Gourmet on a Shoestring: Vargas Take Out
The Saturday before Easter I stopped in for lunch. I was excited to try the octopus and plantains; this meal will only set you back $9, but it is sadly only available on Fridays. That's alright because now I have an excuse to return Friday during my lunch hour.
Vargas Take Out is not for the vegetarian, they specialize in meat-centric Puerto Rican street food. I sampled some of their famous pork (pernil), which came with roasted purple and white potatoes. The pork was juicy and abundant and the potatoes were lightly seasoned and cooked to perfection.
For $1.50 each I tried two types of fritas, which in this case refers to deep fried balls of mashed green plantains. The mofongo version featured pork and vegetables; the golden crust was a perfect accompaniment to the flavor and texture of the filling. The planos--which I could eat all day--were peppered with spices and ground beef. Though both were fried they weren't at all greasy. My entire meal set me back only $8.
Other traditional options at Vargas include soups, yellow or white rice with your choice of chicken, pork or seafood and, for those adventurous eaters, pig's ears with vegetables.
The staff and customers welcomed me like I was part of their family and genuinely wanted me to enjoy my meal. Vargas Take Out is a great place Downtown to stop for a unique lunch or a quick dinner after work.
Vargas
272 Hudson Street, 14201
716.881.6296
***Gourmet on a Shoestring is a regular YUM feature. Foodie Kate Sorice scours the eateries of Buffalo in search of tasty gourmet meals that cost no more than $10 per person including tax (but not tip). Do you have a favorite place to grab gourmet or especially delicious goodies on the cheap? Email us at YUM, your suggestion may be featured in an upcoming article.
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Comment Options
bbvdm
I'm sure the food is great, but OMG, the building makes it look oh so unappetizing! Something must be done to the building or I'm sure this business will have a short life!
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vgs
I love the building, makes me even more interested
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mpitman
Hard to evaluate the building from the attached picture, which looks like a hand-colorized B&W low res photo!
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ChristaSeychew
Vargas has been doing swift business for many years- more than a decade that I know of. The building is a bit shabby, but it's really good street food and the building doesn't change that. I know some who prefer to eat in joints like this where the non-foodies stay away because of their inability to rise above the ambiance.
There's something to be said about a restaurant with food so good they don't even need a sign to stay in business.
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MiesvanderDoh
great food, who cares about the "look?" besides, it's nice and clean inside.
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Riversider
Darn, I was hoping the secret would never get out. This place has the best pernil sandwhich in the world.
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jt1983
I would love for Anthony Bourdain to come here! Love his show and his attitude.
Off Topic, but can we stop using the photoshop filters on the photos accompanying stories? They're really lame and annoying.
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