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FOOD & DRINK
Note to readers: The following Best Of selections were compiled by Metroland staff members; Readers’ Poll results can be found in the Aug. 4 issue of Metroland.
Best Restaurant Café Capriccio 49 Grand St., Albany We celebrate the decades-long legacy of this consistently excellent eatery in which northern Italian traditions are reinterpreted by owner-paterfamilias Jim Rua and chef Jennifer Hewes. The new Tuscan Room expansion adds another dining dimension, and the upstairs room remains, as always, the best spot for a small party.
Best International Tiznow 84 Henry St., Saratoga Springs Saratoga’s Henry Street is booming, and Tiznow—named for a racehorse, of course—is owner John Costanzo’s elegant French-Asian-American-What Have You fusion of comfortable dining and a place at which to enjoy a good beer and lively conversation.
Best French Chez Sophie Bistro 2853 Route 9, Malta They’ve been in this modified old-fashioned diner for a decade, and owners Paul Parker and Cheryl Clark continue to honor a legacy of superior French and French-inspired dining using local produce and gifted flights of the imagination.
Best Italian (Gourmet) Café Capriccio 49 Grand St., Albany See under “Best Restaurant.”
Best Italian (Family) Testo’s 124th Street and Fourth Avenue, N. Troy An institution since 1976. Testo’s is as renowned in Lansingburgh as Uncle Sam’s grave. Mom and Pop Testo still make their famous handmade meatballs every morning, and the incredible—and inexpensive—menu features traditional Italian fare, along with specialties such as baked haddock, eggplant parmigiana, veal and peppers, and delicious daily specials. Plus, the loyal, energetic staff (including all of the Testo children) provides impeccable service. A great place for the whole family.
Best Vegetarian (Italian) Antipasto’s 1028 Route 146, Clifton Park So you’re halfway through your pizza or your pasta dish or your giant calzone and it occurs to you: There’s no meat in this. Stealth vegetarian, that’s the Antipasto’s way, and owners Steve Zumbo and Sal Andriano have devised a menu (and wine list) that’s been popular for nearly 10 years.
Best Vegetarian (Asian) Emperor’s 10 Wolf Road, Colonie There’s a breakout vegetarian column on the lengthy menu, and it’s as good an array of meat-free cooking as you’re going to find in the region. This place has always had an edge on authenticity, and at its current location it fights the sea of chain joints and buffet houses with the kind of food you usually see only in a good urban Chinatown.
Best Vegetarian (Deli) Honest Weight Food Co-op 484 Central Ave., Albany You knew it was the place to go to get organic brown rice in bulk, but did you know it was also the spot to stop in for a quick lunch? HWFC’s deli usually offers two soups and six to 10 prepared salads that will stick to your ribs and tantalize your tongue. Highlights include a wheat-berry-and-dried-fruit salad, sesame soba noodles, and spicy sweet potatoes with coconut—never a drab, unflavored moment. And good for you, by almost any of the widely varying definitions of good for you. What more can you ask? Fresh juices and a small bakery case round out your meal if you’re so inclined.
Best Restaurant Worth a Drive (North) Friends Lake Inn Friends Lake Road, Chestertown Such promise of friendship! Yet that’s exactly what you find here, where hosts Sharon and Greg Taylor have fashioned a restaurant that offers imaginative American fare in a lovely setting (with equally lovely accommodations) with a wine cellar second to none (see also under “Best Wine List”).
Best Restaurant Worth a Drive (South) New World Home Cooking Co. 1411 Route 212, Saugerties We checked out chef-owner Ric Orlando’s outpost of brilliantly original eating not long ago and it’s like entering a nonstop party in progress. The food is sweet, it’s spicy; it has grass-fed beef, it’s vegetarian, it’s vegan. It’s American, it’s Caribbean, it’s Asian. One thing’s for sure: it’s satisfying.
Best Restaurant Worth a Drive (West) George Mann Tory Tavern Routes 30 and 443, Schoharie Ralph and Irmgard Buess maintain this beautifully restored house where he designs and prepares a menu of new and old-world American cuisine, which is served by a staff costumed to reflect the heritage of the place. A step back in time just a little bit west.
