Jeanette L.
Yelp
Oh my goodness, where have you BEEN these past few years, Miss Hot Cafe??
Ever since moving to Buffalo, I've longed for the Chinese food of yore, classic staple dishes cooked up or stir-fried in the way only a high-heat, Chinese restaurant wok can. Some restaurants have come close - May Jen has fairly authentic dishes, and Kung Food offers some solid Taiwanese style eats - but none have been able to evoke the warm fuzzies that dining in a sit-down Chinese restaurant brings me quite the way Miss Hot Cafe does. I think it's a combination of atmosphere, taste, and the nice owner lady!
First off, the menu is classic, from its presentation to the menu items themselves. It is hand written, with notes jotted down in some sections and dishes crossed out with red pen in others. One section isn't even in English, but don't let that deter you, just ask and the staff are glad to help!
It is divided into soups, small sides, different meats, veggies, and specials, and it offers everything you'd expect, from scallion pancake and dumplings, to game and seafood, to various tofu dishes, to veggies. You won't find an overabundance of fried rice or stir fried noodle specials here; Miss Hot Cafe's menu highlights a separate main ingredient in each dish, meant to be eaten over white rice. And tea and rice are on the house, just the way it should be!
Food tastes excellent. Unlike a lot of other Chinese places I've been to in Buffalo, each dish has unique flavor. Their ingredients are also very authentic - bamboo shoots, wood ear, chili peppers, and scallions accompany the main proteins with not a wayward bell pepper, water chestnut, or baby corn to be found! My friend and I have had the crispy lamb, string beans, family tofu, scallion pancake, and Sichuan tofu soup so far, and I am pleased to say that we loved every single dish.
On top of everything, the owner lady is SUPER nice, and service is excellent!!
N.B. This is a family style sit down restaurant, and it's reflected in the portion sizes. Best way to eat here is to come with a party of 4 or more, order one dish per person, and share! You'll definitely get your fill, plus some food leftover. Of course, you can do what I did, too: come with a friend, order 4 mains between the two of us, and eat like there's no tomorrow.
N.B. #2 (for vegetarians):
As with most Chinese places, just cause a dish is listed under the "vegetable" section, doesn't mean it's vegetarian. "Vegetable dish" literally just means that the main ingredient is a vegetable. That said, if you ask them not to add meat, they will gladly accommodate. I can personally attest that flavor is not compromised.