The City Beer Hall

I take lunch pretty seriously, especially since I work in Downtown Albany. In looking back at my favorite Downtown Albany lunch spots, I can't believe I totally neglected to mention The City Beer Hall! Sure CBH is great for happy hour and dinner, but it's much quieter and less crowded during the day. With a gorgeous patio space out back, it's a perfect lunchtime getaway break in the summer. 

The lunch menu has evolved into a a lighter, fresher one using seasonal ingredients and it's been a nice alternative to days when I've had a 518 burger and felt too stuffed to work the rest of the afternoon. To be fair, it is probably the best burger I've had in Capital Region. Can't go wrong with quality grass fed beef cooked to a perfectly juicy medium rare. Other go to comfort foods that have stayed on the menu (and that I've obviously had more than once) are variations of delicious, cheezy things: truffled mac 'n cheese; gourmet grilled cheese with aged cheddar, pear, and jalapeno jam on sourdough; and the fried chicken sandwich with cranberry goat cheese and arugula. So when I came across the Heirloom Tomato and

Watermelon Salad, it was a nice break from the comforting carbs and for days when I try to eat more vegetables. I've been loving watermelon salads lately and the panko-crusted goat cheese medallion that accompanied the salad was a nice creamy, tangy element to the mix and the basil-mint vinaigrette rounded the dish well. It was the perfect light salad on a warm summer day. My only gripe was that the portion needed to be bigger but I guess it would be a great duo to balance the mac 'n cheese, which is now a smaller portion as well.

The inner french-Canadian in me squealed when I saw poutine on the menu. We all know that I have high standards for poutine. Since I got J hooked on poutine since we started dating, I couldn't have a bite without my partner in crime. We stopped in for a snack today and went all out: poutine with the pulled short rib. I've come to the conclusion that cheese curd here will never taste the same or squeak the same as the ones in Canada, with the exception of the local Montreal Poutine Truck. I'm always disappointed when the curds come melted but alas, this version was pretty tasty nonetheless. The short ribs were super tender and the beef gravy was made with beer which gave the dish another interesting dimension. The fries could have been more crispy but props for using hand cut fries. 

Since J and I thought ordering two orders of poutine would be overkill, we got a side of the fish tacos instead, which turned out to be an awesome decision. This taco has an asian flair: pan-seared rare tuna on a corn tortilla with ginger-soy slaw and drizzle of wasabi mayo and pickled pineapple. We love sushi and this dish was right up our alley. Good thing we ordered this dish because it was a light refreshing bite compared to the heavy greasy goodness of poutine. We've been big fans of Chef Menagias since his days at the now defunct Wine 'n Diner and even more so now since HopChef. Still dreaming of those HopChef hanger steak and eggs chef ;)  We're happy to see him back on the culinary scene here at the City Beer Hall. 

Buffalo Mac 'n Cheese

When the buffalo wing craving hits, make a mac 'n cheese version! We all know and love crack dip aka buffalo chicken dip and a comforting cheesy pasta is the perfect vehicle for this dip. I'm terrible at following recipes and usually  just look at the ingredients and throw it all together. I started with a deconstructed buffalo chicken dip by chopping in a blender cooked chicken breast and four garlic cloves. I mixed the chicken in a bowl with roughly 1/4 cup of sour cream and hot sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Toss in some chopped scallions and this could stand on its own as a dip but we're making buffalo chicken mac 'n cheese! On a side note, add some cream cheese and blue cheese to this mixture and it becomes a killer dip.

Ever since discovering this one pot mac 'n cheese method, it's my go to recipe for the ultimate comfort food. Cooking the elbow macs in milk is stupidly simple and just as good as the bechemel cheese sauce version, plus less pots to clean! Just make sure you have lots of milk on hand so you don't burn the pot. After all your cheesy goodness has melted and is a creamy delicious pot of carbs, mix in that buffalo chicken mix and you've got yourself one great meal. What about the celery and blue cheese you ask? Why this celery salad is the perfect accompaniment. Score, who needs to go out for wings? -R

A Beekman Birthday

 A few weeks ago, J and I went on an impromptu brew tour to Ommegang Brewery and Council Rock Brewery. On our way to Cooperstown, we stopped by the village of Sharon Springs to visit the Beekman 1802 Mercantile and ever since that pitstop, I couldn't imagine not having a Beekman birthday. So this past Saturday, I spent my 28th birthday enjoying the simple things in life. No boots of beer or giant margaritas this year.

If you watch Cooking Channel, you might recognize The Fabulous Beekman Boys aka Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge from their reality show as city guys who left their Manhattan ways, bought a farm and decided to become full time farmers and raise goats. You might also recognize the Beekman Boys as the most recent winners of The Amazing Race. The Beekmans now make artisanal products from vegetables and goat milk from their farm. They are well-known for their goat milk soap, a product beloved by Martha Stewart. Now they have expanded their lifestyle brand to include edible products like goat cheese and goat milk ice cream. 