Best Continental Nicole’s Bistro at Quackenbush Square 633 Broadway, Albany It’s the 10th anniversary for this formidable restaurant, where owner Nicole Plisson continues to uphold very fine standards in food and service. Chef Daniel E. Smith offers a menu of inventive continental fare that works well in the surroundings, whether in the landmark building itself or the nicely appointed patio outside.
Best Barbecue (Smoked) The Pig Pit 84 Ontario St., Cohoes It’s a craving like no other, and only the real thing can cure it. Dave Frazier is back—he ran Tex’s on Central Avenue some years back—with a hole-in-the-wall barbecue joint where you can get a kickin’ pulled pork sandwich along with other essential smoked-meat fare. It looks like a deli, but you can smell the smoke from the sidewalk.
Best Barbecue (Grilled) PJ’s Saratoga Style Bar-B-Q Route 9, Saratoga Springs Northern, which is to say grilled barbecue, has its most enthusiastic proponent in PJ and family, whose seasonal operation has grown to include a house brand of loganberry soda as well as DJ entertainment featuring vintage songs. Get the chicken and ribs combo, enjoy the tunes, and take a trip into the past.
Best Burger Oliver’s Café 181 Freeman’s Bridge Road, Glenville We’ve been preaching the Gospel of the Book of Oliver for several years, and are pleased to note that more and more people are heeding the word and heading to Oliver’s for those meaty, well-crafted burgers and hand-cut fries. And just try to find a medium-rare burger at most other places these days.
Best Wine List (Encyclopaedic) Friends Lake Inn Friends Lake Road, Chestertown It’s not just the list anymore: it’s a handsome cellar, it’s the way the list (in its long and short forms) is integrated into your dining experience; it’s the very knowledgeable and completely non-intimidating wine experts who will ease the task of choosing from such a formidable selection, and it’s the all-around niceness of the place.
Best Wine List (One Page) Cafe Capriccio 47 Grand St., Albany In the fall, Café Capriccio owner Jim Rua will take you to Fattoria Lavacchio in Tuscany where you can help out during the grape harvest. Then when you dine at the restaurant, you can enjoy a bottle of wine to which you contributed. It’s that kind of hands-on affection that makes the brief list here so impressive.
Best Wine by the Glass The Ginger Man 234 Western Ave., Albany Taste your wine in flights, by geography or merely by whim. The Ginger Man will accommodate you. They’re pouring upwards of 30 different types of a given evening, and you probably could plead your way into more if you’re that enthusiastic. The point is, everything here, including the menu, is geared to make your toping as enjoyable and informative as possible.
Best Hot Dogs Mike’s Restaurant 1135 Erie Blvd., Schenectady Not far from the railroad overpass, Mike’s is a long, one-story building with a long, formica-topped counter and a row of vintage diner stools. Order a couple of dogs all the way, listen for the molten hiss of your fries plunging into the hot oil, and if you time it right, you’ll see another vat of the famous meat sauce emerge from the kitchen.
Best Steak Sandwich Morette’s King Steak House 1126 Erie Blvd., Schenectady Look at the photos lining the walls of this longtime Schenectady favorite and you get a feel for the era it seeks to reproduce, when a steak sandwich was a workingman’s filet mignon and you could even get cheese melted across it. A full menu of sandwiches and other items, and save room for dessert.
Best Place to Go When Someone Else is Paying Sargo’s Saratoga National Golf Club, 485 Union Ave., Saratoga Springs Golfing has a hierarchy all its own, and when you’re good enough to play the costly courses, you want your sense of wealth enhanced by the trappings of the club. Chef Larry Schepici holds up the kitchen end with an excellent fine dining menu, and when you sink into one of the oversized chairs and enjoy the attentive service, you’ll know you’ve arrived.
