OT -- High Praise for Buffalo Pizza

[Doohickie]

27 minutes ago, Sabel79 said:

Frank's actually sells their sauce mixed with butter.  Bought it accidentally once, foul.  

Yeah, I've seen it.

[...]

2 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Ted’s serves Sahlens.  I’ve been to Ted’s in Tempe about 100 times, as my folks retired to Scottsdale.  It tastes like home.  You can order Chef’s sauce and Weber’s mustard online.  Our Publix here carries Sahlens hotdogs sometimes.  

It’s just Frank’s hot sauce mixed with butter. I always found their wings not very meaty.  I tend to be a Duff’s guy as I grew up near there.  

I lived near a Duff's.  The conversation over wings is no different than the coffee places.  Timmy's vs. Starbucks.  Timmy's coffee, to me, is flat out bad.  Although not as bad as McDonald's or your average convenience mart.  Why people will leave for work early to sit in a long-ass line for that stuff, I'll never understand.

Same is true when Duff's comes up.  Living near Duff's I had on several occasions received the most nasty order of wings possible.  The first time I got sick.  The following times I was able identify they were bad and took them back.  After a few times I have never been back.

Meanwhile, Anchor, to me, has always made their wings right.  Always.  Big wings, perfectly cooked, sauced correctly.  Every time I see people crap on Anchor,. I simply don't understand how it's possible.  I prefer Anchor over the other, high-profile locals.  La Hacienda Brighton also makes a mean batch of wings. 

[pi2000]

1 hour ago, ... said:

I lived near a Duff's.  The conversation over wings is no different than the coffee places.  Timmy's vs. Starbucks.  Timmy's coffee, to me, is flat out bad.  Although not as bad as McDonald's or your average convenience mart.  Why people will leave for work early to sit in a long-ass line for that stuff, I'll never understand.

Same is true when Duff's comes up.  Living near Duff's I had on several occasions received the most nasty order of wings possible.  The first time I got sick.  The following times I was able identify they were bad and took them back.  After a few times I have never been back.

Meanwhile, Anchor, to me, has always made their wings right.  Always.  Big wings, perfectly cooked, sauced correctly.  Every time I see people crap on Anchor,. I simply don't understand how it's possible.  I prefer Anchor over the other, high-profile locals.  La Hacienda Brighton also makes a mean batch of wings. 

I too prefer Anchor Bar over Duff's, but Bar Bill trumps them all.    Never had a bad experience at Anchor Bar.     Wings always big and meaty, flavorful, plenty of thick chunky blue cheese and celery.    Not a huge fan of their pizza tho.

[LGR4GM]

2 hours ago, ... said:

I lived near a Duff's.  The conversation over wings is no different than the coffee places.  Timmy's vs. Starbucks.  Timmy's coffee, to me, is flat out bad.  Although not as bad as McDonald's or your average convenience mart.  Why people will leave for work early to sit in a long-ass line for that stuff, I'll never understand.

Same is true when Duff's comes up.  Living near Duff's I had on several occasions received the most nasty order of wings possible.  The first time I got sick.  The following times I was able identify they were bad and took them back.  After a few times I have never been back.

Meanwhile, Anchor, to me, has always made their wings right.  Always.  Big wings, perfectly cooked, sauced correctly.  Every time I see people crap on Anchor,. I simply don't understand how it's possible.  I prefer Anchor over the other, high-profile locals.  La Hacienda Brighton also makes a mean batch of wings. 

Idk, I avoid both places these days.  If I'm all the way dt I'd rather get wings at sidelines. Been there a few times after a Sabres game and wings have been fantastic. 

 

Last time I ate at anchor bar for lunch, wings were fine but not large or special. Last time at Duffs was take out and they were not large but fine. There are simply better places. 

Edited August 21, 2018 by LGR4GM

[Buffaslug]

I lurk these forums, participating once every few years when a topic stirs such passion in me I cannot idly watch my viewpoint go unrepresented.

While my viewpoint for this issue is indeed well represented in this instance, I still felt it necessary to state that Buffalo style pizza has ruined me.

Every pizza I even consider elsewhere is met with the fears that it will be no where near as good as buffalo pizza.

Every time I am bitterly disappointed and find myself longing for another slice of the delicious nirvana of a middle of a buffalo sheet.

When I travel to the area I over-purchase and freeze it, however it has a half life of about 2 days.

While I've read a few but not all pages, I have not seen my usual haunt mentioned, Picasso's on Transit. Convenient on/off the thruway for my travels.

