Toutant

Soooo slow. We’ve been waiting for more than an hour for only a starter. But the service was good.

OK, so I’m passing through town, and hit up Ballyhoo the other day. The bartender over there highly recommended this place, and after reading the menus and the reviews here, was REALLY looking forward to coming here before leaving town.
They recommend placing a reservation online, and even though ’twas just me, I gladly did so cuz they were fairly packed at 8pm.
I was quickly approached by Erin, my server for the evening, and she recited the specials and took my drink order, which was a Paloma ($ 10) — they listed the ingredients as — blanco tequila, grapefruit, lime, and soda.
She brought my by drink, and took my food order. I couldn’t decide, so I went with a special small plate — Pork Belly w/​black eyed peas cooked with lardon ($ 12).
…and I also ordered the Buttermilk Fried ½ Chicken, which the menu lists as — collards, cayenne sea salt ($ 20).
First of all, the drink was super weak. Like, SUPER SUPER weak. So much so, that I tasted mostly the grapefruit and lime, and nothing else; if only there was even some sugar to balance it all out!
I told myself that if Erin asked how my drink was, I’d be honest. Well, when she came by to deliver the pork belly, asked me how my drink was, and I was honest! She explained that all the drinks have the same formula… and offered to gimme another drink; «…no charge…» she said; I went with a normal iced tea.
Second of all, the pork belly was just OK, but not the best I’ve had. It came in a decent-​sized slab on the bed of black-​eyed peas. Even though most of it was tender, the outer edges were overcooked/​dry (mind you, not seared — but DRY).
Down to the peas, the whole dish was super salty. Had it been me, I woulda seared the outside to a slight burn, and slow cooked it in something sweet, like maple, sugar, etc. Other than the salt, there was no other seasoning to it.
Then comes the fried chicken. Again, it was just OK, but no WOW-​factor here. The meat was moist; the skin was super crispy; yet there was no overwhelming spice or flavor to complement this dish except for the SALT. You pay $ 20 for a salty half chicken and vinegar-​based collard greens — I think they’d need a giant dollop of mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, or something to balance out both the flavor and texture of the whole dish!
Not to mention, the menu says that the chicken has cayenne salt, but I tasted absolutely no spice in this whatsover.
The final kicker here is that I was bummed that they charged me for the drink (Paloma) — which was only ¹⁄₃ of the way gone before I had Erin take it away.
Even though Erin said («…no charge…») and left it ambiguous, it would’ve been nice to have been charged for the iced tea (and not for the $ 10 drink that I hated). I could’ve complained about this meal the entire way through dinner, but my gut said that Erin wouldn’t have processed it in the best way, so I just left it alone in favor of writing a so-​so review here…
Appr. $ 45 total for dinner/​service that was just OK is a complete disappointment and waste of time… I’m not sure why the reviews are so high here.

Although we had a bit of trouble finding it – the signage could be a LOT more visible from the street – our meal at Toutant was pretty much top-​notch. The food was delicious and there was even a good veggie entrée option (although the server didn’t seem to know what lard was and why I’d wonder if they used it in their cornbread). The only minor complaint was that the bar, and the seating at the balcony area directly above, was quite loud; if you want to converse with your dinner date (s), ask for a table in a quieter section.

We had reservations through OpenTable but found a spot at the bar and decided to eat there instead.
Fantastic experience. My new favorite restaurant! The atmosphere, food, and service were top notch.
We had:
*the mushroom flats #12– make your mouth sing perfection.
*cornbread– pleasingly salty and sweet, and stayed warm throughout the dinner.
*biscuits– the biscuits were not anything special, but the apple jam was good enough I wanted to lick the container after.
*shrimp and grits — a little less creamy than I prefer, but good.
Smaller portions, that were good for sharing. Pricing was more than appropriate for the quality food and service.

Call ahead of time for a reservation, this place is tiny but worth a visit. We were seated on the intimate upstairs level. The cramped stairs going up are unlike any I’ve ever seen in a restaurant, you can tell this is one of those awesome old Buffalo buildings with creaky floorboards and unique details.
As a vegetarian, my options were extremely limited. Everyone I was with (four other women) ordered the fried chicken. I got the vegetarian jambalaya which was in a word, excellent. Except… there was no protein in it. No beans at all, just rice and veggies. So while delicious, it was not particularly filling in a lasting way. The dish would be better with beans. The price was fair. The amount was substantial and I took home leftovers.
We split a few appetizers. I tried the pickled vegetables which were awesome! Wasn’t sure what to expect but the pickled parsnips and beets were tangy and addictive. Would highly recommend.
This place has a warm, inviting vibe. Our server and her assistant were very professional and prompt. I will definitely go back.

