Mom and Pop's Natural Foods

Buffalo’s “foodscape” changes as often and as dramatically as its seasons. Restaurants open, bringing new life to our commercial districts and new tastes to our palates, even as old, beloved ones close, perhaps taking with them our favorite recipes and shared memories. Following is a rundown of the Buffalo food business’ more recent additions and losses, as well as some rumors of things to come.

Jim Park and Anne Paulk opened Mom and Pops Natural Foods (3400 Main St., 836-8800) two months ago in the University District. Located across the street from the University Metro station in a former computer repair shop, the small natural foods store is working to fill the gap left by the North Buffalo Food Co-op by selling a small selection of bulk staples, natural foods, equal exchange coffees and locally grown and made jams, jellies, maple syrup, fruits and veggies, teas and applesauces. Park, who formerly worked at Lexington Co-op as a grocery manager, says the store continues to add to its products, and that bulk herbs and spices are on the way, and bulk coffees will likely be added soon. Mom and Pops also sells soups and sandwiches.

Lagniappes (244 Allen St., 883-3663) opened in June, lending “a little something extra” (the name’s literal meaning) to the heart of Allentown. Cousins Chris and Don Silverstein, veterans (20+ years each) of Buffalo kitchens, have joined forces on their first restaurant ownership venture, cooking up “New Orleans style food with a BBQ twist.” New Orleans cuisine is a combination of Cajun and Creole cooking that has influences from Spanish, French, African and Italian cuisines. In other words, they sell loads of great food, including a long list of po-boys, gumbo, jambalaya, seafood and pasta entrees, and sides that include black eyed peas, sweet potato fries, collard greens and baked mac and cheese, among others. Though Chris spent nearly five years working in Big Easy restaurants, he claims that he picked up the cooking style by watching cooking shows, like Chef Paul Prudhomme’s, on PBS as a kid. And not to worry, Chris insists that “half the menu or more is non-spicy stuff.” Lagniappes is open Tuesday to Friday for lunch and dinner, and Saturday for dinner only.

Looking ahead, Deborah Clark, owner of Delish!, will soon open an upscale cafeteria line downtown called Chop Chop (300 Main St.). The cafeteria, which is set to open in January, takes its name from the chopped salads it will offer. According to Clark, diners will have a choice of upscale ingredients—poached salmon, blackened shrimp, grilled chicken, beef tenderloin—to be tossed with lettuce in “a really amazing salad.” Or the mixture of meat and vegetables can be wrapped in Pete’s Lebanese flatbread, or stir-fried with unda noodles. Chop Chop will also carry soups and, naturally, Delish! desserts. The restaurant will be open for lunch on weekdays only, a boon to the downtown business crowd who’s looking for fast, healthy lunches. It has a nice location, with dining rooms looking out on both Main Street and Cathedral Park.

Globe Market

Briefly…

Speaking of fast, healthy lunches, for those of you who still don’t know, Globe Market (298 Main St., 847-7405) opened a second location downtown last year. Located on the first floor of the Cathedral Place office building, the café is open for lunch with virtually the same great menu as the Elmwood location, and a “kiosk” that fronts Main Street is open for breakfast. Elmwood Bagel and Sandwich Shoppe (783 Elmwood Ave.) closed in the first week of October, and John Darowz closed his beloved X-Cel Produce (224 Elmwood Ave.) two weeks ago. It’s too early to mourn permanently, as Darowz is starting up an inhouse cafeteria for James Desiderio, Inc., the area’s largest wholesaler, who may eventually add a retail deli to the operation. Sahara Grill (976 Elmwood Ave.) is currently closed for remodeling, but as the sign displayed prominently in front of the restaurant claims, it will be reopening soon under new ownership. No word as of yet who’s taking over.

And that’s all the space we have. Look for the column to be continued next week…

If you’d like us to pass along your food news, please call us at 881-6604, or email us at editorial@artvoice.com (with “chew on this” in the subject heading).