Top Bites of 2015

The last days of the year brings back memories of yet another delicious round of great eats. We were a bit biased naming our wedding cake from TC Paris as our favorite local bite of the year on All Over Albany but 2015 introduced us to some other favorites that deserve honorable mention:

Uni with quail egg from Sushi Makio: Some bites are life-changing. Sushi Makio proved that fresh, quality sea urchin can be found in Upstate New York. The addition of a velvety quail egg yolk elevated this piece of sushi, bringing an ethereal element that complemented the brininess and creaminess of the uni so well. It was one of those moments where you just had to close your eyes for a moment of silence as you savor the explosion of flavor. 

Spicy ramen at Sushi Tei: The ramen craze is now just hitting Albany with the opening of Tanpopo Ramen and various appearances as specials throughout Capital Region establishments. But it's the Tuesday special at Sushi Tei that hits the spot every time. The tonkatsu ramen is a comforting mix of rich, creamy broth and fatty slices of pork belly . The off-menu addition of spicy pork gives the ramen not only an added kick of spice but flavor that's quickly becoming a favorite. With winter officially here, you can count on this special being on the menu twice a week now with the addition of Ramen Sundays to warm you up. 

Rice or egg noodle with seafood from Saigon Pearl: ICYMI Saigon Pearl now makes a pretty legit crackly banh mi sandwich but you'll also want to check out the rest of menu especially for this noodle dish. Under new ownership, you'll find a new menu with classic Vietnamese favorites like Bun Bo Hue Spicy Noodle Soup and Clay Pot Stewed Fish. One of my favorite dishes, aside from pho, is hu tieu kho thap cam which translates to assorted mixed dry noodles. It's a dish with many variations: dry with pork broth on the side; wet as a soup bowl with the noodles and broth mixed together; with egg noodles or with rice noodles. My preference is dry with rice noodles. The best part of the dry version is that a salty soy-based sauce coats the noodles, and when mixed with a bite of a little of everything, it's delightful. Plus when you get it dry, you still get a side of broth to either mix in with the noodles or slurp alongside. With an assortment of meats and seafood ranging from cha siu pork, fried chicken, fishcake, quail egg, and prawns, it's a dish that'll satisfying every craving. Plus the bits of pork cracklings are the crowning jewels. 

Squid-Ink seared scallop from Peck's Arcade: The creativity at Peck's knows no bounds. Our recent obsession with squid ink led us to a special featuring a perfectly seared scallop. Marinated in a dark briny coat of ink, the stark contrast of colors was just as appetizing as the mix of flavors between the pungent red miso sauce and tangy and creamy avocado mousse. It was a divine morsel and sharing one piece of scallop was a true test of our marriage. 

Garbage plates from Mac's Philly Steaks: A random detour to Canandaigua en route to Buffalo introduced us to one helluva Western delicacy. Garbage plates are a total guilty pleasure between the mountain of fries, hot dogs, meat sauce and mac salad but the mish mosh totally works! This particular one at Mac's featured a plump and juicy Rochester-based white hot dog from Zweigle's, most definitely the highlight of this Mac's Place Special. The Philly Plate on the other hand featured philly steak, onion rings, and hot sauce giving this combo the perfect zip! The added bonus was more carb on carb action courtesy of an Amoroso roll, a legit roll directly from Philadelphia. We can only imagine how amazing the Philly Cheesesteaks must be here but the garbage plate has a special place in our bellies.

More Top Bites: 

+ Top Bites of 2014
+ Top Bites of 2013

Sushi Birthday Cake

While most people celebrate with a traditional birthday cake, I celebrated a milestone with a sushi cake from Sushi Tei. The big 3-0 was ushered in with a lovely layered surprise of my favorites--salmon, yellowtail, and tuna. The monstrosity is made up of layers of sushi rice, avocado, nori, and your choice of fish. Who needs frosting when you can have spicy tuna and sashimi roses? The hubby knows exactly what to get this birthday girl. 

A Tale of Two Albany Ramen Bowls

The Capital Region is slowly catching on the ramen trend. There was the one-time Tavern Noodle pop-up, a couple of mediocre bowls from Mr Fuji Sushi and Samurai, and a soon-to-open ramen shop in the former Miss Albany/Scortino's space. In less than two days, we encountered two more ramen bowls on the local scene.

Brunch just got tastier thanks to the Breakfast Ramen Bowl at New World Bistro Bar. Savory soups just don't get enough attention as a breakfast item. To me, soups like pho and rice porridge are considered breakfast items so the idea of a ramen for breakfast wasn't too foreign. NWBB presents a veggie version with shiitake mushrooms, snap peas, carrots, bean sprouts and sweet peppers. I tend to hold back on veggie dishes, thinking they won't be as flavorful but I was wrong with this one. The broth was very well-developed and rich in flavor thanks to the shiitakes and added layer of umami from fermented black beans. A slight kick of heat kept your palate awake. The magic was in the perfectly cooked al dente noodles. The only tragedy was the lack of runny yolk in my poached eggs. I also found myself missing some meaty flavors but a side of peppered bacon did the trick. 

