The Black Sheep

Seriously this is as good as it gets in Buffalo. Originally from California eating in San Francisco and having traveled all over the world. The chef here is on-​par with some of the best restaurants I have eaten at. My husband and I enjoyed the 5 course chef’s choice dining. We were not disappointed. I typically am a control freak so letting someone else choose my dinner initially seemed stressful but once it started with the delicious and complementary flavors — I totally relaxed and could enjoy. This is a must if you like fine food and support local farm to table dining.

One of my favorite things to do now that I am retired is read reviews for local restaurants. Now, if you read through some of the negative reviews for The Black Sheep you’re going to see the words «Bistro Europa» a lot.
Well this is a different restaurant, ya turkeys! So quit crying about how you ordered a dish at The Black Sheep and when it came out it was different from one you had 4 years ago. In a different restaurant. No one is giving you a bad review because you can’t fit into your vintage Sassons anymore. Move on.
Chef Steve, Ellen and crew work tirelessly to provide Buffalo with a consistent, rotating menu of specials, farm-​to-​table ideology, warmth and hospitality.
Although Steve is well known for is pork-​centric dishes it might come as a surprise that the vegetable dishes, typically made with the freshest vegetables grown locally, are expertly prepared and constantly deliver.
If you miss Europa that much have a pierogi or thee pierogi. Pierogi is the plural of pierogi, ya turkey!
Make a reservation, enjoy your night.

Black Sheep: someone who does not fit in with the rest of a group and is often considered to be a troublemaker or an embarrassment
–Merriam-​Webster
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Evolution is a beautiful idea. Fish magically learning to walk like the scientific version of The Little Mermaid. Their cells echoing a chorus of Ariel’s song, «What I would give to be out of these waters? What would I pay to spend a day warm on the sand? Walking around on those what do you call ‘em? Oh, feet.»
When I first I fell in this love with this Eastern European princess, her name was Bistro Europa and she was a little hideaway that had me singing, «Under the Sea». I was like Sebastien keeping it real and bringing my friends to meet her. Now that she’s evolved into The Black Sheep, I still dream of her undersea beauty but I can’t deny the beauty of what she’s become now that she’s walking on land. Bistro Europa got to the point where they were completely booked every weekend with more people calling being turned away. So one day she closed and months later her footprints made their way across the sand in the form of The Black Sheep.
I loved Bistro Europa for it’s quaint charm and rusticity. Old wooden interior and scribbles on a chalkboard listed, in an understated way, the delicious selections for the evening. You really felt like you were in another country when you were there. When I visit her now with her new name, she still retains her quaint charm and I can still sense glimmers in her features of what once was as she still serves her local bread basket, charcuterie board, and local cheese board. Thick wooden tables are now covered with glittering plates and glasses. A waiter comes out nicely dressed and bends at the waist as he gingerly sets your martini on the table.
If you would make the most of your time with this princess, I would recommend letting your particular tastes lead you because everything she does is done thoughtfully and with care. I would offer a few recommendations. The Europeans don’t accentuate their meals with certain drinks without reason. Make sure you get something special to drink to go along with your meal. The charcuterie or cheese board is must. Charcuterie is a fancy way of talking about prepared meats like bacon, pâtés, terrines, lards. Smear these on bread — our table was wiping up every last bit.
The menu seems to change a little bit so other than that, follow your heart.
I’m still not sure why they called it The Black Sheep. I’m not sure how she is causing trouble or embarrassment to the family. What do you think? Whatever it means, she is certainly different from the rest and I’m glad she is part of my world.

We have had the pleasure of eating here many times. The food is always consistent and flavorful. Downtown restaurants seem to come and go but for our family this restaurant we know will endure. The owner has been out to visit our table several times and if you have the opportunity the Pork Chop and the sticky Toffee Pudding are both to die for. Go on an empty stomach and I promise you won’t be disappointed with either of these two menu items. They have a great Pierogi appetizer as well.
If I had to say what the best restaurant is in Buffalo I would tell my friends and family to make it to Black Sheep. When you find something you love you stick with it.

