The "New Arena"

[Andrew Amerk]

I have never eaten food at any arena or stadium in my life. I have no intention of doing it going forward.

 

 

Beer is food. Eat beer.

 

I second every word of this.

[tom webster]

I agree 100% on Delaware North. The much heralded food court at the one end of the 100 level last year was....mediocre at best. I remember seeing somebody's order of nachos which made Mighty Taco look like gourmet food. The burrito didn't look much better. Other than a fried baloney, nachos or pretzel with cheese, I'll pass on everything. How anyone gets one of those burger baskets after seeing the cooked hamburgers sitting in grease/water is beyond me.

 

 

Ted Black...work your magic and make Delaware North disappear. Hopefully the only reason they are still around is because of an inherited contract.

 

 

Pretty certain DN helped finance the Arena in return for a sweetheart deal from State and City.

[...]

I'm talkin' about making it better, not worse.

 

 

SACRILEGE!

 

Mighty Taco would be a huge step forward for food at the F'N Center. Last year, the popcorn at the preseason games seemed like it was left-over from the season prior. How the hell is it so hard to make good popcorn? Popcorn at the Aud was awesome.

 

Anyway, thanks for the report - I'm not happy to read it, but it's good to be informed none the less.

 

Oh, and the beer there F'N sucks. I don't know how people can call that low-end crap "beer" other than because that's what the "brewer" calls it on the label. Regardless of whether it's on tap or from the over-sized cans, I have never had a good beer at the F'N Center/HSBC/Marine Midland Arena.

 

The soda is usually crappy, too. :death:

[darksabre]

You guys need to hit the pre-game buffet at Pearl Street. There is no other option. Pound a few beef on wecks and a couple pints of street brawler and go enjoy the game.

[Derrico]

You guys need to hit the pre-game buffet at Pearl Street. There is no other option. Pound a few beef on wecks and a couple pints of street brawler and go enjoy the game.

 

Shhhhhh, it's already friggen busy enough on game nights down there!!

[PromoTheRobot]

Does Del-North do the Harbor Club pre-game dinners too? How are those? How about 200 level club food?

 

PTR

[Two or less]

God bless America. The land where people just love to complain and whine.

 

All off-season all i heard was as long as the slugs go away from the scoreboard, you'll be happy. Everytime somebody mentioned the arena all you heard "omg are the slugs still there?!?!" They did that, and much more.

 

Is the food perfect? I don't know, i didn't eat there. Did you eat at every station that offers different foods? Definitely not. Did your pizza taste not as good as Marks pizzeria? It should because thats arena pizza. C'mon now.

 

TVs in the bathrooms was cool. New paint job all over the arena was cool. In side the rink, more viewable blue and gold. In the hallways, some parts looked warn out in the past, now looked fresh with new paint.

 

Was it like a "new" arena, no, but most of the changes are behind the scenes. Locker rooms, press room, family room, weight room, ect. I'm sure the food did get better at the more premium stations, and i am sure the cheapo foods like pizza and burgers will improve by a little as time goes on, but not by much. You have to realize when you're ordering arena pizza or burger that you're not exactly eating premium foods.

[neverenough]

God bless America. The land where people just love to complain and whine.

 

All off-season all i heard was as long as the slugs go away from the scoreboard, you'll be happy. Everytime somebody mentioned the arena all you heard "omg are the slugs still there?!?!" They did that, and much more.

 

Is the food perfect? I don't know, i didn't eat there. Did you eat at every station that offers different foods? Definitely not. Did your pizza taste not as good as Marks pizzeria? It should because thats arena pizza. C'mon now.

 

TVs in the bathrooms was cool. New paint job all over the arena was cool. In side the rink, more viewable blue and gold. In the hallways, some parts looked warn out in the past, now looked fresh with new paint.

 

Was it like a "new" arena, no, but most of the changes are behind the scenes. Locker rooms, press room, family room, weight room, ect. I'm sure the food did get better at the more premium stations, and i am sure the cheapo foods like pizza and burgers will improve by a little as time goes on, but not by much. You have to realize when you're ordering arena pizza or burger that you're not exactly eating premium foods.

 

 

Good call vanek-man. There are many bad things in this world, Lets all try to enjoy the good things. This is starting to look like the Bills msg board when there 2 an 0.

[tom webster]

God bless America. The land where people just love to complain and whine.

 

All off-season all i heard was as long as the slugs go away from the scoreboard, you'll be happy. Everytime somebody mentioned the arena all you heard "omg are the slugs still there?!?!" They did that, and much more.

 

Is the food perfect? I don't know, i didn't eat there. Did you eat at every station that offers different foods? Definitely not. Did your pizza taste not as good as Marks pizzeria? It should because thats arena pizza. C'mon now.

