the great foods of buffalo, ny.

Every time i go home for a weekend I remember what great food Buffalo has to offer. It makes me realize why people put up with the cold, snowy winters and horrible sports teams - the food makes everything okay (not to mention the general availability of good Canadian beers). But in particular, the Buffalo food front is remarkable. And it's not just the chicken wings either, Buffalo rocks some really awesome food chains that are only found in Western New York. Here I will pay tribute to several of these chains.

MIGHTY TACO


Besides being the go-to "hangout" for when we were doing absolutely nothing in high school (meet you at mighty? fine...), Mighty features Mexican fast food treats that make Taco Bell seem, well, shitty. The nacho cheese sauce there is amazing, and makes for a great dip for the deluxe soft-shell beef burritos that I personally prefer when ordering. They are always pushing the bounds of amazing (now they have Buffitos, burritos with buffalo chicken in them!), and I hope they will continue to be a Western New York staple for years to come. God bless you, Mighty Taco.

TED'S HOT DOGS

Gimme 2 footlongs, a fry, an onion ring, and a chocolate milkshake and I'm good to go. Ted's Hot Dogs have been around forever, and I've been dipping my french fries into their milkshakes for as long as I can remember. They cook the food RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU on glorious grills, and if you know how to do it right, you can go fill up the little ketchup cups and find a table while mom and dad grab the grub. This is another Buffalo chain that really knows how to work it. I salute you, Ted's Hot Dogs.

ANDERSON'S

Anderson's has it all - from world-renowned (and overpriced, says my dad) beef on weck, to tasty ice cream treats galore, this is the place to go if you want a tasty meal with a little dessert at the end. Or you can meet up there after baseball or softball games (but only if you win; no losers allowed). And my friend Steve used to work there. And all his brothers and sisters too. What else could you want?! Well played, Andersons.

JIM'S STEAKOUT

Last but certainly not least, is Jim's Steakout. Jim's is a little bit newer on the Buffalo fast-food awesome scene. It started as a late-night sub place, where the kitchen staff wore shirts that claimed "I see drunk people." Because it's deliciousness can break the all-so-crucial boundary of tasting good even when you're sober, Jim's has expanded exponentially in the past four years and now is serving the best chicken finger sub in the world at nine different locations around town. A trip to Buffalo is far from complete unless you eat at least 2 Jim's chicken finger subs while you're there. And I actually am on my way to complete that task right now... So God Bless you, Jim's Steakout.

Until next time, keep eating, Buffalo.