Excellent homemade pretzels and all-beef hot dogs, with your choice of condiments, make for a delicious inexpensive lunch at the new Philly Pretzel Factory in Clifton Park. The locally owned business, in the strip mall near Borders, offers other pretzel varieties, including a tasty cinnamon pretzel. See the full review in the Jan. 11 edition of The Sunday Gazette. Here is a list of restaurants, including the pretzel factor, that received top marks during the past six months.
THE ALGONQUIN
4770 Lake Shore Drive, Bolton Landing. (644-9442). American cuisine — chicken, steaks and seafood — done well, with some interesting appetizers, including a nostalgic take on chicken liver pate. Family friendly with full bar service and you can arrive by car or by boat. Open through Columbus Day.
Bombay Grill
571 Watervliet Shaker Road, Latham (783-7838). Bombay Grill serves lunch and dinner graciously in a small, comfortable restaurant near the corner of routes 155 and 9 in Latham. Try the bargain buffet lunch for a taste of their varied Southern Asian cuisine, or try the moist and spicy tandoori chicken, spicy chapal kabab, or creamy chicken tikka masala. For an authentic ending, have the sweet rice pudding.
Butcher Block
1632A Central Ave., Colonie (456-1653). A comfortable steak and seafood place, with rustic theme and excellent service. A great place to indulge your carnivore instincts with the prime rib or a char-grilled sirloin or filet mignon with gorgonzola cream. Seafood offerings include their signature shrimp in vodka sauce over mini penne. Open every day. It’s a popular place so reservations are a good idea.
Cliff’s Country Inn
57 Route 9P, Malta (584-9791 or www.cliffscountryinn.com). Casual, family-friendly Cliff’s is the place to go if you want prime rib, where even the smallest cut would satisfy Fred Flintstone. Anything deep-fried is especially good, especially the onion rings. Enjoy your meat on the deck when the weather is fine, and if you really want to alarm your cardiologist, order the fried cheesecake for dessert.
Crisan Bakery
and Edible Art gallery
197 Lark Street, Albany. (445-2727). Crisan is the Capital Region's answer to a European-style bakery, complete with small tables for dining and savory flaky pastries for a light meal. The pastries are unparalleled in the city; only the few restaurants with a pastry chef can produce desserts like these–and you can enjoy them without the dinner check. There's layer cakes and tarts. flaky croissants and gelato–a dozen kinds.
51 Front Wine Bar & Bistro
51 Front St., Ballston Spa. (727-2089 or www.51frontwinebar.com). An absolutely charming place with a commitment to top-notch cuisine and service. It’s a good place for a date, and it’s a dessert destination that’s friendly and cozy. You must try the fried chicken, what the Colonel himself would make if he went to the CIA. Grade: A
FIFTY SOUTH
2128 Doubleday Ave., Ballston Spa. (884-2926). Operated by Kelly Klopstock of the Lily and the Rose Gourmet Catering Co., Fifty South features American cuisine and interesting gourmet tapas such as rack of lamb served in a martini glass with mashed sweet potatoes and demi-glace, and pan-seared duck breast over wild rice with Asian orange sauce and steamed in-season veggies. Breakfast available all day; lunches include a range of salads and sandwiches and soups. Nightly dinner specials.
GUS’S HOT DOGS
212 25th St., Watervliet (273-8743). You know the little dogs, and you want them now. At Gus’s, you’ll get them with the works for a song and the ambience of no ambience. Take a burger or sausage patty sandwich home or dine al fresco at a picnic table. The food is good, the price is right. Get in line.
Heidelberg Inn
352 Quaker Road, Queensbury. (792-5556). Quality German and American cuisine featuring pleasing takes on modern dishes and Old World classics. Housed in a small alpine-style chalet, the restaurant has been serving good food for more than 35 years. Try the leberkase or Jaeger schnitzel, along with some house spaetzel and red cabbage. Handicapped accessible, children’s menu, all major credit cards. Dinner reservations are a good idea. Grade: A
HOT HARRY’S FRESH BURRITOS
1625 Union St., Schenectady. Phone 374-2812. Mexican specialties designed for American taste buds. You can find a bacon cheeseburger quesadilla here, or a Buffalo chicken burrito. Tasty food fashioned from fresh ingredients while you watch. Burritos are substantial meals in themselves, and orders come with warm made-on-the-premises tortilla chips with choice of chunky salsas. Kid-friendly.
Melting Pot
Crossgates Mall, Guilderland (862-1292). If you're looking for a fun evening out where you dip your food and cook yourself, then you'll love The Melting Pot. It's a long evening but entertaining. If you want your dinner on a plate, they have entrees available a la carte. The cheddar cheese fondue is out of this world and if you like chocolate, you must have a dessert fondue. They want you to have a good time, and the quality of the food is good. Grade: A
Philly Pretzel Factory
5 Southside Drive, Clifton Park. (280-9500). Stop by for a quick lunch to go or get a platter of pretzels for your next party at the locally owned Philly Pretzel Factory. The all-beef hot dogs in their crispy crusts are tasty, and their pretzels, made daily, are crisp on the outside and soft and warm on the inside. It's a great place for an inexpensive meal or snack. Grade: A
PRIME AT SARATOGA
NATIONAL GOLF COURSE
458 Union Ave., Saratoga Springs. (583-4653). Looking for that special place to wow your date or celebrate an occasion? Any of Mazzone Management's restaurants will do that, and Prime at Saratoga National Golf Course is one of the best steakhouses around. Unsurpassed service, prime-grade beef, and attention to every detail is a Mazzone hallmark. Pastry chef on premises, so leave room.
Slick’s Restaurant & Tavern
127 S. Ferry St., Schenectady (370-0026). Famous with locals and downtown business employees for its epic sandwiches, piled high with ham, turkey breast, roast beef or corned beef, which you can wash down with your favorite brew or soft drink. Prices are moderate, staff is friendly and helpful and the pub ambience is pleasant.
TURF TAVERN
40 Mohawk Ave., Scotia (393-3344). American cuisine, family-style restaurant with full-service bar. Variety of seafood, steak, chicken and pasta dishes done well, along with interesting appetizers and soups. Efficient service and warm ambience. Grade: A
Winedown Lounge
613 Union St., Schenectady (344-7039). This Schenectady restaurant serves high-end, high wow-factor food at a competitive price in an attractively renovated old house on Union Street. Save room for the homemade desserts, but don’t pass up the complete and completely wonderful chicken roulade dinner or the ever-changing torn homemade pasta. There’s a lounge with fireplace for sipping drinks, a patio overlooking Union Street, and a comfortable dining room where jazz is offered on Saturday nights.
