Every time I'm in Troy I NEED to come to this place! The people inside are always so friendly and…read moredown for a polite chat! Their lobster bisque is to die for, and they always have some kind of seasonal tea that catches my eye. They even have options for accommodating allergies or diet preferences! The music and decor is also super cozy and it makes me feel like I'm in a warm modern loft! Overall a 10/10!

Lovely place for afternoon tea! The 3 tier tea for $24 comes with choice of sandwich, salad or…read moresoup, and scone. The tea is not included. There is so much variety of teas from all over the world. You can smell the teas from the selection before choosing. Love the presentation and the teacups! The same afternoon tea in NYC would've cost double. Will definitely be back at one of their 4 locations upstate! Absolute joy. The server was also very nice and attentive!

Very friendly staff and incredibly affordable…read more The Bao Buns are sandwiches for 6.50 and are great. The General Tso Chicken is sweet and spicy served with fresh rice and broccoli. If you're looking for good food on a budget, this place is an easy pick.

Food is great! Pork fried rice is the best around and loaded with pork! Eggrolls are fresh and…read moredelicious!

Cute Korean food restaurant in Troy! There's a little shop inside at the counter selling bowls,…read morechopsticks, and Korean snacks. You place your food at the counter and your orders are brought to your table. We both ordered the seafood tofu stews and the mandoo appetizer to share. For some reason our orders took a long time. Others who came in after us got their orders before us too! The tofu stew was good but a bit disappointing in the lack of seafood in the dish. Seems like it was just dried seafood bits that were added to give the stew flavor. The Mandoo dumplings were fried and they came with a dumpling sauce. They were pretty good and we enjoyed those.

Upstate NY have a great restaurant. Order at the counter,…read morego sit and the food will be in front of you quickly. Very nice staff and great food. The place is cozy and warm. Beautiful for a date or catching up with friends. Try the date tea. Delicious

We wanted Thai food when we were in Troy and decided to go to this restaurant because of the good…read morereviews. We were greeted upon entering and seated right away. We were there for lunch on a weekend and it was not busy at all. Looks to be a family run business. Service was good with only the lady and her daughter working the front. We ordered the Thai tea and it was a bit too sweet. The Tom Yum noodle soup was good but also a bit on the sweet side compared to what I've had in other restaurants. But I do like it though. Tastes more like the Vietnamese version. The chicken curry puffs were good with the sweet and sour dipping sauce. Though a bit pricey with only 3 puffs for $8. Also curry flavor could have been a bit stronger. We will have to go back to try more off their menu. We would have liked to order the Mango and sticky rice dessert too but we were too full this time.

I had made up my mind on making this my first review for 2025. However, my unplanned travel across…read morea few countries and continents caused delays. My aunt wanted me to take her to a Thai restaurant that I had taken her once in Latham NY. I told her I've found a better spot, let's go and there we were. This time we ordered a couple of items from The specials menu which included khao soi and wings to go with cherry chicken, padhai and butterfly shrimp. I would probably say this is my new go to thai spot In the capital region. They have amazing deals on the lunch specials and the food tasted better than the deals. Few tips, you can never see the specials board, but it's near the cash register. Service may be a little slower when it gets busy as there's only one person that's managing upfront. I have been satisfied with the food, service and ambience.

I've been wanting to try the vegan sandwich options at Mallos for a long time. We tried both - the…read moreeggplant and the cauliflower Reuben. Both were good. The Reuben was a little too unidimensional for my taste, because the cauliflower is fermented I think there isn't enough contrast with the sauerkraut which is really the only other ingredient. the flavor was great but the texture wasn't my favorite. The eggplant itself was amazing! I loved it. But again I think the composition of the sandwich was a little off for my taste, there was a pile of arugula that overpowered the eggplant which was star but a very small portion of the sandwich. The homemade chips were the best I've ever had and YOU SHOULD TRY!!!! Phenomenally crisp and cooked to perfection. Overall, I don't think I'd come back often because there arent a ton of vegan options and I was enthralled by them but if I was in a group with meat eaters and they wanted sandwiches I would happily tag along and get one of these options again.