Ambiance. A bit loud due to the natural hard surfaces. Maybe it was loud because of the type of people that were there (parties of five or more) but I’m putting my money on hard surfaces. Difficult to have a conversation with the person sitting across from you.
Wait staff. Host, excellent. Waitress: a bit slow. Didn’t seem interested in being there. Nice but not «nice» like you want a waitress to be.
Wine list. Nothing to write home about. Unknown Italian and French wines that I will whine about. For the same price of a bottle of Cloudline, Argyle, or how about Wiemer (a local winery… on the top ten list in the world… my world, your world, who cares, its an excellent table, dish, or dessert wine), you can have top quality for a similar cost. I am not sure why the oddball wine list. Included on the list is a French Pinot Noir. Lots of pinots from out west. Why serve a French Pinot?
Food. The blackened pork ribs with BBQ sauce was, well, blackened and an odd cut. The first mouthful was a sticky, nondescript, puddy-​like bit that just did not go well… and I had to spit it out at the table. Not my style but I couldn’t eat it and I was not going to swallow… let’s just leave it at that.
The sides are not that appetizing either. All of the «greens» are pretty tasteless, pounded into mashed potatoes, and «just add salt». Nothing blended, let me put it that way. And the greens appear in almost every dish: pierogis, BBQ ribs, etc. As a nine-​year-​old, I remember my mother making vats of mashed potatoes. Why? Because it goes with everything. And all you have to do is add butter. I’d much rather have mashed potatoes than a ground up potato with greens and whatever else was in that ball of yarn.
Overall impression: Maybe its the coolest name in town… but monsieur, take the time to relish a fine relish on the side; a vegetable that looks like a… vegetable; and an occasional fruit-​laden sauce would spice up ANY dish on the menu. Maybe this is just going to become a great bar, at some point, when people figure out food and good wine go together and not presented as a slab of the pig’s ass on a platter.

By far the best brunch I’ve had in buffalo! I got the bagel with salmon. Lemon cream cheese was such an amazing twist on the traditional bagel and salmon. I also got a brûléed grapefruit on the side, super light and refreshing breakfast. Can’t wait to go back and try some other things on the menu!

Nice space. Beautiful bar in the front, open feeling with a nice patio in the back. The neighborhood is always a challenge, but if you can get parking out front, it’s not too bad.
The service was good. Attentive, for the most part, and knowledgeable. Friendly people greeted you and several people called out a nice «Have a good night» when I left.
Now on to the food. I would say it was fresh, nicely presented, but slightly underwhelming. I ordered the roasted beet, which sadly was not the Beet 5 Ways which is so often heralded here on Unilocal.It was roasted nicely, but not seasoned specially and I was abruptly halted by the burnt root end. Surprise! And not a nice one. The microgreens and fennel garnish were pretty, but didn’t do much for the dish otherwise,
I also had the Pork Confeit Pierogi which was moderately filled with tasty pork, but nothing else. They were atop plain ol’ sour cream. Good, but not very creative. Also, I tasted the Chicirone Nachos, and didn’t care for them.
My dessert of Sticky Toffee Pudding was very good. A nice warm cake atop of hot toffee with a light whipped ice cream. Bits of toffee dressed the top. A nice Cappuccino rounded it out.
Overall, my dinner was OK, but knowing the owners used to own Bistro Europa which had a more exciting menu and delicious food, makes me long for the past.