Of course I was good on my birthday and had lunch before dessert. My Beekman birthday wouldn't be complete without some Beekman Blaak mac 'n cheese, courtesy of the Black Cat Cafe conveniently located a couple doors down from the mercantile. At $48 a wheel for the Beekman Blaak cheese that is on a giant waitlist, it's a bit steep for my pocket but at $7 for a bowl of mac 'n cheese made with the same cheese at the cafe, it's worth a try. The blaak cheese is a hard cheese that melts beautifully in this mac 'n cheese. My only gripe is that the dish desperately needed salt and pepper but otherwise, an afternoon lunch spent outside on the porch was a perfect way to spend my birthday afternoon. The mac is a small portion so I was glad I ordered a side of Lebanese potato salad, which was mayo-less and a nice tangy alternative to the heavy classic. J of course went with a reuben and gave it a thumbs up. 

The goat milk ice cream is worth the trip alone, and well it was the only thing I really wanted for my birthday. It's that good. We actually stopped by the Mercantile during the day and on our way back to Albany stopped by again in the evening for the Ice Cream Jam. The Beekman 1802 Mercantile was hoppin' on a Saturday night with 80s music and glow sticks, which Brent insisted on giving us to wear. Brent even let me skip the request line and put Safety Dance on top of the DJ list as a birthday present. But the real treat of the night was a half pint of Beekman goat's milk ice cream. If you love the tanginess of goat cheese, you'll love this ice cream. The Beekman's version (part goat milk and cow's cream) is smooth, creamy and rich but that goat's milk gives the ice cream such a unique tangy flavor that you'll want a whole pint rather than the half pint that it comes in. No artificial flavors here so you'll feel that much better eating it. I've tried 3 out of the four flavors and I'd rank the Cateja Caramel Swirl (of course it's a goat's milk caramel) at the top followed by the Tart Cherry Almond Swirl (with sour cherries from the farm) and the classic vanilla flavor. The last of the flavors, fig balsamic, has eluded me but I'm determined to try on the next trip. Also, if you're thinking of brining some goat milk ice cream back to Albany, it travels pretty well in a cooler bag :) The Beekmans will even

offer you ice if you need it.

For more edible Beekman 1802 products, be sure to sample the creamed honeys (from Beekman Farm bees of course); we've picked up jars of lemon creamed honey and rosemary creamed honey. Another favorite of ours is the hickory smoked sea salt. This has been our crack of the summer. We sprinkle it on everything from steaks (the Meathouse kind of course) and simply on fresh cucumber slices for a healthy snack with a smokey flavor. We can't wait to try the Mortgage Lifter Bourbon BBQ sauce, which 25% of the profits are donated to directly help struggling small American farmers. Obviously that million dollar prize from the Amazing Race has gone a long way, yet Josh and Brent remain as community oriented as they were when they first started the business. Not to mention they are as friendly and personable as they are on tv. Josh and Brent are truly the most humble and nice celebrities I've met and to see them behind the scenes at the shop shows how much they care about their business, even after moments of fame. You can't help but smile and want to be their best friends when you meet them. P.S. Read Josh's book, The Bucolic Plague: How Two Manhattanites Became Gentlemen Farmers: An Unconventional Memoir, about their Beekman journey. It's a great summer read. -R

Cooper's Cave Ale Company

We've been on a brew pub kick lately especially after the HopChef dinner and stops by Ommegang Brewery and Council Rock Brewery in Cooperstown. J and I decided to stop by Cooper's Cave Ale Company on our way to to Montreal this past weekend. Our first encounter with CCAC was actually at Council Rock Brewery where they carry CCAC's line of handcrafted sodas. My inner Harry Potter geek was intrigued by the Butterbeer (a butterscotch cream soda) complete with that trademark lightning bolt. After finding out that it was made in Glens Falls, a road trip was in order. 

It's the best of all worlds at the Cooper's Cave Ale Company flagship: handcrafted soda, homemade ice cream, great food, and craft beers. The menu is great mix of bar food with a gourmet twist, all homemade said the owner as she greeted us. Of course J started with a flight of beer but to be honest, the only memorable ones were the blueberry ale and abbey ale . Maybe the ones we had just lacked body and flavor, but we thought the beer was better utilized incorporated into the food. 

The pub menu has a number of typical comfort bar foods but with unique twists. Who doesn't love crack dip aka buffalo chicken dip? CCAC's version comes stuffed in fried wontons. This appetizer was one of the best munchies we've come across in awhile. Spicy, crispy, and paired with homemade blue cheese dip, it's something we could easily have had seconds of. We'd come back to Glens Falls just for these buffalo chicken wontons.  

J's go to dish at new places besides reubens are nachos, despite traumatizing experiences in the past that have involved Doritos chips instead of tortilla chips and rubbery ground beef at unnamed locations. CCAC's version comes with beer-b-que pulled pork. J likes to make homemade bbq sauce and he was happy enough with this beer version. I on the other hand went with the duck sliders. These sliders were infused with CCAC's ginger beer (which I had on the side and has a spicy kick!) and topped with goat cheese and apricot mustard. All of my favorite flavors on a tiny bun. I was afraid all these flavors would clash since duck and goat cheese tend to be heavy and strong, but it worked very well together here. The duck was  a very flavorful and well-seasoned sausage patty and the creaminess and the tanginess of goat cheese paired well with the gaminess of duck. 

