The 2015 Buffalo Eats Awards: Day Two

In 2015, the Buffalo Eats Staff hosted its first ever awards

Today we are handing out another 12 awards to some our favorite places and people. If you missed yesterday's post, we picked winners for categories like Best Brewery, Best Wine List, Friendliest Chef and more.

Except for Best Beard (which was chosen solely by the mysterious Todd Pusa), the following awards were decided by a panel of seven members from the Buffalo Eats Staff. All seven of us are heavily involved in writing about the Buffalo food scene and like to think we (at least kind of) know what we are talking about. While there is always some room for error and disagreement, we feel really good about the winners that we chose and stand behind them. 

At the end of the post we announced the Industry Awards. We surveyed 66 different members of the local restaurant industry and asked them to provide their answer for Best New Restaurant, Best Restaurant and Best Chef.

Congratulations to all of the winners and runners up…you guys are the reason Buffalo Eats is still alive, thank you for doing what you do.

Best Cocktail Bar: Buffalo Proper

From the second you walk into Buffalo Proper and are forced to confront its wall of booze, unrivaled in both breadth and selective depth, there is no doubt you have landed in a Cocktail lover's paradise. Jon Karel, Buddha in this Nirvana, is the part-owner/bartender who has introduced and revolutionized Buffalo's entire cocktail scene. Karel and his indoctrinated army of bartenders will not only craft a perfect, balanced cocktail, but teach all who are willing to listen how to elevate their drinking experience to the next level. However, it is their Miles Davis-like skill in improvisation mixed with their in-depth knowledge of spirits, both new and old, that makes Buffalo Proper the winner in this category. Runners Up:Bourbon + Butter, Ballyhoo

The Brad Rowell Best Beard Award presented by Todd Pusa: RJ Marvin (Barrel + Brine)

I first met RJ Marvin in the Husky section of the JC Penney in the D&F Plaza in Dunkrik NY. I had originally headed up there to pick up my favorite Herbal Essence shampoo from the Big Lots, who are the only people that stock it these days. Which is bullshit.

But anyway, I completed my purchases and then headed over to JC Penney to get some new Ocean Pacific pleated jean shorts. And there he was, casually perusing the pre-configured boxes of St. Johns Bay shirt/tie combos. Is that Satan? No. But he sure has a hell of a beard. Blending the rugged and full facial hair of our 19^th President Rutherford B. Hayes with the pointed attitude that comes from none other than Scott Ian from Anthrax, this beard is one to be reckoned with. Full like that of Karl Marx, whose beard has been said to be powerful enough to seize the means of production for the working class. Some people say Che Guevara drew his power from his beard. But if Che had RJ’s beard, he would have won whatever revolution he was trying to start. And maybe we’d all be speaking Cuban right now. Runners Up: Brad Rowell (The Grange Community Kitchen), Christian Wilmott (Marble + Rye)

Best Beer Bar: Blue Monk

For the last five years Blue Monk has been leading the charge of craft beer in Buffalo. 2015 saw no slack in this claim. Monk’s meticulous dedication to providing its customers the best European and American craft beer of all types and styles, along with the revolving plethora of beer releases, tap takeovers and tasting events makes Blue Monk our Best Beer Bar of 2015. Literally no one else, with the exception of Mike Shatzel's other establishments, come close. Runners Up: Pizza Plant, The Moor Pat

Best Desserts: The Black Sheep

Ellen Gedra's Sticky Toffee Pudding gets a lot of praise by local foodies and for good reason, it's one of the best dishes you can order in this town. Period. That's including entrees, side dishes, small plates and every other dessert available. It's that good, just ask anyone who's ordered it. But Ellen is not a one tricky pony. Every dessert on the menu is made from scratch and incredibly delicious. And during the holidays, her pies are better than anything your Grandmother can make (sorry Gramma). That may sound harsh, but it's true. While the rest of the food at Black Sheep is also amazing (spoiler alert, see below), we regularly encourage people to go there to hang at the bar and just order desserts for dinner. You won't regret it. Runners Up: Carmelo's, Butter Block

Best Food Event: Iron Event

The roster for Iron Event, hosted by Chef Daniel Tracy, is a venerable who’s who of local cooking talent in Western NY. Each chef creates a dish and the guests vote for the best of the best, with great prizes for the winners. Foodies are treated to a literal smorgasbord of plates, and virtually every chef and restaurant that has won a Buffalo Eats award this year has cooked at a recent Iron Event. Dan started this event to raise awareness to ALS, a disease he has successfully battled for over five years. In its fifth year, the Iron Event has raised money for several charities. It is the perfect combination of great food for a great cause. Runners Up: Big Fuss, Lebanese Festival

Best Restaurant That Guy Fieri Visited in 2009: Sophia's

In 2009, Buffalo lost it's mind when we found out that Guy Fieri and his hit show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives were taping a couple episodes here. Guy and his sunglasses filmed at six local joints but it's clear that Sophia's was the best restaurant chosen to participate. Yes, it might be just a regular diner in Kenmore/Riverside but they do things right. The food is top notch quality, the portions are gigantic, the prices are reasonable and their homemade bread is way better than it needs to be. Luckily, triple D's presence didn't change too much about Sophia's. It's still the same 'ole place with a bit of a longer wait time for a table. Runners Up: Lake Effect Diner, Ulrich's Tavern (we know)

