8/10
Left Bank is well hidden by the city of Buffalo. Located at 511 Rhode Island Street, the charming restaurant sits in a nineteenth-century building across from a fire station in a historic neighborhood on Buffalo’s west side. When you step foot into Left Bank, which calls itself a “Twenty-first-Century American Bistro,” a kind and readily available wait-staff responds to your every question or concern. As a small dish crashed to the floor at an empty table, the culprit, a waitress, smiled timidly, quickly cleaning up the pieces. To my surprise, no one in the restaurant blinked. Not even the jarring sound could disrupt the calm and amicable mood of either waiters or patrons.
The assortment of tastes focuses on a rich fusion of flavors; sometimes Asian, other times Italian. The restaurant also takes pride in its new spin on old favorites or “Peasant Fare,” like a Left Bank version of an uncut tortellini sheet, blanketing a bed of spinach, garlic, red peppers, and mushrooms in a Romano cream sauce with toasted bread crumbs. Under the “Bourgeois Fare,” Parma prosciutto wrapped prawns ($11), Ahi tuna ($12), beef tenderloin ($11), and tilapia ($11) played in aromatic sauces, on top of goat cheese, garnished with Portobello fries, or chili aioli, among many other combinations, not necessarily in that order. The flavors, however, were sometimes too intricate for their own good. A bruschetta of the day ($9), with pine nut toasted goat cheese, chicken, and rosemary pesto was disappointing. The bizarre mix of chicken, cheese, and pesto and the overall heaviness of the end product dragged the taste down. The warm Gorgonzola cheese fondue for “two” ($14) served with beef tenderloin, focaccia, Portobello fries, and asparagus spears was incredible, though thick and indulgent as well. The beef tenderloin dippers were rare, juicy, and mouthwatering.
The Parma focaccia with prosciutto, roasted red peppers, asparagus, Fontina cheese, and an entire head of roasted garlic ($11) translated the combination well into a gourmet pizza. It was served on a long, thin piece of dough, and it was the only item ordered that didn’t feel overly rich or luxurious. Their list of focaccias incorporated vegetarian options, as well as chorizo, and chicken. Soups of the day included black bean with chorizo and rice and a cheddar cheese soup with cilantro and sour cream. The black bean was served missing the vital component of chorizo. This was a definite detriment to the integrity of the dish.
The grill and pasta entrees ranged from a modest $10 for Vermicelli San Marzano with plum tomato sauce and fresh basil to an almost under-priced $24 for twin Angus beef tournedos with a rich mushroom ragout, applewood smoked bacon, and horseradish cheese. I can’t even imagine getting out alive after eating something like that. The Pasta and Seafood, a linguini tossed with fresh seafood in a light shellfish-tomato broth, garnished with egg-dipped artichoke hearts, and parmesan slivers ($19) had a certain unsatisfying je ne sais quoi and failed to be as light and fresh as it was promised. Egg-dipped artichoke hearts also showed up in a layered tower between thick tomato slices, fresh mozzarella, basil leaves, and roasted peppers with greek style vinaigrette ($9), but their appeal was downplayed by the tomatoes. The pale, thick slices were too soft and did not taste as aromatic and sweet as the dish called for, they just blending tastelessly with the chewy cuts of mozzarella. Following the theme, the tomatoes in the parma prosciutto-wrapped prawns served with a finicky polenta, were too soft as well.
Balancing out the discrepancies were the other dishes—the special of the day, a grilled 12-inch Angus rib eye with frizzled onions, chévre mashed potatoes, and a porcini mushroom sauce really blew the lid off. The mashed potatoes were deliciously creamy, bolstered by the goat cheese.
The diligence and care put into creating these eclectic pairings is visible, audible, and smell-“able,” but at times simplicity is more favorable than a confusing mix of ingredients. Though I, eternally in anguish from indecisiveness, relished not having to choose between a cheese and a beef dish, or a prawn and a prosciutto, some entrees desperately needed to go on a diet in terms of calories as well as cuisine fusion. Left Bank has a certain ambiance that forgives all these dinner mishaps though I’m certainly open to being charmed by the rest of the elements of restaurant dining. It is moderately priced and delivers at a higher quality than it charges for, but watch out for the “Premiére Plat” and the “Bourgeois Fare,” as these do tend to be small, as opposed to the large “Grill and Pasta” dishes.