Best American Justin’s 301 Lark St., Albany Ownership has changed, but Justin’s has not. Under the new ownership of John DeJohn, Justin’s is still offering an inventive menu of nouveau American fare, which includes such favorites as ropa vieja and Jamaican jerk chicken as well as mushroom ravioli, Cajun peppered shrimp and duckling with a minted orange glaze.
Best Lunch (Power) Jack’s Oyster House 42 State St., Albany Jack’s awaits like an old family retainer, faithful, reliable and with unexpected surprises. Still going strong after nearly 90 years, its old-fashioned dining room reminds you of the days when big-time power brokers walked the Albany streets and dined in this restaurant, and you can lay claim to some of that history by closing a deal or two here.
Best Lunch (Casual) Iron Gate Cafe 182 Washington Ave., Albany We almost gave them Best Sandwich, but then we remembered that the Iron Gate has knockout salads and soups as well, and decided to bump them up to this more complementary title. They’ve wowed us for the last two years straight; we’ll keep an eye on them for the three-peat.
Best Lunch (Family) Peter Pause Restaurant 535 Nott St., Schenectady Get there after the first lunch surge but before they close the doors at 2 PM and you might get a table. Bruno & Lucy Sacchetti having been serving breakfast and lunch at this intimate location for decades, and it’s a winning formula. Daily specials complement a menu of hearty Italian and traditional favorites.
Best New Restaurant Lorenzo’s 1733 Van Vranken Ave., Schenectady It’s a new venture for CIA-trained chef Daniel DeLorenzo, who has taken over the old Cornell’s space and offers a menu of northern Italian-inspired cookery that’s unique to the area and bound to quickly gain fans. Try the risotto Milanese with duck confit or the prosciutto-wrapped salmon and you’ll see what we mean.
Best Fusion DeJohn’s Restaurant & Pub 288 Lark St., Albany It’s a fusion of more than just menu items. The food is varied and terrific, and you can sample it on one of several dining levels if you don’t choose the outdoor patio. The look of the place also changes from floor to floor, but the level of service stays the same, which is superior. The kind of fusion we need to see more of in restaurants.
Best Italian Ices Civitello’s Spumoni Shop 42 North Jay St., Schenectady Schenectady is trying to concentrate a Little Italy into Civitello’s neighborhood, and that’s due to a large extent to the longevity of places like this, where the seasonal homemade Italian ices can provoke lines out the door. You can have lunch here, then sample the great ices, but don’t forget to try the spumoni, too!
Best Ice Cream The Ice Cream Man 417 State Route 29, Easton What started in the early ’80s as a homemade summer-only ice cream stand has become a year-round establishment with indoor seating and offerings of the savory lunch variety. Their ice creams, though, are what make them a stopping point for anyone heading east or west on Route 29 between Greenwich and Schuylerville. A sign out front now also proclaims “Custard is here!” Note: Don’t be afraid of the long line visible out front—not only does it move quickly, but you can also order inside, where there’s never much of a line. (Of course, that little secret is now out.)
Best Ice Cream Parlor Fariello’s Confectionary 43 Lincoln Ave., Amsterdam It was opened in 1925 as an ice cream parlor, and even after Sam Fariello sold the business, the feel of it was preserved. Now Gary Castler is at the helm, and he’s kept the old soda fountain, the counter and stools and the vintage booths, not to mention the menu of great sundaes (homemade hot fudge is a marvel) and all that candy that surrounds the room.
Best Deli (Old World) Gershon’s Deli 1600 Union St., Schenectady So you can get a sandwich of pastrami or turkey or corned beef, and you can get it in various combinations, but you still can’t put your finger on what makes the sandwich so much more than just bread and meat and a few extras. That’s the genius of a good deli, and this one has been exercising that genius since before you were born.
Best Deli (Old-World Italian) Andy & Sons 256 Delaware Ave., Albany When you walk through the door, the first thing you see is hanging cured meats and cheeses. Next your nostrils are assaulted with more aromas than can be differentiated. And then you’re greeted with a mighty “How are ya, what can we get for ya?” Now that’s Italian. All dishes are prepared on the premises. Vinnie and Carmen Benincasa, once the sons, are now the owners, and now their sons are the sons. Homemade meatballs, hot and sweet sausage and so much more. For example: boccancini (fresh mozz in oils and herbs), caponata (pickled eggplant), antipasto, olives, cheeses, homemade pasta and to top it all off homemade cannolis.