We went to the Black Sheep for dinner because I’ve heard that things have been getting better and friends invited us.
We ordered a bunch of small plates, the cheese plate, beets 5 ways, a meat plate and smoked fish. The first plate out was the cheese plate. It was awesome! It included 3 different cheeses, local honey and some dried fruits. The second 2 plate was the beets 5 ways, it was really good but I love beets. The soaked fish was kind of boring, I felt it was out of place. The meat was also good.
I had steak and fries for my entrée, it was perfectly done. My friends had the roster chicken special and a vegitierian dish. They reported everything was okay, but not spectacular.
Atphosphere was nice. It was a slow pace, no rush. Waiter was good and attentive. Red wine was good and we stayed for dessert sharing the crème brule and bread pudding. Both were yummy.
I would go back for drinks and small plates. Was underwhelmed with main courses. Hopefully their main courses will catch up to dessert and small plates.

It’s a really nice place to have romantic dinner or hang out with ur friends to have cocktails. We had pork chop, korean fried chicken and sticky toffee pudding for dinner. The pork chop and sticky toffee pudding omg hands down. They’re so so so good. But holly the korean fried chicken. not tasty at all the sauce and chicken, the fried chicken not crispy enough compared the korean chicken i had before from my korean friend and the sauce is not really korean and the taste … They didnt really pull that off. So definitely would not order any Asian style food from this place.

My boyfriend took me to The Black Sheep for dinner last night and it was nothing short of exquisite! I’ve been living in San Francisco for the past seven years, the food capital of the country, and was quite surprised that Buffalo has a restaurant that could easily compete with SF fare. The food was sumptuous — especially great for meat enthusiasts. Despite the farm-​to-​table meat heaviness, the chef was able to create vegan appetizers and an entrée. For myself, I chowed down on the beef tartar, adorably served as bone marrow. The entrée roasted chicken was perfect.
Atmosphere was mellow and refined, candlelight ambiance, (always great for my complexion) and soul music in the background. My only complaint was that the seating in the rear room was a bit off. The wall, bench seating was way too high compared to the opposing chair height, making my 6’2 boyfriend appear to be a midget.
Nonetheless, I’d come back here anytime. Super romantic, good birthday, date, or anniversary spot. Modest pricing.

Visited recently on a Sat nite. Nice layout but very dark. Read prev reviews and wanted to try fried pork nuggets (reviewed as top 10 dishes), not avail. Wanted to try pierogi w/​pork confit, not avail. The gnocchi was $ 22, way overpriced. A pâté devil egg $ 4, nothing special. The pierogi w/​sauerkraut was $ 8, not as good as you can get at home or anywhere in Buffalo. Had the smoked pork chop $ 38, large but mostly fat (over 50%) and on the dry side. Probably the worst pork chop I can remember in any restaurant. The food was way overpriced based on reading previous reviews. Prices have gone up substantially. Definitely paying for all the hype on local and had all the catch words in the menu. The wine list was mostly lower priced wines $ 22 – 32 with the standard mark up 2 ½−3 times retail. Will not Rx and will not return. Life’s too short and too many really good places in Buffalo.

I went to Black Sheep on NYE for dinner with my wife and my sister. We had never been there before and we were completely blown away by the food coming out of the kitchen. We shared the deviled eggs, pierogi and pork belly. The first two were great, the pork belly was outstanding! My large plate was the pork chop. OMG, get it! Absolutely incredible, at the end I was chomping on the bone like a cave man. Arguably one of the greatest plates of food I have ever had. Oh, the bread and pork fat candle they start you out with is WOW. Good selection of bourbon too.

