The Left Bank @ Buffalo

The Left Bank is hands down one of my top 5 favourite restaurants of all time. Ever since my recent visit, I’ve been dying to come back – hopefully to indulge in at least everything on their menu. This is really rare for me – but my experience here was just unbelievable and the food was beyond fantastic. We walked in with high expectations and were not disappointed at all!

The Left Bank is a cozy restaurant situated in Buffalo – approximately 30 minutes from the Niagara Falls border.  The restaurant gives off a romantic ambiance yet casual atmosphere – it may get real busy so be prepared for noise!

We visited on a Sunday evening and thank God we decided to make reservations because the place was jam packed when we arrived.

Table setting & Dinner Menu + Daily Specials!

Bread to start: The bread was served cold but the dip that went with the bread was memorable and addicting.

Bruschetta ($9.00) – Daily

• Topped with saved ribeye, roasted red pepper cheese spread, asparagus and mozzarella
• Their bruschetta changes on a daily basis
• I rarely order bruschettas’ at restaurants – but the ones at left bank are an exception
• Felt like I was in heaven – each bruschetta tasted like a mini pizza slice

A closer shot…

Fried Oysters ($9)

• with tomato corn and jalapeno sauce and creole remoulade
• I never order oysters when I dine out because I’m afraid of the “slimy” texture – but I didn’t mind it at all – in fact, I highly recommend this!
• The thickness of the batter was perfect – crispy and chewy
• The tomato corn and jalapeno sauce nicely balanced out the “heaviness” of the fried oysters

Carrot Papardella Pasta ($22)

• tossed with lobster, shrimp and crabmeat served in a shellfish brandy cream with julienne vegetables, arugula and tarragon
• WOW! the carrot papardella is the best seafood pasta I ever had – seriously
• The Left Bank does not skimp out on seafood because I could taste delicious lobster pieces in every bite
• In terms of the pasta itself -it was cooked to a perfect al dente- very tasty – just loved how rich and creamy the sauce tasted

Ravioli ($20) – Daily 

• Filled with breaded chicken, banana peppers and mixed cheeses, served with San Marzano tomato sauce
• The Left Bank has a daily Ravioli feature
• The ravioli was humongous – it’s not one of those bite sized ravioli – it was one huge piece – resembled more of a lasagna in my opinion
• The ravioli was very rich and the breaded chicken made it incredibly filling – mmm! the cheesiness of the pasta made it so hearty comforting!

Closer shot of the ravioli

My verdict? – The food here is without a doubt amazing – fresh ingredients and generous portions – all for a reasonable price. Due to the large portions – we ended up packing both the pastas home!  If only they could open a Toronto location…That would just make my life! Highlight of the dinner is hard to say – because both courses were just as stellar!