currently snacking on...

....homemade sweet potato doughnuts with some added ginger for a bit of zing! 

Recipe from Story of My Life Blog. 

Nibble Inc.

It was love at first bite when we discovered potato doughnuts at The Holy Donut in Portland. So when we heard Troy's Nibble Inc. was inspired by Maine's unique take on a beloved staple, we were super excited. Our expectations were pretty high especially after being greeted by this massive sign of adventurous flavors.  

Doughnuts are made to order, which means fresh fillings and glazes, so prepare for long wait lines. Love that Nibble Inc. incorporates local ingredients and partners into its products, including Rare Form Brewery, Brown's, and Sweet Sue's. 

The lemon fruit tarts at Sweet Sue's are stellar. In doughnut form, the Local Lemon curd filling had the same sweet and tart flavor that we love but the consistency of the filling was a bit runny, most likely because we got a fresh-out-of-the-fryer doughnut.

In addition to classic flavors, you'll find playful ones like maple bacon and cocktail-inspired ones like the Upstate Sour made with whiskey glaze, lemon-lime icing, and blackberry cassis filling. As much as we wanted to love the booze-inspired glazes, the filling far outshined its counterpart.

There's no doubt that tasty, high quality ingredients are being used but sadly the star of the show kind of fell flat. The potato doughnuts we've had in Portland were moist and crumbly but these were so heavy, dense, and tough. We came in during a pretty high volume morning so I wonder whether the doughnuts spent too much time in the fryer, or perhaps the recipe needs a bit more tweaking; it's only been two weeks since Nibble has opened its doors.

The one doughnut J and I both agreed was the best out of the four we got was the dark chocolate sea salt. This one had the soft(er) crumb that we were looking for. Plus the chocolate flavor really came through, especially with the touch of saltiness and honey glaze.

The flavors are there and with a bit more room for improvement, I can see us coming here more often. It's the kind of shop that's right up our alley so we've got high hopes for Nibble Inc. in the coming months. The Capital Region needs more places that think out of the (doughnut) box. 

Pass The Thyme Cafe

Where did summer go? It's hard to believe that fall flavors are in full swing. The Capital Region is blessed with an abundance of pick-your-own orchards with a variety of apples and even better, cider doughnuts and fresh-pressed cider. One of our favorite orchards is Samascott Orchards in Kinderhook, NY. Now that  autumn apples are calling our names, a hearty brunch is a must before doing some picking. We've driven by Pass The Thyme Cafe numerous times on our way down for PYO summer blueberries and just recently stopped by for a fantastic meal. You'll find this sweet charming spot less than a mile down the road from Samascott Orchards serving a classic variety of breakfast fare and lunch items. 

Omelette of the Day: J went with the special of the day, an omelette with spinach, avocado, tomatoes, bacon and cheddar with a smashed potato cake, toast, and fresh fruit. For $10, this was a huge breakfast! Eggs were fluffy and generously filled with fresh vegetables. The most interesting element of this feast was the potato cake, a unique hybrid of creamy mashed potatoes sprinkled with scallions  and encrusted with a thin, golden crunchy layer of cheese on the bottom. The cheddary tuille of sorts was one of the best, memorable bites. 

We also shared a side of hash. I was perplexed by the dish of thinly sliced potatoes but somehow it worked. It wasn't potato chip thin but had just enough toothy bite yet satisfying crisp. 

currently snacking on...

...Papdi Chaat from Parivar Spices. A forkful of delightful contrasting textures and symphony of flavors—salty, sweet, spicy, crunchy, savory. Made with chunks of fried crackers, chickpeas, fresh red onions and cilantro, topped with a creamy cucumber mint sauce, sprinkle of chili, and crispy sev noodles. It's like the best plate of Indian nachos. 

2014 Downtown Albany Food Fight: MeatBall Edition

The Downtown Albany BID hosted a Meatball Food Fight competition featuring 15 local restaurants. Each establishment had their own spin on a meatball. Some bites were great, some were atrocious but overall a fun outing. Here's a rundown of our picks vs. the judge's picks. 