Best Desserts (Gourmet) Mrs. London’s 464 Broadway, Saratoga Springs These are sweets you admire in the case and then can’t forget as you stroll along Broadway thinking, “I don’t need dessert . . . I don’t need dessert . . . need dessert . . . I need dessert,” and then you’re back, hovering in front of that case once more, almost sure some parent figure is going to materialize and shoo you away. And then you get the treat and you dip into it at your table and then . . . ahhh.
Best Desserts (Sinful) Debbie’s Kitchen 456 Madison Ave., Albany In a word: Yum. Blond brownies, giant chewy chocolate chip cookies, scrumptious bread puddings with inventive ingredients, melt-in-your-mouth cakes, gooey pies. . . . We could go on all day. Debbie’s Kitchen consistently tops all others for providing us with yummy, tastebud-pleasing sweets.
Best Mediterranean (Gourmet) Chameleon on the Lake 251 County Route 67, Saratoga Springs Richard Rodriguez positions his lakeside restaurant as an ever-changing thing, but we’ve found it to be consistently excellent and consistently imaginative in its offerings, for which Mediterranean is as good a label as any but hardly describes dishes like the Moroccan lamb loin with mango salsa and couscous.
Best Mediterranean (Family) The Hidden Café Delaware Plaza, Delaware Avenue, Delmar Seek this out, ye of the jaded palate, and discover what chef-owner Joseph Soliman has up his sleeve. There are standbys like hummus and falafel and feta, but the menu goes well beyond that into a realm of terrific entrées, served in welcoming surroundings.
Best Middle Eastern Ali Baba 2243 15th St., Troy Most of the tables give a view of the brick oven, in which your puffy lavash loaf will rise before its steaming goodness is hurried to your table. Real gyros, excellent kebabs, and even an imaginative take on pizza. Our runner-up: Anatolia, a larger establishment at 880 Second Ave., Troy.
Best Steakhouse The Bears’ Route 7, Duanesburg It’s not only a haven for steak lovers; it’s also a trip back in time to old-fashioned, elegant dining, in the home of Bob Payne, who runs it with his wife and sons. The menu is about steak, steak, and more steak, but the 37-year legacy of the place also makes it an example of how to run a restaurant.
Best Chinese Emperor’s 10 Wolf Road, Colonie See “Best Vegetarian (Asian).”
Best Thai Sushi Thai Garden 44 Phila St., Saratoga Springs There’s a whole Japanese thing going on here as well, but it’s the place to go for a wonderful green curry or pad Thai or any of a number of classical Thai dishes—and how nice that you can also get a great sushi selection, too. Another Saratoga restaurant jewel.
Best Japanese Saso’s Noodle House 218 Central Avenue, Albany Oh, those noodle soups. With Restaurant Saigon now a memory, there’s no competition for a bowl of noodle-enhanced broth with a variety of extras—or any of the other traditional Japanese items on the menu, including a sushi bar manned by Saso himself.
Best Sushi Sushi House 6 New Scotland Ave., Albany This place has been one of Albany’s best-kept secrets, but we can’t keep it to ourselves any longer. The sushi at this location is adventurous, unique, and of course something that need not be mentioned—very fresh. The chef’s special rolls are works of art. For instance, the Fantasy Roll is tuna, salmon, yellowtail, white fish, real crab, avocado and massago wrapped with a cucumber, beautiful and so fresh you’ll be looking for a close-by ocean. They also have a roll that’s topped with mango or strawberry, kind of like dessert sushi, plus a full Japanese menu.
