"Wind down at Winedown Restaurant" by Food Forum

A renovated home on Schenectady’s Union Street provides the attractive
setting for the Winedown Restaurant.
This fine-dining place offers great meals, perfect for that special
occasion. It is the latest addition to our recommended restaurants that
received top grades from our dining critics during their visits this year.
See the full review in the July 13 edition of The Sunday Gazette.

Apertivo Bistro

426 State St., Schenectady (579-3371). A lively, bustling, and stylish
restaurant owned and operated by Angelo Mazzone, where you will find
excellent food to enjoy in a number of ways. Order small plates — piattini
— of exquisitely prepared and presented miniature Italian specialties
ranging from simple dishes of olives or cheeses to more elaborate ones,
like lamb chops or steak tartare. Salads are big enough to share and a
respectable list of entrees offers something for everyone. You must have
one of their homemade desserts like the Nutella pizza or fried dough with
fresh sauces.

Bistro Tallulah

26 Ridge St., Glens Falls (793-2004). Serves Cajun-influenced bistro food
such as Cochon de Lait (roasted suckling pig), roasted chicken and
andouille gumbo and Coq au Vin. Dishes are well prepared, creative and
reasonably priced. Reservations strongly recommended.

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.

Cafe Capriccio

49 Grand St., Albany (465-0439 or www.cafecapriccio.com). This restaurant
has earned a reputation for consistently excellent food. The intimate
basement restaurant has a crack team of servers and a menu that changes
daily. Expect a well-paced, outstanding meal and be sure to save room for
homemade desserts.

Capital Q Smokehouse

329 Ontario St., Albany. (438-7675). Slow-cooked smoked meats including
brisket, pulled pork, ribs and rotisserie spice-rubbed chicken, with
Southern side dishes like baked beans, Hoppin’ John, cornbread and collard
greens. Mostly a take-out place, but you can eat in. Cash only. Not
handicapped accessible.

Chefs Take Out

3770 Carman Road, Guilderland (357-2222). Take out or eat in, but either
way you’ll get big portions of excellent Italian food. The staff is
cheerful and friendly, and keep up with the busy take-out business. The
comfortable and attractive dining room seats 60. Chef Cunsolo knows what
he’s doing — this is good stuff. Try the savory and perfect veal marsala
or tender chicken limone cooked with white wine. Cannolis are homemade,
and other desserts are very good. With Chefs Take Out, you can truly get
fine-restaurant quality food at home. Keep in mind a take-out meal is
enough for two people or will supply agreeable leftovers for days.

dp

In Hampton Inn and Suites, 25 Chapel St., Albany (436-3737). Dominick
Purnomo’s restaurant in the Hampton Inn & Suites is every bit as good as
Yono’s, his parents’ place, but more casual, livelier and bustling. This
means the place is noisy and busy but the atmosphere is electric. The food
is outstanding, especially the homemade desserts. If you want an intimate
meal, step into Yono’s, but if you’re looking for action, then dp is for you.

Earthly Delights
Vegetarian Cafe

162 Jay St., Schenectady (372-7580). Freshly made, imaginative vegetarian
dishes using mostly organic and “fair trade” products. Delicious soup,
chili, salads and sandwiches, including grilled panini. Background music
is from vinyl records, which they spin all day.

La Cocina

122 Main St., Hudson Falls. (746-2773). Cuban cuisine that is well
prepared and served in chef-owner Brett Scott’s take on Old Havana in the
venerable former Washington County courthouse. Sofrito-based dishes that
include coffee-crusted sirloin steak on caramelized onions, a half-chicken
marinated in mojito sauce and then baked and, of course, paella. Don’t
miss the flan.

Mr. Fuji Tokyo Cuisine

Village Plaza, 19 Clifton Country Road, Clifton Park. (383-5538). Lots of
repeat business means that Mr. Fuji is doing something right. You'll enjoy
their fresh Tokyo-style cuisine in the comfortable, attractive restaurant
whether you're at a booth or at the sushi bar. Service is especially
helpful and friendly, and don't pass up the excellent mango crab appetizer.

Mocha Lisa’s Caffe

22 Clifton Country Road, Clifton Park Center, Clifton Park (383-5373).
Enjoy a cup of premium roast coffee, espresso, latte or cappuccino or
whole-leaf tea or chai, along with a delightful Italian pastry, a
delicious panini sandwich, a wrap or a green salad. Comfortable ambience,
WiFi, and friendly staff. Open every day.

Pirate’s Hide-Out Restaurant

175 Guideboard Road, Halfmoon. (373-8438). Go here for miniature golf for
the kids and a pleasant, inexpensive meal in the attractive and
comfortable restaurant, or supervise them from the outside seating area.
Children’s meals are priced to bring in families, but adults will find the
panini sandwiches, fresh soups and salads, and burgers satisfying. They
fry in peanut oil, which is bad for folks with allergies but good for
french fry fanatics. Soups are tasty, food is better than you’d expect,
and the oversized soft ice cream cones come highly recommended.

Spill’n The Beans
Coffeehouse & Bistro

13 Third St., Troy. (268-1028). More than just a coffee stop, this is a
place you can get a made-to-order breakfast, lunch, or a light dinner in
the beautifully restored 1844 building. Bring your laptop or a book and
settle into a comfy spot with a cup of Grafton Hills coffee, which
provides serious, artisan-quality coffee that’s available by the pound, or
sit at a table and enjoy inventive and tasty sandwiches, and fresh,
beautiful salads. Most pastries are made in-house. No formal table service
but the staff is uncommonly helpful.

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.

Zaika

54 Clifton Country Road, Clifton Park. (688-1548 or 817-3953). Featuring
the cuisine of northern India, Zaika gets it right with an ambitious menu
of deliciously prepared dishes that provide a sensory experience you won’t
soon forget. Operated by Sonny Brar, who spent many years at Sitar in Colonie.