WOW.....All You Can Eat Guacamole

I was invited to lunch today at a Mexican buffet. It sounded interesting and I accepted. Now buffets for me are usually hit and miss. Sometimes the variety and taste is fantastic, sometimes not so much on either/or or both. In fact, in the last couple years, we have had an All-You-Can-Eat explosion in the Valley and that will probably be a blog in itself within the next week or so as to the best deals on variety, taste, value and location. Let's start by saying I was pleasantly surprised today.

Our destination today was the Los Gallos Authentic Mexican Restaurant in Boardman. Located at 685 Boardman Canfield Rd (Rte. 224, across from the A&W Drive-In.) I realized that I had been here for dinner once before, but they do not serve the buffet at night, so I had forgotten they had one. I remembered the decor as simple with lots of different tastes and treats for sale at the front door. Like most of the shops along that corridor, the outside is decieving as to how much space is available inside. There are plenty of tables and booths in the restaurant. Los Gallos is currently undergoing some construction, which while a little distracting during your meal, is reaping great benefits. A well stocked bar has been added in nice light wood with quite a few barstools surrounding it, and it looks like they are redoing the floor in the area next to the bar. Both look fantastic.

The service was very good with attentive staff that seemed to keep the used dishes taken promptly off the tables and refills poured as needed without having to ask. The food was a very wide array of mexican specialties including quesadillas, taquitos, fajita filling, enchiladas, chorizo, rice and beans. There was also two soups available and desserts ranging from flan and jello to custard and fruit filled chimi's with cinnamon sugar. I dont think I have posted it yet, but I was originally born and raised in California. I appreciate a good guacamole and was so happy to find homemade guacamole on the buffet. OMG...all you can eat guacamole, at most mexican restaurants its $1.50 - 3.00 just for a side. I think I over indulged but it was worth it. Overall the food quality was good to above average on every dish.

The biggest and nicest surprise of the meal came with the check. A great variety of food, all tasting very good, and the total was........$4.99 plus tax!! Now I see why most of the tables were filled. As we were paying, I checked again and confirmed the buffet is only available at lunch. I looked over the dinner menu and it has a great variety and prices are reasonable, between $7 and 13 dollars for a meal, (by the way, side of guac at night is 2.75.) I also noticed signs that said they deliver during the lunch hours to a limited area, and they have occasional live mariachi bands performing throughout the month. If you are looking for great mexican buffet lunch or a nice dinner, go check out Los Gallos, tell them the Whiner Diner whined about them..........WD

Spent the Weekend in NYC Checked Out the Wolf in Sheeps Pricing

Had a fantastic weekend in NYC for some food shopping and theatre. Got back Sunday night and decided to check out the Blue Wolf Tavern in Boardman. Located at 1295 Boardman Canfield Road, in the Fawn Plaza. I have only been there a couple times since they moved from their location in Struthers and forget how nice it is. Even though it sits on the busiest thouroughfare in the Valley, Route 224, it is for all intents and purposes in a strip mall, and would be fairly unrecognizable driving quickly down the road. That is, until they decided last year to put in the electronic readerboard out front along the highway. While definitely eye catching in its size and use of bright colors, the sign stands out without looking too gaudy in the process.

The inside of the tavern is very tasteful and serene in the two small dining areas, with a large central bar with probably the most high definition televisions in town surrounding the bar and tables, in a sports bar vibe. One of the dissappointments in the old Struthers location was the location of a few tables so close to the kitchen that you couldnt help hear the shouting of servers and cooks and the rattling of plates. This is much better laid out, but while I understand it from a marketing standpoint, I really do not like the bakery they have added, to be seen through the glass doors from one of the dining rooms.

The bakery is however, a welcome addition to the restaurant with some excellent bakery items in addition to handling the take-out for the tavern. The food is quite good with options ranging from burgers and salads, to steaks, chicken and pasta, appetizers and desserts. Daily specials are a nice complement without being too overdone. My only complaint would be the size of the side salad included with your meal, nicely presented on a pewter plate, with not much substance at all. (I do recommend the Paris Dressing for any salad options..absulutely fantastic!!) Having eaten a bit to0 high and rich in NYC, I decided for the Bleu Wolf Burger, grilled in cajun spices and topped with melted Bleu Cheese. Fresh cut fries for a small additional charge rounded out a great meal. Prices for the entire menu are very much worth the ambiance and quality of the meals ranging from $6-15 dollars. Though I was trying to be good, I cannot go to the Blue Wolf without having my favorite dessert, Banana's Foster. Fresh banana's, with a creamy butter pecan ice cream and a rich rum caramel topping to die for.

Service at the Blue Wolf is overall very efficient. The Hosting staff are pleasant and keep a pretty good handle on the crowd. Of course there is not much of a foyer to speak of so I recommend the bar if you dont mind the fast pace, or if weather permits, sitting outside at one of the outside tables. The servers are attentive and do well refilling beverages and checking back on you without being too overbearing or feeling rushed. I will say that I have heard there are many partners in this endeavor, and I have from time to time seen quite a few "Manager types," walking around a lot with no particular reason as to why.