Best Mexican El Mariachi II 289 Hamilton St., Albany It’s not unusual to find good Mexican food and good Spanish food under one roof. However, it is unusual when both cuisine types are great and very traditional. El Mariachi’s brother-and-sister team have combined old family recipes that are very authentic and delicious, all in a very bright welcoming atmosphere. The patio is also a nice spot in the city to enjoy a pitcher of sangria or margaritas.
Best Vietnamese My Linh 272 Delaware Ave, Albany For a restaurant operating on busy Delaware Avenue, My Linh offers a surprisingly simple, soft and pleasant atmosphere. You can try to pronounce the names of the dishes on the menu, but do not fret if your server must help you! The authentic preparations include choices for meat, seafood or veggie lovers. A sweet and slightly spicy nuoc mam accompanies dishes such as salmon or duck and is a must try traditional Vietnamese sauce. A unique dessert menu is the perfect accompaniment to the simple and beautiful dishes you’ve already been served and enjoyed. Try a cup of coffee as well; you may not have had it like this before!
Best Wine Grotto Antica Enoteca 200 Lark St., Albany You enter this basement wine bar under stairs, where you encounter a magical world of beautifully refinished wood and exposed brick, a cozy array of tables and barstools, and wine, wine, wine. Bottles everywhere, and enough selections by the glass to satisfy almost any taste (there’s beer, too, as well as fruit and cheese and sometimes other finger foods). Since last year, the space has been doubled and a lovely outdoor pation has been added, but the original intimacy remains intact—in fact, the backroom tables are so tucked away that you could spend hours at one of them without the rest of the patrons even knowing you’re there.
Best Greek Aegean Breeze 327 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, Mass. Enjoy delicious Greek fare in a handsome dining room or on the enclosed wrap-around porch. Start with the exquisite dips and/or other succulent appetizers (the fried cheese, and oh, the meatballs), then move on to an entrée such as moussaka, spanikopita or roasted meat, or the roasted fish dishes that have southern Berkshire County all abuzz.
Best Coffee Mezzo 340 Hamilton St., Albany It’s just soooo rich and flavorful. Maybe it’s because each cup is brewed individually in that newfangled machine they have; apparently it has something to do with pressuring the water through the freshly ground beans, but we can’t see inside it, so there’s no proof. And there’s only one machine. So if a whole bunch of you readers and see this and decide to stop there for your morning coffee, there’s going to be . . . umm . . . a line—now you wouldn’t that to happen, would you?
Best Breakfast Café Madison 1108 Madison Ave., Albany Formerly known as Madison’s End Café, which was formerly known as Qualter’s (and is still lovingly referred to as such by devoted fans who are heartily relieved that the menu hasn’t changed with the ownership), the only downside of this surprisingly affordable spot is that it doesn’t take reservations. But after a taste of their raspberry-oatmeal pancakes, rosemary eggs benedict with spinach, freshly baked breads, or any one of their signature omelettes, you won’t mind hanging out for a little while before you get your seat.
Best Coffeehouse Professor Java’s Coffee Sanctuary 217 Wolf Road, Colonie Java’s reminds us so much of the old Schenectady Caffe Dolce that we don’t even miss the old haunt. Plenty of room to stretch your legs and read a book (or magazine, or newspaper), play board games, chat about international politics or online gaming, and get to know the very people with whom you’ll be wasting your late teens and early 20s. And, uh, they serve coffee, too.
Best Pizza Fireside Pizzeria & Sandwich Pub 1631 Eastern Parkway, Schenectady The Fireside seems to have been here forever, and that’s a good thing. The pizza is incredibly good, with a sweet, chewy crust, and it’s as good whether you order a small one for the two of you or a couple of trays for a party. When dining in, there’s a menu also offering excellent soups and entrées.
De Fazio’s Pizzeria 266 Fourth St., Troy Look at the store next door and you see that DeFazio’s takes the business of sauce seriously. At the pizzeria, you add fresh dough and hot ovens and a talent for assembling a pie that keeps ’em flying out the door.
