Sadudee Thai Food

Don't judge a book by its cover. You've probably driven on 787 and seen the bright, colorful lights of Sadudee and pondered Thai food in Watervliet? It's an unlikely location for such bold flavors but curiosity drew us in for an overdue visit. Under The Copper Tree has long been a fan of Sadudee Thai Food and recommended the "pasta" dishes. Wait, what? There's Thai food in Watervliet and now we're telling you to get the pasta dishes? Don't knock it 'til you try it! 

Khao Soi: Deviating from my usual go to pad thai and drunken noodles, I opted for this coconut curry dish described as a popular Northern Thai noodle dish. Made with linguine pasta, the same Italian-American version from your supermarket, it's a headscratcher of an ingredient that surprisingly works very well. I'm assuming it's a substitute for the typical Asian egg noodles but here the al dente texture of the pasta holds up to the mildly spiced curry broth. A squeeze of lime brightens up the fragrant flavors, balancing the aromatics with the creaminess of the coconut. The added topping of crispy noodles not only added a wow factor to presentation but a satisfying element of textural contrast akin to extra wonton strips in your hot and sour soup.

Basil Noodles: Another stellar linguine dish was the basil noodles chockull of seafood and vegetables. The sauce here was slightly spicier than the khao soi but just as enjoyable. J's not as fond of Thai food as I am but this dish won him over. I personally love drunken noodle for its basil flavor but this might very well rival pad khee mao.

Duck Salad: The only disappointment was perhaps this salad. It had a lot of promise with enticing ingredients like crispy duck, tart apples, cashews (substituted with peanuts in this case), chili, and red onions. Unfortunately the tamarind vinaigrette was so pungent and salty that it overwhelmed the entire dish. A finer balance of lime juice and fish sauce and this appetizer would have been a hit. 

For what it's worth, Sadudee is not shy with bold and authentic flavors and it might very well give its Albany counterparts a run for its money. Next time you're in Watervliet, don't just come for Gus's mini hot dogs but stop by for a delicious taste of Thailand in one of the most unassuming locations.

Short and Stout Tea Company

We've always been major coffee drinkers but per doctor's orders, J's been directed to cut back on the caffeine. His drink of choice lately has been tea and while we know some teas have less caffeine than others, we just don't know enough about it. Enter Short and Stout Tea Company. This new, quaint and bright shop is located right behind Cafe Calabria and has walls of blended teas to choose from. Overwhelmed? No problem, the owners are happy to help and offer suggestions. 

Being the supportive fiance that I am, I jumped on the low to no caffeine bandwagon with J. Come to find out, white teas have the least amount of caffeine while rooibos and fruit tisanes have no caffeine at all. We were in a fruity mood and were sold at first sniff of Black and Blue--a blend of berries (blackberry, blackcurrant, blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, elderberry), candied papaya, and hibiscus. Sweet smells of berries reminded us of the upcoming warmer weather and we couldn't say no to an iced version to kick start the spring season. It's refreshingly tart; no sweetener needed! Short and Stout takes brewing time very seriously. While you're waiting for your tea to brew, feel free to relax by the couches or browse the walls of samples. There are various blends to explore and smelling the delectable mixes is half the fun of exploring this space.

In addition to various blends of teas and preparations including bubble tea, the real treats reside in the display case. We also happen to have a massive sweet tooth and couldn't say no to homemade tea-infused confections, including the wonders of the brookie--an oolong-infused half cookie, half brownie hybrid. If you choose to stay in the shop, they'll warm it up for you and you'll fall in love with the combo of melted chocolate chips and chewy brownie. We couldn't really pick up on any oolong tea flavor but the chocolate flavor is where it's at. J was already asking for another brookie to go as we battled for the last bite. You won't be disappointed by the tea-infused cookies either. We got a matcha green tea cookie and normally I don't like shortbread cookies, but this one was buttery and the crumble didn't fall apart at first bite. It was also packed with matcha flavor and the frosting was the icing on the cake cookie. You'll find other flavors like earl grey and masala chai-infused scones and cookies. I'm particularly looking forward to returning for the earl grey cookie. 

What's unique about Short and Stout are the Thai-inspired savory pastries. You'll find baked versions of curry puffs and vegetarian spring rolls. The puff pastries are baked to golden perfection. Flaky and buttery, they are filled with unique flavors like yellow chicken curry and chicken curry with peanut sauce. The spices are prominent but the heat is mild and there's a touch of sweetness too. Additions of vegetables round out the filling. It's your favorite Thai curry in one little bite. 

You'll also find other Asian-inspired bites like crab rangoon. Short and Stout's version is not your typical deep-fried, greasy cream cheese takeout. These too are baked and lightly filled with surimi crab. I couldn't detect any cream cheese. If there was any, it was very light and a different take on this Chinese appetizer. Our favorite part was the sweet chili dipping sauce. It's not just Asian flavors, you'll also find Greek-inspired flavors of spinach and feta in phyllo among others. It's an international case of sweet and savory flavors. Short and Stout is more than a place for a spot of tea. Come by an get a little bit of everything, that's what we did!