 

TVs in the bathrooms was cool. New paint job all over the arena was cool. In side the rink, more viewable blue and gold. In the hallways, some parts looked warn out in the past, now looked fresh with new paint.

 

Was it like a "new" arena, no, but most of the changes are behind the scenes. Locker rooms, press room, family room, weight room, ect. I'm sure the food did get better at the more premium stations, and i am sure the cheapo foods like pizza and burgers will improve by a little as time goes on, but not by much. You have to realize when you're ordering arena pizza or burger that you're not exactly eating premium foods.

 

 

Amen.

[Weave]

Oh, and the beer there F'N sucks. I don't know how people can call that low-end crap "beer" other than because that's what the "brewer" calls it on the label. Regardless of whether it's on tap or from the over-sized cans, I have never had a good beer at the F'N Center/HSBC/Marine Midland Arena.

 

Head up to the 300 level and seek out the Flying Bison cart.

[LabattBlue]

God bless America. The land where people just love to complain and whine.

 

All off-season all i heard was as long as the slugs go away from the scoreboard, you'll be happy. Everytime somebody mentioned the arena all you heard "omg are the slugs still there?!?!" They did that, and much more.

 

Is the food perfect? I don't know, i didn't eat there. Did you eat at every station that offers different foods? Definitely not. Did your pizza taste not as good as Marks pizzeria? It should because thats arena pizza. C'mon now.

 

TVs in the bathrooms was cool. New paint job all over the arena was cool. In side the rink, more viewable blue and gold. In the hallways, some parts looked warn out in the past, now looked fresh with new paint.

 

Was it like a "new" arena, no, but most of the changes are behind the scenes. Locker rooms, press room, family room, weight room, ect. I'm sure the food did get better at the more premium stations, and i am sure the cheapo foods like pizza and burgers will improve by a little as time goes on, but not by much. You have to realize when you're ordering arena pizza or burger that you're not exactly eating premium foods.

You don't eat the food there, but bash a post that is critiquing the food at the arena? Makes sense to me. :doh:

[darksabre]

You don't eat the food there, but bash a post that is critiquing the food at the arena? Makes sense to me. :doh:

 

This.

 

And this is hockey heaven. Why can't better arena food be a legitimate complaint?

[shrader]

Knowing what we know about Pegula and Black, that's GOT to be the only reason, right? Contracts can be bought out, but I don't necessarily expect that out of Team Pegs. Put it this way: I'd rather have the growl in my belly during the game, grab slices on the way home or make something when I get home, and see wins. I do not have high hopes for the food stands at the F'n Center. But damn, the food SUCKS.

 

You don't enter the league and then immediately slap Jacobs in the face. The only way Delaware North ever goes away is if Jacobs gets out of the NHL. Good luck with that. And now that I think about it, I've never really been bothered by what they have, but then again, my only other NHL experiences are Boston (hmmm, wonder who they have there) and the JLA. I was at a few other NHL arenas for frozen fours (St. Louis, Colorado, Washington), but didn't get any food.

 

3) Good to see the slugs gone from the scoreboard, and I like the new center stripe (more conservative) and the yellow paint as opposed to red. They've finally figured it out: it's a Sabres arena, and not some multi-sport complex.

 

Unless they've re-done it, stay far far away from St. Louis!

[nobody]

Head up to the 300 level and seek out the Flying Bison cart.

 

 

Maybe we need more of these posts.

 

Make a list of the locations of the good parts of the food at the Center.

[spndnchz]

Maybe we need more of these posts.

 

Make a list of the locations of the good parts of the food at the Center.

 

One of the Flying Bison taps is @ Section 316.

[MattPie]

This town and this area boast the best food of any kind.

Name somewhere else that has the variety of excellent food that you can find in this area.

Given that, the food at the F'NC should represent and provide all the great cuisine this area is known for.

 

Not for nothing, but most east coast (at least) cities have a huge variety of food. The Buffalo native foods (wings, weck, etc.) are second to none and Buffalo does have a decent selection of ethnic foods. But, as much as it pains me to say it, if you want sheer variety of food it doesn't really stand up against places on the east coast. The trick with big cities is to get out of the touristy places and into the places where the locals eat.

 

But your point is valid: there should be top-ten wings, pizza, and weck in the arena. Sure, you'll have to have the generic arena food as well for out of towners that fear new taste experiences, but embrace what Buffalo does well.

[Andrew Amerk]

SACRILEGE!

 

Mighty Taco would be a huge step forward for food at the F'N Center.

 

If there was a Mighty there, I might think about eating some F'N food to go with all the F'N beer I will be drinking.