DePietro’s (Italiano’s) 555 Washington Ave., Albany DePietro’s red pizza is excellent, but we’re awarding this one for their white pizza alone. The usual ingredients—a thin, powdered crust; fresh mozzarella and crushed garlic—are set off by a thin layer of ricotta cheese beneath the mozzarella, not clumped on top. Toppings like broccoli and tomatoes are fresh, too, and not oven-burnt. And lest you think your slice is a bit greasy, that’s actually the olive oil in which the garlic was marinated. This ain’t health food, but it’s a damn good pie.
Testo’s 124th Street and Fourth Avenue, N. Troy If you grew up in North Troy or the surrounding communities, Testo’s is the standard bearer for incredible pizza. Mention Testo’s pizza to any longtime Trojan and their mouth will water. They use only the best ingredients: homemade dough, fresh packed tomatoes and 100 percent whole-milk mozzarella. Try the Chuck special white pizza with sausage and onion. Mmmmm.
Lou-Bea’s 376 Delaware Ave., Albany A frequent winner in this category, and a consistently delicious pizza pie. What more can we say?
Best Sandwiches Mezzo 340 Hamilton St., Albany Tired of sandwiches so overstuffed with whatever that eating them is tantamount to a juggling act? Of soggy or cardboardish bread that fails to support the goodness within? Mezzo, the new gourmet food market tucked into the old Unlimited Feast space on Hamilton Street, beckons to all sandwichs afficianados with a daily array of delicious fixings like braciola, prosciutto, roasted peppers, fresh greens, exquisite cheeses, etc., done up on high-quality and delicious bread. Eat them as is or ask to have your selection grilled. The Mezzo sandwiches are that rare blend of homey nourishment, dazzling taste, good value and perfect assembly. Too bad you can’t order ahead—our only quibble. Better get there early to take advantage of today’s selection.
Best Lebanese District River Street, Troy Al Baraki and Marmora Café are within a block of each other on River Street. Both places serve incredible Lebanese takeout, but don’t take our word for it; carve some time out of your weekend antiques shopping and stop into one of these oh-so-excellent eateries for some kibbeh or shawarma. Marmora Café has more of a coffee-shop atmosphere, while Al Baraki has a larger menu and a diner feel, but with solely counter service.
Best Diner Miss Albany Diner 893 Broadway, Albany Jane and Clifford Brown have informed the place with caring, creative personalities so that this old-school, railroad-car diner perseveres well into the dineraunt age with an inventive menu and cheerful service. And there’s our favorite brunch item, MAD Irish Toast, with its pecan cream cheese filling and butterscotch-whisky sauce.
Best Cheap Eats Esperanto 6 1/2 Caroline St., Saratoga Springs A reliable mainstay any time it’s open; a world unto itself late at night, when bleary-eyed Saratogians hurry in for a doughboy (a house special; think portable pocket pizza) or a pizza slice or one of the International specials, be it Mexican, Thai, Indian, or—who knows.
Best Cheaper Eats Sam’s Home Cooking 222 Lark St., Albany OK, we don’t know exactly when Sam’s is open, but seriously, where else can you get a whole pork chop dinner for $3.50 and friendly service to boot?
Best Wings Lynn’s Uptown Sports Tavern 15 Colvin Ave., Albany Everyone knows the story of the Buffalo Wing, and that Jessica Simpson really thinks buffalos have wings (wink, wink) and that Homer Simpson eats wings bone et al. The Buffalo-style chicken wing has varied in its recipe, size and crispiness since its inception. But we find that for the wing to reach its perfect flight, all things need to be equal. The sauce, spicy but not combustible, the right amount of vinegar, not overpowering, and a hint of sweet. The cooking: fried but not overdone, crispy juicy outside with moist inside. And the wing part itself; not too small and not a drumstick, just enough meat to accent the sauce. Voila, the perfect chicken wing. You can find the perfect wing at this local sports tavern, along with a warm, friendly atmosphere.
Best Bread Perreca’s 33 N. Jay St., Schenectady The coal-fired brick oven was made in Troy over a century ago, and we’re guessing that it hasn’t been cold since the day Perreca’s opened shortly thereafter. The crusty loaves, made daily, are available at the storefront and at selected (but few) specialty shops in the area. A loaf of this bread, some cheese and tapenade, and you’re all set.
