Eating the Tri-Cities

[woodburner]

In an effort to stimulate "gullet growth", I'm taking the liberty of starting a thread regarding the Capital District Area.

Sutter's Mill & Mining Co. will hold its second annual burger eating contest at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 5. The competition is a benefit for the Center for the Disabled. Last year's event raised about $1,000.

The rules are simple and it's actually a good deal for the first 30 who enter. For$20 you get as many half-pound steer burgers as you can possibly consume in 20 minutes. Last year's winner was part way through his seventh when the buzzer sounded. Participants are required to eat the 4-ounce bun as well.

Times Union

Latham, located betwixt Troy and Schenectady, recently became the location of a new Crispy Kreme Shop.

woodburner

Edited March 4, 2004 by woodburner (log)

[docsconz]

Latham, located betwixt Troy and Schenectady, recently became the location of a new Crispy Kreme Shop.

Now this is interesting news. The North Country has arrived. Next thing you know, we'll get a restaurant by Jean-george or mario

[suzilightning]

Latham, located betwixt Troy and Schenectady, recently became the location of a new Crispy Kreme Shop.

Now this is interesting news. The North Country has arrived. Next thing you know, we'll get a restaurant by Jean-george or mario

they only put it there because all the kids at siena have nothing better -

like us u of a had the white castle downtown

[adegiulio]

Latham, located betwixt Troy and Schenectady, recently became the location of a new Crispy Kreme Shop.

Now this is interesting news. The North Country has arrived. Next thing you know, we'll get a restaurant by Jean-george or mario

they only put it there because all the kids at siena have nothing better -

like us u of a had the white castle downtown

Us RPI students would have killed for a white castle! All we had was a lousy KFC. We used to have a Sutters of our own, but they changed it to something else, still a bar, but not nearly as cool...

Oh, I miss the old days..

[Moopheus]

like us u of a had the white castle downtown

Us RPI students would have killed for a white castle! All we had was a lousy KFC. We used to have a Sutters of our own, but they changed it to something else, still a bar, but not nearly as cool...

Oh, I miss the old days..

[adegiulio]

Sure, there were plenty of bars in town...I was referring to fast food joints...The main bars in town were Sutters, Rolls, Eldorado, Elda's, and the Puritan....Rolls was terrific for live music, as I am sure you remember...We mostly hung out at Sutter's though, or the Castle...

[Moopheus]

There were definitely other fast food places in town--usual suspects, an Arthur Treacher's. There was a good lunch diner downtown that was great for burgers but it's gone now, don't remember the name of it. Had a double-U shaped counter. The Rolls is now where the Puritan was. The last time I was in Troy was about a year ago.

[suzilightning]

do not sully RPI

my grandfather was class of '20 and was post grad there; wrote a chaper on organic chem that was included in a text

having him tutor me in chem was a bitch

did my internship at albany public libray; class mate - polly farrington is a librarian at rpi - and would stop on my way back to the dorm for a bag of sliders.

we had our own places to hang out - the fountain for jazz and a place we would all go to on thursday night to listen to good blues piano - sorry can't remember the name of the bar-----

[adegiulio]

do not sully RPI

I would never do that, Ilove RPI.

I was there from 90-94, and I don't remember an Arthur Treachers in town. We briefly had a mcdonalds, but they closed during my freshman or sophomore year. Is the diner you are talking about Manory's? We used to eat there every Saturday morning, until my Junior year, when I took an apartment above Breuggers Bagels...

[Moopheus]

I remember Manory's, I had an apartment near there. But that wasn't the place I was thinking of. Connie's, that was it, I remember now. I left Troy in '88. Did you go to the Daily Grind? It was right next to the Bruegger's, it was the place that turned me into a coffee snob.

Another diner I remember but have forgotten the name of was in South Troy, looked like it had been frozen in time back in the 50s, the waiters were big guys with dirty smocks chomping on cigars.

Another good food thing I remember was a small Italian grocery run by an old guy who made his own very excellent sauces and pasta in the back room--I can remember being given sauce fresh out of the pot. A real luxury for a student on a tight budget.

