Small Business Spotlight: Webster's Bistro & Bar

So many folks in North Tonawanda have fond memories of Nestor's Diner on Webster Street - late night burgers, after-school ice cream sundaes, and Sunday morning breakfast specials. But as Nestor's descended into the annals of history, we at Lumber City Stroll looked forward to the opening of a new, modern restaurant in its place. Webster's Bistro & Bar opened last week, and we took the chance to go last night with two companions.

The new owners, Barbara and Kevin Hughes, have completely gutted and remodeled the building. It's unrecognizable as the former home of garish 70's decor. The exterior is beautiful - a great addition to Webster Street! Inside the restaurant, soothing decor and fun but unobtrusive jazz contribute to a relaxing atmosphere. We were casually dressed, but I'd feel comfortable dining here for a casual night out or a special occasion.

The menu is "French comfort food", with a few Canadian and Creole twists. Between the four of us, we tasted a wide variety of dishes on the menu - mushroom napoleon, soups, poutine, casserole, steak, duck breast, chicken cordon bleu, and every one of their four desserts. The meal was served with a selection of olive bread and french baguettes. The dishes were all simple enough to let the preparation and quality shine. The desserts were wonderful. A word of warning for diners - allow yourself enough time to dine there. They took a long time to deliver the entrees - we were there for over two hours! But I'm hesitant to criticize this, since process problems inevitably pop up during a restaurant's opening week, and good food with good friends is never something to be rushed.

With entrees ranging from $15-23, this will likely be a "special occasion" restaurant for most North Tonawandans, but I found it extremely reasonable for the quality of the food. Dinner here would be a great choice for a date or celebration. If you're on a budget, enjoy an afternoon coffee and dessert. Hilary and I plan to return for their Sunday brunch as well.

One of the restaurant employees told us an outdoor patio is planned for the side of the restaurant. You can see the design on their website, http://www.webstersbistroandbar.com/.  We can't wait to dine there!

Webster's Bistro & Bar
 102 Webster Street
North Tonawanda, NY
(716) 264-4314
https://www.facebook.com/WebstersBistroBar
http://www.webstersbistroandbar.com/

Small Business Spotlight: Dark Forest Games

"Was that a game store we just passed?" said my friend Austin as we drove down Oliver Street.

Board and card game hobby stores are in short supply in Western New York. For a while, the national chain Games Workshop was the only option, and game aficionados complained Games Workshop stores tend to be sterile, non-local, and high-pressure. Board games are no good if you don't have someone to play them with. A quality game store provides knowledgeable employees as well as a comfortable venue for customers to interact with each other.

Austin and my hardcore-gamer husband, Iggy, insisted upon checking out the store on Oliver Street. The instant we set foot in Dark Forest Games, we knew they had the right idea. The store is meticulously organized and charmingly decorated as a Dungeons-and-Dragons style tavern. I especially appreciated the tongue-in-cheek local flavor, like a carousel horse mounted on the wall painted in medieval-style cast iron and flames.

The store mostly provides pieces for card game Magic: The Gathering and tabletop miniature game Warhammer 40,000, but sells a variety of card and strategic board games. The owners clearly welcome customers hanging out and enjoying themselves; they sell soda and light snacks, and a schedule is posted with tournaments and meetups. When we arrived, a half-dozen players were seated at tables in the center of the store, playing games.

We talked briefly with the owner, Ryan O'Donnell. He moved to Buffalo from Philadelphia when he realized there was a dearth of gaming stores in the area. The store opened last year, and has quickly become a local favorite.

"This place is legit."
- Iggy, my gamer husband

Info:
Dark Forest Games
96 Oliver Street, North Tonawanda, NY 14120
Open 7 days per week
(716)243-2849
http://www.darkforestgamesnt.com/

Weekend Adventures: T-NT Expo

Lumber City Stroll attended the T-NT Expo at the Student Alumni Center in NT High School. We were elbow-to-elbow with locals checking out dozens of tables. Many of the vendors were selling home improvement services, but there was a wide range of information on local products and points of interest, from olive oil to the Carrousel Museum. This blogger got information on a lot of great upcoming events, which will be posted here as they approach!

It was great to see so much interest in services like remodeling - makes us think the economy in general, and North Tonawanda in particular, is on the upswing!

An open invite to guest contributors

I love writing about North Tonawanda! But I'm just one person. I'd welcome other perspectives on the blog! If you'd like to contribute by writing or suggesting blog posts about your favorite store, restaurant, business, park, building, or event, please send me an email at courtneyimbert at gmail.com .