I’ve been meaning to try Toutant for awhile now, and finally ended up doing so a couple weeks ago. We came in after making a res for 4 and had a cocktail in the bar. First impression was the entry area is very small and cramped. If there’s more than 8 people there it would be crowded. So, not a fan of the space. Looking around we saw a few small tables and that was it, but that’s because the dining room proper is located up two flights of stairs. That’s a note of interest for anyone with mobility difficulties. Waiting for our table we checked out the menu and sipped on our drinks. The cocktails were decent, one had a hair in it but I guess that can happen. They made another drink with no qualms.
After 15 mins or so we were led up a staircase to our table situated near some windows. The upstairs layout seemed spacious with your semi-​typical Buffalo trendy restaurant décor (exposed brick, Eddison light bulbs, etc…). Overall I liked the space. The views however suck, overlooking some dog day care pen and a yard filled with trash. They need to do something about that, grow some trees or put up a fence with ivy or something… it’s not nice to look at.
The service was okay, server pushed the special white BBQ chicken on us which I ordered and wish I hadn’t. The menu is ecclectic with a fair amount of diversity, but it looks better on paper than on the plate I found out. Starters of pork rind cracklins, cast iron corn bread and hilly billy all disappointed to varying degrees. The cornbread being the best, the other two I did not enjoy one bit. For whatever reason restaurants seem to struggle with their takes on the Wedge iceberg salad.
Entrees of the white BBQ chicken, vegetarian jambalaya, sausage jambalaya, and soft shell crab were alright overall but not that great. Softshell crab entrée was tiny with little accompaniment for $ 15, not a good value. Both jambalaya dishes were actually very good, not overcooked and had nice seasoning/​flavor to them. Very spicy. The white BBQ chicken had good smoky flavor but very small portion, served with a horrendous cole slaw. Sides of smashed potatoes and carrots were good, but again very small given they are ordered ala carte and intended to be shared I would imagine.
My big takeaway is the food here is a bit pretentious, and the chef takes himself a little too seriously. Creole cuisine should be comfort food for the most part, and this place tries to make it fine dining or something. I found the flavors/​combinations to be very lacking and resulted in a sub par meal. I feel like the general idea of the place could work with some tweaks, but the implementation all around is severely lacking. Too bad too because I expected it to be very good.
I tried Toutant and I’m glad I did, because now I know to just stick with Shango in the future when I’m looking for some great NOLA food.

Staff were wonderful and we really enjoyed the crawfish bowl, biscuits and gravy, and the mushroom appetizer. All were very tasty but not really mindblowing. The mushroom appetizer was a little small for the price but the crawfish bowl was pretty large. It’s definitely a great option for sharing!

Went here for a Birthday dinner over the weekend to see what the rave was all about. No reservations but we got seated at one of the downstairs bar tables immediately. Service was top notch throughout the meal as well.
For food the wife and I just split some plates. We tried the Hush Puppies, Sausage special, BBQ special and some pork cracklings, which are basically pork rinds, though much tastier fresh. The hush puppies were beef tonight and were quite tasty. The Sausage was a Louisiana hot link which kind of just reminded me of a spicy Polish Kielbasa, very nice. And for BBQ it was brisket, which was cooked to perfection. A think crisp outside top layer and then just full melty fat and meat underneath. Served on top of some texas caviar it was well priced at only $ 20 for that plate.
Some good beers on tap topped off a well done meal. I’d be back for sure.

Little southern gem in buffalo. Really cool spot, good drinks great food and sweet atmosphere. Would totally recommend and would go back here!

Things to order: Their cocktails, and the biscuits with gravy. Doesn’t matter what else you’re getting, def get the biscuits. The drink I got was the Vieux Carre which was excellent.
Also tried the po boy and fried chicken (so-​so)

Love the ambiance! We sat at the bar for a bit and it was so neat to see the bartenders scurry up the ladder to get bottles that were hard to reach. Definitely a diverse, upbeat crowd.
As for the food — TO DIE FOR! I had the jambalaya and it was phenomenal. He had the fried chicken and loved it — said the greens were some of the best he’s had… and he’s southern! There was a tuna crudo on special that we got for an appetizer, it was a special but should definitely be on the regular menu! Portions were a good size and prices are very fair.
Cannot wait to go back!

Brunch 1÷31÷2016
Love the décor and feel of this place. Difficult to get in on a weekend without reservations, so I would say it is a must if you want to go. Unless you get lucky and can sit down by the bar for a drink and a quick bite.
Delicious Bloody Mary’s to start. We then ordered one of the delicious cinnamon buns to share. Well worth the $ 6 cost, 3 of us shared it. Personally I would have a hard time eating it on my own, but I’m guessing it is possible.
I had the overnight yeast waffle with maple, butter, and peach preserves. Was a very tasty waffle, although I tad cold. The preserves were delicious.
I cannot recall which dish my friends had, it was either the Breakfast Royale or the Breakfast sandwich. I do know they both enjoyed it, although they made the same comment about the dishes being a tad cold.
Would come back and give this another try for a regular meal at some point.