Having now eaten at Black Sheep on several occasions, I say with ease that it is one of the best restaurants in Buffalo — easily on a top 10 list.
First off, the service is great, whether they are busy or not. They allow you to take your time and enjoy yourself — the way dining out should be. Knowledgeable of the menu, and not afraid to ask for a minute if they don’t know the answer to a question. 5 of 5.
Ambiance is equally pleasing. They do a great job with lighting, volume, and décor.
The food, oh, the food. Locally sourced, seasonally products invite you to view beets and cauliflower in creative ways that almost let you forget about those overused summer vegetables for a moment. The last time we visited, we went with the Chef’s tasting and I was so glad we did. To boot — Steve is such a customer-​minded chef/​owner, that he allowed us to order a Chef’s Tasting with a gluten-​free, soy-​free caveat. I was both shocked and delighted.
We marched through 9 dishes, brought out in 5 courses, but I won’t describe them all to you as most if not all were seasonal dishes that have likely already fallen off the menu (which is my favorite kind of menu). But they were all great. The best part is, between my husband and me, we each had a different top two — so, something for everyone.
It’s an especially good restaurant choice for a Chef’s Tasting evening, not only because it’s affordably priced but because the small plate concept allows you to eat 5 courses without getting ill. Admittedly we were tapped out by the 5^th course and only took a few bites, but they were delicious bites. Steve came out at the end — normally he visits more often during a Chef’s Tasting but he was especially busy that night. We thanked him for accommodating and were impressed and humbled ourselves by his humble response. He really does care about his customers and it shows!
A must-​visit for locals, and should make the short list of options of anyone visiting.

Finally got around to trying The Black Sheep, which is only a 3-​block walk from the house. Somehow, it took this long to actually get there! I knew it was a farm-​to-​table concept, and furthermore, nose-​to-​tail style cooking. I was impressed with the inventiveness of the menu, and the specials on the chalkboard. Even a vegetarian would find something here, but be forewarned that they do use EVERYTHING from the animal — even the dipping oil for the bread incorporated pork lard.
The cocktail list was equally inventive (lots of gin drinks) and used artisan batch liquors. Some of the particular liquor choices would not have been my choices, but I dig the fact that they are staying artisan (for example: Town Branch bourbon from Lexington, KY rather than Makers Mark or Buffalo Trace). I would recommend the Old First Ward, which is based on Irish whiskey. There are 4 – 5 rotating taps, mostly local or again, artisan beers.
There is an available chef’s tasting menu for $ 45, which is three courses and completely at the chef’s discretion, barring any strong dislikes or allergies at your table. We opted instead for two small plates and two entrees: the pierogi and BBQ pork nuggets, and the French fried chicken and lamb belly gyro, respectively. The pierogi were pork confit the night we visited, and were scrumptious. The pork nuggets were tasty as well, perhaps a little overly crispy. Both of these would compliment either a hearty or hoppy beer while sitting at the bar.
I loved the Lamb belly gyro and house-​pickled zucchini and garbanzo beans. Be forewarned that it is very rich and the pita bread itself is quite filling. My wife enjoyed the chicken, which was a large dish, complete with a potato cake of sorts. My own critique is that it could have used a dipping sauce in addition to the sauce spread on the bottom of the plate. Just a tick dry.
A cocktail, three glasses of wine, two small plates, and two entrees brought our tab to just over $ 100. Add a tip and it’s certainly not a cheap night, but it was very good. I give 4 stars because the food was not as succulent as I had hoped for, and lacked the «wow» factor. The atmosphere is modern farmhouse (is that a thing?) and I love the bar. This is truly a gem on the developing Connecticut Ave corridor, and I will certainly be back. However, I’d probably be more inclined to hang at the bar with some beers and a few small plates.

LOVE this place… spectacular good. interesting menu.
Fried artichokes… squash blossoms… all lamb dishes !!! The Stickey Toffee Pudding is a must.
The staff is great… love KELLY. and Brian the bartender .most accommodating… and fun!
And a wonderfully festive and trendy atmosphere:)

I’m hard to please and this place hits on all cylinders. I actually was at another restaurant and wanted to bail the host on short notice saved me a table in back. It’s just not about the food. All staff very professional. Host got me in, bar had great drink recommendations, server knew the menu, chef Gedra came out to say Hi and food is always outstanding and locally sourced. It doesn’t get any better as far as a dining experience.

