Reel Seafood Co.

Our one and only visit to Reel Seafood Co. was more than three years ago. Our meals weren't terrible; they were just forgettable. Ever since J mastered the art of shucking oysters, our outings for seafood has been limited to trips to fin-your fishmonger for our own stay-at-home feasts. But with recent news of renovations, new chef and owner, and renewed efforts to source sustainable seafood and local seasonal ingredients, we were willing to jump back on board Reel Seafood Co. We don't typically go out on Friday nights but it was a chance for us to observe a busy dinner service. 

Although it felt a bit like being inside an alien spaceship, neon glow aside, the "new" Reel Seafood Co. certainly looks sleek and modern with updated furniture, a wall of aquariums, and bright blue lighting.  We were excited to try the "new and improved" menu. We're more than capable of prepping our own raw bar and escargots has been on J's culinary bucket list for awhile now, so in we dove with snails as an appetizer. This was our first time trying escargots and we didn't quite know what to expect. What we got were underseasoned, butter-soaked bites. The little rounds of puff pastry didn't add much flavor or texture, and I didn't really care for them. A few shakes of salt helped a bit but the herbed-butter was overwhelming. As for the escargots, J liked them more than I did. They were a bit too earthy-flavored for my taste but the texture wasn't as bad as I was expecting; it's almost like eating a chewy mussel or clam. I would try escargots again but prepared differently. 

Good Night Noodle Preview

Pho with Chicken Meatball

This isn't the pho noodle soup I grew up with but I'm more than ok with it. It's all pho a good cause. Get it?! Forgive the pho pun. More on the soup. By day it's Good Morning Cafe, and by night owner Nancy Holzman and chef/business partner Linh Sullins are working to flip the same space into Good Night Noodle. Both under one roof, the businesses share a common objective: to bring good, healthy food using locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients with a give-back philosophy. You can read more about their mission and story at Indiegogo. 

Organic, grassfed, and gluten-free are not part of my Vietnamese vocabulary but it does translate into a delicious bowl of guilt-free pho soup. I found a kindred spirit in Linh as we chatted about our Vietnamese backgrounds and how she came about developing her recipe. With Good Morning Cafe's philosophy in mind, Linh wanted to echo those local and sustainable ingredients in her Vietnamese dishes while providing a healthier alternative. That means no MSG, no bouillon, and no fish sauce in the cooking process (gasp! more on that later). During a recent blogger preview, we were served bowls of chicken pho with samples of beef broth and veggie broth. 

Mingle's Kimchi Fries

It all started with a single tweet:

I saw a picture of kimchi fries and that's all I want to try now. Can a 518 eatery make that happen ASAP?!

— Chopsticks Optional (@chopsticksopt) February 28, 2014

Then our fairy godmothers at All Over Albany, derryX, and Mingle Albany stepped in 
and made our culinary dreams come true: 

@chopsticksopt @Tomstoll Heh. We're going to write about this and see if the culinary fates can make it happen like the apple cider cronut.

— All Over Albany (@alloveralbany) February 28, 2014

The end result is a unique cultural mashup whose introduction to the Capital Region has long been overdue. Kimchi fries have been on the urban food truck scene for awhile now and my only encounter with these loaded fries has been through my television screen as I salivate over the creation. Lo and behold, one and half days later, Mingle came through with a version of their own: "Our Kimchi Fries begin with skin on & baked fries layered with bulgokee chicken & beef, pork belly and kimchi layered with Havarti from The Cheese Traveler."

Vietnamese Pandan Waffles

No, that isn't a St. Patty's Day waffle. Ever since getting a wafflemaker for Christmas, J and I have been experimenting with an array of sweet and savory waffle creations. Ranging from Korean Pajeon Waffles to Cheddar Bacon Scallion Waffles and the ultimate Liege Waffle, the possibilities have been endless. It was only up until recently that I discovered the use of our waffle iron to make Vietnamese desserts. 

As I've gotten older, I've come to appreciate my culture and its food more and am slowly incorporating Vietnamese recipes into my own repertoire.  My mom tipped me onto a Vietnamese cooking show on YouTube and the recipe below is based on Bep Nha Ta Nau which translate to My Home Kitchen. I came across the waffle recipe from this channel. When my parents came for a recent visit, I knew pandan waffles was something I wanted to make with my mom.

Are pandan waffles a fairly new Vietnamese creation? Mom never came across them during her childhood but we're no strangers to the classic Vietnamese flavors of pandan and coconut milk. No pandas were harmed in the making of pandan extract. Pandan is a floral green grass abundantly used in Vietnamese cooking and has a striking green color when blended. It has a unique fragrant and herby flavor that is subtly sweet and almost vanilla-like. It's most commonly paired with coconut milk in desserts and the marriage of these ingredients is magical. Here's a loose translation of the recipe:

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. 

Umana Brunch

Neither two feet of snow nor snow emergency could stop us from Sunday brunch. It's been awhile since J and I have ventured out for a late weekend morning outing. Our last brunch trip to New World wasn't up to par to our norm so we decided to give Umana Restaurant and Wine Bar a go. Umana also happens to be open later than most brunch places (11:30am-3:30pm) and perfect for us since we usually get a later start to our day than most people. 

I drive by Umana almost everyday and have been intrigued by it since its renovation days. Umana's menu is inspired by global flavors and just what we needed to brighten our day from this dreary winter weather. Its brunch menu is small but spans many breakfast standards including fritatta, quiche, french toast and crepes all with an international twist. You'll find sweet fillings such as spiced mango chutney and cardamom honey sauce and savory ones like African spiced shrimp and salt cod in the egg dishes. Two brunch items stood out to us the most: the hash duet and pork belly omelette. 

Saigon Spring

It's no surprise that J and I are pho-natics. While Kim's Vietnamese is usually our go to for pho noodle soup, Saigon Spring excels at other classic Vietnamese dishes. My parents weren't able to come down for Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, so I wasn't able to get my share of homemade traditional foods. I had a hankering for bun thit nuong (grilled pork with rice noodles) and they make the best version of this dish up in Clifton Park. The pork is a great balance of sweet and savory with fragrant flavors of lemongrass, fish sauce, and garlic and grillled til there's a nice fatty char. Nothing is more disappointing than dry, overcooked pork but here it is juicy and mouth-watering good. But at the last minute, I had a change of heart and decided to celebrate New Year's with something more decadent. 

Another favorite dish that I use to get as a kid but haven't had in ages was mi xao don aka crispy noodles. While this dish is mostly Chinese influenced, it is a popular dish at Vietnamese restaurants and would be a special occasion dish to order. What better way to celebrate a holiday that is shared among Vietnamese and Chinese cultures alike. Saigon Spring's version is a seafood medley called do bien xao xa made with a lemongrass sauce. A bed of crispy noodles is covered in an array of giant plump shrimp, scallops, and mussels sauteed in sweet and spicy sauce with hunks of peppers and onions. It's a messy dish as you try to maneuver getting shards of crispy noodles into your mouth but the sauce softens some of the noodles creating a fun mix of textures.