[Realist]

1) OK. Let's start with the much-heralded improvements to the food stands. Frankly, no improvement. Nicer signs, and I guess what was supposed to be a nod to Buffalo (but "Peace Bridge Pizza" is now just "pizza! pizza!"), but the exact same tired less-than-food from Jeremy Jacobs. The renamed pizza looked inedible, as did the renamed hotdogs; the Pile High sandwich station is still there and probably still doesn't pile a sandwich high. I know, I'm being negative, but it's honest.

 

There is a new "cantina" just up the stairs from the lobby, but it serves the same crappy burritos that were around last year near Aisle 18.

 

The food has NOT changed, despite the presser last week. I still am left wondering (a) why we're beholden to Delaware North, which does VERY little for B-Lo and owns the Bruins and (b) why arenas in Toronto and Washington can have decent and somewhat fresh food, but we cannot. (MSG, the only other hockey arena I've been to, was equally disgusting, but that was 2000.)

 

2) The lobby has not changed dramatically. It's nice to see the "We Live Hockey" mural, but everything else is the same. This isn't negative; it's neutral.

 

3) Good to see the slugs gone from the scoreboard, and I like the new center stripe (more conservative) and the yellow paint as opposed to red. They've finally figured it out: it's a Sabres arena, and not some multi-sport complex.

 

4) A line so long at the Sabres store--while the anthems were sung--that they were letting in five at a time. That's gotta be because of the promotion, right?

 

 

But all in all, hey, I'm there for the team. I'm very disappointed in the "improved" (not really) concession stands that were touted last week. I'll keep eating before games, thank you, and that's too bad, because I'd rather eat at the game. I don't need a steak and a salad; I just need a couple of slices of pizza that actually are palatable, or a hotdog that actually looks like it was cooked.

 

EDIT also this: 5) MOST of the time, but not all of the time, the music between whistles was loud enough, but not so loud that I couldn't have a conversation with the person next to me. Still needs work, but it was better than last year. Also: Shocktop on tap! Good call there.

 

Is that "Suggestion Box" thing that Black started still going on? If so, I would let them know what you think. It couldn't hurt.

[That Aud Smell]

getting Mighty in the Effin' Center would be the bomb.

 

Anyways, I go to hockey games for the hockey ... not the food. But I realize other people want it all in one package.

Beer is food. Eat beer.

I second every word of this.

i'm with the cohort that doesn't care about the quality of food. i rarely eat anything of any substance at the game -- the odd 'dog or pretzel -- but for the most part, it's beer.

 

speaking of which

 

Head up to the 300 level and seek out the Flying Bison cart.

:beer:

[wjag]

Why the hell isn't there a Mighty Taco IN the damn arena?

 

For years I craved a memory I had of Mighty Taco. Last year at Christmas time I finally made it back into one. Pure bilge.. never again. I'm betting Alpo looks and tastes better than Mighty Taco. I will never understand this board's facination with Mighty Taco after that. It's high end dog food at best.

[korab rules]

For years I craved a memory I had of Mighty Taco. Last year at Christmas time I finally made it back into one. Pure bilge.. never again. I'm betting Alpo looks and tastes better than Mighty Taco. I will never understand this board's facination with Mighty Taco after that. It's high end dog food at best.

Did you eat Mighty Taco without a serious buzz on? If so, you broke the cardinal rule of enjoying good drunk food.

[...]

For years I craved a memory I had of Mighty Taco. Last year at Christmas time I finally made it back into one. Pure bilge.. never again. I'm betting Alpo looks and tastes better than Mighty Taco. I will never understand this board's facination with Mighty Taco after that. It's high end dog food at best.

 

I will admit that I think the quality at Mighty has gone downhill, but one doesn't go to Mighty for quality anyway.

 

There are too few examples of proper Tex Mex (fast food Tex Mex or otherwise) around here - Mighty has NEVER been one of them. However, Mighty Taco has the rare distinction of making processed American cheese "work" in "Mexican (style) food".

 

All of that said, I still think that Mighty would be a step up for the food at the F'N Center. And if that's acting the spoiled child, then I fear for your palate.

[Two or less]

You don't eat the food there, but bash a post that is critiquing the food at the arena? Makes sense to me. :doh:

 

Seriously? I didn't eat there for one game because i ate at pearl street thus not allowing me to not have an opinion? Please dude.

[LabattBlue]

Seriously? I didn't eat there for one game because i ate at pearl street thus not allowing me to not have an opinion? Please dude.

Your post made it seem like you never eat food at the arena. My mistake....I guess.

[Andrew Amerk]

Did you eat Mighty Taco without a serious buzz on? If so, you broke the cardinal rule of enjoying good drunk food.

 

Having a buzz is key to making drunk food the phenomenon that it is!

 

See: Mighty Taco, Garbage Plates, Dennys.