Everyone rants and raves about the STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING and for good reason. Its delicious! It came out to us bubbling fresh out of the oven. Its one of the best desserts I have ever had.
On top of that the same night (9÷2÷2015), I tried the maple and bacon ice cream. Perfect texture and truly a interesting tasty combination. (Interesting bc it’s bacon via ice cream form)
Overall the whole restaurant is truly a great experience. We have ate dinner here twice and only one dish out of combined 10 was not working for us. If you haven’t been here to eat before and for some odd reason don’t want to… GO FOR DESSERT. You will thank me later!
Lastly their Gnocchi is worth a try. This month it’s Gnocchi with roasted peaches, peach sauce, blue cheese fonduta, pesto, pistachio. SO GOOD!

In a word: AMAZING. We walked in on a busy Friday evening and were immediately invited to hang out by the bar. The hostess was engaging and friendly. We were not ignored by the server, who immediately provided us with a menu of cocktails, microbrews and wines. Shortly after taking our drink order, we were able to move to the actual bar. We ordered the patatas bravas, the beets and cheese plate. Our server was helpful in suggesting a good wine. We found each dish authentic and delicious. She took the time to explain each dish and was quite knowledgeable. Despite the small plate offerings, we came home with leftovers in a cardboard box (as opposed to the usual styrofoam. Bravo!). We will certainly be returning soon to this comfortable little place with a real neighborhood feel.

A very meat-​heavy, intense, foodie kind of environment. The chef here is not !&$*ing around. If you are in the mood for something rich and delicious, this is the place.
I had the Hungarian sausage and it was probably the best meal I’ve ever had in Buffalo. Bravo. I will certainly return and am curious to try the Sunday brunch sometime…
Great selection of drinks as well and a beautiful, dark wood interior.

My boyfriend and i went to dinner here last night. The service was amazing! Our waitress suggested good dishes and she came by a few times and cleared the table each time we were done with our tapa. We ordered four dishes to split between two of us. It was enough food!
— fried pulled pork nuggets
— fish plate
— gnocchi
— squash tempura
I loved the squash tempura! It’s a must try.
Fish plate was just expected. My bf really liked the pulled pork!
Im not a dessert person but we tried the sticky toffee pudding! It was really yummy! A bit sweet but still delicious! The bill came up to $ 100USD including three glasses of beer!
I would recommend this place when you are passing by buffalo!

I’m not even sure where to begin. I have so many nice things to say about The Black Sheep. I came here for my birthday dinner and I was so happy with my choice! It was, without a doubt, one of my best dining experiences in Buffalo.
The owners use all fresh, locally-​grown ingredients. Our server was even able to tell us where the ingredients for each specific meal came from. I was impressed to learn that almost all of their dishes are made in house (besides the Nickel City cheese platter — which has cheese imported from France). The menu offers a nice selection of small plates, entrees and desserts.
We began with a basket of fresh bread that was baked at the restaurant that day. It was delicious. We ordered the Nickel City Cheese Plate, Charcuterie Board and Pierogi as our appetizers. There were four different imported cheeses on the plate, along with almonds, local chutney, fresh green apple slices, honey, and toasted bread. The Charcuterie Board had a spicy sausage, mild sausage, two types of prosciutto, a spicy salami, freshly ground mustard, and soy jalapeño pickles. The pierogi were filled with beef and onion, over a generous serving of sour cream. These three plates were my favorite part of the meal. It may have been the best cheese/​charcuterie platter that I’ve ever had!
As my main course, I ordered the gnocchi in lemon broth with fresh vegetables. It was very good! It was the perfect amount of food for me because I had to save room for dessert! My mom ordered the pork chop. It was very tender and flavorful, but the serving was literally bigger than my head! It could easily be split between two or three people. My sister ordered the steak and that was also phenomenal!
As my dessert, I ordered the Cookie Ice Cream sandwiches. There were three different mini sandwiches. The first was lemon cookies with strawberry sorbet in the middle. This was my favorite! The other was a toffee ice cream in the middle of two oatmeal cookies. The final was two PB cookies with chocolate ice cream in the middle. They were all delicious! However, as soon as I took a bite of my mom’s Sticky Toffee Pudding, I knew that she had made the best choice. It was one of the best desserts I’ve ever tasted in my life. It’s actually indescribable. I will certainly be ordering that next time I go to Black Sheep.
I loved the atmosphere: Beautiful hardwood floors, wooden tables, the walls are decorated with farmer-​themed photographs. The servers are all laid back and helpful. I also loved that the girls’ bathroom was decorated with laminated pages of «The Art of French Cooking» by Julia Child.
The Black Sheep should be added to everybody’s «Buffalo Bucket List.» I can’t wait to go back!

