BUSINESS: New restaurant has 'steak' in the community

By Joe Olenick<br><a href="mailto:joe.olenick@lockportjournal.com">E-mail Joe</a>

NEWFANE — The wait is over.

After months of construction and anticipation, the Del Fuego Steak House is now open for lunch. The new restaurant, at 2990 Lockport-Olcott Road, is housed in the building formerly known as the Rib House. Opening last week, Del Fuego serves from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. every day and takeout is available.

Owner and manager Kevin Stubbs said the restaurant will feature a menu blending Spanish and American cuisine. Stubbs was a part of a group of family and friends who purchased the building and land. For now, Del Fuego is only serving a lunch menu, to help the restaurant ease into business.

“Just getting use to working the bugs out,” Stubbs said. “Lunch is a good way to do that. It gives us a chance to get our feet wet.”

Stubbs added that dinner is on the way at Del Fuego, as the restaurant is waiting for its liquor license before it opens for dinner. Also among coming attractions, the opening of the 300-seat banquet hall and catering service. When those plans come to fruition, Stubbs said he will probably need more help. Del Fuego’s Web site, www.delfuegosteakhouse.com, has an application for people interested in working at the steak house.

Del Fuego offers paninis, wraps, soups, sides and a variety of sandwiches for lunch. When dinner rolls around, the steak house will feature paella, a Spanish dish made of Saffron rice, garlic, peppers, onions and seafood. There will also be classic dishes, such as New York strip steak, porterhouse steak and filet mignon.

The name “Del Fuego” is Spanish for “of the fire.” While in the fast food industry downstate, Stubbs worked with a number of people who were Spanish. In order to communicate, Stubbs learned some Spanish. One busy day, Stubbs asked where the chicken for an order was and the worker responded “el pollo del fuego.” Stubbs asked “the chicken is on fire?” Everyone laughed, because even though that’s what it literally means in Spanish, the worker meant the chicken is on the fire, or cooking.

Stubbs’ background in the restaurant business is extensive. Stubbs has an associate’s degree in restaurant management from Morrisville State University, near Syracuse, and a bachelor’s from the Rochester Institute of Technology in food, hotel and tourism management. While in college Stubbs apprenticed under a number of local chefs. After college Stubbs started his career in corporate dining and then went into fast-food restaurant management with A&W; Restaurants, Friendly’s Restaurants and Arby’s.

Bringing Del Fuego to life not only took a lot of time, but also a lot of money. And there seemed to be obstacles along the way. One particular obstacle was a fire that broke out in the restaurant in September. While the fire had minimal affect on Del Fuego’s opening, Stubbs said it was just one of many hardships the restaurant faced.

“It’s been one roadblock after another, one problem after another,” Stubbs said. “The fire was significant but it wasn’t that big of a deal ... it was just, ‘now what?’ ”

The fire took out a wall on the second floor that was rebuilt the same day of the fire.

As far as the work is concerned, the interior of the building was completely gutted after the Stubbs bought the building in July. A new main entrance of Del Fuego was built for easier access.

Stubbs said the work on Del Fuego was done by local architects, contractors and artisans. Catherine O’Connor of Newfane created a glass mural to separate the dining area from the lounge area, featuring a phoenix rising from some flames. Furniture-maker Chuck Hugaboom of Burt built the new L-shaped bar in the lounge.

Sue Neidlinger, president of Newfane Business Association, said the community is excited about the opening of Del Fuego.

“They went over the top, using local workers, artisans, we really appreciate that,” Neidlinger said. “It wasn’t an easy task to bring it back to a restaurant. But they stayed local, and it is wonderful.”

Contact reporter Joe Olenick at 439-9222, ext. 6241.

IF YOU GO

• WHAT: Del Fuego Steak House

• WHERE: 2990 Lockport-Olcott Road, Newfane (head north on route 78)

• HOURS: Open for lunch from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.

• FOR MORE INFO: Call 778-8080