Nibble Inc.

It was love at first bite when we discovered potato doughnuts at The Holy Donut in Portland. So when we heard Troy's Nibble Inc. was inspired by Maine's unique take on a beloved staple, we were super excited. Our expectations were pretty high especially after being greeted by this massive sign of adventurous flavors.  

Doughnuts are made to order, which means fresh fillings and glazes, so prepare for long wait lines. Love that Nibble Inc. incorporates local ingredients and partners into its products, including Rare Form Brewery, Brown's, and Sweet Sue's. 

The lemon fruit tarts at Sweet Sue's are stellar. In doughnut form, the Local Lemon curd filling had the same sweet and tart flavor that we love but the consistency of the filling was a bit runny, most likely because we got a fresh-out-of-the-fryer doughnut.

In addition to classic flavors, you'll find playful ones like maple bacon and cocktail-inspired ones like the Upstate Sour made with whiskey glaze, lemon-lime icing, and blackberry cassis filling. As much as we wanted to love the booze-inspired glazes, the filling far outshined its counterpart.

There's no doubt that tasty, high quality ingredients are being used but sadly the star of the show kind of fell flat. The potato doughnuts we've had in Portland were moist and crumbly but these were so heavy, dense, and tough. We came in during a pretty high volume morning so I wonder whether the doughnuts spent too much time in the fryer, or perhaps the recipe needs a bit more tweaking; it's only been two weeks since Nibble has opened its doors.

The one doughnut J and I both agreed was the best out of the four we got was the dark chocolate sea salt. This one had the soft(er) crumb that we were looking for. Plus the chocolate flavor really came through, especially with the touch of saltiness and honey glaze.

The flavors are there and with a bit more room for improvement, I can see us coming here more often. It's the kind of shop that's right up our alley so we've got high hopes for Nibble Inc. in the coming months. The Capital Region needs more places that think out of the (doughnut) box. 

Saigon Spring

It's no surprise that J and I are pho-natics. While Kim's Vietnamese is usually our go to for pho noodle soup, Saigon Spring excels at other classic Vietnamese dishes. My parents weren't able to come down for Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, so I wasn't able to get my share of homemade traditional foods. I had a hankering for bun thit nuong (grilled pork with rice noodles) and they make the best version of this dish up in Clifton Park. The pork is a great balance of sweet and savory with fragrant flavors of lemongrass, fish sauce, and garlic and grillled til there's a nice fatty char. Nothing is more disappointing than dry, overcooked pork but here it is juicy and mouth-watering good. But at the last minute, I had a change of heart and decided to celebrate New Year's with something more decadent. 

Another favorite dish that I use to get as a kid but haven't had in ages was mi xao don aka crispy noodles. While this dish is mostly Chinese influenced, it is a popular dish at Vietnamese restaurants and would be a special occasion dish to order. What better way to celebrate a holiday that is shared among Vietnamese and Chinese cultures alike. Saigon Spring's version is a seafood medley called do bien xao xa made with a lemongrass sauce. A bed of crispy noodles is covered in an array of giant plump shrimp, scallops, and mussels sauteed in sweet and spicy sauce with hunks of peppers and onions. It's a messy dish as you try to maneuver getting shards of crispy noodles into your mouth but the sauce softens some of the noodles creating a fun mix of textures.