Verbena's

This week has a lot to do with the new life that can come out of a closed business. Just as the dying leaves outside will break down into life-giving, nutrient-rich fertilizer, so does a closing business create space for a new restaurant or store to grow in its place. Such is the case with two new businesses, one that succeeds Chef Deli on Elmwood and one that replaces Daffodils in Williamsville.

Finally the city will have a gourmet beer store a la Premier Group. Mel and Tammi Weston hope to have The Village Beer Merchant (547 Elmwood Ave.) open within the month (though they’re waiting on the state for their beer license). The Westons, who know what a pain it can be to go out to the suburbs for a quality beer selection, have decided to bring over 300 varieties of the stuff to Elmwood in the old Chef Deli location. They’re not just moving in, they’re reinventing the space. They’ve pulled out the old drop ceilings to reveal a beautiful old embossed tin ceiling. The retail space will be floored with Brazilian cherry wood, and Indian slate will greet shoppers in the entryway and deli areas. And that brings me to another point; the Westons have plans for a gourmet deli that will be stocked entirely with Boar’s Head products, which they hope will help fill in the deli void left by the closings of X-Cel Produce and Chef Deli. The latter’s unattractive black-tinted windows have been replaced with energy efficient transparent glass, which will allow for seasonal window displays, effectively returning the storefront to the streetscape. Down to the meat and potatoes, the store will feature gourmet dry goods, pâtés, mustards, sea salts, a truly impressive olive and cheese bar...and did we mention 300 varieties of beer? All the locals will be in the mix, and a draft system will be installed for filling growlers. I’ll cheers to that!

Looking a bit farther ahead, retired Buffalo Fire Marshall Edwin Orta is personally renovating a space on Kenmore Ave. near Elmwood to open a new restaurant, Amigo’s (1609 Kenmore Ave., Kenmore, 874-1072). Despite the name, Orta says it’s not going to be a Mexican restaurant. “Amigos just means ‘friends’ in Spanish. I have a lot of friends, so that’s why I called it that.” Amigo’s will serve an extensive menu of all-American food in a casual atmosphere, including steak, fish and chicken. In one of two separate rooms, Orta has built an impressive, 41-foot-long serpentine bar, behind which will be a charbroil grill. The second room will feature table seating, as well as high-backed booths with privacy curtains. Orta hopes to open the restaurant by the end of ’07, at which time it will be open seven days a week, from 11am to 11pm.

While it’s more than coincidence that Daffodils is being replaced by a restaurant whose name—Verbenas (930 Maple Rd., Williamsville)—is also the name of a flower, that’s not the primary meaning the owners were going for. “Verbena is of Spanish origin, and it means ‘nightly celebration,’” head chef and proprietor Scott Donhauser says. Donhauser, who worked as executive chef at Daffodils for nearly eight years, says that the new restaurant will be doing modern Mediterranean, which takes basic Mediterranean—French, Italian, Spanish, Greek—and “gives it an upscale twist in a modern way.” Upscale doesn’t mean overpriced, though. Donhauser says that he wants nothing to do with the high prices associated with Daffodils. One tradition he will continue, however, is the weekly rack of lamb special. In addition to a more affordable menu, there’ll be a grill room with a separate, more casual menu from that of the main restaurant. The bar will have a strong emphasis on wine, with a wine room attached to the bar area. Verbenas should have the same great service as its predecessor, as much of the same, experienced staff is on board for the new venture. Its doors should open sometime in late December or January.

Briefly

In other food news, Kuni’s To Go (226 Lexington Ave., 881-3800) can now be called Kuni’s to stay. The pint-size sushi joint has added a handful of tables for dining in, recalling the...intimate setting of Kuni’s former incarnation on Elmwood. Kuni Sato hasn’t applied for a beer license, however, so you won’t enjoy a sake with your sushi.

Dive bar Broadway Joe’s (3051 Main St., 837-3650) is now serving from a decent bar menu that includes, among other treats, Polish sausage, veggie burgers, steak sandwiches and hand-battered, deep fried Snickers or Take 5 bars (dubbed the “dive bar,” its touted for its “trashy elegance”). My bet is on the $10 special—an order of wings and a pitcher of PBR.

Speaking of bars adding food to their repertoire, McGarrett’s (946 Elmwood Ave.) seems to have taken the opposite tack and is adding a free selection of vegetarian soups and breads to its Sunday afternoon setup.

Finally, Ming Café (3268 Main St., 833-6988), which closes for the summer while its proprietors travel abroad, has reopened its doors for the season and is once again serving upscale Chinese in the University district.

If you’d like us to pass along your food news, please call us at 881-6604, or email us at editorial@artvoice.com (with “chew on this” in the subject heading).