The Hollow Bar + Kitchen (Best in Show; Best Vegetarian; Most Unique): The best bite of the afternoon goes to a non-meat entry. As major carnivores, this mozzarella stuffed veggie quinoa ball surprised us. It was the most flavorful and well-executed dish of the afternoon. The quinoa ball had a crisp exterior and the shavings of nutty asiago, tangy and garlicky marinara, and swirl of olive oil complemented the "meatball" very well. It was also the only vegetarian entry but the most flavorful and one of few "meatballs" we'd go back for second helpings of. 

Jack's Oyster House (Best in Show 2nd): It it weren't for the quinoa ball, this chicken and veal parmigiana meatball would be a top pick. Not only was it deep fried to crispy perfection but oozing with stuffed mozzarella. Topped with a generous spoonful of pomodoro sauce and parmesan, it was a great twist on a traditional meatball. Jack's Oyster House was overall People's Choice winner.

Taiwan Noodle

Until the Capital Region gets its own ramen joint, we'll settle for Taiwan Noodle. It's not the chew we're still dreaming about from our ramen trip to Portland's Pai Men Miyake but a bowl here is cheap, filling, and definitely better than the instant ramen packet sitting in your cupboard. At $6.95 it's a steal for this stewed pork belly bowl with bok choy and soy egg. The broth is light and clean, without being too heavy. It's not heavily spiced or as complex as a pho or ramen broth but a spoonful of this stuff is welcomed with the cooler weather rolling in.

For a different take on a noodle dish, try the spicy noodle bowl with meat. Think of it as the Taiwanese version of spaghetti bolognese. It was a little on the bland side this time but there's something about the textural contrast between the bean sprouts, noodles, and sweet and spicy meat sauce all mixed together that's enjoyable. Don't forget the small bowl of broth that comes on the side. I have no idea if you're suppose to slurp alongside or add to your noodles but a few spoonfuls of this oniony broth in between bites broke up some of the heat. 

Taiwan Noodle has a number of sharable small plates too. You'll find typical dim sum items like soup dumplings and scallion pancakes but I convinced J to try the pig ear. You gotta love weird textures to like this. My love of this stuff comes from my childhood memories of my mom making homemade headcheese with pig ears. Served cold, it's fatty, gelatinous, and slightly crunchy from the cartilage but packed with flavor from being stewed in five spice seasonings. If pig ear isn't your thing, there's also pork stomach and stewed pig feet. Don't be afraid of these cuts; they're some of the most delicious bites! 

Nine Pin Cider and Sides

The summer season flew by and we missed our chance to check out "Cider and Sliders" at Nine Pin Cider Works with Slidin' Dirty. Lucky for us it has reincarnated to "Cider and Sides" for the fall season featuring more local food trucks and expanded to every Thursday, Friday, Saturday in September and October starting at 4pm. 

Food truck rotations have so far included Slidin' Dirty, The Hungry Traveler, Capital Q Smokehouse and introducing the latest addition to the Capital Region food scene, Sweet Mama Mia. We love the chance to try something new!

We were skeptical of limited menu choices but one bite of this delicious pastrami sandwich turned us to converts. Thinly sliced cuts of smoky, well-seasoned meat was generously piled between two soft slices of rye topped with sauerkraut. Each bite was so flavorful and reminiscent of my beloved Montreal smoked meat. Fries were well-seasoned but could've used some more fry time. The pastrami far outshined the sides.

A flight of Nine Pin was the perfect pairing as we enjoyed our outdoor happy hour on the colorful loading dock. We've stopped by the tasting room a few times now and love the rotating variety but we always come back to our favorite, the Signature. It's dry and crisp without being cloyingly sweet and the refreshing apple flavor comes through very well. Blueberry apple cider comes in a second favorite. We're looking forward to tasting upcoming small batch flavors especially with apple season in full force! Not to mention more food truck eats! Keep up with the latest Cider and Slides news on Facebook.