They have really good empanadas. I wish they had a bigger variety though. I would definitely try…read moreall of them.

My wife surprised me by bringing me here because she knows I love empanadas. They are located in a…read moreside room accessible only by going through a gas station convenience store, and it has all the makings of being a big disappointment. BUT IT ISN'T! Though set up with only one large table and the blare of saxophone jazz music droning in the background, we were warmly welcomed by the Chef and her Uncle... a two person crew. They took orders and made empanadas from scratch while we waited. It was about 20 minutes for our food to arrive because they were busy, so ordering ahead wouldn't be a bad idea. Their menu is extensive and probably has several dozen types listed. She said she had 150 types that she rotated. Some are what I might consider "authentic" (jerk chicken, beef) and some are clearly inspired by other parts of the world (Italian meatball, Sesame chicken, Pot pie, etc.) My wife and I tried six, including two that were off the dessert menu. All were good, though a few standouts. The "Sweet and Spicy" chicken one was loaded with real chicken meat and a flavorful sauce that I couldn't pin down, but it was so delicious. The Sesame chicken was good but the sauce wasn't as pronounced. My wife ordered the Jerk chicken one mild which they called it "sweet jerk" (that could be a reference to me) and it was a great combination of jerk seasonings with some nice sweetness to round over the peppers' edges. We also ordered the "Nique" (with fried chicken, sweet yams, and macaroni and cheese) but sadly it got lost in the process and came out without the fried chicken. It was still good and they offered to remake it for free, but we moved on to other things. Their prices are about $4-6 per empanada which seems a bit steep compared to those from the freezer section. But these are so much better, and made to order. And, they have a deal ($15) that includes two empanadas, two sides (usually variations of rice, or vegetables, or mac and cheese) and a drink. Their drinks include a fruit punch that they make which includes real fruit in it, as well as fruity ice tea with the same thing. Not a bottled drink. I had the special with mac and cheese and french fries. The fries came with a seasoning that reminded me of cajon seasoning and lemon pepper seasoning, with some herbs too. I couldn't figure it out during the time I took eating my fries, which sadly went all too fast as they were very good. The mac and cheese was thick and stood up from the plate... not a creamy mass, but not bad either. Like church pot luck mac and cheese. For dessert, my wife had the strawberry cheesecake empanada and I had the peanut butter cup one (they have a special name... "Raj's" or something like that). Both were good, though I definitely liked mine more. It was loaded with peanut butter candy topping and chocolate sauce. We talked for a long time with the owner who was super friendly. Upon commenting that we wished she was closer to our house, she told us where her location was before this current one and it was about 5 minutes from where we live now. DOH! Oh well, we will be back. PS: I suggested she create one with salami/mozz/tomato sauce and call it the "Italian Stallion" (named after me, of course), but she said it was already on her menu. Drat!

Los Chamos ("the kids/the guys") is a Venezuelan restaurant on State Street. This stretch of…read moreSchenectady offers some diverse family-owned restaurants - Pakistani, El Salvadorian, Jamaican, etc., to name a few. In this case, the cuisine offered at Los Chamos is Venezuelan. Upon entering the establishment, I noticed a music/karaoke machine in the front corner. Tables were interspersed in the main area which surrounded a bar and ordering station. A preteen sat at one of the tables, playing on her phone. A young man worked the ordering station. Early on a Saturday afternoon, noticing a fridge with beers displayed, I ordered a Modelo and looked through the menu. I ordered a Chile Colorado and empanadas con pollo to go. Two things right off the bat - 1. First taste - It was good food. It was satisfying in a way that spoke of generational recipes rather than or despite culinary training. It is soul satisfying stuff. 2. If you can finish this meal in one sitting, good on you! Generous portions and the heartiness of the meal add to the "warmth" of the experience. A couple of details - the mayonnaise-based sauce for the empanadas was something I'd never tried before - lots of garlic, cilantro, a bit of water to loosen it, maybe some vinegar for acid...I liked it. The braised black beans had a little chili heat to liven it up. I'll definitely go back. I may not be fluent in Spanish or be knowledgeable about Venezuela but I find the food to be inviting and soulful.

