Picnic Garden is one of the few retailers that has survived in the City Station complex, being open…read morealmost 3 years at this point. Are they going to survive? Who knows, but being the closest takeout to a couple hundred college students certainly helps. I have tried Picnic Garden on multiple occasions: once for the lunch buffet and for takeout the other times. The lunch buffet I had was mediocre, average for generic American Chinese restaurants with a small selection. The takeout was absolutely abysmal each time. The food was flavorless and the Szechuan dishes I ordered had no spice. What a shame. I live close enough to this place and prices are so low that I would be a frequent customer if it were at least average, but it's some of the worst Chinese food I have had in this country. I give this place another chance every few months only to be disappointed. I considered giving a second star because of the good prices, but you're better off buying (cheaper) food from the warmer at the nearby Stewart's.

How does anybody rate this place? We got our order an hour and a half after we ordered it and it…read morewas absolutely disgusting. It's actually amazing to me how terrible the food is here. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. It's all very slimy and over cooked.

Checked out Daily Operation in Easthampton on a casual stop and it immediately felt like a place…read morethat knows what it is. It's a great little spot with a lot of character, the kind of atmosphere that feels lived-in in the best way. We started with the garlic dog and it was fire, like instantly regretting I didn't order two. The burger was great too, cooked right and super satisfying without trying too hard. But the chicken milanese sandwich stole the show, and I don't say that lightly. Absolutely unreal, the kind of sandwich you keep thinking about later. Everything came out quick, the staff was friendly, and the whole place just felt easy and welcoming. Definitely coming back next time I'm in the area.

Good food! Good service! No problems- we all left with full bellies. What more can you ask for?read more

I apologize to every Asian cuisine in Amherst, including the now defunct Arigato Sushi, because…read moreFormosa Chinese, formerly Amherst Chinese, still provides service and food that are incredible and deserve state-wide recognition. Formosa has an affordable lunch menu, and even on busy days has delivered my meal within ten minutes. Don't be astounded yet, because I would easily wait twenty minutes for this food. When their food arrives from the delicious variety of their lunch specials, you will be treated to crispy tofu, a nuanced spice for chili or jalapeño meals, or fresh vegetables that will make you wonder: who is introducing you to the best cuisine that southeast Asia has to offer? Sichuan meals, Mandarin meals, and even with a Miso soup that is vibrant and delicate in flavor, you may not have any difficulty in deciding at all because any meal you choose will be cooked with what tastes like generations of expertise, love, and wisdom. It is not possible to follow a recipe, or a video, or a shopping trip and recreate the food at the level of Formosa, nor at the price of Formosa, and I say this after years of enjoying their meals. If you are in the area and you are hungry, you will want to visit Formosa as it is an unbelievably satisfying trip for almost any person in the continental USA, and likely for international travelers from near and far. Please tip your staff generously and leave a review to share this love--there is no amount of business they can do that will do the history and delight in their food justice. Their food is accessible to the local public, and they also donate to local causes as well. Amherst has more than universities that educate people here, they have restaurants with generations of stories and wisdom in every meal. You'll be amazed at the silky luxury their hot and sour soup is, with a texture matching the fresh micro mushrooms inside. Be prepared and humble, the staff are dedicated, responsible, and attentive to the public as much as they can. I would love to read a book about the story of this restaurant some day.

Very authentic tasting Chinese food. Not like that Pandas stuff. Fresh and good portions size…read moreplates. Highly recommend for Asian food

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!

The Plum Blossom has been a Troy fixture for decades. Same owner and family since it opened…read more Had lunch here on an early Monday afternoon with my mom. We were given hot tea, water, crunchy noodles and dipping sauces to start. The lunch menu had a variety of choices, including vegan. I ordered a starter of Char Sui. For main entree platters, my mom ordered the pan fried tofu dish while I ordered the cod filet with Thai eggplant. I paid for a different side, thin rice noodles, since I didn't want the rice that came with the platter. Finished our meal with a pistachio layer cake and hand dripped coffee. Everything was enjoyable; well balanced and deliciously seasoned. A wonderful variety of Asian flavors in more traditional dishes. It is ornate, and brought me emotionally back in time. The service is more like the 70s and 80s, before food service became a rush for quick turnover. If you are looking for a spot where you can relax and not feel rushed, enjoy unique interior decor, and flavorful distinctive cuisine come here for lunch!

Been driving by Plum Blossom for many years on drive from NH to NJ and then NH to Schenectady…read more Certainly eye catching exterior and I was not disappointed when I saw interior. Stopped for lunch and ordered sesame chicken. Tea, water and some snacking noodle with 2 sauces. The wonton soup was excellent with large pillowy wontons. The sesame chicken was right portion and fried chicken pieces were hot and crisp and sauce dark sweet and tangy. Pieces of chicken were not uniform which I liked. Great service, great food and the vibe was what I had always imagined it would be from driving by.

I ordered from Uber eats an item off the menu which was supposed to be healthy and listed as such…read morethe total opposite arrived, and when I called the restaurant and spoke to the manager, who is presumably the owner not only was she extremely nasty to me and refused to make me the correct product, but she said that this product doesn't even exist on her menu that Uber eats must've made a mistake. She was extremely nasty. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.