The Black Sheep is reported as being closed today (Sunday), but they are indeed open 11 AM — 3 PM for a mind-​blowingly delicious brunch. I didn’t make a reservation, as we decided to show up right when they opened– and luckily there were plenty of tables available (however, this place is very popular and I would recommend making a reservation). From what I understand, their backyard patio space is new, and because it was (is) such a nice day, we opted to sit outside.
The patio space is beautiful– there’s a freshly painted mural covering the wall space to the right as you walk outside, along with 8 or so tables… half with umbrellas, half without (give or take). Surrounding the perimeter of the space, you’ll find rustic landscaping with green plants, rocks and wood fencing throughout. There’s also a larger patch of green space beyond the sitting area, which made us wonder if they plan to grow their own vegetables.
Our server didn’t introduce himself, but he was very friendly and prompt in bringing us water and coffee during our meal, and also making sure we had what we needed. I ordered the pancakes along with their homemade butter… and they were seriously the most scrumptious pancakes I’ve ever eaten. They were so fluffy with a hint of sweetness… I had to slow myself down from devouring them too quickly! It was the perfect serving size too– sometimes I leave brunch feeling too full… here, I left feeling just right.
I can’t wait to return to experience their dinner menu; unfortunately they couldn’t serve us mimosas or other alcohol before noon, so we’ll have to test out their cocktails next time as well. The Black Sheep has something truly different to offer Buffalo, and I’m excited to have finally visited!

Please excuse me while I try to keep composure as I write a glowing review.
The food at the black sheep is absolutely astounding. There are few restaurants in this city that stay true to the local passion that this restaurant exhibits. When Bistro Europa closed its door, it left a gaping hole in the food scene in Buffalo. The anticipation waiting for The Black Sheep to open was the entire talk of the town.
I think it’s very important to understand the concept and mission behind the restaurant. The Black Sheep is absolutely committed to bringing delicious contemporary and local food to the Buffalo masses. You will find no bottled or prepackaged foods here. From the garnishes to the sauces, everything is made with the finest and freshest local ingredients. The mustard is freshly ground, the bread baked that day in the fine kitchens here, pickles made from local produce, and throughout the course, you will eat every part of the animal. Most chefs pick and choose cuts of meats and produce because it’s not easy to create a fabulous meal when someone gives you a basket from the garden and an entire animal to process. Black Sheep does an outstanding job incorporating everything. Why give the patrons packaged butter when you’ve got fresh leaf lard to render from your hog? Why go for tinned dill when the garden is bursting at the seams with rosemary and thyme? Why try to hide the kohlrabi when you can exhibit it as the center of a meal?
The Black Sheep is making waves by bringing a compassionate and passionate dining experience to Buffalo and it is a serious contender for the best restaurant in this city. As part of the movement growing the culture of Buffalo, this place is a great leader in setting the pace for the food scene.

