Chef James Roberts is a little over a month away from opening his restaurant called Toutant (see BRO). Along with his wife Connie, the two have embarked upon a whirlwind business undertaking that went from merely finding a suitable location in the city, to landing a three-storey building in the heart of a burgeoning downtown neighborhood.
I sat down with James and Connie to discuss the concept last week, and found myself fondly envisioning what will certainly become a truly unique eatery specializing in “approachable” food with a bent on the freshest quality ingredients and skilled preparation. While talking to James, he repeatedly mentioned that “consistency” was one of the keys to operating a successful restaurant… an ideology that I wholeheartedly concur with.
Often times, when discussing Buffalo restaurants with friends, we find ourselves lamenting about certain cuisines that are either non-existent or under represented. Southern comfort food would have to fit into that category. Thankfully, Toutant (too-tawnt) is going to fill a void by serving up dishes that speak to the Southern cuisine-lover in all of us.
James says that he will be cooking up authentic renditions of dishes that are considered “country home style” in nature. Think of Angus rib eye, Gulf seafood, fried chicken and grits, custom-made jambalaya… and then know that many of the meats are smoked in-house, the breads are home-baked, and the staff will be jarring, pickling and preserving veggies in order to offer the freshest ingredients year round. “We will be changing with the seasons,” says James. ” We’re lucky to be living in a city that changes so drastically throughout the year. In Louisiana it’s pretty simple to break down the weather into two categories. It’s is either “hot” or “not so hot” [laughing]. The Buffalo climate gives us the chance to create different menus featuring seasonal ingredients. We will be preserving much of the bounty as well, so that we always have access to the items that we love. I have already established great relationships with local farmers, and to mix it up I will be sourcing artisanal products from Louisiana such as coffee and chicory. Toutant will showcase the “real” cuisine of Louisiana, with its French and Spanish influences.”
Hearing James talk about his barbecue dishes, his Creole rice stew, and his house smoked sausage is enough to get anyone excited about what’s to come. It’s comfort food set in a chill, relaxed atmosphere. “The restaurant will be casual,” James states. “We want people to be comfortable when they are here, whether they are sitting on the rooftop patio, at the first floor bar, or in one of the dining rooms. We also want the food to be approachable – the concept is timeless. We’ll be making fresh biscuits, all day, every day. And who doesn’t love cast iron prepared cornbread? Or meats prepared on a hard wood char grill? Or smoked with a custom smoker? Where do you go to get a country fried bologna sandwich or boudin (white pork sausage, sans blood)? Anyone can make a good sausage… it’s hard to make a great one. Over the years, I’ve been serving people at a country club, which has given me a skill set that is necessary to operate a business of this nature. Now I’ve got an opportunity to feed my friends and family, which is essentially the Buffalo community that I have come to love.”
Along with the meals that will be served up, James is also looking to offer bar patrons exceptional snacks such as house made beef jerky, hush puppies and pork rinds. “I look at opportunities for Buffalo to capitalize on culinary tourism,” adds James. “We have a chance to capitalize on the four seasons, and the local farms, and the culinary diversity, and the history of the city as a melting pot. People are just starting to take notice of the Buffalo culinary scene, and I feel that Toutant is opening at just the right time to amplify the message. It’s important that people outside of Buffalo learn about what’s going on in this city.”
Already James has enlisted a team of chefs and bartenders, a few of which are traveling to Buffalo in order to reconnect with “The Team”. James is even flying up a French bread baker who is a childhood friend, to train the staff on the making of po’ boy bread. “Hopefully we can come as close to duplicating the New Orleans loaf as possible.”
While the kitchen whips up the food, the bartenders will be making seasonal fruit daiquiris, sourcing American Bourbons and whiskeys, and local craft beers, ciders and artisanal spirits. The final Toutant recipe is a blend of Louisiana and Buffalo, mashed together just enough to celebrate the best of both worlds.
Toutant | 437 Ellicott Street | Buffalo, New York | Facebook
Chef photo by Nate Peracciny