It is good to see, at long last, a Venezuelan restaurant in New York's Capital District. You may…read morefind yourself meandering by on the State Street sidewalk, with tumbleweed of cigarette butts and trash blowing across your unsheathed feet, and pass by Los Chamos. It is indeed worth going inside for a delicious meal. Los Chamos' menu has a good selection that includes many traditional Venezuelan dishes: pabellón, arepas, cachapas, tequeños, empanadas. There is also an extremely disconcerting section of the menu devoted to seemingly-Mexican dishes. Perhaps that is to attract customers in an area with a smaller Venezuelan population and a small population of people who are familiar with Venezuelan cuisine. I don't know. But I also don't care. I was, of course, able to sample the pabellón criollo and the tequeños. Astoundingly, tequeños can be a good indicator of quality in Venezuelan restaurants in the US, and these ones pass the test. They also have moñongos, an item from Zulia (and it shows) that is effectively a thick tequeño with ham and plantain and meat as well. Healthy? Tasty. The venue has a decent amount of seating and the staff are friendly. They also sell a small selection of Venezuelan products, such as ovomaltina and Savoy chocolates. If you live in the area and have never tried Venezuelan food, now is your opportunity to do so. It's not spicy either, for those of you with weak stomachs. Overall, I would highly recommend Los Chamos. Hopefully their business succeeds.

I love getting the empanadas from here. They are authentic crispy fresh and gluten-free. I also…read morelove their salsa. Very good. Definitely recommend trying a few different ones. This restaurant offers walk in or to go and offers a lot of indoor seating options.

The woman who took my order behind the counter was just so friendly, and she had a smile the entire…read moretime we talked. After I placed an order for 2 empanadas, she pointed to a blackboard I had missed to let me know I could convert that to a lunch special which included a small salad and a lemonade, which I did. For a salad that, as far as I could tell was just lettuce, shredded carrot and dressing it was quite tasty, and I wonder what their dressing is. The lemonade was mango infused. I do not like overly sweet lemonade, and this had very little of the overt sweetness you might get elsewhere - all flavor. The empanadas are well made. Of the ones I tried today, I preferred the chorizo and cheese, which had a taste and texture of meaty and gooey. I had expected the chicken in the other empanada to be a bit firmer, until I remembered that it is more of a chicken stew. Both were very good, and I enjoyed both of the sauces that came with them. It's getting tougher and tougher to come to Galleria 7 and know what I want to get, all the choices are so tempting.

Food is always amazing and hot. Been dying for some good authentic Spanish food and this spot has…read moreit. Love the chicken empanadas and roast pork.

My go to spot for Dominican food in Schenectady! Authentic food, that never disappoints. There is…read morealways someone else coming into the order and make me rethink my order with their delicious orders. This time we just stopped by for quick empanadas but we have tried almost everything. Small location but they do have a couple tables to sit at now. Next time I am going to try the icey I saw a girl order! Same iceys they serve on the street in NYC! Nostalgia moment!

The advertising sign at the front of the restaurant highlights pupuseria and Latino food. OK,…read morethat's what I ordered. Pupusa - El Salvadorian specialty - griddled corn masa cake. Other ingredients like cheese, beans, greens, and/or meats are mixed into the masa and cooked on a flattop until crisp on the outside. Since the "mixins" are varied, these are made to order. I had a Revuelta (queso, chicharron, beans) and a queso loroco (flower bud of a vine which grows in Central America). The tastiest portion for me were the almost burnt caramelized cheese bits on the outside of the pupusa. Honestly, the loroco was more of a textural component rather than a taste. It seemed mild. I'm sure they were canned. I don't think loroco grows around this area. The pupusas were served with a cabbage slaw (curtido) and a light tomato salsa. Pernil - a marinated pork shoulder, slow roasted until tender then usually blasted with high heat to render crispy skin (cuero). Slow roasted tender pork - yes. Rendered crispy skin - no. The generous portions of yellow rice and refried black beans rounded out the meal. One thing I noticed, the refried beans had a very slight sour note, vinegar or age, I don't know. I still ate them. No ill effects. Conclusion: I'd go again.

