Review: At Saint Neri, a Euro-cool niche with a can't-miss cheeseburger

Days of Black Sheep culinary anarchy behind him, Chef Steve Gedra has time to aim on focused menu

Gnudi with lemon and green garlic at Saint Neri

As chef-owner of The Black Sheep, Steve Gedra earned a reputation for gleefully coloring outside the lines.

At his Connecticut Street restaurant, Gedra sold me deep-fried poppers of housemade ’nduja, whole poached Oles kohlrabi, and a dish labeled Nacho Trotter ($50). That was cheddar-jalapeno sausage made from a locally-raised heritage-breed pig, black beans, queso, chips, and a footlong hoof-tipped shank.

I ate it all, marveling at Gedra’s blend of locally sourced ingredients, international inspirations, and chaos, the farm-to-table version of the Anarchist’s Cookbook.

Saint Neri chef Steve Gedra

So last year, when Saint Neri announced Gedra would be its chef, I was intrigued. Saint Neri, which opened last year in the former Vera Pizzeria space. Like that early champion of Buffalo cocktail culture, Saint Neri aims to expand the definition of what sort of coolness Buffalo may abide.