Sushi Tei has long been our #1 spot for sushi in the Capital Region. Along the way we've found gems like roasted yellowtail collar and udon noodle soup. Now we can add ramen to our list of favorites but so far it's only offered on Tuesdays.  Succulent slices of pork belly adorn a bowl of creamy golden meaty broth glistening with just the right amount of fat globules. A few shakes of chili oil, sesame seeds, and togarashi adds some zip. The dish was suppose to come with fermented menma bamboo shoots but the substitute of wood ear mushrooms worked just as well adding another dimension of texture. Interesting enough, the ramen noodles at Sushi Tei were thin and straight while the ones at NWBB were wavy. For some reason or another, I prefer the wavy kind and its chewiness. The egg here was also a misstep, hardboiled rather than poached. A slice of nori also would have been welcomed but the flavor of the broth more than made up for it. It'll be tough choosing between sushi and ramen, or just do yourself a favor and order both.

It's a tale of two different ramen bowls but it's nice to see Albany embracing a dish that deserves a spotlight. 

Food for Thought

MHA's recent blog post got me thinking. I've been stalking the local blog scene for years since moving to Albany 6 years ago. As a newbie to the blogging scene, I'm inspired by my fellow 518ers, where they eat, and what they have to say about the food scene in the Capital Region. Bloggers like myself might be self-proclaimed "foodies" (that in no way makes me an "expert" in anything nor does it mean that I have a "refined" palette; I just love food!) but taste in food and flavors is so subjective. We all come from different cultural backgrounds that influence our culinary palette. In my case: (a) I was born in Canada to Vietnamese parents but have spent the past 18 years in the States; (b) am engaged to J, an American boy with Irish and Polish roots; and (c) we watch so many episodes of Chopped, and the Food Network in general, that it has truly influenced our approach to the culinary scene. When we started the blog in April, we just wanted to share our personal views with other bloggers and readers. 

I didn't go to culinary school (even though part of me daydreams about it at my desk job); I'm not a professional food critic or writer; nor am I am I a chef or have ever worked in a restaurant (well at least J has), but no matter our levels of expertise or how refined our palettes are, food is an experience and adventure in and of itself. The pursuit for epicurean bliss is through personal discovery, and you decide how adventurous you want it to be! 

MHA asks what Top 5 restaurants 518 bloggers actually patronize on a regular basis? In no particular order, we frequent: 

1. Sushi Tei and Mr. Fuji Sushi: It's no secret that at Chopsticks Optional, we're obsessed with sushi.  We're cheating but these two spots are a tie for us. 

2. New World Bistro. Brunch here is killer. This is the only place where we have enjoyed excellent food and consistent service, which we usually have a bad streak of elsewhere.

3. Saigon Spring: Vietnamese pho noodle soup cures all ailments. I am also partial to this cuisine but everyone needs to try it at least once.

4. The City Beer Hall. HopChef made us lifetime fans but a revolving seasonal, creative menu keeps us intrigued. 

5. Brunswick BBQ: The aroma of smoke in the parking lot lures us in every time.

While we have regular spots, there are countless other local gems that we love and frequent too but we'd go broke if we ate out everyday! These particular ones are our regular spots because it's flavors that we have consistently enjoyed but they're also places where we get the most value out of our meals at reasonable prices. It's a mix of foods that we are comfortable with but places like NWB and City Beer Hall lets us savor unique combinations and local flavors when we want to. Value shouldn't limit our options but sometimes the best eats are the ones we relate to the most through our own backgrounds and preferences. I would love to be able to regularly splurge on higher end establishments like Yono's or Prime 677, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate the creativity that goes into their culinary process because when I do get the opportunity to try bites from those restaurants at taste of events like HopChef, I truly appreciate the nuances and techniques that the chefs use. Like Michelle says, local chefs at all levels of dining are being more and more creative. A good culinary experience isn't and shouldn't be limited to fine dining or five star restaurants; it should be accessible and approachable by all, not just "foodies" or "experts". For a small city like Albany and the Capital Region in general, it's a wonderful thing to experience different culinary points of views AND cultures in this little melting pot of ours. 

J and I enjoy discovering new places and experiencing the culinary cornucopia of the 518 and beyond. Whether they are as homely as the mini hot dog (Gus' is on the bucket list) or adventurous as a beef tongue reuben. Not all experiences will be great, but it's about taking risks and seeing and tasting what's out there. It's ok if you like chains and are skeptical to step outside your comfort zone. I'll admit it; sometimes a greasy Five Guys burger hits the spot but that doesn't mean I also don't appreciate a grass-fed artisan burger from The City Beer Hall. The Capital Region has such a rich food scene with innovative chefs, from fine dining to handcrafted ice cream; but regional foods and ethnic eats are just as much part of the dining experience. See what us bloggers think is good and taste for yourself! It's ok to disagree or rave if you do love it. The 518 food scene is yours to discover. Bon appetit! -R