There was a McDonald's in the Atrium Mall, the World's Ugliest Mall. I didn't think a McDonald's could go out of business.

[adegiulio]

The Daily Grind was on Broadway when I was there...the place next to Breuggers was vacant for the four years I was there, now its a bookstore, and it expanded to occupy that small block of land on the corner of 2nd street and congress street...

I dont remember Connie's. What was the name of that hot dog place on Congress street, a few stores down from Manory's? They had those short little hot dogs and a window that hadn't been cleaned since Uncle Sam was a real person. Ah the memories. My 10 year reunion is this year, it will be fun to go back.

I used to work at the Italia, which was on 4th st, but is gone now. Other restaurants of note back then were LoPorto's, 95 Ferry street, and that seafood place on Broadway (right near where the Daily Grind is now).. Come to think of it, there used to be another place right next to the seafood place, but they closed my freshman year (90)

Anthony

[woodburner]

No mention of the South End Tavern in Troy?

Duncan's Dairy Bar.. sweet.... very sweet.

Your all too young for remembering Lum's in Latham.. hot dogs steamed in beer...maybe Suzi

woodburner

[Moopheus]

I think the South End Tavern was the place I was thinking of--still has a sign up for the separate ladie's entrance to the bar.

I have had occasion to go back every once in a while to visit friends and I make a point of always going to Duncan's for breakfast. They have the best french toast. And their seasonal fruit pies were always yummy.

The thing that was practically a daily staple food for us was Freihofer's chocolate chip cookies, which were still made in Troy then. Which, sadly, seem to be becoming more and more like Entenmann's since they're now owned by the same giant food congolemerate (and they aren't sold in New York City, which is annoying).

edited for cookies

Edited March 7, 2004 by Moopheus (log)

[woodburner]

Here is some huge news, regarding the Capital District ethnic foodmarkets:

"By this time next year, Raymond Xu expects to open the front door to the first phase of Albany's own Chinatown.

An 86,000-square-foot shopping mall on North Pearl Street that will boast an elaborate pagoda, Chinatown will feature a huge Asian grocery store, restaurants, offices, salons and other retail outlets for Chinese, Japanese and Korean goods.

A number of small businesses catering to Asian shoppers have sprung up around the region in recent years, but Xu said the massive development at North Pearl and Colonie streets will consolidate many of those offerings under one roof.

"It will be a convenient (destination) for Asian shoppers, tourists, the curious and the neighborhood shoppers," he said.

During the 1990s, the area's foreign-born Asian population nearly doubled, from about 6,700 to about 13,500 residents. The U.S. Census Bureau also indicates the newcomers are spread around the immediate Capital Region and often work in high-paying professional jobs at hospitals, scientific facilities and colleges. Xu estimated that about 100,000 people of Asian heritage live within 75 miles of downtown Albany.

Xu, who came to the United States from the Chinese city of Canton as a child, said many first-generation Asians and those of Asian descent have been assimilated into the region, but still long for the foods, clothing and other hallmarks of their heritage. "They never, never lose their identity and their habits," he said.

The $9 million Chinatown plaza comprises 27 parcels on two acres at 289-329 N. Pearl St, which is in Albany's Empire Zone. That makes it eligible for state and local tax credits, such as payroll credits and sales tax exemptions on purchases of construction materials".

Capital Land Report 2004

Of equal importance, but not as large in size as the Xu project, the article goes on to provide information regarding Littly Italy's in Troy and Schenctady, and Guyanese also in Schenectady.

woodburner

[woodburner]

The thing that was practically a daily staple food for us was Freihofer's chocolate chip cookies, which were still made in Troy then. Which, sadly, seem to be becoming more and more like Entenmann's since they're now owned by the same giant food congolemerate (and they aren't sold in New York City, which is annoying).

edited for cookies

Those cookies go back a long way, rich in tradition, and sadly another jewel in the rough gone.

