The Dakota Grill & Cigar Bar
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The Dining Room of the Dakota Grill boasts a hand painted mural of musical greats, painted by local artist Mary Quimby.
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“Steaks, Seafood, Songs & Stogies” is the message on a billboard for the Dakota Grill and Cigar Bar. It’s perfect prose for the two trendy restaurants at the busy corner of Maple and Sweethome roads in Amherst.
It would seem that red meat and smoking would be out of sync with today’s health conscious mentality and non-smoking mania, but since the restaurants opened about four years ago, they continue to be popular. It appears that Jerry Meyers and Dan Vecere, both with years of experience in the restaurant and entertainment business, came up with just the right formula to make everyone happy. Smokers have their haven in the Cigar Bar, while the dining room at the Dakota Grill remains smoke-free. Beef lovers can feast on a variety of Certified Black Angus steaks but the rest of the menu offers innovative seafood specialties as well as lots of pastas, and entree salads tossed with chicken, shrimp, scallops, or salmon.
Head chef, Pat Rexford, with 25 years experience in the Western New York restaurant scene, usually offers three or four specials per night, but some of his signature entrees are what grab the attention of even the most discerning palate. The Bourbon Street Salmon, prepared with honey dijon and Jack Daniels and the Black and Blue Filet of Sirloin with a crusty bleu cheese topping are among them. A staple for Kosher diets is Grilled Empire Chicken Breast which is prepared on a separate grill. Even if you don’t eat Kosher, try this. As Meyers explains, “The Kosher process of soaking the chicken in salt water moistens the chicken, giving it a superb, succulent taste.” Another of Rexford’s specialties is Smashed Potatoes, flavored with garlic and a touch of horseradish.
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The classy, relaxed Cigar Bar was the first such smoking bar in the area.
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But the Dakota Grill is not just about food and wine. In fact, as Vecere points out, “According to restaurant surveys, food ranks about fourth on a list of what is most important to people eating in restaurants. Ambience and service are key.” So, too, is style. All three components contribute to the Dakota’s inviting atmosphere. The decor is classically simple, with white linens and cushy chairs. There is a banquette seating along the wall and individual tables spaced nicely for a stylishly smart look that is neither overdone nor intimidating. You’ll feel comfortably dressed in your best suit or in a pair of cords and your favorite sweater. A quick glance in the kitchen, through the glass partition, shows the young staff looking equally spiffy in their kitchen whites with baseball caps. At first I thought the caps were a nouveau fashion statement but I later learned they’re just more practical and comfortable than wearing an old-fashioned chef’s toque.
Adding to the upbeat mood is the overall theme of the restaurant. It’s music, music, music. Full-length murals of jazz musicians and vocalists cover the walls. Louis Armstrong, Sammy Davis, Peter, Paul, and Mary, and Buddy Holly are among the music legends depicted in character, belting out a song, blowing a horn, or sharing a laugh with friends. The free-hand paintings, all done by local artist Mary Quimby, have a surreal quality that tells a tale of a great music era. You’ll still hear some of those 40’s and 50’s swing tunes as well as current favorites—sung on Friday and Saturday nights by Mary Stahl, whom Meyers describes as a modern-day Peggy Lee. You might even catch Michael Civisca, who still performs at the Dakota when he’s not involved in a movie or recording a new album.
While the music may have echoes of the past, everything else about the Dakota sings of a 90’s kind of place. At the back of the main dining area are several booths complete with a small TV set. Families dining with small children often opt for a booth instead of a table so the children can watch a video or cartoons. But children aren’t the only ones watching TV while they eat. The lunch crowd, which is primarily business people, tune in to CNBC for up-to-the-minute financial news and stock market figures. TV booths are also in demand during prime sporting events so that Sabres and Bills fans can keep a close eye on the action.
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One of many creative salads by the Dakota’s Concept Chef, Debbie Clark. Black and Blue Filet of Sirloin, one of Head Chef Pat Rexford’s signature entrees. All of the Dakota’s desserts, from their fresh fruit tarts to decadent chocolate tortes, are made in-house by Concept Chef Debbie Clark.
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Another unique touch is the appetizer/cappuccino counter with low stools, neatly tucked to one side of the main dining area. It is a popular spot for lone diners who just want a quick appetizer instead of a full meal, or for those who stop in for a cappuccino and dessert. One eat-on-the-run regular spends his dinner hour with a newspaper and an order of the Dakota’s absolutely incomparable baked clams casino. If you’re more interested in desserts, all are made-from-scratch creations by Concept Chef Debbie Clark, a Culinary Institute of America grad. Her silky Butterscotch/Banana Cream Pie and Kahlua Torte, with three layers of nuts and various mousse fillings, are worth the calories. Ms. Clark is also responsible for the lunch menu, which changes seasonally. There’s lots of seafood and imaginatively done salads and sandwiches, like the shrimp and orzo salad in lemon-cilantro vinaigrette or the smoked salmon, cucumber, red onion, and lemon caper chevre on pumpernickel.
After lunch or dinner, you can move next door to the adjoining Cigar Bar for brandy and/or coffee. The first such smoking bar in the area, it is not only popular in Western New York, but part of a growing nationwide trend. Even non-smokers have been known to wander in. Maybe because it’s something different but also because it doesn’t have a stale, musty tobacco smell. Six air cleaners and a ceiling exhaust system suck up the smoke and purify the air so there’s never that blue-cloud, bar room look. A well-stocked humidor displays some pricey brands, such as Macanudo and Dunhill. You can bring your own, but take note: a small sign near the entrance reads, “no cheap cigars allowed.”
Whether you choose to light up or not, this is a handsome pub-style room with a long bar and a small back dining area just big enough for a few candlelit tables. It’s a perfect setting for an intimate dinner or a private tete-a-tete.
The bar area is usually a lively spot from the cocktail hour until late evening. And you can forget the outdated idea that only men gather for cigars after dinner. Here you’re likely to find as many women leisurely puffing away.
The same artist who painted the murals in the Dakota created the backdrop behind the bar. But here, instead of musicians, the portrayal is of three famous cigar aficionados. Two of them are instantly recognizable: Winston Churchill, who was seldom seen without a cigar in hand, and George Burns, depicted with his ever-present wry smile and his trademark El Producto. Also in the portrait is an attractive blond woman whose identity is a bit more of a challenge. I asked the bartender who she was. “Most people have a hard time figuring her out but once you do, you’ll see the resemblance.” I was still at a loss. “I’ll give you a hint,” he said. “She’s a modern-day actress known for her sexy movie roles.” I studied the image for some time before I finally figured it out. The bartender was right. Once I knew who she was, I could appreciate the likeness.
I don’t want to spoil your fun. See if you know who she is.
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