So I have to admit, I haven't managed to write anything in a while. Well, yesterday I experienced a meal that basically forced me out of exile for this one post. You see, even though I work in Schenectady we have yet to really dip our toes in the culinary scene of that area for whatever reason (probably the 30 cent toll. Seriously thruway authority? It could've been a quarter, but that'd be too simple so let's throw the extra nickel in cause why not).
Well having tried almost all the treasures the Albany/Troy region has to offer and craving something new, we decided to visit Tara Kitchen, a Moroccan restaurant just off of Erie Blvd in downtown Schenectady. Oh my goodness, was it the right decision at the right time.
I gather the food at Tara Kitchen isn't so much a meal as an experience, or maybe a journey. We started with the spicy grilled shrimp, served with a freaking divine Harissa sauce that managed to be both super spicy and super flavorful. I could barely feel my face for the fire, but I was in heaven with those first few bites. A few sips of honeyed mint green tea tamed the heat just long enough to dive in for more.
We also got the grilled fish seasoned with ras-el-hanout which you may think sounds like a boring sideshow to that shrimp, but somehow, despite lacking the assertiveness of the Harissa shrimp, it managed to be one of the best cooked and seasoned pieces of fish I've ever tasted and proudly stood beside its spicier costar. Then the main course arrived. My god.
I confess I have no prior experience with Moroccan food, so I have no basis by which to call this authentic. Frankly, I also don't care. I ordered a lamb tagine with saffron, preserved lemon, and something called smen (which made me chuckle because I am 10, but turned out to be a salted, fermented butter). R ordered a chicken and artichoke hearts tagine with a spicy date sauce. They came out in heavy ceramic pots still boiling from the stove, and continued boiling for several minutes.
R loved her dish, and I confess the date sauce was both creative and very well executed, hitting those spicy sweet notes that had so impressed us in their appetizers. What stole my heart though was my lamb. It was easily the most tender, fall apart in your mouth meat I have ever enjoyed. The combination of butter, lamb, and preserved lemon somehow created this intensely rich but somehow incredibly refreshing experience.
As I said, eating at Tara Kitchen is a journey. by the middle of the meal I was covered in sweat and dizzy, somehow exhausted but at the same time incredibly fulfilled. A pilgrimage of meat. Though it's a small and inconspicuous space, this is not casual dining. This is a place to go if you're in need of a revelation. I'm pretty sure I had visions while finishing the last forkfuls, but that may have been one of the secret ingredients.
Another Indian restaurant on Washington Avenue? There is no shortage of chicken tikka masala on this corner of Lark St-Washington Ave-Central Ave. But having eaten at each of these Indian/Pakistani establishments (hello lunch buffet!), not all are made the same. Indian cuisine can be just as diverse as Chinese or American food, varying from region to region. Flavors of India embraces this diversity by featuring traditional Indian cuisine from North to South, East to West and most uniquely a fusion of Indo-Chinese food.
It was intimidating stepping into an empty restaurant but putting our skepticism aside, we went for it and couldn't have been more surprised by the flavors we encountered. It was a chilly Monday night and we chose to warm up with cups of milky chai tea. We knew we were in for a treat when we were greeted by comforting aromas of earthy cardamom and warm cinnamon, none of that pre-mixed commercial tea bag crap. It was a good sign for things to come.
J and I decided to venture out to Cooperstown during our staycation. Our goal was to finally visit Brewery Ommegang after unsuccessfully trying to squeeze in a tour and tasting this past summer. The brewery was way too hectic and overcrowded on a July weekend and now that it's fall season, it's the perfect time to visit. Plus the scenic route along Route 20 is perfect for leaf peeping this time of year.
We got to Ommegang just as a tasting was starting and opted to jump in. Ommegang beers are on the stronger, alcoholic side. Needless to say a 6-mini flight tasting on an empty stomach wasn't exactly the best idea but it's quality beer! Ommegang prides itself on Belgian-style beer and at $3 per tasting plus a souvenir shot glass, it's a steal. The tour guides are very knowledgeable and no, there was no Game of Thrones beer samples but you get the classic six: Witte, Rare Vos, Hennepin, Abbey Ale, Three Philosophers and a fall brew called Scythe & Sickle in honor of the harvest season akin to the pumpkin beers of the season without the spices.
Do you know where Buckfield, Maine is? Middle of nowhere, as in the nearest grocery store is a 30 min hike. But because we love our family and little nieces, our Maine vacation also included some quality uncle/aunty time. Lucky for us, Buckfield is only 1hr away from Portland (which meant we could go back and try Duckfat) and near the metropolis of Lewiston which surprisingly, has a few great hidden gems, including a Chef's Tasting Menu called "Feed Me". How could we not try it?!
After a beer stop at Baxter Brewing Co., we put our faith in Yelp to help us find another hidden gem for lunch. It lead us to a quirky little lunch spot called She Doesn't Like Guthrie's. Long name, tasty place, and certified "Green Restaurant" by Maine! To give our cholesterol a break, we went a healthier route. J got a bbq chicken sandwich while I tried a combo of sweet potato quesadilla and grilled kale salad with avocado, beans, and brown rice and side of really delicious and bright cilantro lime dressing. Everything tasted fresh, clean, and was healthy (I think). It was probably one of the few places where we got a healthy serving of veggies in. Fried fiddleheads count as a healthy vegetable too, right?
We were obsessed with trying fiddleheads, a seasonal fern of sorts that we saw everywhere on the road stands. I've never seen these greens in New York and stopped by a quaint local stand to pick some up. The kind of stand that someone's neighbor set-up with a fisher price chalkboard; kind of sketchy but it's your local, friendly neighborhood supplier. J's bro is a great cook and prepared the fiddleheads two ways: tempura and sauteed in butter. Delicious! Funky looking but also tasted familiar, like a cross between a string bean and bok choy.
It must have been fate, because fiddleheads made another appearance the next night when we went out for dinner. J's bro and sister in law had been raving about a restaurant in nearby Lewiston that does a chef's tasting menu. Basically, every dish is up to the chef and is a surprise four-course meal. You just tell him your dislikes, and your meal is at the mercy of his knife. Our inner foodies couldn't resist and off to Fuel we went.
There's no holding back when it comes to the Feed Me Menu. We decided to be a bit more adventurous and the only exceptions we made were no eggplant for me and no mushrooms for J. It was only fitting that we were dining at the bar as Iron Chef America was playing on the flatscreen overlooking us.