The Freihofer family did the family fued thing, about 30 years ago. All of their baked goods were produced in either Albany or Troy for years. Like little tonka trucks, every morning before the break of dawn, delivery drivers would head out to the supermarkets to fill the shelves of the local markets, from the mom and pops, up to the local grocery market. I surmise the addition of bakeries to the mega- markets put them out.

No comparison though regarding flavor and taste.

woodburner

I should add, that the Friehofers had their own television show in the 60's, called " The Freddie Friehofer Show".

Local kids between the ages of about 5-10 years old, would sit in small bleachers, and Uncle Jim Fisk, would ask the kids, "Who wants to sqwiggle". That entailed a youngster going up to the easel and drawing a picture of thier choice. Uncle Jim was somewhat of a professional sqwiggler. and would draw all the kids cute little pictures.

The show ended with the kids eating Friehofer cookies or Birthday cake.

My wife still has her sqwiggle, from when she was on the show, some 40 years ago.

Edited March 7, 2004 by woodburner (log)

[suzilightning]

[Those cookies go back a long way, rich in tradition, and sadly another jewel in the rough gone.

The Freihofer family did the family fued thing, about 30 years ago. All of their baked goods were produced in either Albany or Troy for years. Like little tonka trucks, every morning before the break of dawn, delivery drivers would head out to the supermarkets to fill the shelves of the local markets, from the mom and pops, up to the local grocery market. I surmise the addition of bakeries to the mega- markets put them out.

sorry don't remember lum's. asked johnnybird who was at siena 1972-1974 when he dropped out to hitchike across the nation and ended up in erie. pa but i'm afraid he remembers little about those years - those of you of a certain age will understand

i was at u of a 1978-79 for my masters degree and i remember walking down to the factory outlet for freihofers to get those rich, soft, warm, chewy cookies

sorry to hear they are owned by the same entity that owns entemann's. i can't eat their cookies - the chocolate really bothers my stomach.

just got an email from my friend in catskill. her husband took her to proctors for a show and she was lamenting the fact they couldn't find a decent place to eat in schenectady. any ideas for future field trips?

[woodburner]

Leo's Bakery, located just off New Scotland Ave, tooks it's last breath, today. It was the sole surviving kosher bakery left in Albany.

woodburner

[docsconz]

It is always sad when an institution passes, especially if it was the last of its kind. Was it any good?

[woodburner]

It is always sad when an institution passes, especially if it was the last of its kind. Was it any good?

It was very well known in it's day for special occasion cakes, mostly wedding. They excelled in pastry cream fillings, at least that's my recollection. It operated since the early 60's. Since Grandma lived a few short blocks away, and during my overnight stays at her house, we would walk up before lunch, to buy fresh bread for dinner, and fresh rolls for lunch.

I would judge the quality, probably on the same level, with which Bella Napoli (Rt. 9 Latham) operates today.

woodburner

[docsconz]

Bella Napoli I am familiar with. It is the best source of Italian pastries in the area that I know of.

[markabauman]

Also check out Villa Italia in the Schenectady/Rotterdam area for Italian pastries.

[tryska]

Are there actually any places to eat in Schenectady itself? I went back after about 22 years (i had gone to grade school in niskayuna) about 3 years ago when i worked for GE. I found no place to eat, until I finally found a girl walking on street and she showed me the way to a diner of soem sort. I remember vaguely there used to be a Tiger Lily across the street from Union College, and an Italian bakery on that street as well. And someplace that sold pizza frite. (Am i wrong? - i was like 5.)

Edited March 15, 2004 by tryska (log)

[woodburner]

Yono's, which had been operating at the Armory center at Central and Colvin in Albany has closed, due to an expansion of the car dealership.

There is plans to re-open in a different location.

woodburner

Edited December 26, 2004 by woodburner (log)

[docsconz]

Bummer! That was one of the better restaurants in Albany. Any idea if they will be re-opening in a new location?

[woodburner]

Bummer! That was one of the better restaurants in Albany.  Any idea if they will be re-opening in a new location?

←

I've not heard or seen of any definite locations that are being looked at, but they will be re-opening at some point in time.

woodburner