With a successful year under their belt, The Phoenix restaurant on Amherst Street in Black Rock is better than ever. They opened just a year ago in the refurbished post war space, keeping the tin ceiling tavern alive. The owners added a dining room and a fabulous patio to bring it up to date. The new American tavern, as they refer to themselves, is a nice meld of pub and fine dining. The bar menu boasts good wines, beers & fun cocktails and the dining room is family friendly and features sophisticated fare that is appealing to all ages. The menu is an American melting pot of flavors featuring local comfort food favorites with a hint of worldly influences.
We recently visited on a busy Saturday night, so I am glad we called ahead to accommodate four adults and three kids for dinner. We arrived to a packed bar and an equally full dining room, which made it fun to be in such a lively environment. Owner Mary Logue and her sister Jane, greeted us with glowing smiles while directing us to the dining room table set up for our group. We ordered drinks and then plotted our dive into the menu. We were all hungry and ready to eat!
To start, we ordered a smattering of appetizers, which consisted of calamari, scallops, mac & cheese, arancini, banana pepper dip& polenta fries. (I told you we were hungry!) All of the offerings were quickly devoured and well received by everyone at the table. Even the kids ventured in to try almost everything, which was surprising. The scallops stood out because they had a perfect sear with tender center, just how I love them. The crust had an interesting mix of sweet & spicy flavor, which balanced well with the ‘citrusy’ saffron sauce. The mac & cheese was so rich and creamy and cheesy that I could’ve truly just rubbed it on my thighs and gained 10 pounds… but WELL worth the risk. We all pretended not to want to eat it but dug our spoon in at any chance we got. Another standout appetizer is the banana pepper dip with grilled toast. Every bite had a smoldering burst of melted garlic & cheese with a pepper kick.
While we rested for a few minutes awaiting the main courses, we all managed to discover that we knew someone in the room. It was like a private club and everyone was walking around saying ‘hi’ and hugging people at different tables. Mind you, this is how it is every time that I have gone in to The Phoenix. If it isn’t a friendly wave from a Logue family member or a nod from the excellent seasoned bartenders, it is a gesture from some other guest that you’ve known for years. This is what makes the place so special beyond great food, beverages and service.
Once we were all done making the rounds, we sat down to our beautiful dinner. The kids were really hungry, so Jane brought out their dinners first. The kitchen team was very kind to accommodate our kids’ special requests too. They made plain pasta for one of the youngsters who is ‘taste bud challenged’ and left off the gravy for another that prefers ketchup smeared all over his meatloaf. They ate every bite too!
We all made different choices for dinner, which was a fun way to mix it up around the table. One guest had an Angus strip steak special that was cooked beautifully. My husband had the chicken cutlet dish, which was remarkably tasty for a chicken breast. It was tender and the lemon-caper sauce was creamy but pretty light. My cousin had the shrimp & grits, which had a zippy shrimp & Andouille sausage étouffée style sauce over a creamy bowl of polenta grits. I hear that it was even better the next day for lunch, as she could only finish half of the generous portion served that evening. I had the steak frites, which enticed me because it was served with crispy onions, a green salad and bleu cheese. It sounded a bit lighter because of the salad. The steak was perfectly cooked and it went well with the salad. I like taking a bite of each together. The thin crispy fries were as expected. I am a fan of skirt, flat iron and flank steak but I would love to see a restaurant use hanger steak in this preparation. I was inspired to try this after eating steak frites in France and then used hanger on my menus as a chef often. I have yet to see it on a Buffalo menu and if there is ever a perfect place for it, I believe it would be The Phoenix.
The Phoenix is a great place to visit throughout the week. It is not just for a busy Friday or Saturday night. The place possesses the neighborhood vibe that any well-frequented weeknight bar and restaurant in town has. My first time visiting was on a weeknight and we were so happy to have a cozy warm spot to eat some fabulous comfort food on a drizzly evening. There is something to be said for the nights when there is no wait for a table. I heard they are planning some weeknight & family dinner specials, which will only solidify their place as a “regular” hot spot.
Be sure to check out their Facebook page and like them so you can get updates for their spring menus and weeknight specials. Don’t forget about St. Patty’s Day specials coming up this weekend and with a little “luck of the Logue” family, you will undoubtedly have a terrific meal and jolly time to boot!
The Phoenix | 269 Amherst Street | Buffalo, New York 14207 | 716.447.1100