With the relatively recent outcrop of Mexican-flavored fast food options (Salsarita's, Moe's, Chipotle) giving our longtime fast food Mexican restaurants a run for their money (Might Taco, Taco Bell and even The Lone Star), there is no shortage of cheap and quick Mexican-flavored food to be had here in Buffalo.
We also have a handful of casual Mexican-themed restaurants serving up giant platters of cheddar cheese-laden refried beans and taco salads served in deep-fried tortilla bowls. They all seem to use the same Mexican Music 101 soundtrack and the same interior decorator, but the quality of the food varies as greatly as the cleanliness of each restaurant. Despite the lack of authenticity on the menu, people continue to extol the virtues of these businesses to me whenever I lament our lack of traditional south-of-the-border cuisine. Perhaps it's the drink specials.
Whether you are a lover of the Mexi-Cali-themed fast food franchise, or a frequent visitor to the local cantina boasting the largest frozen margarita (with complimentary chips and salsa), there is an undeniable deficit when it comes to real Mexican offerings in our area. Why is it that traditional Mexican restaurants are not interested in opening here in Buffalo? Is it that the people here wouldn't understand the food or patronize the business? I somewhat doubt that. There were many people who said the same thing about Buffalo when it came to sushi, or falafel, or kimchi. Now we have a plethora of Japanese and sushi joints, a few falafel options and at least one good Korean restaurant.
I can't imagine that I am the only Buffalonian in search of a good Oaxacan mole. Or huevos con chorizo. What about pozole or menudo?
So readers, what is it that you'd like to see an authentic Mexican restaurant offer on their menu here in Buffalo? Why do you think the Buffalo area is sadly without such an establishment? Is there anything we could do collectively to change that?
I'm going to thank you for your input in advance and log off now while you talk amongst yourselves. Otherwise I am likely to get started on our lack of traditional Chinese and Spanish offerings, as well.
LEICESTER --A Geneseo State College student from Sanborn was killed in an early Tuesday morning crash in the Livingston County Town of Leicester.
Think of it this way: All the April showers in the forecast are going to make those newly sprouted trees and flowers very happy. The rest of us, meanwhile, are going to get a lot of mileage out of our umbrellas. The National Weather Service has showers in the forecast right through Friday. Today they predict showers and thunderstorms this afternoon, with up to half an inch of rain. The chance of thunderstorms diminishes tonight, but regular rainfall is expected to continue. The rain is supposed to keep falling Thursday, turning to snow early Friday as temperatures take a big drop. Friday could see rain and snow showers mixed. As for temperatures, they should hover in the upper 50s and low 60s today, tonight and the first part of Thursday until the cold front moves in and plunges us into the 30s. With the thermometer barely expected to reach the 40s, Friday is likely to feel frigid after all the warm wonderful days we've just had. Spring should bounce back again Saturday, though, when the outlook is for sunny skies and highs in the 50s. By the way, April 7 was the last day of measureable snowfall in 2009. Last day the snow officially accumulated here this year was Feb. 28. We only had traces in March.
1. By way of answering Paladino’s pandering on the “open border” welfare issue, he’s right – we didn’t vote for that. New York implemented residency requirements that were struck down as unconstitutional in 1971. While the 1996 TANF welfare reform law had expressly permitted states to impose welfare residency requirements, and while New York did go ahead and implement them, the Supreme Court ruled in 1999 that the residency limitations on TANF benefits was unconstitutional.
“Citizens of the United States, whether rich or poor, have the right to choose to be citizens ‘of the state wherein they reside,’” Stevens wrote, quoting the 14th Amendment. “The states, however, do not have any right to select their citizens.”
So, Paladino can promise to implement unconstitutional residency requirements on welfare, but to what end?
2. Paladino comes out against gay marriage because that’s just not how a marriage is traditionally defined. Hasn’t he lost every scintilla of moral authority to dictate to anyone what their marriage should look like, and to whom they should be married?
3. I’m loving the Pataki poster in the background. If ever there was someone who didn’t deserve a cult of personality, it’s Governor Pataxme.
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Orchard Park School Board President Donald Sniezak said Tuesday night he hopes to sign a contract with the district's new superintendent this week.
Each Monday, Wednesday and Friday leading up to the NFL Draft April 22nd, Buffalobills.com will profile one of the more highly touted prospects at each position in the 2010 draft class. A position ...
ALBANY -- Buffalo businessman Carl P. Paladino took his fledgling, anti-Albany gubernatorial campaign into the belly of the beast Tuesday, offering a menu of fiery, rhetorical flourishes against everyone from “corrupt” government officials to poor people trying to game the welfare system.
A science and art cabaret described as a “mash-up of cutting-edge science and technology with art and performance” will take place from 7 to 9 tonight in the Ninth Ward bar at Babeville, 341 Delaware Ave.
Instead of adopting a 2010-11 budget Tuesday night, as intended, the Ken-Ton School Board made plans to continue working on it until the last day possible.
