Dozens of ethnic restaurants join week-long promotion

By Joyce Kryszak

Buffalo, NY – Local independent restaurant owners are back again with special pricing and menus all this week to temp new customers. This year organizers focused on bringing in first generation immigrant restaurateurs to help them attract new business.

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Any independent restaurant owner will tell you, this is not an easy business. Long hours and low profit margins make it hard to eek out a living. Bringing in a steady stream of customers is crucial.

But marketing can be a challenge for first generation immigrant restaurant owners.

Ben Kagan and his wife run a kosher deli on Transit Road in Amherst, called the Nosh Cafe. They expanded the menu and opened as a sit-down restaurant. Kagan said they thought their unique cuisine made from scratch would be an easy sell. But he said there is a lot of competition from nearby franchises.

So, Kagan said he was happy to be approached to participate in the restaurant week promotion. The week-long event this year has 170 restaurants offering tasty dining deals for $20.10. Vince Mcconeghy is an organizer. He said they made a special effort this year to reach out to first generation immigrant restaurateurs. Mcconeghy said they called on them in person to explain the concept, which to many is unfamiliar.

He said western new york has one of the highest concentrations of ethnic food offerings. This year foodies can take advantage of special prices to try everything from kosher and thai, to pakistani and korean cuisine - and just about everything in between.

More information is available at Local Restauarnt Week.