As much as I love my family in the area, I suppose I would be torn if I was asked whether I was visiting for the pizza or the family.

I have often opined that Buffalo pizza is indeed worthy of being enshrined as a true regional specialty and I am glad that there is a movement afoot to affirm that.

I hope and pray that some day that a "buffalo pizza joint" may be as common in our national travels as chicago, NY or even california style pizza.

Bless you buffalo pizza and those that support it.

[darksabre]

5 minutes ago, Buffaslug said:

I lurk these forums, participating once every few years when a topic stirs such passion in me I cannot idly watch my viewpoint go unrepresented.

While my viewpoint for this issue is indeed well represented in this instance, I still felt it necessary to state that Buffalo style pizza has ruined me.

Every pizza I even consider elsewhere is met with the fears that it will be no where near as good as buffalo pizza.

Every time I am bitterly disappointed and find myself longing for another slice of the delicious nirvana of a middle of a buffalo sheet.

When I travel to the area I over-purchase and freeze it, however it has a half life of about 2 days.

While I've read a few but not all pages, I have not seen my usual haunt mentioned, Picasso's on Transit. Convenient on/off the thruway for my travels.

As much as I love my family in the area, I suppose I would be torn if I was asked whether I was visiting for the pizza or the family.

I have often opined that Buffalo pizza is indeed worthy of being enshrined as a true regional specialty and I am glad that there is a movement afoot to affirm that.

I hope and pray that some day that a "buffalo pizza joint" may be as common in our national travels as chicago, NY or even california style pizza.

Bless you buffalo pizza and those that support it.

Transit Picasso's is where I get my pizza and it is #1. I worked at the location in Lancaster many many years ago and my family have been loyal patrons since 1992. 

[That Aud Smell]

On 8/17/2018 at 8:57 AM, That Aud Smell said:

Bella Pizza on South Park or Abbott in So Buff is outstanding.

Picasso's has a few stores all over town -- terrific product.

Also, Lovejoy Pizza and Carbone's Pizza are both in Lovejoy, and they are both excellent.

I swear by Lovejoy pizza at the original store -- I haven't been to their new store (northtowns, I think).

Shoot. Even Franco's, which is everywhere, is solid. Not outstanding, but consistently good.

One last one: Leonardi's at the 5 Points intersection in Amherst (between UB South and UB North) is quietly among the best in the area.

 

22 minutes ago, Buffaslug said:

While I've read a few but not all pages, I have not seen my usual haunt mentioned, Picasso's on Transit. Convenient on/off the thruway for my travels.

I gotchoo, Buffaslug. I gotchoo.

[Eleven]

I would definitely give Picasso's another shot (it's been a long time since I've had it and I don't remember it) but they've got nothing in Buffalo.  Nothing even near Buffalo.

[That Aud Smell]

6 minutes ago, Eleven said:

I would definitely give Picasso's another shot (it's been a long time since I've had it and I don't remember it) but they've got nothing in Buffalo.  Nothing even near Buffalo.

Yep. That definitely limits my visits to their stores to the level of "once every so often."

[LTS]

Wings have pretty much become a commodity that anyone can do decent and very few do well.  The big names are no longer really all that exceptional.

Do they use fresh wings? (Huge difference here)
Do they cook them long enough? (although asking for extra crispy should help that)
What is the sauce? (the biggest variant, but not always)

As for the sauce, so many places use Frank's that it no longer makes the wings stand out.  It's the places that have elevated Frank's or have made other sauces that are better that really stand out.

There is a sense, I think, of how close a place can hit what many of us remember as being THE "Buffalo Wing" but in reality that wing just isn't that awesome anymore.

I've gone back to Anchor and Duff's and I find neither of them all that spectacular.  Meanwhile we have a few local places that have started firing up their own sauces or augmenting a standard base (like Frank's) and are turning it into something better.

I look at it like ice cream.  So much "homemade" ice cream is made by adding things to a Perry's Ice Cream base.  You can make a lot of variations, but the base remains the same.

[...]

1 hour ago, LTS said:

I look at it like ice cream.  So much "homemade" ice cream is made by adding things to a Perry's Ice Cream base.  You can make a lot of variations, but the base remains the same.

Who makes ice cream like that?  I would avoid any place that does that like the plague.  Ice cream is such an easy thing to make if one is so inclined.

