Jewel on India on Lark- 187 Lark Street, Albany, NY

Hi there Guys,
As you folks that read this blog know, I have been on a seemingly never ending quest to find a curry house that can match those in London.  Well, the curry gods must have heard my prayers, because they've been answered!  Admittedly, I found the place via a Groupon, which I've never used before.  However, am I glad I did!

Being a seasoned Indian food vet, I took the liberty of ordering the starters for our table.  Onion Pakoras and Puppodom (spelling?) were what I chose.  When my friend Jeff arrived after a few minutes, we also ordered the Morag Pakora.  Okay, let's explain for those not "in the know."  Onion pakoras are basically shaved onion that has been battered and fried.  They're absolutely addicting and these ones were top-notch!  Puppodoms are essentially fried lentil crackers.  They are served with different chutneys that compliment the flavor of the crackers.  I think I order them due to a force of habit, not necessarily because I like them... however, these were nicely seasoned.  Jeff ordered the Morag Pakora, which is a spiced battered chicken nugget.  The spices gave them a very fragrant taste which I have never experienced.  I will be ordering that again!   (Puppodoms- $1.99, Onion Pakoras- $2.99 and Morag Pokora- $3.99). 

The menu has a wide variety of meats and vegetarian options.  One noticeable item missing (that is usually on crappy Indian places menus was beef, as it should be).  I noticed that they had Sheekh Kebab, which is minced lamb seasoned and shaped around a skewer.  I cannot think of one other Indian establishment in the area that does these.  Very nice, but that's for next time.

Christina ordered the Savzi Tandoor, which is fresh veggies that have been marinated in a sour cream sauce and cooked in the Tandoor (clay) oven.  The portion was huge and the flavor, delicious!  If you're a vegetarian, I would recommend this dish highly ($8.99).

Jeff opted for a seafood dish, Shrimp Madras, which is a a tomato based sauce that has a bit of a kick (although, the restaurant asks that you specify how hot you want to go--on all dishes, a nice touch!).  The shrimp were nicely sized and portioned towards the large side ($12.99).  Jeff also ordered Puri, which is a fried bread which puffs out like a pillow when it's brought to your table.  Think fried dough without the sugar.  It's a fun side to eat, especially if you bring kids ($1.99).

So, I wanted to keep things simple as I usually do when ordering from a new place.  My reason being, if they do basics well, that's a good sign.  If they don't, run!  I opted for Chicken Korma, which is a almond cream based sauce with chunks of chicken in it.  I asked for them to spice it "medium" as it's generally on the mild side anyway.  It wasn't a disappointment.  On the contrary, it was very tasty and the sauce was nice and rich (and bad for ya!) ($8.99).  I also opted for a vegetable side dish, as I feel like the rice that accompanies the meal isn't enough.  My only let down is that they don't do smaller side orders and that you have to order a full sized portion.  In this case, I ordered Saag Poneer, which is a creamed spinach dish served with homemade chunks of cheese.  It was very authentically spiced, meaning it had some bite ($9.99).  The last item that I ordered was one that I have missed dearly since being back in the States.  The Jewel Nan ($3.99), is a coconut stuffed nan bread (usually referred to as Peshwari Nan in the UK).  It was a nice thing to see it on the menu, as the sweetness in the bread offsets the sometimes brutally hot dishes like Vindaloo or Phall.  I just like it when you dip it into your sauce.

The only drawbacks of the is restaurant are: The owners can't spell to save their lives (and the menu items might look a bit different that what you're used to-- but they're the same).  Secondly, the restaurant doesn't have a liquor license (which can also be a good thing), so you need to plan ahead and BYOB.  In our case, the waiter was more than happy to run across the street for us to grab some beers.

The service was attentive and the staff knowledgeable (which is a good thing if you are a rookie at eating Indian food).  The interior is also very London-esque, it reminded me of my local curry house in Marylebone.  Overall, I think this Indian place beats the rest in the Albany area, hands down.  Let's call it "Albany's little slice of Brick Lane."  I will be back and I highly recommend it to anyone that likes Indian food.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!  

Rating:  9/10

P.S.  They offer a buffet for lunch at $7.99, which is a bargain!

