Hutch’s

1375 Deleware Avenue

Buffalo, New York

www.hutchsrestaurant.com

Diners Undercover strikes again! Well Ok, this was our first time striking, so we decided to go big. We were going to spend a few bucks and hit one of Buffalo’s finest upscale locations. Our destination: Hutch’s on Delaware Avenue. Their online menu seemed creative and diverse. Neither of us had ever been there before, so with open minds (and open wallet), we put on our snazzy attire and headed to the city.

The place was hopping, even after 8pm when we arrived. We were hoping for a romantic dinner and for a brief moment we began to think this would not be possible with the noise and bustle. Fortunately, we quickly found the restaurant is set up with small sectioned off areas with private nooks and cranny’s for an intimate experience.

From the moment we walked in the service was impeccable. From the well-dressed hostess with a pleasant smile, to the debonair bartender quick to recommend a fantastic wine, to our waiter, who despite looking like he just graduated from high school, did not leave a single detail unattended.

Our appetizers were absolutely delicious. Both the stuffed poblano pepper with black bean and corn salsa, and the amazing mussel stew with andouille sausage, were meals in and of themselves. Truthfully, after our delicious appetizers and generous salads (tomato mozzarella basil and spinach salad with warm bacon pommery dressing), not to mention the bartender’s recommended Paso Robles 2008, we already were completely satisfied. Yet, we couldn’t resist our entrees, chosen from their evening specials, the bone-in tenderloin, a very generous portion done to perfection, served with snap peas and garlic mashed potatoes, and yellow fin tuna, sesame seed crusted, with wasabi and ginger, prepared exactly as ordered (somewhere between rare and medium rare). The portions were surprisingly generous and despite coming with hearty appetites, we were able to bring home large portions of our entrees to enjoy the following afternoon.

We would be shirking our duty if we didn’t warn you that the total on the check was as ample as the portions, but we both agreed that the meal and the experience was worth every penny and we would definitely be coming back again. As we walked to our car with full tummy’s and a much lighter wallet, we knew that our first mission was a complete success. We had gone undetected under the cover of Saturday night date night and disappeared into the darkness, until our next adventure.