Toutant is a must go! Everything was amazing from the décor, the drinks, the food and the staff. There was not one part of our Toutant experience that we did not enjoy. We had 7:30 reservations and were sat around 7:40 which was not a problem, we had a drink at the bar which offered a good selection of drinks. We sat on the second floor which was very cool looking and filled with people so the atmosphere was fun. We ordered the cornbread, redfish hush puppies and the bacon plate for apps. All very delicious. For entrees we ordered the fried chicken and the bbq of the week which was brisket. Both were absolutely delicious. Overall our meal was amazing. We ordered way to much food but it was worth it. Highly recommend Toutant. Try it out, you won’t be disappointed.

Went here for dinner. The place is super cute. It’s 3 stories high. You walk in and are greeted by the hostess and see the bar from ceiling to floor stocked with a bunch of different kinds of liquors. The drinks I got were spectacular. I would go back soley for the drinks. I ordered a Mint Julep and another drink the bartender whipped up that had mint and ginger beer in it. (Not a moscow mule, not really sure)
The food. I’m not certain what I was expecting. The table ordered fried chicken, the BBQ plate (changes weekly) and mashed potatos. It was pretty pricey for what you were getting. The entrees start at $ 20 per plate. I thought the chicken was dry. However it was crisped to perfection. The potatos were phenomenal ! The BBQ plate was 75% fat and 25% meat. Very sad :(

I have only been to Toutant two times, but if you were to ask me my favorite restaurant in Buffalo, hands down this is it.
Reservations were made for Saturday at 5. Side note, Saturdays they open at 5, so if you have a reservation they will not let you in until the doors open at 4:45. We sat at the bar for a drink while we waited till 5 to be seated. I had the French 75, tart and delicious, and my mom who is not too much of a drinker went for the Hurricane-​which she ended up ordering a second later on! My dad ordered a gin and tonic with gin of choice, Bombay. The bartender, Jeff, told him he didn’t have Bombay, but had something he would like just as much. That is what I love about Toutant is every person you encounter could not be any more friendly or accommodating. My parents don’t get to go out to dinner often, so it really meant a lot to go someplace where they treat you so well.
As we were promptly seated at 5, we ordered appetizers first. The Slow Poached Gulf Shrimp (jumbo shrimp, the ultimate oxymoron), Cast Iron Corn Bread (a staple), and American Country Ham (unique, loved the pickles). For dinner I had the Angus Beef Burger, which is a mix of brisket, chuck, and short rib, same thing I got last time but I had to experience it again. My mom got the fried chicken, delicious as always, and my Dad got the Charred Ribeye. Everything was shared, minus my burger which I may have slapped a hand away, and I can’t say enough good things about the quality of food served. Top notch.
The server brought me a dessert of bread pudding with a candle in it for my birthday, always appreciated, and we ordered another round of drinks. The bartender remembered to add my Dad’s specific gin to his drink, which showed again how great the staff is. As wonderful as the food is. the atmosphere and experience of eating at Toutant is truly noteworthy, and makes me can’t wait to dine there again.

We came here on Sunday night for dinner and didn’t need a reservation. The ambiance of the place was so nice and fit well with casual dining. I had one cocktail because I wanted to see if their Hurricane was anything like I had in NOLA. Ehh, not quite but it was still really tasty with a nice kick. We started off with their hush puppies which were so incredibly good! I finished with a shrimp po boy which actually did live up to the po boy I had in NOLA. I’ll definitely need to go back because the muffaletta and jambalaya call to me!

BeignetThe ambiance is fabulous. This is a warehouse
. Beautiful wood floors .bar is downstairs and then restaurant on 2^nd floor and 3^rd floor. Open space and big tables which is great for big groups. All the food is fresh and made on site we shared light and airy beignet pastry. I ordered the breakfast sandwich with fried egg and fresh cured bacon delish fried potatoes.. Fiancé ordered breakfast Royale which was true to its name. smoked sausage and cured bacon. Potatoes and bread and homemade peach preserves, farm fresh scrambled eggs and I had to steal some of his grits to die for. Everyone loved the coffee. Definitely recommend reservations and the service was terrific.

