the clamshell-looking Italian pastry, hard to find in Buffalo – are on the daNando menu.

ASK THE CRITIC:

A: It’s freezing. Where’s a cozy place for lunch?

– Cynthia Stark, via Substack

Q: Places that come to mind immediately include Cafe Bar Moriarty (Wednesday-Saturday), Five Points Bakery, especially upstairs, (daily), This Little Pig (Tuesday-Saturday), The Dove (Tuesdays and Thursdays), noted Welsh rarebit purveyor Eagle House (Tuesday-Saturday), Terra House in Akron (Wednesday-Friday), and, naturally, Cozy Thai (Monday-Saturday).

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