Memphis King BBQ

We don't venture out to Schenectady much but when we do, man is it good eats. Our recent adventure satisfied a long time craving for good, comforting BBQ. It's a charming hole-in-the-wall type of place but Memphis King BBQ delivers on promises of tender and properly smoked meat. 

The brisket is delightfully succulent and kissed with a ring of smoke. Ribs are smoked to perfection with this awesome bark yet falling off the bone. The pulled chicken was a tad dry but still flavorful. The sides are equally as amazing. The mac 'n cheese is one of the best around but it's the baked beans that we can't stop raving about. They're sweet and creamy but it's the chunks of smoky meat that really adds to the flavor of the beans. It's drool-worthy. 

Memphis King BBQ is really on point with letting the meat shine with just the right amount of smokiness, allowing you to customize even more to your liking with an an array of sauces. The house and hot ones were our favorites but it's worth trying them all. 

One menu item not to overlook is the fried chicken. Despite being a BBQ joint, this place rocks a mean piece of crispy buttermilk fried chicken. The flavor is all in the dark meat of the chicken thighs they use and to boot, it's deboned and only $3.99 a piece. Consider it another wonderful side dish to all the wonderful BBQ.

Tara Kitchen

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.

La Mexicana Grocery & Restaurant

Between all the buzz around Lettucegate and the Times Union review, how could we not check out La Mexicana Grocery & Restaurant. Lettuce aside, what was really on our radar were the beef tongue tacos. J has become a pretty adventurous eater with recent introductions to chicken livers, pigs feet, and balut. I on the other hand am no stranger to offals; it's always been part of my culture growing up and it's fun sharing these experiences with J now. 

For the most part, a lot of our Mexican dining experiences take place at the family restaurant at Leon's up in Saratoga Springs. But not all Mexican dishes are made the same so our lunch trip didn't quite seem like we were cheating on Leon's. Don't expect a fine dining experience at La Mexicana; it's a run-of-the-mill joint in appearance but with down-home authentic Mexican flavors. The menu is small and simple and remarkably affordable. How can you pass up on $2 tacos?! At such a steal, J and I decided to go for a flight of six tacos--one of each kind--with a pork tamale for good measure (another steal at $2.50) accompanied by a glass each of horchata and tamarindo agua fresca (also $2 each!). Horchata is a specialty drink made with rice, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla; think iced chai latte. Tamarindo is made with tamarind (a pod-like fruit also used in Asian cuisine and a very familiar flavor to me). This light, refreshing sweet and sour drink was the perfect accompaniment to our tacos. I'd come back just to have a gallon of this stuff.