Food was great but the waiter I had was not so great ! She was so dry . The place was definitely…read morewas clean

Friendly staff and fresh food!!! Lady showed me all the options and made great recommendations.read more

Again, hands down, by far the BEST deli in the area. This time, in addition to our subs we tried…read morethe beef empanada and chicken empanada. There are two words to describe them, absolutely fantastic! My favorite was beef and my husband's was the chicken. He added a dollop of sour cream but I had mine as is! Either way, they are the real deal! I love that you can order deli meats and have them delivered too! I love that you can custom order your sub with extras and in the notes remove or alter the standard ingredients. The bread (roll) they use is AMAZING! And consistent every time! I'd like to know if they bake their own bread and if not would love to know the bakery who does. The only things I can offer for recommendations are add bologna to your deli meat offerings and increase the thickness of cheese. Although I loved the paper thin (actually transparent) provolone, my husband ordered extra cheese (paid addition) and he could barely detect (notice, see, taste) the extra Swiss cheese. We are looking forward to trying the Jamaican patties (not sure of the actual name but the item on their menu look like the authentic rendition once tried before elsewhere and were a fan). Knowing their consistency and use of top quality ingredients, we're anticipating another success story. I wish I had a photo but when I get their food I don't even stop to think about taking a picture because I just want to enjoy! But I'll try to restrain myself the next time to pause and snap a photo or two because they deserve the recognition! We also really appreciated the delivery service. In the past we had to pick up from there so we didn't order as often as we would have. Now that they offer delivery in our area, it will remain at the top of my deli/sandwich bookmarks! Kudos to you for another excellent meal, ingredients, master Earl of Sandwich making skills, service and delivery.

Incredible spot for a delicious lunch! I stopped in on a…read moreweekday for lunch with a friend and was delighted to see so many tables and a fully stocked buffet that smelled amazing. You first choose your size: either the medium, which will run you between $8-10, or the large size for $11.50-13.50. I got the medium stewed chicken with yellow rice. They filled it to the brim and it was $10 - you cannot beat that! It was absolutely delicious. I got a bottle of water too and sat in their comfortable dining room. They had several different protein options: salmon, pernil (pork), stewed beef and more. There's definitely something for everyone. Do yourself a favor and stop in!

Los Nuestros Dominican Restaurant in Albany has gone to bad serving food. The display is…read moremis-managed and sloppy. The quality of the food has decreased in both flavor and appearance. Seems to be just thrown up there in the window and not appetite appealing as customers" we eat with our eyes first". Presentation is everything. I called back to complain to a manager on the phone but no one spoke English to hear my grievance. I noticed new server's at the front end that doesn't seem to know what they're doing. I am and about to say "was" a frequent customer for years. But I'm thinking of leaving that business camaraderie. Also they lost the business at Crossgates Mall. Hummmmm I wonder why

A really nice little hole in the wall Colombian restaurant. Not the prettiest looking place, but…read morethe food, drinks, and service were all excellent. The kids got mac and cheese (looked like Kraft or some equivalent) and the kids chicken (which was SUPER well seasoned and somehow really moist and tender despite being almost as flat as a crepe). My wife got a couple (gluten free) chicken empanadas, which were quite tasty, we both got queso arepas with sausage (which we both thoroughly enjoyed), and I got the arrow con pollo (a touch on the dry side, but oh man was it really tasty). Not a place to go out of the way for, but a place I definitely wouldn't mind stopping at again if I find myself in town.

This place is such a good stop for some comfort Colombian food! I was looking for a quick dinner…read moreand ordered online which was super easy and everything was prepared when I got there. The cafe is really characteristic and cool so I'd like to sit in one day but I really enjoyed my meal overall! Everything was super flavorful and delicious, the pork was really tender and crispy on the outside as well. The plantains were also so yummy. The soup that it came with was also really good and had beef, yuca, potato and beans in it. I'd highly recommend checking this place out sometime. Prices were also really reasonable.

I love this greenmarket. So many fresh fruits and vegetables from local farms and gardens. Other…read morevendors with homemade crafts have much skill and kindness. I love the atmosphere of this market and would recommend to anyone in Schenectady.

Amazing vibe and selection. You can get fresh vegetables, hummus, ice cream, beer and fresh made…read morefood. Plus live music.

New, clean, bright, and delicious!…read more Raj and Munna moved down the street from Karam to open this new place. These are the same chefs who ran the kitchen at both Sitar (Colonie) and Zaika (Clifton Park). We had some of our usual favorites, which were great, but the star is always the Reshmi Masala. We visited two days after they opened. They're still getting settled, but there were no significant issues unlike most places just getting going. I look forward to trying their buffet during lunch or over the weekend!

Very disappointed to drive over there and learn it is closed…read more No way to judge anything else, except management of online presence. Hope they'll reopen and we get a chance to try.