Toutant is fantastic for great bold flavors, amazing desserts and a fun, trendy ambiance.
I’ve been here a handful of times for dinner and have some recommendations:
* The BBQ Plate — incredible and usually a great value. The offerings rotate, but the brisket I was served had a strong, bold BBQ flavor, was tender as brisket needs to be and each bite was savored with complete joy.
* The local veggie plate/​appetizer — this is probably the best deal and most delicious thing on the menu. I’ve ordered it almost ever single time and have always been incredibly wow’d and never disappointed.
* Fried chicken (can be made gluten free with enough notice) — the amazing crispy skin, the perfectly cooked chicken meat and the huge portion will surely fill you up.
* Andouille sausage — YES!
* Jambalaya — I think the veggie jambalaya is my favorite value-​wise, as I tend to feel a bit ripped off for the shrimp (it seems to come with only a few shrimp and comes at a steep price increase).
Every dessert I’ve tried has been amazing. I’d highly recommend the ooey gooey cake with ice cream if it’s on the menu, but honestly — you can’t go wrong.
The oysters I had here were really delicious as well — cleaned properly and slurpiliciously divine (but harmful for one’s wallet to enjoy too much).
I’ve also tried the burger and the fish special. I’d give the burger another shot, but the first time I had it, the bread was put on a little too thick (and haven’t wanted to order it since). The flavor of the burger was plainly lost in the massive amount of bread surrounding it. The fish special I had one day had a little too much salt for my taste. I’d also much rather grab a BBQ plate vs. a fish for the value as well.
The owner, Chef James Roberts is a great guy who cares a lot about his food and restaurant and it shows. He is constantly leaving the kitchen to talk to customers and has a great memory and welcoming demeanor. I’m grateful he chose to open this place up in downtown Buffalo and hope he appreciates honest feedback from a customer.
I don’t drink, but for those that do: the bar is beautiful and they have a shortened late night menu as well. I’ve explored some virgin cocktails and they were all pretty incredible, so huge thank you to the bar staff for their creativity and high energy. Their cocktails have never failed to impress, so definitely don’t hesitate to order one.
I love introducing out-​of-​towners to Toutant and definitely think it’s the best choice for upper-​scale Southern food in the region. I’ve explored the menu a bit (as much as my budget would allow) and although I haven’t tried their steaks, I’ve heard great things from friends. When I return, I’ve definitely found my favorites: fried chicken and the BBQ plate.

I’m just going to put this right out there — Toutant has the modern Southern angle on point. Whether you crave fried chicken or a hearty jambalaya, there’s likely something on this well-​edited menu for the Southerner in you. And drinks. Lots of beautifully made cocktails, so I think most will fare just fine!
The interior is modern rustic, IMO, lots of dark wood, low lighting and pretty brick throughout. Alex L and I started off with a cocktail at the bar while our table was being ready. I went with the Gimme Da Lute — a bright and slightly fizzy cocktail with lemon, cherry and mint flavors. It wasn’t overly sweet nor overly bubbly — it was just delicious!
After we were seated upstairs I took in the second floor view of the tangled lights and loft space. Again, same warm but modern interior and matched with super sweet service. Our server, Don, was on point the entire evening and offered up great recommendations. My fried chicken was flavorful and the right amount of crisp, with a nice spice throughout. My collards were just ok, a bit too sweet for my liking, but truth be told, I’m not a crazy collard fan. My dining partner and I did, however, split the beets which were fantastic. Those beauties were marinated in magic and served with a swipe of some magic cheese that I can’t recall even a few days later. When in doubt get the beets.
And speaking of delicious, make sure to end the meal with the ooey goey cake with ice cream. Trust me when I say it is the right choice. Thanks for the great meal, Toutant.

Brunch. Amazing!!! Truly amazing! First off the French press coffee is so delicious and like rocket fuel. It comes with fresh cream and sugar in the raw. Sooooo yummy. If you’re a coffee drinker definitely try it! My friends had the waffle and the breakfast sandwich. I had the BBQ Hash.
The waffle came with a bourbon apple spread. OMG. So amazing. The waffle is sweet, and savory, and the batter is perfect. Not light and airy like some other places. This is a bad ass waffle. I highly recommend everyone try it.
Breakfast sandwich equally as awesome. The bun was freshly baked from scratch, it was crusty on the outside and warm, soft inside. Eggs were definitely farm fresh. Perfectly cooked scramble. Bacon was crispy, salty, delicious! How could you go wrong with bacon?
The BBQ mash was the best I have ever had. There were little pieces of smoked brisket, butternut squash cubes, 2 perfectly poached eggs, and yummy little potatoes.
This was the BEST brunch I have ever had hands down. The service was really great! Our service was definitely on point and took very good care of us.
The view from the top level is fantastic. We sat right in front of the windows. A beautiful view of downtown while sitting in your own private chic loft space.
I love Toutant!!!