Open Trial at Fountain Plaza

Two things are essential to serving downtown Buffalo’s lunch crowd: speed and consistency.

That’s the goal of Prova @ The Plaza, a new breakfast and lunch restaurant at 40 Fountain Plaza. It’s actually a group project. Owner Ciminelli Real Estate hired Marble + Rye owner Michael Dimmer, his brothers Robert and Sean Dimmer of Mr. Smith Agency, and Fresh Catch Poke Co. owner Michael Tobin to conceptualize, open and consult on the restaurant.

The result is a one-stop shop for everyday food and beverage needs, from healthy pre-packaged snacks and fresh breakfast burritos to espresso drinks and slices of Sicilian pizza.

Orders can be placed in three ways: at the counter, self-serve or online. Food can be taken away or consumed in the large, spacious dining room and on the front terrace, which overlooks the historic Gold Dome building.

The menu leans heavily Italian—hard-boiled eggs are marinated in a mix of Italian and Japanese furikake, and pizza is a big part of the offerings—but also features plenty of cafe staples, like oatmeal, egg bites, and bagels. Fresh Catch’s influence is evident in the housemade grain and salad bowls (which are gluten-free). Vegan options include a rice salad bowl, marinated olives, and a tomato pizza. Chef Dennis Danieu, who most recently worked as head baker at Jazzboline, runs the kitchen.

For beverages, Prova offers coffee and espresso drinks made with Big Mouth coffee beans from Hudson Valley Roasters, sparkling water, soda, kombucha and bottled water from the refrigerated market section.

If you’ve ever eaten at Flint, the last restaurant to occupy the location, you’ll probably recognize some of the staff. Prova rehired several former Flint employees after it abruptly closed in February.

Prova is open from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

I zigzagged through the Taste of Buffalo on July 13, walking briskly to sample as many dishes as possible. Here’s what stood out to me the most.

KT Caribbean Cuisine’s palm fries—though they look more like potato chips—were the most sensible street food, as eating them didn’t require a fork, knife, napkin, hand sanitizer, or table space. It’s also a gorgeous dish. Thinly sliced ​​potato slices are crisped up and then stacked kebab-style on a long wooden skewer, then eaten sideways like a candy necklace.

Moneybags Dumplings were also perfect for eating on the street, as each one can be popped into your mouth in one go. The vegan mushroom and soy dumplings, a dark green from the natural colouring of the spinach, were particularly unusual and had a strong earthy flavour. Moneybags’ black pepper noodles were a favourite bite due to their chewy consistency.

For dessert, banana came out on top as a surprise winner, thanks to two impressive dishes: a fried banana spring roll from Water Lily Cafe and a dense banana pudding from BW’s Barbecue.

For a full rundown of everything I ate at Taste of Buffalo, check out our video on Instagram (@GustoEats).

A new ice cream and hot dog joint has opened in Cheektowaga. Shady Shack (2365 William St.) serves all the frozen classics, including scoops of Perry’s, soft serve ice cream, dairy-free Dole whipped cream and banana splits. There are also summer grill favorites, like hot dogs, hamburgers, Italian sausage, fries and chicken sandwiches.

The Dog & Pony Saloon (2115 Seneca St.) opened in May in South Buffalo. The summer menu features refreshing seasonal dishes like peach salad and tahini shishito peppers, as well as heartier options like duck confit poutine, shepherd’s pie and shrimp and chorizo ​​risotto. Desserts are from Sweet Pea Bakery.

Stop by Broadway Market (999 Broadway) on Friday afternoons to try My Mother’s Handz, a new soul food vendor. Owner Nakeeya Jones will be cooking and selling food—options include fried chicken, fish, collard greens, and mac and cheese—on Friday afternoons only in Broadway Market’s rotating commercial kitchen space. Her food is currently available by pre-order, so call 716-228-0929 on Wednesdays to place orders for pickup on Fridays.

Local chefs are using summer flowers in creative and eye-catching ways. Check out these flower-based dishes and drinks in Buffalo.

At Marta’s Market, a new fast-casual Italian restaurant, bar and market in East Aurora, family recipes are on the menu.

Spend the summer eating at one of these Buffalo-area food festivals.

Drink your pint in the sun at a beer garden or on the terrace of a local brewery. Here are seven suggestions.

To raise awareness of Buffalo Public Schools’ free summer meal program, which is serving free breakfast and lunch to children through Aug. 16, a Bills legend is getting involved.

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