A sample of dishes that will excite tastebuds
Susie’s Spotlight is an occasional feature that showcases favorite dishes that our dining critic, Susie Davidson Powell, has found during her restaurant visits in recent months. Her regular reviews will return next week.
Spotlight: Raw bar at Hooked Market & Kitchen, Colonie
hookedseafoodinc.com Susie says: “In time for its sixth anniversary, Hooked has moved half a mile from its original location in Galleria 7 to a standalone building. I’m overjoyed for a Latham spot where we can get pristinely shucked, briny, East Coast oysters and the salty pink bellies of cleanly sprung clams. ... Pemaquids, Cuttyhunks, Saint Simons, Blush Points: Slurp them neat, squirt with lemon.”
Spotlight: Sandwiches at Banh Mi 47, Albany
banhmi47.com
Susie says: “One bite of the housemade baguette and the crisp outer shell crushes audibly to the airy crumb, which is, the owners tell me, ‘50 percent lighter than other bread.’ It’s this impossible lightness, layered with silky pork sausage and smooth paté (cha lua paté), marinated grilled beef with scallion oil, (bo nuong), meatballs (xiu mai) lemongrass chicken or tofu (ga nuong sa or dau hu chien sa), that will have you craving more. Packed with cilantro, lightly pickled cucumber, carrot, daikon, sliced chiles (an option you should say yes to) and smeared in Kewpie mayo or Maggi seasoning sauce, every bite is a flavor riot that triggers the taste memory of fresh herbs and chile paste on Vietnamese pho. Don’t skimp on the thinly sliced jalapenos — the heat brings out the sweetness in the marinated beef and porkiness of the smooth paté.”
Lamb sliders at The City Beer Hall, Albany
thecitybeerhall.com
Susie says: “Pillowy brioche sliders clasp lamb from Albany’s Edelweiss Veal, outrageously kitted out in Taleggio cheese, arugula, balsamic aioli and a sweet fig mostarda that starts with pickled mustard seeds.”
Margarita flight at Curry Patta, Altamont
currypattacuisine.com
Susie says: “The margarita flights are a pretty trio, served on a wooden paddle, so that my guest flitted hummingbird-style between the straws of the subtle coconut margarita, raved over the jalapeno and noted the blood orange was closer to mandarin. The verdict, with some surprise, was that they were not overly sweet. My tamarindginger mojito was born of a guest’s innocent request for a Pakistani cocktail, perhaps not realizing alcohol isn’t legal for Muslims in Pakistan, and a minority drink. Raza’s solution was inspired by flavors in Pakistani cooking and the drink is a tangy, tart success, with simple syrup taming tamarind’s naturally sour edge and complementing the muddled mint.”
Crepe at Cafe Mutton, Hudson
cafemutton.com
Susie says: “A huge golden crepe in tri-folds filled with orgiastic caramelized onions and Gouda wears an RBG lace collar made of crisp cheese tuile, and a wobbly poached egg, speared, spills its orange, yolky glory on top.”
Risotto at The Kitchen Table, Albany
athekitchentablealbany.com Susie says: “The carrot-juice risotto is stained beta-carotene orange in a gloriously vivid bowl swirled with sticky raclette, thrumming garlic and plump arborio rice swirled to a precise al dente. In general, risotto is a good measure of kitchen patience — underdone, overdone — but I could eat this every day for a week.”
Omelet at Naughter’s, Troy
naughters.com
Susie says: “Naughter’s makes the perfect French omelet with pale yellow folds, its eggy middle just shy of firm, exactly as famed chef Jacques Pepin would demand. Not since Sonder in Hudson put French omelet on the menu, before relocating to Kingston, have I tasted one better, with a side of darkly sauteed, short-order home fries, a little arugula and a lemon wedge for a blast of vitamin C.”