Best Restaurant Owned by a Mike (Mike A or Mike Shatzel): Bourbon + Butter

Bourbon + Butter is located in the heart of the Lafayette Hotel which went from an upscale hotel in 1904, to a crack den, back to a revitalized art deco masterpiece. Is there a better metaphor for the City of Buffalo? From its stunning décor, to Executive Chef Chris Daigler's exciting menu, Boubon and Butter is truly a gem. Add to that Beverage Director/Bartender Tony Rials, who is more of a master chef than bartender, creating what may be the most thought out, intricate cocktail list and curated liquor selection in Buffalo, there is no doubt that Mike A's crown jewel takes this category. Runners Up: ABV, Blue Monk

Most Anticipated 2016 Opening: The Grange Community Kitchen

We were spoiled in 2014 and 2015 with a glut of new restaurant openings. You could make a case that there's never been a better time to eat in Buffalo than right now, so 2016 has a lot to live up to. For Hamburg residents (and foodies willing to drive a little further), 2016 is already looking good. Chef Brad Rowell is leaving the kitchen of Elm Street Bakery and is opening up his own restaurant in the former Tina's Italian Kitchen. The details at the moment are sparse but judging by what he's done at Elm Street over the last two years, we are incredibly excited and optimistic. Runners Up: Thin Man, Billy Club

Best Burger: Marble + Rye

There are technically four different burgers at Marble + Rye but we feel confident that if you ordered any of them, you'll agree that it's the best burger in Western New York. Their patty includes a blend of brisket, chuck short rib and a bit of bone marrow just to put it over the top. They grind the mixture two times to ensure that everything melts together when it's cooked on their plancha. The toppings are excellent, ranging from fried green tomatoes to a sous vide egg and house made pimento cheese. The sesame seed bun is the perfect house for all that deliciousness and we can't stop ordering them. Runners Up: The Black Sheep, Carmelo's

Best New Restaurant of 2015: Toutant

For the last several years, the number one question in our local restaurant scene was "When the f*** is James Roberts opening up a restaurant?" Local foodies saw glimpses of his skills from a few very active social media accounts and every once in a while local chefs were able to sneak behind closed doors to witness the magic in person. Everyone knew that when he opened up his own place it would be special. It took a while, but Toutant has quickly proven to be well worth the wait. From the kitchen that's split between two floors and still works like a well-oiled machine, to the top notch and highly talented staff, it was all done right. The menu features deceptively simple yet expertly executed Southern classics that appeal to both the most well-traveled foodie and the pickiest eater. The bar is beautiful, the whiskey selection is the best in the area and the late night menu is can't miss. They have only been open for seven months and are already killing it on a nightly basis. We can't wait to see how they continue to evolve in the coming years. Runners Up: Marble + Rye, ABV

Best Chef of 2015: Steve Gedra (The Black Sheep)

Since the days of ‘The Little Bistro That Could,” Chef Steven Gedra has pushed the vanguard of the new food movement in Buffalo. With his recent opening of The Black Sheep, Steve finally has the proper canvas to showcase his passion. The pure integrity of his menu and his unyielding delivery of exactly what he wants to create is a rare commodity. Gedra is unrestrained in his conceptualization of dishes, and constantly challenges our palates and our sense of adventure with new and innovative presentations of food. He holds nothing back, and brings his Velvet Hammer ™ to Western New York every single night. From a hamburger that is so intricate in its design and prep that his staff hates to make it, to a literal pork head feast, to an elegant truffle dinner  – Steve delivers. His Midnight Mass program that invites a different local chef to cook with him each month is a stellar example of the leadership and camaraderie that Gedra has brought to our local restaurant scene. Chef Gedra has put his heart and soul into his food, and we are grateful for it. Runners Up: James Roberts (Toutant), Ed Forster (Buffalo Proper), Carmelo Raimondi (Carmelo's)

Best Restaurant of 2015: Carmelo's

Under the helm of Chef and Owner, Carmelo Raimondi, Carmelo’s in Lewiston has been at the forefront of culinary movements in Western New York for over 22 years. Leading the way in Farm to Table cuisine and religious use of exceptional, local ingredients, Carmelo’s menu changes frequently to the delight of diners. While Italian at heart, the cuisine of Chef Raimondi is fearless, creative and shows influences from all over the world. No matter when you dine there, Carmelo’s provides a wonderful evening of delicious food. In addition to top-notch food, service is always attentive and informative, while the welcoming atmosphere is rustic with modern accents. Carmelo’s is in good company in this category, but the high level of all elements of the restaurant is exceeded by none. Runners Up: Ristorante Lombardo, Buffalo Proper, The Black Sheep

To finish our awards, we decided to give the restaurant industry their own voice. The awards above were nominated and decided by seven people who don't work in the industry, we just love to eat and we do it a lot. The follow three awards were picked by surveying 66 people who either know first hand what's it's like to work in a restaurant or by people who are closely associated with this scene. There are a lot of familiar names, but some of the categories had different winners. Here are the Industry Awards:

Best New Restaurant: Toutant (Runner Up: Marble + Rye)

Best Chef of 2015: James Roberts - Toutant (Runners Up: Steve Gedra - The Black Sheep, Adam Goetz - CRaVing)

Best Restaurant of 2015: The Black Sheep (Runners Up: Toutant, Buffalo Proper)