Western New York Dining

Wester n New Yor k dining dining

Five local foods visitors must try!

BY MICHELE DELUCA

Just about everyone knows that if you’re a meat-eater, you’ve absolutely got to try a chicken wing when you come to Buff alo. What they don’t know is that this region also boasts other foods just as wonderful and beloved by locals.

Of course, on the list of foods visitors must try, chicken wings is at the top. But, food adventurers absolutely must sample all of the top fi ve in the list below if they are interested in tasting the best Western New York has to off er!

1. CHICKEN WINGS

Th ere are no wings like those made in Buff alo and the Western New York region. Nor are wings easily available in almost every restaurant and tavern, as either a snack, an entre or an antidote to late-night munchies. Most often Buff alo wings are fried to a crisp, dripping with hot sauce and butter, and dunked into ice-cold blue cheese dressing. A taste of those wings might change everything about the way a person thinks about chicken but lots of chefs have fun experimenting with diff erent sauces, like barbecue or garlic Parmesan. Try them all if you can!

Wings were invented at Frank and Teressa’s Anchor Bar in Buff alo, where late one night Teressa invented the idea when her son and his friends were hungry. Th ere are currently 12 locations worldwide, including a branch in Niagara Falls.

We like our wings so much here that we usually celebrate them at an annual Chicken Wing Festival, planned for September. Consider yourself lucky if you are able to attend, and judge for yourself which of WNY wings are the best of the best.

2. BEEF ON WECK

It’s a surprise to many locals, when they are traveling elsewhere, that people don’t know what “weck” is. Th roughout the rest

Left top: A basket of chicken wings is just about ready at a Niagara Falls eatery.

Left bottom: Beef on Weck at the Third Street Retreat restaurant in Niagara Falls.

Above: DiCamillo’s Bakery warms to a crispy brown at the Niagara Falls bakery. They have many locations throughout Western New York where you can fi nd an array of pastries and baked goods. James Neiss Right: Skip DiCamillo holds up two loaves of Niagara Falls favorite bread as fi nishing touches are being made at the newly redesigned DiCamillo Bakery store.James Neiss

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of the country, folks don’t eat their tender sliced roast beef on “kummelweck,” a Kaiser roll flecked with caraway seeds and coarse salt. However, here in Western New York, most people will be aghast if roast beef isn’t served on “weck,” and many also serve it with a tablespoon full of fresh, coarsely grated horseradish. Clears the sinuses every time. The flavor from a roll dipped in au jus with rare beef sliced paper-thin, embraced in a fresh “Weck” roll, is unforgettable.

3. MEATBALLS

Every city has a love affair with its Italian restaurants and Western New York is no different.

There are a plethora of wonderful Italian restaurants in the region, and you just have to check the online reviews to pick what appeals most. But, Mama mia, if you really want a treat, order the meatballs. The meatballs in this part of the world are delicioso! Because of that, the owner of Osteria Restaurant in Buffalo created a meatball competition held over the last few years to determine who makes the finest combination of ground meat and assorted additions.

The annual Meatball Street Brawl has been postponed lately due to COVID, but consider that just about any restaurant has its own special offerings of ground meat et all, and you can’t lose if you check the contenders on the Meatball Street Brawl website, www.meatballstreetbrawl. com

4. BREAD

Bread is a revelation in Western New York. Some local Italian breads especially, are sent around the world to those who left these parts and long for the bread of their childhood, pillowy, aromatic with the scent of yeast and a hint of salt, and any other accouterments the baker feels a need to add.

Almost any bakery will do, but DiCamillo Italian bread is legendary in these parts, and available at shops throughout the region. Don’t go home without buying a loaf. Later, if you need more, you can order it online at www.dicamillobakery.com.

5. FISH FRIES

Fish fries are available in every part of the USA, especially those with heavy German populations, but in Western New York, fish fries are not so much cultural as they are a spiritual experience. During the Lenten season, people of all faiths head like salmon upstream to the restaurants that serve fish fries. You can almost imagine the look of delighted awe on their faces when they bite into a crispy, hot fresh slice of haddock, served up with coleslaw, lemon, potato salad and if you are lucky, French fries.

Of course, everyone has their favorite spots so it’s important to search the web for reviews before deciding. But, in the long run, it’s really hard to get it wrong in these parts, where fish fries are beloved all year long.

Meatballs come in all shapes and sizes in Western New York, including the Meatball Puff at the restaurant Somewhere in Youngstown. James Neiss

A fish fry at Gadawski’s on Falls Street in Niagara Falls. James Neiss