the Rumor's Mill

being in the service industry, i come by all sorts of information, but it isn't always viable. it's sometimes hard to tell the difference between something that's really happening, and what a business owner wants you to think is happening. for all the uncertainty in the restaurant business, you don't often catch restaurant owners using words like "maybe," "hopefully," or "if." when i hear news and it doesn't pan out, i think of that line that Samuel L. Jackson has in Pulp Fiction when explaining how TV pilots work: "some of 'em get picked up, and become shows. some of 'em become nothin."

apply that sentiment to the following rumors -- some of them will pan out. some of them become nothing.

The Eights -- Over the last couple months, the owner was in talks with Kevin O'Connell, Jr., chef at O'Connell's restaurant and son of the local TV personality, to sell him the establishment. The impression of a former co-worker of mine after a visit was that if the Eights had been for sale, the Nussbaumer faction had no idea, and it appears the deal was intended to be a behind-the-scenes transaction. Since then, the bottom has apparently dropped out of the deal -- but whether the Eights is "for sale" is unclear.

NoNoo Ramen -- Just announced this week on their Facebook page that they'll be opening the last week of October, although their full liquor license is not expected to kick in for a couple months yet. In the meantime Van Every's apparently keeping busy in the kitchen at Vera...speaking of....

Vera -- "pre-prohibition era" cocktails? that's nothing. word on the street is that they're about to lay down their own barrel aged cocktails -- a manhattan, and a negroni. this is the sort of thing they do in real cities -- thanks for bringing a bit of cutting edge to buffalo, gentlemen.


The Whole Hog -- Is the City of Buffalo too hard on foodtruckers? I don't think anyone would agree more than Kathleed Haggerty, especially after having gotten the boot from the Bidwell Farmer's Market on Saturday. Could that be why she's been thinking of selling The Whole Hog to Merge's Kate Elliot? who knows. but rumor has it that Kate is looking to put a food truck on the road come spring, and she's been in talks with Chef Haggerty herself.

Michael "Danger" Bernhardt -- "Danger's" got a new project in the works. all the evidence suggests a possible foodie website or a...Buffalo Food Blog? we're all waiting with baited breath...