After a full meal, how could we pass up on homemade ice cream too? For a full summer ice cream experience, order an ice cream cone at the window outside and enjoy the beautiful summer weather at the picnic tables. Armed with a cone each of vanilla honey and chocolate peanut cups, J and I were happy stuffed campers ready to tackle the rest of our trip up North. If you find yourself up in Glens Falls, make a point to stop here for food, beer, soda, or ice cream or all of the above like we did. -R

Brewery Ommegang HopChef

A giant shout out and thank you to M.H.A. Innovations for picking us as the winners of the HopChef Competition Giveaway. We had a blast at this unique food and beer pairing dinner. Seven Capital Region chefs prepared a dish incorporating and paired with a beer from Brewery Ommegang and the winner gets to compete against the other winning Hop Chefs from Chicago, Philly, and Boston in a finale during Ommegang’s Belgium Comes to Cooperstown event in August. Max London's Mark Graham won the judge's pick and Mazzone Hospitality's Will Brown won People's Choice. More from the judge's perspectives at Table Hopping and Notes on Napkins. 

J is more of the beer expert than I am but we enjoyed sampling and critiquing each dish. We channeled all we learned from watching Chopped marathons on Food Network and were impressed by the Chefs' creative and sophisticated dishes. Here's our take on the HopChef creations, starting with our favorite: 

Brunswick BBQ & Brew

I want my baby back, baby back, baby back, ribs. Don't go to Chili's for authentic BBQ. Seriously. J and I have been making fun of BBQ sauce ever since watching an episode of Restaurant Impossible where a Southern BBQ joint was using bottled BBQ sauce with a dash of allspice and squeeze of bottled lemon juice for tang. We've been on the hunt for good BBQ ever since and have found bliss at Brunswick BBQ & Brew in Brunswick, NY. It's our go to place when the meat cravings set in and we're happy to make the trek from Albany.

Tucked in what seems to be the middle of nowhere, this place is hands down one of the best authentic BBQ joints in the Capital Region. Step out of the car and you are greeted by the sweet smell of smoked meat in the air. Ahhh, makes you salivate. It's hard to pick one menu item but a good starter is the BBQ Appetizer Sampler. You get a bit of everything: bbq wings, ribs, and piggly wigglys aka pulled pork sliders. All the meats are smoked to perfection and the depth of flavor can only be achieved by properly smoking low and slow and not just quick grilling meat. You can see that classic pink ring on the meat that they always talk about on the BBQ tv specials.  

J's go to platter is the tender and juicy beef brisket. You get an array of sides with the plates. Our favorites are the baked beans and sweet potato fries. But J's favorite staple is the corn bread with honey butter. The butter is like crack. Fluffy cornbread is the perfect vehicle for this sweet and salty buttah. He would eat a tub of honey butter if he could, but I'd like my fiance not to die of a heart attack. 

Brunswick BBQ isn't just about the meat but the pizza as well! They have a brick oven pizza that makes for the most perfect charred crust. The dough is crispy yet has a good chew to it and one of the best slices is the Brunswick BBQ Signature pizza with homemade, sweet Kansas City Sauce, cheddar cheese, and that yummy smoky pulled pork. The Margherita Pizza is just as good too, especially with prosciutto.  

Make a point to stop on by Brunswick BBQ, it's also a great pit stop to or from Grafton State Park or The Peace Pagoda. You will find blissful peace in this BBQ joint as soon as you taste it! -R

Cheesecake Machismo

I love me a good cheesecake. Some out of town friends came for a visit and wanted Cheesecake Factory for dessert. As much as I love CF's dense, creamy cheesecake, my friends needed to have a true Albany dessert experience at Cheesecake Machismo. 

Small, quaint, and definitely quirky (hello pop art and all things comic books), it's the ultimate unique sweets spot. You all know I'm a sucker for different flavors, and Cheesecake Machismo lives up to uncommon flavors that you won't find at chains like Cheesecake Factory. My odd flavor of choice was a green tea cheesecake with chocolate ganache topping while J was sold when he heard chocolate chip cookie dough crust and went with a slice of chocolate chip fasciana. I must admit the green tea flavor didn't really come through but the chocolate part made up for it, and I love the light texture of the cheesecakes here. Sometimes the CF ones are too dense and rich, and at CM I leave satisfied and not over the top stuffed after a slice. 

The friends went with slices of bananas foster and pineapple upside down (aka

Spongebob's Eviction) and were not disappointed. Cheesecake Factory who? Plus, at $5 a slice with your choice of a hot or cold beverage, it's a mighty good deal. When in doubt, always take out of town guests to the best local spots like Cheesecake Machismo.