[LTS]

12 minutes ago, ... said:

Who makes ice cream like that?  I would avoid any place that does that like the plague.  Ice cream is such an easy thing to make if one is so inclined.

Many places according to one person I know who works in the business... it's a lot more difficult (and expensive) to buy the cream, sugar, eggs, cook the base, and then make ice cream.  It takes more equipment.  Much easier to buy the pre-made base and then add your flavors, items, etc. churn it, then freeze it.

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

If Perry’s is like Greenwood’s here, they have different quality bases and ice creams that they sell.  Greenwood’s also has a huge wholesale business making custom and semi custom flavors for the trade.  Everything from chocolate fetish to red bean or green tea. Their ice cream is excellent by the way.

[Weave]

3 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

If Perry’s is like Greenwood’s here, they have different quality bases and ice creams that they sell.  Greenwood’s also has a huge wholesale business making custom and semi custom flavors for the trade.  Everything from chocolate fetish to red bean or green tea. Their ice cream is excellent by the way.

Along those lines, back maybe 20-25 yrs ago I was at the Buffalo auto show standing in the concession line and two guys behind me were talking shop.  From the conversation I gathered that one of the two was in sales at Sahlen's and he was telling the other that Sahlen's has several grades of dog and that the Sahlen's dogs you were buying in the grocery store were not typically the same as the ones you were buying at a hot dog joint.  I seem to recall him saying that there were more than one grade offered at retail and that on sale Sahlen's may not be the same grade as the one's you were getting at higher price during non sales.

FWIW

[matter2003]

On 8/21/2018 at 5:53 PM, pi2000 said:

I too prefer Anchor Bar over Duff's, but Bar Bill trumps them all.    Never had a bad experience at Anchor Bar.     Wings always big and meaty, flavorful, plenty of thick chunky blue cheese and celery.    Not a huge fan of their pizza tho.

A little secret regarding the big meaty wings...

A delivery guy with Tyson once told me that Buffalo restaurants get most of the biggest, meatiest wings in the country because they will simply send them back if they receive the ones most of the rest of the country gets...so basically Buffalo gets their pick of the litter and the rest of the country gets the leftovers regarding wings

Edited August 23, 2018 by matter2003

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, matter2003 said:

A little secret regarding the big meaty wings...

A delivery guy with Tyson once told me that Buffalo restaurants get most of the biggest, meatiest wings in the country because they will simply send them back if they receive the ones most of the rest of the country gets...so basically Buffalo gets their pick of the litter and the rest of the country gets the leftovers regarding wings

As it should be.

[Ogelthorpe]

Pizza: Bocce Club and Bob and John's  La Hacienda a distant 2nd.

WINGS: 911 Tavern, Doc Sullivans, Castaways

Just my two cents. 

[Eleven]

1 hour ago, Ogelthorpe said:

Pizza: Bocce Club and Bob and John's  La Hacienda a distant 2nd.

WINGS: 911 Tavern, Doc Sullivans, Castaways

Just my two cents. 

Never heard of 'em.  Whereabouts?

[That Aud Smell]

Doc Sullivan’s is on Abbott. Terrific wings.

[Wyldnwoody44]

As I sit here eating leftover microwaved pizza hut stuffed crust, I read this thread and cry a little 

[LTS]

13 hours ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

As I sit here eating leftover microwaved pizza hut stuffed crust, I read this thread and cry a little 

 #firstworldproblems ... and you know it better than any of us.

[Wyldnwoody44]

33 minutes ago, LTS said:

 #firstworldproblems ... and you know it better than any of us.

Sadly it's true, I was craving a slice of pizza in Africa bad, every time I do work in the 3rd world it just smacks reality in the face. 

 

But olean pizza sucks, pizza hut is next door and open til midnight so it's convenient

[GASabresIUFAN]

43 minutes ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

Sadly it's true, I was craving a slice of pizza in Africa bad, every time I do work in the 3rd world it just smacks reality in the face. 

 

But olean pizza sucks, pizza hut is next door and open til midnight so it's convenient

Isn’t Tino’s supposed to be good? Never mind it’s in Oneonta

Edited August 24, 2018 by GASabresIUFAN

[ubkev]

6 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Isn’t Tino’s supposed to be good? Never mind it’s in Oneonta

I don't know why, but I laughed. It's like 4 area codes away. Might as well be across the country.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Olean Oneona.  College towns (OK St Bonaventure isn't in Olean exactly, but it's close) beginning in O, I think you can understand the momentary mistake.