I was on my way to the Korean restaurant nearby, but I stopped when I saw a cute cartoon dog eating…read morea strawberry on the window of this spot. I hopped on Yelp, saw the great reviews, took 1 minute to browse the menu, and I turned around and walked right in to Mallo's. The space is pink with black and white checkered floor. I was greeted as I walked in and they were patient while I read the menu (again). Everything sounded great but I went with the veggie sandwich but made into a wrap. They brought my food out to me on a little tray with a paper branded with the same cute dog. I loved the wrap! I'm glad I went the wrap route - it was perfect. Mozzarella, arugula, fried eggplant, olives - yummm. It was so delicious and flavorful and a big portion! I took leftovers back to my hotel and had them the next day. I'm so glad I stopped in to this spot and would definitely come back for more of their tasty food.

Very good bowl of ramen. Tasty broth, lots of noodles. I had with grilled shrimp that were nice…read more Came at a quiet time and service was fast. Pleasant, professional young man working the tables. I like it and will return when I'm on the area.

This is just the best thing! Spicy Cucumber Garlic. That's it. That's the caption. Marinated…read morecucumber, peanuts, fresh cilantro, with reeeeally nice sweet, spicy, & garlicky notes that just make you SMACK! It's so damn good with so many textures and FLAVOR! The first time I had it there was some sort of delicious spicy green sauce for the marinade, but they have since changed the recipe! IM NOT MAD AT IIIIITTTTT!! Big bonus note: they're kindest people! I've never dined in, but the atmosphere is very inviting! Get there people!

My partner and I drive from NYC to Vermont at least once a year, and every single time we make a…read moremidpoint stop here. Taiwan Noodle consistently serves absolutely delicious food. The spicy wontons are our all-time favorite the sauce is incredibly flavorful, and unlike many places where the wontons are mostly dough, these are generously filled with meat. We also ordered the beef chunk soup and the salt-and-pepper fish. Even though I've been here many times, the salt-and-pepper fish was new to me on this visit, and it was fantastic crispy, perfectly seasoned, with little bits of fried garlic and a sweet-and-sour dipping sauce that was so good. If you're in the area, definitely stop by!

I am never disappointed whenever I'm here to satisfy my Chinese comfort food cravings. This is a…read moresimple and small eatery serving up tasty dishes that you'll come back for time and again. The overall ambiance is basic and clean. However, they are serving up big and bold flavors. Service here is always friendly and fast. I especially like that they offer complimentary hot tea, and it's really appreciated on chilly days! Actually, tea is my go to whenever I'm having Asian food. I am a creature of habit and mostly order my usual. On this visit I had spicy wontons, General Tso's chicken, stewed beef chuck noodle soup and eggplant with garlic sauce. All delish and certainly enough leftovers for another meal. You've got to try it! Side note, they have an attached private parking lot next to them and that's a plus!

I took a trip to Albany with my family to visit the Capitol, and we were on the hunt for a good…read moreplace to eat. A quick Google search for ramen led us to Tanpopo Ramen. Pulling up, I'll admit--I was a bit confused. From the outside, it looked more like an old-school diner than a ramen spot. But at that point, we were committed (and not about to turn back toward NYC), so we decided to give it a shot. I'm really glad we did. The interior is no-frills and a bit tight for a family of five, but the staff made it work and got us settled comfortably. We started with edamame, which was perfectly seasoned, and shrimp and vegetable gyoza that the kids absolutely devoured. I also grabbed a Sapporo to wash it all down--solid start. Then came the main event. We ordered a mix: chicken ramen, beef stew ramen, two tonkotsu with double chashu, and a red curry ramen. The only dish that didn't quite stand out was the chicken ramen--it wasn't bad, just not as flavorful as the others. The tonkotsu ramen? Total hit. Both of my kids demolished their bowls--nothing left behind. My wife went all in on the beef stew ramen and loved it so much it sparked a debate at the table about how it stacks up against some Manhattan spots. And then there was my dish--the red curry ramen. Shoutout to our waitress for the recommendation. It had the perfect balance of salt, savory depth, and heat. The broth was this vibrant, bright red that just looked incredible--and tasted even better. Easily one of the top three ramen bowls I've ever had. I had my doubts walking in, but don't make that mistake. This place is a hidden gem. My only knock on the place is the table size for a family of five. Service was great. Now I need more excuses to come up to Albany just to visit this place!

