Omakase Buffalo - "Acadiana"

Cooking up the crawfish

I'm going to let you all in on a secret. Well, a part of the secret anyway. 

Buffalo has an underground dining club. Omakase Buffalo was started about a year and a half ago by a group of local chefs and foodies who wanted to bring amazing cuisine to diners willing to try something new and different. 

I learned about Omakase Buffalo towards the end of 2012 and quickly applied to be on the waiting list. About a week ago, I received an invitation to attend an event entitled, "Acadiana" after the French Louisiana region.  

The premise for the group is based on trust. Very little information is given about the events in order to keep anonymity. Guests are not allowed to share information about who the chefs were, who they dined with or where they dined before or after the events. The only thing you can share, are photos of what you ate/drank.

Omakase Buffalo certainly isn't for everyone. A big part of why they do what they do, is to get people to expand their palate and think outside the box when it comes to food. You are asked to try everything, enjoy the company of people you probably have never met, and retain the level of anonymity. 

Time to dig in!

For me, the event proved to be an incredible day. Our meal included a Southern Louisiana tradition, the crawfish boil, which was something I'd never experienced before. In addition, we sampled the New Orleans hurricane and sweet tea drinks, an amazing jambalaya with outstanding andouille sausage, slow cooked jumbo shrimp, a delicious sweet potato pecan pie, and even a little moonshine! 

You can get the answers to some "frequently asked questions" on their website, and if you are interested in being added to the waiting list, can apply here. 

If I can think of one word to describe Buffalo right now, it's creative. I'm continually amazed at the amount of creative minds in Western New York working together with one goal: to help reinvent Buffalo. Omakase Buffalo is another prime example of this creativity. 

Start eating outside the box, Buffalo. You will be amazed by what you find!

Jumbo shrimp

Jambalaya with chicken and andouille sausage