Some of the best take-out Chinese food in the area, try the fried dumplings! I was pleasantly…read moresurprised

If you're in the Capital Region and appreciate authentic Asian cuisine done right, Ala Shanghai…read morecontinues to set the bar. The fried sea bass with sweet and sour sauce was absolutely superb--perfectly crisp on the outside while still tender and flaky inside, balanced beautifully with that classic tangy sweetness that doesn't overpower the fish. And of course, the soup dumplings are always on point. Each one is delicate yet packed with flavor, with that rich broth that bursts out the moment you take a bite. It's the kind of consistency that keeps you coming back because you already know the quality will be there every time. What also makes this establishment stand out is the ambience. The atmosphere strikes that perfect balance--comfortable, lively, and welcoming without feeling rushed. You can tell the place runs on pride and discipline. The owner and waitstaff are always diligently moving, making sure every table is attended to and every guest is taken care of. That level of attentiveness is something you don't see everywhere anymore. For me, this has become my go-to Asian bistro in the Capital Region. Great food, strong hospitality, and a kitchen that clearly respects the craft. If you know, you know.

The food is so tasty. I cannot wait to return to try one of the fish dishes. I really enjoyed the…read moreveggie dumplings. We had tangerine chicken (one of the specials of the week), sautéed pea shoots, veggie fried rice, the dumplings, spring rolls, and the scallion pancakes. If all I had were the pea shoots and the fried rice, I would have been satisfied. The service was great. The tea was smooth. The room was dark. I can't explain it fully, but it reminded me of a few restaurants I experienced in China. The place was packed! I was able to take a photo of the inside after a few people left.

The service was very friendly and welcoming. My order was ready quickly. Price was very reasonable…read moreand the food (orange chicken and pork fried rice) was exactly what I wanted. Will definitely go again.

The food here was good, this was our first time ordering. We enjoyed the egg rolls a lot!…read more I had chicken and broccoli which was great with the sticky rice. The shrimp and veggies were also good but a little too saucy. We will order again for sure!!

We had other plans for Thanksgiving, but after all the driving around, both of us were too tired to…read moredo anything but call around looking for something good and open in Albany. On my short list of Chinese restaurants to try was Ocean Palace, and thankfully, they picked up right away. This was our first visit, and we will probably be going back. There were quite a few customers, but the place has an airy feel that was quite comfortable. Lots of windows, comfortable tables, and a very calm feel to it. Staff here was great: attentive and friendly, and very accepting of my ridiculous enthusiasm for soup dumplings. :) We lived in NYC for 30+ years, and a considerable number of my dining out experiences were weekend mornings in Chinatown in Manhattan (sorry, no experience with Flushing). We've eaten a lot of dim sum over the years, so we started with a dim-sum-esque variety (the edamame dumplings in veg broth were very good, but the spring rolls were too oily), then my husband ordered baby bok choy and shitake mushrooms, beautifully presented and which he loved. But me? I ordered a *second* steamer of soup dumplings. Yes, my Thx dinner was almost entirely soup dumplings, and I'd do it again next year (don't tell my grandma). The soup in the dumpling and the meat filling were excellent. The *ONLY* quibble I have is that the wrapper was thick, almost doughy. The regular steamed vegetable dumplings had very thin wrappers, much more what I was expecting. The thickness made it much easier to get it into your spoon with chopsticks, but, again IMO, it put the proportions off. As is probably obvious, I'm neither a chef nor Chinese, or I'd have a much bigger frame of reference. There is also always a wide variety in how different families make their biscuits, etc. The food at Ocean Palace was not the best I've ever had, but it was very tasty, and though the soup dumplings were not perfect, I'd have them for lunch today again if I could.

Ok, it's definitely Peter Chan in the kitchen after my skepticism in previous update. I know this…read morebecause first, a regular customer came in and called out "hey Peter how you doin?" Second, because the hard working chef is once again quietly exerting his authority with small acts of independence. He brought out my lunch special himself but declined to give me a dinner plate (needed because the serving entirely covers the oval plate it was delivering on) and, once again, my pork with pickled cabbage had no pickled cabbage. Touche, Peter. The regular customer ordered items I would never consider, like walnut shrimp and egg foo young. But I'm sure it was still great, as was my no-pickles pork, as is everything Peter cooks. The guy is a gem. And he looks to be in good health after that mystery hiatus so I hope he'll be around awhile.

Red and Blue in Troy has a way of turning a simple meal into something you think about later. The…read moresushi is wonderfully fresh, with clean flavors and a richness that makes each bite feel intentional. Their soups deserve just as much praise--deep, comforting broths layered with flavor that warm you from the inside out. Pair all of that with attentive, genuinely friendly service, and the whole experience feels effortlessly satisfying.

My favorite sushi spot!!! No where tops Red&Blue in my opinion! The people there are so kind, I…read morelove eating in AND delivery! It's always so fresh!!