July is a great time to get a cheese plate at the Black Sheep!
I went back to the Black Sheep because I’ve heard that things have been getting better (since my first experience wasn’t as great as I was expecting).
I went with a friend and we ordered 5 small plates, the cheese plate, pierogi, beets 5 ways, fideos and a 5^th one I don’t remember. The first plate out was the cheese plate. It was AMAZING! Seriously it was so good! It included 4 different cheeses, honey and some fruits. That could have been my whole dinner. The second 2 plates were the pierogi and the beets 5 ways. The pierogi was good the beets were kinda boring. The plate was super pretty but the beets were blah.
I probably would have updated my rating to 4 stars if it had not been for how long it took to get the last 2 plates. It took about between 30 – 40 minutes. After we finished the beet we sat and waited and were about to just ask for the check when the waiter finally brought the last two plates. I am not going to comment on them because by that time I was already kinda annoyed and not hungry.

Oh em gee. Why did it take me so long to come here? With Bistro Europa being my former favorite restaurant I should’ve known that it was not going to disappoint. Although new digs looking sweet and all had me like please don’t tell me you’ve changed! But have no fear this place is just a bigger gem than the former. We went HAM. Lots of cocktails that were delightfully created. Followed by so many small plates I didn’t want them to stop! Pork nuggets, yes. Pork pierogi, oh yes. Beets 5 ways, oh hell yes. Octopus & bone marrow, F yes. Scallops with duck ragu, whyyyyy yesssss. And the wine marinated fried chicken special, pretty much the best chicken dish I’ve ever had, YES.
Well obviously this had to be followed by none other than the STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING. Which I don’t really care if you think I’m exaggerating or what but that is quite simply the most delicious dessert ice ever had. Tastes better every time I come back.
Go on. Go there. Now. Eat all the food. But save a sliver of space for dessert. Or just eat real slow… Bring out the Italian in you. Have a foodgasm. What an experience.

Ted gives it a 4, I give it a 4.5, but feeling generous… And because of the dessert, the service and Pierogis … I’ll round up to 5!
Finally made it here! Pretty difficult to live up to the hype, but it did. We’ve been meaning to come here since they were Bistro Europa, but we finally made it.
The service was spectacular. Quick, friendly but not overbearing. We received one wrong ‘small dish’ and the waiter let us keep it anyway.
Ted thinks the small plates ruled over over the large one’s. He finally found Pierogis that rival (but not top) his mom’s (she’s right from Poland). The cheese platter was pretty tasty too!
Ted wasn’t thrilled with his pork ‘large plate’, but I enjoyed my fried chicken special. It had a crisp, delicious coating leaving the chicken so tender and delicious with a wonderful sauce. I’m not sure what my side was with it (almost like a hash brown?), but I could do without it.
And the toffee sticky pudding? Just. Do. It!

Had dinner here Friday night. Is there a way to give 4.5 stars?
The cocktails kick @ss. The beet salad 5 ways, was a little taste of heaven (golden beets my favorite) and the chowder was creamy and rich. The meatball entrée, pork with a cornbread binding, on top of ramen noodles in a tomatoey brown sauce was weird but very good. Kind of like the first time I heard a Dave Matthews song. The roasted chicken was excellent. Fresh baked bread, three varieties, is great. I didn’t love the whipped lard that accompanies it, but it also comes with high quality olive oil.
Décor is modern farm. Gorgeous.
Our server was very knowledgeable and helped pair wines with dinner.
One criticism. There needs to be a partition between the dining area and the door to the kitchen. I don’t mind seeing kitchens in action but that swinging door is a major ambience killer because the contrast between the dark dining room and the bright kitchen is so distracting. Even a burlap drape would be an improvement.
Looking forward to dining on the deck out back

