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October 2007
It’s hard to imagine that a new restaurant can open on Emek Refaim and still offer something fresh and original. I would think that the renowned thoroughfare must present a substantial gastronomic and entrepreneurial challenge to a newbie breaking into the biz, but Buffalo Steak House has risen to that challenge and a star is born.
The Buffalo Steak House is located at the south end of Emek Refaim (next to Café Hillel). The interior is warm and welcoming, a modern and stylish combination of red, black and white, set off by traditional, heavy, dark wood tables (as befits a proper steak house). Seating is at comfortable banquettes or at generous-sized tables spaced nicely apart. The menu seems to be a work in progress (at least the English part is) but the food was the ultimate combination of presentation and skill. In short, it looked beautiful and it tasted delicious.
 There were three of us and we ordered up a storm. For starters, one of my companions had the Buffalo wings and the other opted for the exotic-sounding beet-and-apple salad. The wings were not the usual smothered-in-barbecue sauce affair; rather, they were lightly tangy and oh-so juicy. The salad had strips of beets and apples mixed in with baby greens and tossed with slightly peppery vinaigrette. I went with the grilled tomato soup, which was a great twist on an old favorite; it was thick and savory and came with a giant crouton (a.k.a. a big piece of crusty bread), which was perfect for dipping up every last drop.
We had a hard time picking our mains – there were plenty of options that all sounded wonderful. Since I can never pass up chicken livers, in any shape or form, I chose the braised livers in maple syrup and demi-glace sauce. Maple syrup with liver? You bet – it was superb (and the portion was generous, as well). One carnivorous companion went for the braised short ribs, which were actually four scrumptious lamb chops, and our vegetarian guest gave the veggie burger a whirl (I think I caught her looking longingly at our meat, though). All the main dishes were served with a choice of side dishes (mashed potatoes, fries/chips, grilled or sautéed veggies) and a salad. In addition, as mentioned, everything was presented beautifully. In the name of adventurousness, we didn’t try the steaks at this steak house but a glance at a neighboring table indicated that this new kid of the block knows its way around a cut of beef.
 For us, one of the highlights was an additional side dish (I told you we went all out on this meal): It was listed as a “snack” on the menu and they call it “onion rings,” but it was actually a pyramid-shaped onion loaf. I have to mention that this is one of my all-time favorite dishes and it’s very hard to find in Israel (believe me, I’ve tried). The Buffalo “onion rings” are reason enough to head – very quickly – for this new restaurant.
We couldn’t handle another course (or even a cup of tea) but when we return to Buffalo Steak House – and we will be back – we’ll try to pace ourselves a little better because the desserts looked great. This new eatery deserves your attention and is sure to stand out, even amid the fierce culinary competition on Emek Refaim.
Buffalo wings nis 26beet-and-apple salad nis 28, braised livers in maple syrup and demi-glace sauce nis 58, braised short ribs nis 97. |