If you’re searching for a cozy environment to socialize in this winter, check out Parings Wine Bar (5893 Main Street, Williamsville, N.Y. (716) 630-5951).

Some of Parings perks include a separate sitting room complete with leather sofas, chairs, and a fireplace, full bar service, free wi-fi, flat screen TV’s, and a relaxing dining room area where you can sample small plates, cheese flights, & wines.

Parings is open Sun-Thur (3-11 pm) and Fri & Sat (3-1 am). For more info visit paringswinebar.com or ArtvoiceTV.com (Channel Food).

     Searching for an alternative to your morning bagel or afternoon sandwich? Chow Chocolat is now serving breakfast and lunch in addition to artisan chocolates & pastries (Chow Chocolat, 731 Main Street, Buffalo, 716.843.4388).

Chow’s breakfast menu features Omelettes prepared w/ imported cheeses & fresh vegetables, free-range eggs made ‘any style,‘ and Buttermilk wheat flour Pancakes. Sides include fresh fruit, whole grain toast, sourdough bread, and homemade veggie hash. Prices range from $5.29 for Chow’s Croissant sandwich served with eggs ‘any style’  to $8.95 for a Southwest-influenced Breakfast Burrito adorned with spicy salsa, cilantro, grated cheddar, and black cacao beans. Breakfast is served Mon-Fri from 9:30am-11:30 a.m. 

Lunch at Chow is available Mon-Fri from 11:30-1:30 p.m. The menu has a rustic feel, complements of wholesome entrees like a roast Chicken Salad ($8.95), grilled Mediterranean Vegetable Baguette ($7.95), Smoked Salmon & dill creme fraiche wrap ($7.95), and a Turkey Sandwich adorned w/ mixed field greens, tomato, cheddar cheese, and cranberry chutney ($5.29). Both Dine-in & Take-out are available.

   Both Steve’s Clam Bar & Captain Jack’s have shut down their seafood destinations on the Elmwood strip for winter. Stay posted for opening date info in Spring 2010…

    If you’re looking for a way to give back to the community and need a tempting incentive aside from pure benevolence, purchase a $15.00 ticket to “Choco-Logo’s Halloween Chocolate & Wine Tasting Party,” which is raising funds for Heart of the City Neighborhoods (Thursday, October 29th, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., 141 Broadway Street, Buffalo, NY). For ticket info, visit www.chocologo.com or call 882-7661 x.200.

If wine and chocolate are not your vices, CEPA Gallery is holding a lunchtime fundraiser at the Market Arcade Building (Wednesday, October 28th, Noon to 2 p.m., 617 Main Street, Buffalo, NY). A variety of soups prepared by Sample and Betty’s will be sold for $5/bowl inside the Repair Shop, located in CEPA’s Flux Gallery on the first floor. Proceeds will go to The Soup Granting Program, a unique initiative presented in conjunction with the current exhibition Conversation Pieces. For more info, contact Elizabeth Lyman @ (716) 856-2717 or email lyman@cepagallery.org. 

It’s never fair to review a restaurant in its early stages but sometimes the truth needs to be stated. Although Tokyo Shanghai Bistro (494 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, 716.886.3839) recently opened, the general consensus of those who have dined there is as conflicting as the restaurant’s Chinese/Japanese menu.

Keep in mind that Tokyo Shanghai Bistro is not your below average Chinese Buffet (although a lunchtime buffet is offered). The newly renovated interior is serene, the service is equally pleasant, and menu items are modestly priced to a tad overpriced depending on what you order and what you consider to be authentic Asian cuisine.

If you’re a traditional Chinese food eater, the Wonton soup constitutes a nice starter. If you prefer Miso soup, be aware that TSB’s broth has a fishy aftertaste and cloudy appearance, which is probably due to too much miso seasoning. Salad eaters should also be aware that the Vegetable salad is simply iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, tomato slices, and carrots coated in what’s supposed to be ginger dressing but looks and tastes like Thousand Island.

Moving onto appetizers, there were no complaints about the shrimp & vegetable tempura. The pan-fried shrimp shumai were far superior to the steamed shrimp dumplings, which arrived lukewarm and had a gummy consistency. The Yakitori (grilled chicken skewers marinated in teriyaki sauce) also came out of the kitchen a tad undercooked and tasted bland despite being cooked in a gelatinous sweet sauce. Overall, the chicken dishes were extremely disappointing, which could be attributed to poor quality poultry and much needed tweaking of seasonings & spices.

Red meat eaters had fewer complaints about the Beef Negimaki appetizer, Bento Box, and Mongolian Beef entree, which was a a little too spicy but tasted just fine with rice. Addressing the sushi bar, the sushi-grade rice adhered well to the nori paper but the rolls paled in comparison to Maki one can dine on at well known Japanese restaurants in the neighborhood.

The happiest diners were vegetarians, specifically tofu eaters, who ordered the General Tso’s Tofu (i.e. crispy tofu, broccoli, and hot chili peppers served in a sweet & spicy sauce). The veggie dishes were fresh although everyone agreed that the sauce recipes needed refining.