Best Bagels Bagel Bite 544 Delaware Ave., Albany Oh the poor can-you-make-it-little-bigger Americanized bagel. Bagels are supposed to be a certain size, density and flavor. They needn’t be the size of a life preserver, nor should they be puffed with air, and they need to taste like dough. This place has it all going on, plus they have the bialy—different than a bagel, bialys are baked and then onion, garlic and other spices kind of fill the hole. The Bagel Bite is what bagels are and should always be, plus they have a full complement of homemade cream cheeses, lox and deli meats.
Best Beer Selection Mahar’s 1110 Madison Ave., Albany Last we checked, there were about two gazillion different beers to choose from at Mahar’s—and those were just the bottled brews. Arranged by style or country of origin, this relaxed, neighborhood-style pub’s “beer tour” allows you to track the beers you’ve sampled and rewards certain milestones of brew consumption (125 will get you your own mug, engraved however you like and stored behind the bar). While it’s no secret that Mahar’s tends to favor beer-savvy clientele, as long as you’re willing to put down your Coors Light and try a Hoegaarden White you’re welcome at the bar. Oh, and some words for the wise: If you want to stay on the bartenders’ good sides (and trust us, you don’t want to be on their bad sides), check your rowdy, college-bar habits at the door—this isn’t your typical beer joint.
Best Brew Pub Malt River Brewing Company Latham Circle Mall, Latham The brewpub craze has waned a bit, and now the area has only a few really good ones left. This was a very tough decision, but we still have to give the nod to brewmaster “Goose” Gosling. He is adventurous at his craft and is willing to try different techniques in bringing his brews to the public, even though it may mean dumping a whole batch if it didn’t quite work. He also has a handle on the more traditional ales and porters, and their stout—it’s a meal.
Best Caesar Salad Cornell’s Restaurant 39 North Jay St., Schenectady This is rib-sticking Caesar salad, with a dressing that is bright and lemony, in spite of its heft. You might want to ask to have it lightly dressed and plan on a simple entrée—or none at all.
Best Outdoor Dining Nicole’s Bistro at Quackenbush 25 Quackenbush Square, Albany There is something about dining alfresco that just makes the food taste a little better. The garden at this popular restaurant is an oasis in the middle of downtown. The table spacing is perfect for romantic conversation, and the atmosphere, complete with fresh herbs and flowers, is lovely. An occasional trucker on I-787 can break the silence every once in a while, but you are in the middle of downtown after all. Enjoy the serenity and some wonderful food.
Best Outdoor Drinking The Adelphi Hotel 365 Broadway, Saratoga Springs When you walk into the lobby of this vintage Victorian hotel, you’ll feel as though you traveled back into the Gatsby era. As you pass the beautiful antique furniture and stroll into their back patio, you’ll have left all your troubles and cares up front. Relax and enjoy this beautiful setting and a healthily poured cocktail. Win, lose, or draw, it’s a great place to be in Saratoga.
Best Martini Carmine’s 818 Central Ave., Albany Yes we know, this is a very highly regarded restaurant, but a cocktail before dinner is the best way to prepare for what’s to come. Martinis, and cocktails in general, have gained in popularity over the recent years and, yes, making the perfect martini has eluded most new-school mixologists. The perfect martini is quality ingredients—Boodles Gin or Bombay Sapphire (both available here) are the best. Just a hint of Vermouth, actually less than a hint, a smidge, a whisper even less if possible. The temperature, chilled, not frozen, and the glassware should be of ample size, but not a fish bowl. And regardless of what James Bond says, stirred, not shaken. That’s how they get it done at Carmine’s. Oh, and the food’s pretty darn good too.
Best Bloody Mary Lark Tavern 453 Madison Ave., Albany There’s a Bloody Mary, and then there’s a Bloody Mary. The Lark serves the latter—it’s spicy, fresh, and very tasty; a fine accompaniment for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Wait, are we giving away too much here? |
