LT's Grill

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Written by Brian

Category: Restaurant Reviews

It's ok, you can admit it, you have never heard of LT's Grill in Schenectady before this second.  That's ok, I hadn't either.  I saw their menu online and we decided to give it a try.  Armed with an address and a GPS, we still felt like we were looking for platform 9 3/4.  We circled the plaza twice before it just magically appeared to us, clear as day.  When you first walk inside, you get the feeling that LT's wasn't really sure what it wanted to be.  It was basically half BBQ joint / half sports bar.  Well... 1/2 BBQ joint / 1/2 sports bar with seafood.  You are greeted by a lobster tank when you first walk in.  After you get to the dining floor, you will see your typical white top tables that scream BBQ, and on the far side you'll see a large bar with half a dozen flat screen TVs with sporting events on.

On the Saturday night we were there, they were running a special:  1/2 priced appetizer with the purchase of an entree.  I had heard their dry rub was good, so we ordered some boneless wings with their homemade dry rub on them. (normally $8).  They were served with blue cheese and celery.  Josie and I both agreed that the dry rub was amazing.  Very complex flavors, with a bit of tang and a bit of spice.  The chicken was moist with a thick breading (Josie thought it was too thick, I liked the crunch)

For my entree, I picked the 1/2 rack of ribs with the Kansas City BBQ sauce on it.  For my sides, I had the dry rub fries and big man chips (both potatoes, but there are only really 9 sides to choose from, and 4 are potatoes, Josie had already ordered and I wanted to be different).  The ribs were fantastic.  They had a smokey flavor, nice and tender inside and the BBQ sauce truly complemented them without overwhelming them.  The fries were good, but without the dry rub I wouldn't have wasted stomach space on them.  The chips were homemade, and tasted like unseasoned kettle chips.  They did come with a horseradish cream sauce that was very good.  the cornbread was really fluffy with a great flavor, but I would have preferred it warm.  The 1/2 rack with the sides was $12 with is an amazing value.

Josie ordered the pulled pork platter with baked beans and garlic cheddar smashed pototes.  The pork was incredibly moist but lacked flavor without the aid of the bbq sauce.  The mashed potatoes were incredibly garlicy, too garlicy to even eat.  And Josie loves her garlic.  The beans were good with a unique flavor she couldn't quite place, but eventually decided it was probably molasses.  She loved the corn bread so much I had to give her my piece.  The pulled pork platter costs $14

For my drink, I ordered the sweet tea, but it was really more of your standard Lipton tea out of a soda fountain, not what I would consider your typical sweet tea.  Our server was great, very friendly and attentive, she offered us suggestions on what to try and refilled drinks without having to be asked.

Total for the meal and drinks for the two of us with tax was $36.   Website: http://www.ltsgrillny.com

1/2 Rack of ribs	Boneless wings with dry rub	Pulled pork platter

Sweet Basil

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Written by Brian

Category: Restaurant Reviews

	Front of menu

Sweet Basil is a new Thai restaurant that opened in August of 2012 (last month)  It is located on Delaware Ave in Albany.  I have been to most of the Thai places in the area, so when a new one opened up, I was eager to try it to see how it stacked up.

Parking on Delaware can often be a pain, but on the Friday evening when we went, there was plenty of parking on the street nearby.  We were there during the typical busy time for restaurants, so I can reasonably assume parking won't be an issue for this location.  The restaurant itself is quite small, inside there are 6 tables, 4 - 4 person tables, and 2 - 2 person.  There is also limited seating outside for the warmer months (one table is partially pictured above).  We were immediately greeted by a friendly employee as soon as we walked in which is always a plus.

Now, lets get down to the food.  I ordered one of their specials, called Yellow Twin.  It consists of duck and shrimp in a pineapple curry sauce with tomato and basil.  It is complimented with grilled pumpkin and jasmine rice.  So much to say about this dish.  The shrimp in the dish was cooked well, but lacked flavor on it's own.  Duck was cooked perfectly, and the crispy skin was just amazing.  The curry sauce was very flavorful with a mild spice.  The grilled pumpkin was actually acorn squash, and it felt out of place.  It was bland, and didn't really work with the dish.  The shrimp and duck pieces were all too big, and as with most Thai food places, they don't give you a knife, so you have to try to cut it with a fork, which proved to be difficult and inconvenient.  I am also not a big fan of leaving the tail on shrimp in a prepared dish, even though it is quite common.  This dish was one of the most expensive items on the menu at $22.

Josie ordered the pineapple fried rice with duck.  This dish had everything in it.  I don't remember all the ingredients, but there it included: rice, egg, cashews, tomatoes, onions, pineapple, and shallots.  The duck in her dish was dry and overcooked, but the dish as a whole was flavorful, and the pineapple was cooked perfectly:  warm without getting mushy.  She felt the cashews in the dish were a little out of place, but it isn't abnormal to find them in a fried rice dish.  With the duck, the pineapple fried rice cost $15.

We both had Thai iced tea with our meals, and we agreed it was a bit too sweet.  Service was fast and friendly, and presentation was very nice, the rice being served in the pineapple shell is a nice touch.

Total for the meal and drinks for the two of us with tax came out to be just over $45.

Yellow Twin	Pineapple Fried Rice

Amo La Bella

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Written by Brian

Category: Restaurant Reviews

Amo La Bella is right next to the building I work in, so this review is for their lunch.  Kent and I went over for lunch today to get some pictures and another experience to review.

When you first walk into Amo La Bella the inside looks well, completely tacky.  In the one corner is mirrors on all the walls, with a disco ball above them and white Christmas style lights all around.  Next to that is a heart shaped mirror with a neon sign behind it, and on the far wall is a neon light in the window that provides the majority of light in the dining area.  The floors and the bar are old and outdated.

But the food is good.  I ordered the Chicken Parm with penne pasta, and Kent ordered Veal Marsala.  You get a basket of bread and butter while waiting for your food.  The butter is always too cold to spread, and I wish the bread was warm, but it is one of the only places downtown that give you anything complementary for lunch.  Food came out pretty quick after ordering.  My chicken was cooked perfectly, it was juicy and tender.  Their sauce was great, and really complimented the chicken.  I know it is just your traditional chicken parm, but it was good traditional chicken parm.  Kent's veal marsala was also cooked really well, the veal was still tender and the marsala sauce was well prepared.

The meal for the two of us with sodas was $22.50.  Amo La Bella is in downtown Albany on Beaver St.

Chicken Parm	Veal Marsala

Johnny B's Diner

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Written by Kent

Category: Restaurant Reviews

This is a small yet classic throwback diner with very dependable breakfast, just outside Albany City Limits, in Glenmont, NY.

After many visits, I feel that this diner has fast flavorfull food coupled with excellent service.  Hearty portions and a good menu selection with many weekend specials.   The Potato Pancakes are the best in the area...

There is outside seating available but only on the weekdays and they are closed Mondays.  Note, they close early afternoon each day they are open.  Be prepared to wait a bit if you go during prime Breakfast time on the weekends, but the wait is worth it and usually goes quick.

Average and reasonable prices, with Breakfast meals ranging from $5 to $10 dollars and with Bacon, Egg, & Cheese Sandwiches coming in around $4 each.