Taste Test: Top Winter Menu Picks
Taste Test: Top Winter Menu Picks
New Season Means New Flavors at Our Local Restaurants
SCUMPTIOUS SALMON
Edna’s @ The Tamarack Club: 6447 Holiday Valley Rd : EVL, 716.699.5350, holidayvalley.com
This winter, Holiday Valley’s newest restaurant addition, Edna’s at the Tamarack Club will be serving up a mouth-watering pan-seared Norwegian salmon. A juicy fillet complemented by a fresh herb risotto, grilled asparagus and a Kalamata olive tapenade. It’s the perfect dish to make you feel as if you’ve walked out of winter and straight into the warmth of a Mediterranean summer. Edna’s will also be offering a wide variety of elevated comfort food dishes for everyone in the family to enjoy.
PIZZA PERFECTION
Monroe Street Brick & Brew: 21 Monroe St : EVL, 716.699.1051, Facebook/monroestbb
Things get busy during the holidays. There is shopping to be done, gifts to wrap and no time for things like cooking. You need something everyone can enjoy and give yourself a small reprieve. Monroe Street Brick and Brew has amazing wood-fired pizza that you can customize just the way you like it. From a pesto tomato pie to a meat lovers extravaganza, they’ve got it all. And don’t worry if you or someone you love can’t have bread, you can get the crust gluten free! Save yourself some time this holiday season and pick up some pizzas for dinner!
CLASSIC OSSO BUCCO
Villaggio: 7 Monroe St : EVL, 716.699.2199, villaggioevl.com
What better way to warm up after a day out enjoying the ski season than to head inside for a nice comforting meal. Villaggio has so many great selections, from their famous risotto sticks to their pastas. But the perfect winter warm up dish is their osso buco. A delightfully braised pork shank, served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes , vegetable of the day, gremolata and a rich tomato demi-glace. A fantastic blend of decadence intertwined with homey bliss. Come into Villaggio, leave the hassle of the holidays behind and indulge in classic comfort food feast.
COOKIE CRAVINGS
Dina’s Restaurant: 15 Washington St : EVL, 716.699.5330, dinas.com
We all know that the holiday season is prime cookie making season. Nothing warms you up better than a chocolate chip straight from the oven, unless it’s triple chocolate chunk. You can stop into Dina’s Restaurant and snag yourself a few of their decadent cookie offerings fresh from their bakery case Tuesday through Sunday. They also have a selection of pastries and other tasty treats (like homemade brownies) sometimes as well. Come on in and relax between your holiday shopping destinations, have some amazing food and take a sweet treat to keep you hustling.
MORE THAN BEEF
Silver Fox Steakhouse: 23 Hughey Alley : EVL, 716.699.4672, thesilverfoxrestaurant.com
The Silver Fox Steakhouse is Ellicottville’s only steakhouse and they grill more than just beef. They also grill pork like the espresso-rubbed dry-aged Frenched pork chop with roasted sweet potato puree and hazelnut gremolata. The thirty day aged succulent pork chop is grilled medium rare, served atop a creamy smooth roasted sweet potato puree garnished with a zesty gremolata, combining orange and lemon zest, roasted garlic and hazelnuts. Why not try one for yourself at the Silver Fox Steakhouse while you’re out doing your holiday errands!
ICONIC BUFFALO WINGS
Katy’s Fly-In: 4836 Route 219 : EVL, 716.265.2040, Facebook.com/katysflyin
Everyone could use a little warm up with the wintery weather impeding their holiday shopping adventures. Katy’s Fly-in in Great Valley, NY is the place to go for comfort food and WNY staples like their jumbo chicken wings. Fried to crispy perfection and coated as you like in the traditional blend of buttery Franks hot sauce, they are sure to set your mouth ablaze and heat you up from the inside. Hot, medium, mild, whatever your preference, these wings are sure to please. So take a break from the holiday hustle and bustle and get some for yourself.
SPICY HOT BURRITO
Bike & Bean: 11 Martha St : EVL, 716.699.2453, Facebook.com/ellicottvillebikeandbean
Baby, it’s cold outside and there is nothing like a little spice to heat you up from the inside out. That’s why when you stop at Bike and Bean on Sundays (or whenever the Buffalo Bills happen to be playing), you can enjoy their special Buffalo Chicken burrito. Filled to the brim with fresh grilled chicken, white rice, pinto beans, banana peppers, blue cheese, shredded carrots and crunches before being drizzled in their house made wing sauce. That’s handheld comfort food to the max and it’s a great dish to warm you up this season.