If you havent had a chance yet to stop by the Blue Wolf Tavern, I recommend it highly and you will be hooked as I have with Excellent food, Reasonable prices, Efficient service, and a relaxing ambiance in the dining room with a hyped up sports bar inside to boot..........WD

Breakfast the Yankee Kitchen Way

Since many people subscribe to the the theory that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, I am gonna do my first restaurant review on breakfast. Of course not any "one" post could include all the great breakfast possibilities we have in Mahoning and Trumbull Counties, I am going to start simple and work my way up from there.

The Yankee Kitchen has restaurants in both counties, one at 6635 Market Street in Boardman, and the other at 484 Youngstown-Kingsville Road SE in Vienna. Both locations feature classic diner breakfast fare with Eggs, Crisp Bacon, Sausage Gravy, Homefries, Waffles and more. Of course there are lunch and dinner items as well, with specials daily, but I prefer them for mostly breakfast. Hours are from 6am daily, and closing time depends upon the season, usually after 8pm, and breakfast is served all day. Prices are very reasonable for the portions they provide. What I like best about the Yankee Kitchen is that it serves breakfast quickly, made to order and as it should be everywhere, with coffee, good coffee, included with your meal. How sick am I of going to some chain restaurants boring old breakfast just to have the honor of then paying an additional $1-2 dollars for a cup of coffee that was more often than not, bought from the plain wrap aisle at their choice of food purveyor.

The open flat grille at the Vienna location, and the see through kitchen window at the Boardman location, both show that food is being prepared fresh, quickly, and by a competent staff not afraid of the long line of tickets that make their way quickly down the production line or wheel. Homefries are always frying on the flat grille and if its not too busy, try them deep fried, for those of you like me, that like their potatoes well done. Omelettes are light and filled with your choice of favorites and the Belgian Waffles are always crisp and not under or overcooked on the iron.

The staff at both locations are family, and employees, casual and friendly with regular and new customers alike. They are always filling coffee and drinks fast and efficiently, sometimes too fast....you ever get just the right coffee/sugar/cream combination of taste perfection just to drink a couple sips and its already refilled and the whole balance thrown off again??....drives me crazy. These places are busy too, with lots of regular coming in for the good food and staff. Thats why you wont get a lot of that suggestive selling that most restaurants push down your throat, just eat, enjoy and if you see something else you like or want....ask. For a good meal, at a good price, with good service, and of course, free coffee with breakfast, check out the Yankee Kitchen in Boardman and in Vienna.

Not the most exciting way to start off a new review blog you say?? Well, keep reading, you wont be dissappointed. I will have both new and exciting, even hidden gems of restaurants in the coming weeks, but if breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, this is a good way to start..........WD

Downtown Youngstown is trying to revitalize and with the recent addition of the Convocation Center, it has a good launching point. Already there has been the addition of one new restaurant, a restaurant/bar, and a restaurant/cyberstore on the way. With the Pharmor Building's food court becoming a dinosaur, and the Hub Diner being deserted then marred by fire in the building, there has not been a lot of choices for food in the downtown area besides stalwart BW3 and the second floor of the YMCA and the Bean Counter.

Along with the Convocation Center, the George Voinovich Center and the rest of the remodeling and businesses going on Federal Street, It is the perfect time for a smart entrepreneur with some good recipes to find a niche in the downtown area. Having avoiding going downtown to the same old, same old, I am looking forward to spending the next couple of weeks reporting on the vibe and epicurious that is the new and coming to Youngstown.

I am also going to go a little more in-depth on the up and coming bar scene downtown. Much has been written lately by the owners and the downtown leaders, but I think readers need to have an unbiased eye giving the good, the bad, and the ugly of our new nightlife. I wish all of our new businesses downtown continued success, but a thoughtful eye should only add to the excitement by making people aware of whats really coming together well, along with letting our new owners and operators think that Youngstown does not deserve a full commitment to food, service and fun.

The New Whiner Diner Blog, Restaurant Review and More

Thanx for checking out my premiere posting in the Whiner Diner. Here you will find reviews, rants, raves, thoughts, insights, commentary and information on the dining, restaurant, bar and occasional entertainment scene in Mahoning and Trumbull Counties. I hope to eventually be the "go-to" guy in all your dining and entertainment news and feedback thru this blog, and eventually a podcast and webcast. I have been in the restaurant and entertainment business for over 20 years and will use my expertise, humor and insight to hopefully provide a guide to the local scene and steer you clear of time, dollar and palate wasting endeavors.

I will have adspace on my site available, but to be sure, it will be of no consideration when it comes to my reviews, and will probably limit my advertisers due to my brutal honesty both positive and negative. I will be accompanying this blog with a website that will have special and fun sections devoted to employee feedback, recipe's from your favorite restaurants, calendar of events, and much more. Subscribe to my feed to keep up to date on my thoughts and postings.