Restaurant Review Some Healthy Choices By Ann Blask Shape up. Slim Down. Walk a mile. Tone up. Think thin. Eat right. If this is your springtime mantra, you’re probably a bit worried. Will you ever see the inside of a restaurant again? The answer is yes. You can still eat out and eat healthy. Although Western New York has never been known for its plethora of health food restaurants, there are a few spots where health-conscious cuisine dominates. BLUE MOON CAFE There is absolutely nothing not to like about the Blue Moon Café. It’s sunlit and airy, with a half-circle of picture windows facing Elmwood Avenue, a wonderfully imaginative menu, and an equally interesting story of how it all began. After nearly 20 years of working as a hospital administrator, Craig Steger wanted a career change. So did his wife, Diane Cookfair, a research scientist. Their dream of owning a restaurant came true last June and suddenly Craig became a full-time cook/restaurateur and Diane, while still working at her day job, became a menu-planner/collaborator and all-around restaurant assistant. Craig describes the food as “International Peasant Cuisine.” “What I mean by that,” he explains, “is that it’s simple, no pretense food.” Though the restaurant business was new to them, cooking was not. They tackled recipes from gourmet cookbooks and magazines, and experimented with many ethnic cuisines. By the time the restaurant became a reality they knew they wanted to focus on foods that were low-fat and healthy as well as interesting and authentic. The resulting menu reflects a delightful collage of international dishes and adaptations of area favorites. Appetizers, for example include an African Chip Medley of plantain, yucca, and sweet potato chips served with a curried avocado dip, and Brazilian Corn and Shrimp Cakes with hot sauce for dipping. Chicken wings are baked, rather than deep-fried, and served Latin-style with a tangy chipotle pepper sauce. Lunch and brunch offerings are equally interesting. The Tuscan, a baguette sandwich, is layered with portabellos, tomatoes, red onion, kale, fresh basil, and the house-specialty chickpea spread. Crepes, which are featured for lunch and weekend brunch, are made Breton style, with thin buckwheat pancakes, and filled with smoked salmon and gruyere cheese, baked haddock and onions, or tomatoes, potatoes, and garlic. Salads have an international flair as well. The summer favorite is Chilled Couscous and Mango Salad served over mesclun greens. Or, for a main course option, Salad Nicoise, with albacore tuna, green beans, tomatoes, and olives. Dinner entrées will please vegetarians as well as meat-eaters. Choices include Ratatouille, an eggplant, zucchini, and tomato stew served over rice, Spanish Lamb Stew simmered in a sherry-paprika sauce, and oven-baked Polenta topped with roasted vegetables. A special children’s menu is also available, but, more important, so are crayons and drawing paper. When the masterpiece is complete, the child gets to hang it on the wall behind the bar. Adding to the up-tempo ambiance of the Blue Moon, local musicians and vocalists are often invited to perform on weekends. They have recently hosted folk, jazz, and blues artists and even a classical string quartet of local high school students. “It’s dinner music,” says Craig. “Not loud or intrusive so that it doesn’t distract from your conversation or your meal.” Blue Moon Café 532 Elmwood Ave. 886-7274 Closed Monday LAMARINA FISH MARKET AND GRILL Regulars say that LaMarina is the “best kept secret in Buffalo.” The focal point at this north Buffalo restaurant/fish market is the ice-lined display case of fresh fish, where you can shop for your entrée, pointing to precisely which piece you want, and exactly how you would like it prepared. There are some very tempting choices, including thick fillets of salmon, bowls of jumbo shrimp, and puffy rounds of scallops. Oh yes, there are also a few globs of squishy looking baby squid, which can be transformed into luscious tasting calamari. The simple decor takes a back-seat to the extraordinary food. The secret here is freshness. “Our fish is flown in daily from Boston,” says Rosalie, the manager of this family-run business. In most cases, the fish you’re eating for dinner has been caught that morning. The daily catch often determines the menu specials. Bluefish, for example, is seasonal, so no matter how popular it is with La Marina diners, it’s only on the menu when the Atlantic fisherman are lucky enough to find it. Not to worry! Fish