Tonight I ate at Junior's on Madison Avenue. Though this mostly is a college hangout, there is some decent bar food to be had there.
I had a buffalo chicken salad which was one of the better ones I have had. Served up in a huge bowl, this salad had cheese, some tomatoes and a large portion of mild buffalo chicken. The portion was way bigger than something Friday's or 99 Restaurant would serve. For mild, the chicken was a little spicier than I would like.
The only thing I have not liked about this restaurant is that the service is not very good. Perhaps they are understaffed because the waitresses do not seem to get much time with their customers. Perhaps they do not want to get in the way of their customers watching sports on one of the many TV's in the restaurant.
If you stick to the recommended dishes, like buffalo chicken, Junior's is a good place to go. It has a fun atmosphere and reasonable prices.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
Scarborough's
I visited Scarborough's in Rotterdam this Friday. The atmosphere was warm, and the food was good, though the portions were a little small. Overall, I was very pleased with this restaurant.
The restaurant is in a strip mall on Altamont Avenue, convenient for Wal-Mart shoppers. Though the mall is sedate, Scarborough's does it's best to dress things up inside, with a large bar and ample wood furnishings. It feels like TGI Friday's would feel if it was not a chain.
The menu is all comfort food. Burritos, sicilian chicken and roast beef sandwiches are all on the same menu. The prices are reasonable, with many entrees priced below $10.
I ordered the turkey platter, which was delicious. Turkey, cranberry sauce and stuffing were stacked one on top of the other. The turkey was juicy, the stuffing was rich and the cranberry sauce was sweet. There was only a quarter pound of thin sliced turkey on my plate, which was not enough to satisfy me. However, you do get what you pay for. For $8.95, the portion was adequate.
I like what Scarborough's is about -- old-fashioned atmosphere, and down-home cooking at a reasonable price. I will definitely visit this establishment again.
The restaurant is in a strip mall on Altamont Avenue, convenient for Wal-Mart shoppers. Though the mall is sedate, Scarborough's does it's best to dress things up inside, with a large bar and ample wood furnishings. It feels like TGI Friday's would feel if it was not a chain.
The menu is all comfort food. Burritos, sicilian chicken and roast beef sandwiches are all on the same menu. The prices are reasonable, with many entrees priced below $10.
I ordered the turkey platter, which was delicious. Turkey, cranberry sauce and stuffing were stacked one on top of the other. The turkey was juicy, the stuffing was rich and the cranberry sauce was sweet. There was only a quarter pound of thin sliced turkey on my plate, which was not enough to satisfy me. However, you do get what you pay for. For $8.95, the portion was adequate.
I like what Scarborough's is about -- old-fashioned atmosphere, and down-home cooking at a reasonable price. I will definitely visit this establishment again.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Xin Fu
I recently tried Xin Fu, a new Chinese-Japanese restaurant on Route 7 in Latham. Though the food was excellent, I found the portions to be a little small.
The inside of the restaurant is elegant, comparable to Koto or Hana. The menu is slightly lacking. There are vastly more Japanese options than Chinese options. The service was fast and efficient.
I had wonton soup and chicken with broccoli. The wonton soup was one of the best I have ever had. I loved the softness of the wonton dumplings, and the strong flavor of the soup. The chicken with broccoli was delicious. The sauce was a little greasy but very flavorful. The dish offered an equal portion of both chicken and broccoli, but needed more of it. Though this was a dinner portion, there was less than a pound of chicken breast. Diners looking for a hearty meal may be disappointed.
Overall, this was a very good restaurant. The food was tasty, though the portions were a little bit small. I would put the taste of the food on par with the fine Chinese restaurants of the area, such as Emperor's and Ichiban.
The inside of the restaurant is elegant, comparable to Koto or Hana. The menu is slightly lacking. There are vastly more Japanese options than Chinese options. The service was fast and efficient.
I had wonton soup and chicken with broccoli. The wonton soup was one of the best I have ever had. I loved the softness of the wonton dumplings, and the strong flavor of the soup. The chicken with broccoli was delicious. The sauce was a little greasy but very flavorful. The dish offered an equal portion of both chicken and broccoli, but needed more of it. Though this was a dinner portion, there was less than a pound of chicken breast. Diners looking for a hearty meal may be disappointed.
Overall, this was a very good restaurant. The food was tasty, though the portions were a little bit small. I would put the taste of the food on par with the fine Chinese restaurants of the area, such as Emperor's and Ichiban.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Bob and Ron's Fish Fry
I went to Bob and Ron's Fish Fry with a couple of co-workers and thoroughly enjoyed myself.
I ordered the fish fry which I thought was very good. For $4.00 it was a substantial sandwich with a large portion of fresh fish. The delicately fried fish and tartar sauce combined together beautifully. I sampled the onion rings but found them bland. A co-worker explained it may have to do with the ban on transfats in Albany County. The rest of the food at the restaurant looked excellent though.
I loved the ambiance of the place. It almost feels like Jumping Jack's in Scotia, though it is not outside of course. It was nice being able to look at the fish being breaded and fried while I was ordering. I can understand by Bob and Ron's is an institution in Albany. They offer their customers good food and excellent service at a reasonable price.
I ordered the fish fry which I thought was very good. For $4.00 it was a substantial sandwich with a large portion of fresh fish. The delicately fried fish and tartar sauce combined together beautifully. I sampled the onion rings but found them bland. A co-worker explained it may have to do with the ban on transfats in Albany County. The rest of the food at the restaurant looked excellent though.