Hopefully Tokyo Shanghai Bistro will continue to improve and become best known for Chinese cuisine rather than Japanese as Buffalo is in dire need of a decent Chinese restaurant. Until then, choose wisely and remember to ask for an extra side of vegetables.

    Fall may be in the air but there’s still time for one last summer hurrah… The Boys of Summer are giving a free live performance this Wednesday on the scenic outdoor patio behind Creekside Banquet Hall (2669 Union Rd @ the corner of William St, Cheektowaga, NY  14227, September 23rd, 6-10 pm).

The concert will coincide with an old-school Car Cruise from 5-10 p.m. so be prepared to see a lot of social activity throughout the evening. Don’t forget to bring your appetite as you’ll be able to purchase plenty of favorites from the grill like burgers, sausages, & hot dogs and enjoy wine, beer, & cocktails from a full (cash) bar.

 If you’re in Toronto during the film festival and want experience nightlife in the Queen City  ‘celebrity-style,‘ head to Yorkville… 

  Dimmi’s Trattoria & Bar (140 Cumberland Ave., Toronto, ON, 416.975.110) has the ultimate people watching patio that’s jammed with tiny tables that are so close together you can bump elbows with patrons sitting next to you. However, the service is thorough and the menu features rustic Italian fare that complements the wine list. I’d recommend splitting the Calzone’s, thin-crust pizzas, & pasta courses as portions are fairly hearty. It’s a bit pricey but worth the splurge (and the tight dining quarters).

If you’re looking for other recommendations in Yorkville, two locals who know a thing or two about hob-knobbing in Toronto devised the following list… Hemingways, which is next door to Dimmi’s has a happening upstairs patio scene and good bar food. For the ultimate view, head to The Park Hyatt Hotel Rooftop Lounge.   If you appreciate Japanese cuisine, Ki has a sophisticated menu (including sushi & sashimi) and a Nobu-esque bar scene. For a romantic setting, Sotto Sotto is rumored to be one of the best trattorias in town to propose to someone. If you don’t mind a little pretension,  Ristorante Spuntini is ‘the place to be and be seen’ as well as  The Four Seasons Hotel Bar & Restaurant where Matt Damon was being hounded by paparazzi & stargazers last Saturday.

Stay tuned for more updates on nightlife in the Queen City…

Kuni’s will be temporarily closed Monday, September 14th-Wednesday, September 23rd.

The Japanese restaurant/sushi bar will re-open on Thursday, September 24th!  (Kuni’s, 226 Lexington Avenue, Buffalo, 716.881.3800, www.kunisbuffalo.com).

If you missed out on the delectable benefits of participating in Western New York’s Local Restaurant Week last March, the epicurean event is returning in time for Fall! (Local Restaurant Week, September 21st-28th, 2009, Downtown Buffalo & Surrounding Suburbs).

Restaurants will once again devise $20.09 fixed-price menus (excluding tax & gratuity) that will showcase their chefs’ culinary skills and satiate patrons.

According to Vincent McConeghy, Community Manager @ LocalFoodService.com, “the month of September can be notoriously slow for the restaurant industry. Holding Restaurant Week during fall harvest will hopefully inspire the community to support local agriculturists & independent operators at a time when business is greatly appreciated.”

Indeed, last March’s Restaurant Week proved to be extremely successful. An even grandeur list of restaurants will partake in the week-long affair and there will be a regional feel, thanks to wineries & breweries that have agreed to join in on the festivities.

Be sure to check out WNY Restaurant Week’s Website for updates as new venues & menus will be posted daily (WNY Restaurant Week, September 21-28, 2009, http://westernnewyork.localrestaurantweek.com/home.cfm).

If you’ve ever dined on authentic fish n’ chips in the UK or New England check out downtown’s Buffalo newest take-out establishment; ‘Captain Jack’s Fish n’ Chips’ (1066 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, N.Y. 14222, 716.881.3474).

Captain Jack’s menu mainly comprises seafood omitting a grilled Chicken & Spinach sandwich, Portabella sandwich, and Veggie Burger. Fish fry’s and Fish n’ Chips are served daily in addition to seafood starters and entrees. Prices range from $3.99 for Fish Tacos to $9.99 for the Cajun Blackened Tuna steak dinner.

Some of Captain Jack’s specialties include spicy ‘Buffalo’ Calamari, Crab Cakes served w/ cajun tartar sauce, BBQ Shrimp skewers, Shrimp ’scampi’ Ravioli, and a Coconut-crusted Shrimp entree. Side dishes range from vegetarian coleslaw and hush puppies to macaroni salad, sweet potato fries, and ‘chips,’ which can be seasoned w/ salt & malt vinegar or dipped in CJ’s homemade mustard tartar sauce.

If you’re curious about the epicurean history of ‘Fish n’ Chips,’ the recipe originated in the United Kingdom and is categorized as take-away food in England. It’s traditionally made with haddock fillets, cod, or flounder and served with deep-fried chipped (slab-cut) potatoes .

Captain Jack’s Fish n’ Chips is open Monday-Thursday (11am-9pm), Friday & Saturday (11am-11pm), and closed Sunday. A website is not yet available…