lovers will find lots of other sea treats. Sea Bass and Red Snapper are staples, so too are trout, haddock, and lobster. If you can’t decide, try the Bouillabaisse, one of the menu favorites that keep LaMarina diners coming back. Chock-full of shrimp, mussels, clams, scallops, and the catch-of-the-day, it is simmered in fresh made fish stock and flavored with vegetables, herbs, and brandy. Another blue-ribbon winner is Polpetti di Granchio, a homemade Crab Cake that is said to be “better than anything you can get in New England.” Listed as an appetizer, it can be a light dinner item by itself, or a perfect second course with a bowl of soup or Insalata DiMare, a tasty seafood salad made with marinated squid, shrimp, scallops, peppers, onions, olive oil, and lemon. Though fish naturally falls into the low-fat food category, preparation can be a factor. Boston Scrod, with less than one percent fat, is prepared with white wine and a touch of tomato to minimize calories. Even the customary “fish fry” can be ordered with baked or broiled with your fish of choice. In addition to fish and seafood entrées, La Marina also features pasta, with or without fish. On the lighter side is Linguine with Clam Sauce and Pasta Carmelina, the restaurant’s signature dish–shrimp and scallops sautéed with fresh garlic and spinach in a light cream sauce and served over penne pasta. Something different for lunch? You might want to try the shrimp quesadillas or a souvlaki made with tuna, salmon, or swordfish. Another good choice is a bowl of LaMarina’s famous Sailor Soup, a homemade medley of seafood, spinach, tomato, and tortellini. LaMarina Seafood Market & Grill 1264 Hertel Ave. 873-5066 closed Sun.,Mon. THE JUICERY/SUE’S N.Y.DELI Even fast-food can be healthy. This restaurant/snack bar, which won the 1999 Artvoice Awards for the Best Healthy Food and also the Best Lunch, has an imaginative menu that includes sandwiches, soups, salads, and fresh-squeezed juices. One look at the Pita Pocket sandwiches will convince you that eating healthy doesn’t have to mean skimpy portions. Crammed with tasty fillings, such as nuts, hummus, chicken, tuna or egg salad, and fresh veggies, the hefty pockets are topped with a tangle of alfalfa sprouts and seasoned with tasty miso dressing. Vegetarian chili and homemade soups are menu staples. There are usually four or five soups to choose from, but the favorites are Hungarian Mushroom, topped with a touch of paprika, and Lentils with Spinach. “This is a popular choice with vegetarians because it is so nutritious,” explains owner and head chef Sue Badawy. “The lentils are rich in protein, spinach is high in iron, and the fresh lemon juice supplies vitamin C.” Sue, who usually works at the downtown location, and her husband Wade, who manages the Amherst restaurant, have created a menu that includes foods from European, Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines. The Tempeh Burger is a typically Korean mixture of various grains, soy beans and rice. The Tabouli, served as a side dish with sandwiches, is prepared in authentic Middle East style, meaning very little cracked wheat, and lots of parsley, tomato, onion and cucumber. Their specialty, Spinach Pie, is similar to Spanikopita but baked in a pita shell, rather than pastry. “This is a very low cholesterol dish,” says Wade. “We use no eggs or butter. Only olive oil, onion, and lemon juice.” Along with all this healthy food are equally healthy drinks. The juices are all fresh-squeezed. Choices include orange, grapefruit, carrot, or any combination you prefer. For something a bit more exciting, you can opt for a fresh fruit Smoothie, an all-natural blend of apples, bananas, pineapple, honey, and ice. Another beverage, often the answer for lunch-on-the-run, is a Protein Shake, made with vanilla yogurt, wheat germ, honey, milk and fruit. In addition to the health food/vegetarian options, the restaurant also offers typical deli sandwiches, e.g. Corned Beef, Ham, Cheese, Turkey, Salami, but, as the Badawy’s point out, they use only the leanest brands of sliced meats in these sandwiches. Another popular option for health-conscious diners is the Grilled Chicken Salad, served Fajita or Souvlaki style. 3131 Sheridan Dr., Northtown Plaza, Amherst 446-0256 Open Mon-Fri 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. 622 Main St., Buffalo 855-1216 Open Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Ann Blask is a consultant and freelance writer from Orchard Park Back to the Table of Contents Back to Top