I loved the ambiance of the place. It almost feels like Jumping Jack's in Scotia, though it is not outside of course. It was nice being able to look at the fish being breaded and fried while I was ordering. I can understand by Bob and Ron's is an institution in Albany. They offer their customers good food and excellent service at a reasonable price.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Blue Ribbon Diner
I tried the Blue Ribbon Restaurant on Labor Day, and was quite impressed. I ordered one of the Monday specials, Fish and Chips. The special comes with soup and salad.
The fish and chips was a delicious combination of freshly fried haddock and crispy fries. The portion of haddock was about a half a pound, which I found a little stingy. However, the quality was excellent. The chunks of fresh haddock were very flaky and melted in my mouth. The fries were not made from scratch, but they were thick cut and tasty.
What stands out about this restaurant was the excellent service. The waitress made every effort to accomodate our group. She brought out samples of the daily soups to help us decide, and advised us about the menu. The cashier was also very pleasant, asking about our dining experience and urging us to come back.
Overall, this was an excellent experience. The courteous staff made us feel at home. Though the Blue Ribbon isn't a fish restaurant, they make an excellent fish and chips.
The fish and chips was a delicious combination of freshly fried haddock and crispy fries. The portion of haddock was about a half a pound, which I found a little stingy. However, the quality was excellent. The chunks of fresh haddock were very flaky and melted in my mouth. The fries were not made from scratch, but they were thick cut and tasty.
What stands out about this restaurant was the excellent service. The waitress made every effort to accomodate our group. She brought out samples of the daily soups to help us decide, and advised us about the menu. The cashier was also very pleasant, asking about our dining experience and urging us to come back.
Overall, this was an excellent experience. The courteous staff made us feel at home. Though the Blue Ribbon isn't a fish restaurant, they make an excellent fish and chips.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Juicy Burger
I tried the Juicy Burger in Ballston Spa with my girlfriend. The food was decent, but a little pricey compared with Five Guys or Fuddruckers.
The menu is structured a little differently than either of those chains. The basic burger is $5.00 and does not even come with lettuce. It is simply a hamburger on a bun, nothing less, nothing more. There are condiments on the side if you wish. If you want lettuce or tomato, you will have to upgrade to the Build a Burger, which is $7.50. The Build a Burger allows you to load perhaps 15 toppings on your burger, from bacon to sauteed onions. Fries and a drink can be ordered a la carte; there are no meal options.
I ordered the Build a Burger with sweet potato fries, and it was excellent. It was either one third or one quarter a pound of beef, on a large roll. I found it to be a little greasy, but very tasty. The sweet potato fries were good, not excellent. They were covered in salt, which I found a little unnecessary. I was excited that they had sweet potato fries; Fuddruckers did not have those until recently and Five Guys does not have them at all.
My meal came out to a little more than $12. Fudds will give you the burger meal deal for under $10; Five Guys is also under $10. $12 seems a little unreasonable for a meal without waiter service. For $12, I would prefer to have a nice meal at Chili's or Quintessence.
The menu is structured a little differently than either of those chains. The basic burger is $5.00 and does not even come with lettuce. It is simply a hamburger on a bun, nothing less, nothing more. There are condiments on the side if you wish. If you want lettuce or tomato, you will have to upgrade to the Build a Burger, which is $7.50. The Build a Burger allows you to load perhaps 15 toppings on your burger, from bacon to sauteed onions. Fries and a drink can be ordered a la carte; there are no meal options.
I ordered the Build a Burger with sweet potato fries, and it was excellent. It was either one third or one quarter a pound of beef, on a large roll. I found it to be a little greasy, but very tasty. The sweet potato fries were good, not excellent. They were covered in salt, which I found a little unnecessary. I was excited that they had sweet potato fries; Fuddruckers did not have those until recently and Five Guys does not have them at all.
My meal came out to a little more than $12. Fudds will give you the burger meal deal for under $10; Five Guys is also under $10. $12 seems a little unreasonable for a meal without waiter service. For $12, I would prefer to have a nice meal at Chili's or Quintessence.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Golden Phoenix
The Golden Phoenix in Niskayuna is the best chinese buffer in the area. Like all Chinese buffets, it is very sparse inside. However, there is a great variety of fresh food. If the food was healthier, and less expensive, I could eat there every week.
Not only is the food excellent, there is a large variety of it. Along with the favorites, such as sesame chicken and lo mein, there was also salt and pepper shrimp and pineapple chicken. There was also a nice selection of sushi, from the conventional California rolls to a sushi shrimp tempura roll. The sushi alone would have made a good meal. Add to it Chinese food and a Mongolian bar and I could have eaten well beyond satiety.
One problem I have with this place is that the Mongolian bar asks you to put on your own sauce, rather than putting the sauce on for you. I am not a chef, and I do not know the ingredients in many of the sauces, so I made my dish way too spicy for my tastes. Next time I will ask for the chef's advice before creating my dish.
I give the Golden Phoenix two thumbs up. The variety and quality of their food was superior to any Chinese buffet I have been to in the Capital Region
Not only is the food excellent, there is a large variety of it. Along with the favorites, such as sesame chicken and lo mein, there was also salt and pepper shrimp and pineapple chicken. There was also a nice selection of sushi, from the conventional California rolls to a sushi shrimp tempura roll. The sushi alone would have made a good meal. Add to it Chinese food and a Mongolian bar and I could have eaten well beyond satiety.
One problem I have with this place is that the Mongolian bar asks you to put on your own sauce, rather than putting the sauce on for you. I am not a chef, and I do not know the ingredients in many of the sauces, so I made my dish way too spicy for my tastes. Next time I will ask for the chef's advice before creating my dish.
I give the Golden Phoenix two thumbs up. The variety and quality of their food was superior to any Chinese buffet I have been to in the Capital Region
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