Sunday News: Persian kebabs land on West Side in photo-booth-sized spot
Laurie Woolever talking at Read It & Eat Bookshop, book Fat Sangwich for next meeting
Persian kebabs have finally landed in Buffalo, in a tiny West Side takeout whose name makes it easy to find: 195 Grant Street Kitchen.
Starting Wednesday, at 11 a.m., koobideh is back.
Despite the generic moniker, 195 Grant Street Kitchen’s menu speaks Farsi, serving koobideh grilled beef-and-onion kebabs with a charred tomato, fresh barbari bread from Tonawanda’s Sahar Bakery, and herbed yogurt with tahdig, rice carefully cooked to crun-chewy golden-brown at the bottom of the pot.
Cannoli ($4) with lemon-zest-scented ricotta filling are also on offer these days, thanks to Foreman’s friend Traci Sliwinski.
Persian cuisine has been scarce round these parts since The Pomegranate, on Transit Road in Clarence, closed in the late 20-teens.
Jonathan Foreman, 195 Grant Street Kitchen’s chef-owner, was born in Children’s Hospital. But when Foreman was 12 he lived in Tehran, where his stepfather was a telephone company executive for American Bell International. Hanging out in a Persian family restaurant led to cooking demonstrations. Foreman returned to Buffalo with cravings he could only satisfy with his own cooking, making koobideh and the dozens of styles in the Persian kebab canon himself.
After a career as a security contractor, Foreman and his wife Tara started a beverage company, Foreman Naturals, two years ago. This week, he starts his soft-opening trials at 195 Grant St., formerly Freddy J’s.
That means customers must order in person, cash only, during the shakedown cruise. Foreman expects to add online ordering. First, he wants to see if Buffalo digs tahdig.
Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Closed Sunday-Tuesday.
REVIEW: Palestinian restaurateur Amira Khalil transplanted her restaurant, Amira’s Kitchen, to the Williamsville-Cheektowaga border hard by Buffalo-Niagara International Airport last year. If you miss eating rotisserie chicken the Swiss Chalet way - that is, with your hands like an unrepentant carnivore - get a table at Amira’s for chicken made to be dipped. But leave your craving for the brick-colored Chalet jus at home, because Amira’s got better dance partners for your poultry. (Later today, for patrons.)
LOCAL BOY MAKES GREAT: Southern Junction’s Ryan Fernandez is a top-five chef in New York State according to the James Beard Awards, who named the inventor of Texish barbecue-by-way-of-Kerala a finalist for Top Chef New York State.
It’ll be the second year as a finalist for Fernandez, onstage at the nation’s top restaurant honors last year, along with Waxlight Bar a Vin.
This year it’s four Big Apple chefs, and a guy from Buffalo. Well, a couple from Buffalo. Fernandez and partner Lydia Herr offered thanks to their supporters.
When we opened Southern Junction in 2020, we didn’t have a roadmap — just a passion for great food and a belief that we would build something special.
This journey has been full of long hours, hard lessons, and plenty of fire (literally and figuratively). But at the heart of it all, it’s about more than barbecue. It’s about bringing people together, creating meals that feel like home, and sharing Texas and Kerala with every guest we serve.
It is beyond humbling to be nominated for a James Beard Award two years in a row and to advance as a finalist this year. But the real honor is having a community that supports us, cheers us on, and fills our tables with laughter and good company.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being part of this journey. We wouldn’t be here without you. – Ryan & Lydia
Laurie Woolever, longtime assistant and collaborator to Anthony Bourdain, and before Bourdain, Mario Batali, appears at Read It & Eat Bookshop April 16 for an author chat, question-and-answer session, and book signing.
She’ll be discussing her new memoir, Care and Feeding, a sharp and deeply personal story of her life behind the scenes of the food world, including her years working alongside Bourdain and TV-star-to-defendant Batali while navigating the industry’s power structures.
Tickets, $25, are available here. The shop, hidden inside The Rails apartments, a new development at Hertel Avenue and Main Street, is small, so it might be sold out by the time you read this. Sign up for the Read It & Eat Bookshop email, and you won’t miss a chance at meeting the next author Kim Behzadi brings to town.
THE CRITIC RECOMMENDS:
If you’re looking for a business meeting site that will make you a hero to your teammates, Fat Sangwich has your number.
Long tables. Peace and quiet. Eight flavors of fresh kombucha on tap, pickle platters, and a lineup of sandwich stunners. Plus a full bar, if you’re that sort of team, with pickleback fixings aplenty.
Fat Sangwich, offering gloriously over-the-top Italian hoagies, is the latest heroic food offering from the fertile minds at Buffalo’s fermentation station. Find R.J. and Lindsey Marvin’s fermentation lair, hidden inside 155 Chandler St. Park on Manton Place and look for the door.
Suite 3 is only a brief Dungeons & Dragons flashback away.
Barrel + Brine, 155 Chandler St. Suite 3
Hours: Noon-6 p.m. Friday, Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday-Thursday.
More reading from Michael Chelus:
Mr. Galarneau wrote about dependable, delicious food you can find at Shamus Restaurant in Lockport [Four Bites]
Andrew also wrote about The Nickel Plate in the Niagara Frontier Food Terminal [Four Bites]
Brett took us to WNY's first Turkish restaurant and bakery - Sofra Turkish Restaurant & Bakery [Step Out Buffalo]
Christa compiled a list of diners in WNY including Bertha's Diner, Woodlawn Diner, Charlie's Diner and more [Buffalo Spree]
Niagara Sushi & Ramen - Buffalo's first halal sushi restaurant - serves a fusion of Japanese, Bangladeshi and American cuisines [Buffalo News]
Christa told us the story of Black Iron Bystro's Cassidy Starr [Buffalo Spree]
Christa also interviewed Kevin Donohue, general manager of Cornelia inside Buffalo AKG Art Museum [Buffalo Spree]
With an influx of taprooms like Moor Pat, RationAles, Britesmith Brewing and more, Williamsville has a walkable craft beer district [Buffalo News]
Chef Ryan Fernandez of Southern Junction has been named a finalist for the Best Chef New York State in this year's James Beard Awards [James Beard Foundation]
Francesca told us how Muslims celebrated Eid in Buffalo's "Mini Bangladesh" [Buffalo News]
Brett thinks that Perro & Poni, soon to open at Wilkeson Point, will be the hot waterfront destination this summer [Step Out Buffalo]
Amy's Place is back with the classics that you love [Step Out Buffalo]
Enjoy mid-week brunch and "Soul Food Sundays" at Loud House Buffalo on Hertel Avenue [Step Out Buffalo]
Ever busy, Brett wrote about four fish fry places he's trying this season including The Grill at the Dome, Blarney Castle and more [Step Out Buffalo]
Not to be outdone by Brett, Daniel wrote about five popular fish fry spots in the City of Buffalo including Sidelines Sports Bar & Grill, Gabriel's Gate and more [Step Out Buffalo]
#30#
I stopped by at 195 Grant last week and was met by Jonathan, the outgoing , engaging and welcoming owner. Not quite open yet but He made me a Persian smash burger with the most wonderful variety of flavors. I wish Jonathan and Tara great success. I’ll be back either friends and family!!
Gross? Srysly? Not even close🙄😐