Shorpy is the closest thing we have to traveling back in time 100 years. Every day, Shorpy posts a super-high-res scan of an image, usually from the Detroit Publishing company. If you zoom in on the image, you get an incredible snapshot of daily life a century ago. I can’t explain why, but I find it beautiful and fascinating.
Also, I had previously designated the Amazing Race as the best damn show on TV. While I still watch and enjoy TAR, Top Gear has since replaced it as the best damn show on TV. There is no such thing as an unfunny or unentertaining episode of Top Gear. BBC America Mondays at 8pm.
The best road test ever in the history of ever: Jeremy Clarkson’s sensible Ford Fiesta test.
And yes, the Fiesta will be available in American Ford showrooms imminently.
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Like any adult male, my wallet contains my drivers’ license, passport card, a couple membership cards, some credit cards and 413 bonus cards from various stores across Western New York.
The credit cards and membership cards are kind of necessary. So is the drivers’ license and passport card. But those bonus cards really what makes my wallet too cumbersome. And with Lent over and me being able to eat chicken wings again, I thought I should give something else up: Bonus cards.
I’m not going to carry them. I’m not going to use them. I’m opting out of the scam that is the bonus card.
Okay, I just cleaned my wallet out. There weren’t really 413 bonus cards. Just nine. Two from grocery stores, a restaurant, a pet store, a sporting goods store, a gas station, a bakery outlet, a discount store, and a beer store.
Nine bonus cards. And I’m not going to use them any more. Not at the gas station. Not at the grocery store. Not anywhere.
I’m sick of it all.
Here’s an idea for retailers if you want my loyalty: Just give me the best price without having to weigh myself down with your bonus cards.
I look at shopping as a symbiotic relationship. I give retailers money. They give me products I want or need. They win. I win. Win-win. Once the places I shop at decide that they want me to swear my allegiance to them by filling out a form and carrying card, it’s not really symbiotic any more. It’s tilted in their favor.
Why would anyone want to do that? Take a win-win relationship and give more power to the other party?
Yeah, I know, many of you probably think I’m being silly here. I can hear the mental mumbling right now; “Gee, Leffler, what’s the big deal? Just carry the card like everyone else.”
The big deal is I don’t want to.
Quite a while ago I just stopped carrying my wallet. I keep my credit card and some cash in my front pocket. I keep my wallet in my car. If I really need something from my wallet, my car is never far from me.
The advent of my not carrying my wallet led to me never having my bonus card on me. And that led to me asking the cashier at any respective store if I could “borrow” their bonus card – you know, the one they keep at the register for people that forget their card.
I’ve never been told “no.” They – without thinking – grab the bonus card and swipe it. Or oftentimes, the person in line behind me will hand me their bonus card.
As such, I really don’t know why I didn’t swear off bonus cards a long time ago.
You might think that my concern is that I don’t want the store to know what I’m buying. Some big brother complex. It’s not that. I don’t care who knows what I buy. Heck, I’m probably going to post it on Facebook anyway. I just hate the hassle.
There are some stores that tie your phone number to your bonus card, allowing you to just give your phone number instead of handing them your card. I like this concept. Since you’re the only one who has your phone number, it makes it private, easy and convenient … as long as you’re willing to say your phone number out loud.
What? The girl behind you is going to memorize your phone number and call you later? And that’s bad? Okay, maybe it is for you, but for me … not necessarily.
I know this whole thing is kind of a tangent that won’t likely get anywhere, but maybe someone from the executive offices of one of these stores will read it and realize that they’re irritating their clientèle. Or at least they’re irritating me. And an irritated Scott Leffler spends his money elsewhere.
Think of it this way: All the April showers in the forecast are going to make those newly sprouted trees and flowers very happy. The rest of us, meanwhile, are going to get a lot of mileage out of our umbrellas. The National Weather Service has showers in the forecast right through Friday. Today they predict showers and thunderstorms this afternoon, with up to half an inch of rain. The chance of thunderstorms diminishes tonight, but regular rainfall is expected to continue. The rain is supposed to keep falling Thursday, turning to snow early Friday as temperatures take a big drop. Friday could see rain and snow showers mixed. As for temperatures, they should hover in the upper 50s and low 60s today, tonight and the first part of Thursday until the cold front moves in and plunges us into the 30s. With the thermometer barely expected to reach the 40s, Friday is likely to feel frigid after all the warm wonderful days we've just had. Spring should bounce back again Saturday, though, when the outlook is for sunny skies and highs in the 50s. By the way, April 7 was the last day of measureable snowfall in 2009. Last day the snow officially accumulated here this year was Feb. 28. We only had traces in March.
Niagara Falls senior Davon Marshall finished his high school basketball career on a good note on his home court as he scored 26 points and earned MVP honors as the East team beat the West, 97-91, in the 16th PAL/ACE game.
Pano's, a popular Elmwood Avenue restaurant, will soon offer patio dining.