We decided to go out to dinner last minute the night before New Year’s Eve, even though we couldn’t get a reservation, we arrived early (6:30ish) and got seats at the bar. I was glad we did because within 10 minutes the empty bar filled up completely.
We got a bottle of Malbec to share — Loca Linda. It was surprisingly good, and was a «uno liter» bottle so even better :) we got the cheese plate to share as well as the pork pierogis as appetizers, and both were delicious. I also ordered the pork liver deviled eggs — it was ok. I haven eaten pretty much all pig parts growing up in a Chinese household, so It didn’t gross me out or anything, I just won’t ever order it again, not just because I didn’t love the taste, but also because it gave me food poisoning for the next 48 hours! We determined that it was the culprit Because it’s the only thing my fiancé didn’t eat and he didn’t get sick (and he has a much weaker stomach than I do).
We split the Maine belly clams which were ok, most of them were pretty sandy though — not a huge fan of that. We also got the T-​Meadow Kolbasz which was a sausage and house made sauerkraut and spaetzle with beer mustard. Sadly, the sausage was WAYYYYYYY too salty to eat. I had one bite and could barely swallow it. My fiancé who enjoys salty foods immensely also gave up after just a few bites — at $ 16 for that dish, it was basically just like flushing money down the toilet.
All in all, the service was good — as good as bar service could be, considering the bartenders were so busy making drinks for the entire restaurant in addition to serving all the patrons at the bar. Despite the fact that I got really sick from perhaps the not very fresh pork liver, and kind of bad clams and sausage, we are definitely going to give it a second try. The cheese plate was definitely worth it! As well as the pierogis! They also had a warm basket of bread with oil dip — yum!
Next time I will go back to ordering the ragu bolognese since I used to order it at bistro Europa (same owner) so I already know it’s gonna be good. And my fiancé has been talking about the «pastrami sandwich» that was on the specials that night, saying how he will def have to order that if it’s still on the menu the next time we go. But for now, sorry black sheep — you’re only gonna get 3 stars outta me.

I’ve been to all the fancy restaurants in Buffalo. Keep that in mind…
The service was an exceptional balance of professional and familiar. We were truly cared for as a dinner guest should be; never interrupted nor wanting for anything. At some point you kind of think everyone there owns the place, that’s how sincere it feels.
The food opens with a basket of 3 kinds of fresh baked bread with a lard/​butter option and an oil option. The entire spread was delicious.
We got the steak and the chicken entrees. The chicken was moist, tender, and flavorful and served over great veggies, very pleasing. The steak was AWESOME. It came with fresh baby spinach and fries that could have been their own entrée. Super impressed.
We sat outside, the inside is a little awkward and narrow at first but it opens up. (Said with a grain of salt as a former golden key regular who loved the open spaces. For those in the know– the bathrooms are the biggest improvement)
We had plenty of wine and cocktail options, I will update when I’ve tried THEM ALL!

The Black Sheep is open!
After months of anticipation, Bistro Europa has grown up, changed its name, became a lot bigger and evolved for the better; bringing that delicious farm-​to-​table love to the West Side.
I came in yesterday with my wife and we were immediately greeted at the door and asked if we wanted to sit outside and sit outside we did. Their patio is beautiful, especially at night! With a beautiful candle lit ambiance, the only thing that’s honestly missing is a fire pit.
As we were settling in, we even saw the International Space Station swing through up above us while we placed an order. What a perfectly beautiful clear night.
The menu is divided into a Small Plate and Big Plate section, along with a separate wine, cocktail and beer menu. We decided to order a bunch of small plates, so we did by ordering the:
— Pork liver devilled egg
— Fish plate
— Skin fritters
— Fried maine belly clams
and Potato Gnocci
First, you’re served a heapful of completely made-​from-​scratch bread along with some olive oil and LARD! Delicious, delicious lard. Our small plates came out fairly quickly afterward.
The fish plate was probably my favorite. They came with a few scallops, salmon and another smoked fish along with a bunch of smoked beets and jalapenos and toasted bread. Very delightful.
The skin fritters are served with a Mexican chimmichurri sauce and it is basically fried pig skin! It tastes almost crispy chicken skin. Quite a flavorful and delicious combination with the sauce.
The devilled eggs were also delightful along with the potato gnocci (which came with a pistachio sauce). The fried belly clams were really fresh and are served along with some french fries — but it’s quite a steep $ 18 small plate for what you get.
Don’t miss out on The Black Sheep!