Jewel of India on Lark

The Century House- Latham, NY (an Albany suburb)

On one recent Sunday after the Saratoga Race Course, a friend and I decided to visit our friend (who works there) and more importantly, check the place out.  The Century House has long been a standard for fine(ish) dining in the Albany area.  After all, it's been there for over sixty years!

Upon walking in, we were greeted.  The dining room is pleasant, very colonial in decor.  What you might expect for a place that tries to be The Red Lion Inn (see my earlier blog post).  However, there are no crooked floorboards or short ceilings here.  It's done tastefully and not over the top.  The one thing that needs to change is the ceiling.  We're talking 1980s era drop-ceilings that need to go.  On the comment card, I suggested a tin, or mock-tin ceiling.  That would really change the whole feel of the restaurant... and make it look as good as it should!

My companion and I decided that the bar area was more suited to our needs (and mindset).  This being five o'clock, we ordered some beers and were stunned when the bartender never even suggested to look at a menu!  We were eventually given a light fare bar menu (burgers and such) and the proper menu.  In addition, his shirt didn't fit him correctly and was not ironed.  If you want to present yourself as a top-notch place, you need to start with the small items and work your way up!

Okay, enough nit-picking.  Let's get to why we came here.  The food.  The food is typically American mixed with cues from the Old World... mainly England.  Pot pies, duck, lamb, steaks and a large seafood selection is what this place is all about!

In lieu of an appetizer, both of us decided to go with soup.  I chose the Lobster Chowder and my partner in crime-- French Onion.  The lobster chowder was bisque like in flavor.  You can sense/taste that sherry is an ingredient... but unlike a bisque, there are some serious chunks of meat in here.  I had a whole non-dominant claw in my bowl (and the price was dead on, $9.99).  The onion soup was also very good.  Cheese on top, in a crock pot.  You could tell that this broth was made in house, due to the lack of salt content, which is a dead giveaway that it's a shortcut version.  I would recommend either during you visit.

For our mains, I was going to order the duck breast, however I decided against it (I was coaxed into my other choice).  Was I glad that I reconsidered the duck, because the Lamb Chops were incredible.  I will not order foreign lamb (or buy it in the market).  This lamb was from Colorado and damn, was it tasty!  It came with root veggies (parsnips and carrots), whipped potatoes, and a little bit of homemade mint sauce (unlike the English version, this had no vinegar in it).  The lamb, which I ordered medium-rare was cook perfectly.  The chops were basically the thickness of two ribs (which I had two of).  No shortage on portions here.  The veg, was okay.  I am a firm believer that I roast them best (in duck fat).  The whipped spuds were basically a 50/50 mix of butter and potato.... yummy!

My Companion opted for the Surf and Turf.  He had an option of upgrading him meal with a filet mignon.  Total for his meal?  $34.95... a steal!  The lobster was baked, but correctly.  The meat wasn't dry at all, very moist and delectable.  His steak was also very tasty, cooked rare-- like it should be!

For desert, we opted to share a dish (and get two shots of Sambuca).  We chose Baked Alaska.  I have never eaten this old time dish, but I enjoyed it.  The only regret was eating too much before it!  We fell miserably short on finishing it (you have been warned).

A couple issues to address here.  We asked for the bill and had to wait for it for ten minutes.  I know that the bartender probably didn't want to rush us, but if we ask, we shall receive!  Again, the service let us down.  Saying that, the food wasn't held up at all and came to us promptly, yet at a nice pace so you could enjoy it.

All issues aside, if you haven't been and you're reading this-- it means that you're young.  This I believe is the biggest challenge for this restaurant.  The dining room was busy, but filled and I mean filled... with grey hairs!  We were without a doubt the youngest people in the joint (by 20 years!).  I fear without some real marketing towards the younger generations, that this place is going to die with it's clientele!  This would be a shame, because with food like this place is offering, you can't go wrong!  I highly recommend that you check out this local gem.  It's worth the prices and everything on the menu is quality.  Check it out for a date spot.  I wouldn't go there to drink and watch the game-- save that for Hooters.

'Til next time....
FF

The Century House