Valentine's Day is always a wonderful opportunity to treat your significant other to a meal that is way too expensive for any other day of the year.This year, my search for such a place lead me to Tempo on Delaware Ave. in Buffalo. It's located in the very cool Allentown district, and looks to have been an old mansion at one time. The high class feel was apparent from the get-go with our coats graciously taken at the door. Our table was upstairs, which was much brighter and quieter than downstairs. I don't know if they always seat on both levels, or only for special occasions - but I was quite happy with the seating arrangement.
Upon being seated, we were offered a choice of normal, or sparkling water (which was a nice touch for my pregnant wife). Tempo boasted an extensive wine list, but I ended up with the Samuel Smith's Porter - which never disappoints. While looking over the special V-Day menu, a signature antipasti was brought to the table consisting of caponata, aged feta cheese, some pepperoncini and a roasted red pepper dipping oil. The waiters all seemed very knowledgeable about each and every dish the restaurant offered and went over some highlights without even being asked! After some careful deliberation we decided to split the twin Lobster tails, and order the Calamari appetizer with a salad.
The Calamari (one of my personal favorite appetizers) was very tender, with a light sauce that reminded me of the Asian Calamari from the now defunct Clarkson House in the Village of Lewiston. The portion was very satisfying, and the presentation was superb. Honestly I can't remember too much about the salad, but that might just be a result of being over shadowed by the offerings surrounding it.
The twin Lobster tails showed up grilled to perfection, with some homemade potato gnocci and 3 fried Artichokes. The taste of the Lobster was out of this world. There was a sauce drizzled over the entire dish that truly enhanced the already amazing flavors. The Artichoke was a heart kept intact with part of the stem, and LITERALLY almost stole the show from the Lobster. We even ended up asking the waiter about the stuffing used for the Artichokes and he agreed that they were incredible. They had a "bacon & chive mash potato" flavor that really jumped out and filled your taste buds with richness.
Although we had finished everything they put in front of us, there was still ample room left for desert. We opted for the traditional Creme Brulee, which was prepared to perfection and topped off one of the best meals we'd ever had!
Review by Brad Michaels
