BITE-SIZED
The Nest anniversary fete set
The Nest in Schenectady will celebrate its first anniversary with a special brunch and dinner on Saturday, Oct. 16. The a-lacarte brunch, available from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., will include food and drink specials, photo booth and DJ. The four-course dinner, priced at $100 per person, includes luxury items such as oysters, foie gras and primegrade beef in addition to The Nest's signature fried chicken. Vegetarian options available. Seating is from 4:45 to 9:30 p.m.
Reservations are strongly recommended for brunch, required for dinner; call 518-6723018. The Nest is at 512 State St.
Banh Mi 47 in Albany among first with Impossible Pork
Just a few weeks after opening, the little downtown Albany sandwich shop Banh Mi 47 has joined the likes of celebrity chef David Chang to be among the first to serve Impossible Foods' new plant-based "pork" product.
It is available as Xiu Mai Chay, with Impossible Pork-based meatballs served with pickled
vegetables and cilantro on a half-size banh mi roll. The price is $5. The second dish is Cha Gio Chay, Impossible Pork-stuffed spring rolls with a vegan dipping sauce. They cost $5 for three. Daily quantities of both are limited until the supply ramps up.
Mike Nguyen, who owns Banh Mi 47 with his wife, Stacy, said his sales rep from Impossible Foods told him Banh Mi 47 is the first restaurant in the country serving the company's pork as banh mi and also the first in the Capital Region to carry Impossible Pork. The “pork” was introduced Sept. 23 at Chang ’s New York City restaurant Ssam Bar.
Banh Mi 47 is at 74 N. Pearl St., one of the street-level storefronts in the redeveloped Kenmore complex. Online ordering is now available through its website, banhmi47.com. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to
Saturday, closed Sunday.
Jake Moon closing Sunday
After nearly 13 years in business, Jake Moon Restaurant and Cafe in Clarksville will close after service on Sunday, Oct. 10.
Chef-owner Dan Smith said he has sold the building, and, in a note to patrons, he wrote, "This is a positive change for us . ... With the support of our loyal customers, we survived the pandemic and everything else the world has thrown at us. And yet there are things to do that can't be done while running a restaurant, and priorities are being redirected there." Jake Moon is named after Smith's great-greatgrandfather, a legendary Catskills woodsman.
Opened in January 2009 after the closure of a country diner called June's Place, Jake Moon quickly became a destination restaurant 12 miles south of Albany
that deftly balanced rustic, casual ambiance with a freshlocal-seasonal culinary ethos practiced by many big-city restaurants. As a result, Jake Moon drew fans from among his rural neighbors as well as those familiar with Smith's work during his dozen years as executive chef of the former Nicole's Bistro in Albany. Smith joked a contingent of his customers often wore caps with the word "NAPA" on them — half from the auto-parts store, half from California wine tours.
For its final week, Jake Moon will be open 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. The address is 2082 Delaware Turnpike. Call 518-7682570. Smith said the building's new owners also run Maple on the Lake in East Berne and will be opening a takeout-focused restaurant.
Compiled by Steve Barnes. Items to be considered for publication should be submitted to sbarnes@timesunion.com. 518-454-5489. Twitter: @Tablehopping. Facebook: Stevebarnesfoodcritic.