Decided to come back after not visiting in probably the last 8-10 years as I was really craving a…read morebig bowl of ramen. Service was very blah. Upon entering, the girl behind the counter just stared at us. No greeting. No direction on where to sit. No smile. We assumed it was self seating so we found a booth. She came over, poured our waters, still said nothing. We had about 45 mins until the restaurant closed so I'm unsure of what the cold attitude was for, as there were still 4-5 other patrons there eating as well. My friend is a vegetarian and ordered the veggie dumplings, and I had the same but with meat. Once the plates arrived, the one set in front of me was green, and his not. I figured I would double check to make sure we had the correct ones - I didn't want him to end up eating the meat ones if it could be avoided. Sure enough, the plates were mixed up. Honestly seemed to be done purposefully because it's very clear they are 2 different orders. The texture was chewy/foamy and they also tasted like old grease. Disappointing but we still had soups to look forward to. Our ramen finally arrived and I was hoping it would be the redemption moment of the evening but it wasn't. It really lacked any depth of flavor. Again the meat was chewy instead of tender. More distracting was how we awkwardly felt rushed as the server was shutting off lights and music...again...with at least 15 mins until the kitchen closing time. She seemed annoyed we asked for to go containers. At no point did she check in with us, refill waters, or even crack any resemblance of a smile. I used to love this little spot when I was in college. It was cozy, delicious, inviting. Couldn't have had more of the opposite experience this time around! And for this reason I would not return. I will travel to Colonie for Kuma Ani for better food and MUCH better service. TLDR; this place is extremely overrated

My son had stopped here on the way to visit and based on some of the leftovers, we knew it had to…read morebe on the list. Traveling within about 5 minutes on the way to visit a good friend, and it happened to be right around lunch time, the opportunity finally came. It's a casual place, lots of 2 and 4 top tables, but what caught my eye when we went in was the cooler full of amazing side options. Then you look up and there's a beautiful oven and a dough station. This is looking great. We sat and ordered lamb kebab and doner kebab. A couple minutes later, a large (~11x17?) wooden tray appeared with a piping hot lavash bread and a plate of dill yogurt sauce. If the meal had stopped there, I would have been a happy camper. We had just had a few pieces when the kebab arrived, each with a pepper, tomato, some red cabbage, and onion. Both meats were authentic and delicious. My favorite way to eat my doner was with a bit of the bread, a bit of the dill sauce, some onion and cabbage, and a bunch of meat - a mini gyro, if you will. We took away about 1/3 of the generous portions and ordered a large mixed plate (all 10 of the sides) and baklava to take to our friend. It's a bit of a drive for us, but any time we're anywhere close, we're going to be back for sit down (if it's mealtime) or takeaway if it's not. I highly recommend you do the same.

Alibaba is probably the oldest Turkish restaurant in the Albany area, and it recently got a nice…read moreupgrade -- from the furniture to the serving plates and menus. The place feels much more modern and inviting now. Our family especially enjoys the beyti kebab, the güveç, and their pide. I haven't tried the pizza yet, but since their pide is very good, I imagine the pizza would also be solid. For me though, the real highlight at Alibaba is the mezze. In Turkish cuisine, grilled meats and kebabs are almost always enjoyed with a variety of mezze. They might technically be sides, but they're a big part of the whole experience. These days there are several Turkish kebab places in the area, but none of them offer a wide selection of fresh, house-made mezze like Alibaba does. At many places you're lucky if you find one or two options, often just a basic ezme. At Alibaba you'll find around ten different mezze and each one tastes distinct and freshly made. Every time I tell myself I'll just take a little... and somehow I end up filling a big mezze plate. Honestly, even when we grill at home, our motivation is picking up mezze from Alibaba to go with it. I'm not sure if it gets the credit it deserves, but don't skip the mezze here -- you'd be missing out. In fact, start with the mezze and figure out the rest later :))

It's been six years since we were here last, and nearly everything I previously wrote is still…read morecorrect. At times it can be busy, but they do accept reservations. They seem to have expanded into the room next door and there was a book club meeting for Pride and Prejudice. It was a bit loud at times but we managed to get through. They helpfully tag games on the binding based on skill level, player count, and estimated time. It was $20 for the two of us and we were only there an hour, so it wasn't cheap. That being said, if you don't have a game library OR you just want to try new games before buying this might be a fun option.

We always have a great time! Love the food and lychee teas. Great game selection and staff is…read morealways helpful.