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

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!

Bland broths. Ordered Tonkatsu Ramen and got some fried mystery meat that was not slices of pork…read more(not fried). They declined to fix the order saying it is how they make it. Never seen it like this before and won't try it again as I prefer the sliced (not fried) pork in a soup. (Besides, breaded fried foods don't mix well in a soup). The Chicken Buns were delicious and so was the chili sauce.

Wonderful Japanese soul-food Ramen spot focused on high-quality homemade ingredients and innovative…read morenoodle-soup recipes located at the modern Galleria 7 in Latham. Try the outstanding Tonkatsu, with slow cooked tender chashu, springy straight noodles bobbing in simmered broth, a dozen or so available toppings, all prepared by a highly-skilled Ramen chef. A Ramen destination spot!

Solid ramen. Nailed the spiciness. Who knew mall food could be so good! I'd definitely come back.read more

This ramen is actually delicious. For me it just looks OK but I was surprised that it is really…read moregood. I love the mild spiciness and tastiness of the soup plus the pork is very tasty and tender. It is inside the mall so the place is easily accessible when you are in the mall. It looks clean and have a lot of choices. I have to try their poke next time and their boba looks good too! The service is not that bad either.

My go to spot every-time I crave boba. Has really good Lychee Fruit Tea with Lychee Jelly. Their…read moreother drinks are good too but I think their fruit teas are better. The portions for Poke is small but the variety of items it comes with makes up for it. It's really good!!

Wow- this might be the worst poke we have ever gotten…read more The interior is beautiful, clean and bright, too bad the food wasn't. We ordered our dishes with two proteins- there was more cucumber than fish! I bring it up because I could actually count the 3 pieces of tuna and salmon in my bowl. The "wasabi" sauce is not only radioactive green but is 100% mayo- no wasabi flavor at all and SLATHERED all over the bowl. Service was great, but the presentation and the quality of food (especially for the money) is not worth it. Very disappointed.

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!

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!

My wife and I came here on date night. SInce it was so hot outside we both decided to skip ramen…read moreand instead ordered regular entrees. I had the "Crispy chicken in sweet chili sauce" and my wife had the "Mango chicken" (which they accidently made as mango shrimp but quickly corrected). The presentation, as is the rest of the restaurant, is modern. Large white plates, rice in a separate bowl, and absolutely no garnishment on the plate. I enjoyed my chicken and it was sweet and lightly spicy. It had an nice flavor I couldn't place... perhaps their brand of chili sauce.... and the chicken was crispy. My wife's mango chicken was a let down. The mango pieces tasted okay (like canned mango), but the chicken had an unusual flavor/sauce that was a bit unpleasant. She said portions of her chicken were cold and also not crispy, which was also a bummer. The rice was good, and in fact better than some I get at more expensive restaurants. My wife also liked the miso soup that came with the meals. Service was very good. I counted at least 9 employees on a Wednesday night and at one point there were more staff than customers. Food was quick, they were friendly, and the place was clean. The music was a mix of everything but not too loud, which was appreciated. Their menu had lots of nice pictures, which was helpful. When the weather gets colder we will have to come back for the ramen and noodles.

This place is ABSOLUTELY amazing, I found this place last year and decided to go for my 23rd…read morebirthday it was so good, food is amazing very authentic, good quality, my favorite dishes are the Pork Belly Yaki soba noodles, the Pork Belly Fried Riced, the Pork Gyoza, and the TNT Roll. The service was good, very fast and efficient. If it does get really busy there is a wait but for me I definitely think it's worth the wait the food is delicious the people are so nice and kind. The decorations are very pretty love them a lot. It is now one of my favorite restaurants to go to so if you were ever out in Albany at Crossgates, I definitely recommend going here.

I love this restaurant. I brought my daughter with me. We had lunch on a week day. It was packed…read more There are a number of booths. A lot of seating. The cozy restaurant has a lot of food display cases. It's not particularly fancy but it is fun. My daughter who is a foodie was ready. She ordered the Spam Gimbap because she loves spam. I didn't know what to expect. We shared it. It was delicious. Gimbap looks a lot like large pieces of sushi, only better. I ordered the Bibim Bap entree with beef. My daughter had soup but I can't remember which one. My meal was wonderful. The beef was actually bulgogi. It came with rice and an assortment of marinated vegetables and pickled vegetables or kimchi. The side dishes are included. I always look forward to them. They are so tasty. They are usually varieties of kimchi and fish. I've been to this restaurant a number of times. It usually has an all-female staff. This time, the restaurant was staffed by young men. They were friendly and good communicators. I mentioned that they seemed remarkably busy. They agreed and they said they had no idea why. They were new and had never seen it so bustling at lunchtime. Nevertheless, they handled it all efficiently. We were fed relatively quickly and it was a great meal.

Unexpectedly came towards the end of their weekday lunch deal so got the soondubu tofu soup and the…read moreseoul long tang which I usually get anyways and was an affordable price ~$15 each? (not too sure) The tofu soup I got was mild-lightly spicy and gosh it was the spiciest soup I've ever gotten and I usually eat this and other spicy foods perfectly fine! Wasn't the best for me. Alternatively the beef soup felt a bit bland but my friend liked it. Main complaint is not much beef in the soup and it tasted very tough. alternatively not much seafood either, just tiny small bits of cheap shrimps which were a bummer. Only good thing was the decent price and decent free side dishes (not many) of which only broccoli tasted good. Food took forever to come so side dishes were a life saver although they also were never refilled which at traditional places they are. Main thing: the service was quite bad... from the moment we walked in, we didn't feel welcome as no one welcomed us, dirty tables were everywhere (like in those video games you play to clean up), and we waited awhile at the counter looking at menus until someone greeted us with an attitude yelling that counter is only for to-go and we should've just sat down if we're dining in... she huffed and sat us down, surrounded by the dirty tables. We asked if we could sit elsewhere but as big as the restaurant was, she still said half of it was closed for dinner (I know other places do the same but they were kind enough to let us sit in that area when requested) and the reason why this time, was because we were literally sitting surrounded by dirty dishes all around us - which they never cleaned up the entire hour we dined here! Very unpleasant view-never have I ever! Even our current table was sticky. And the food and service took forever. She seemed very annoyed when we ordered and whenever we asked for water or refill side dishes and gave attitude like we obviously need to wait for her to appear and be free to even ask which she was rarely seen. I never saw her treat other customers like the same way she treated us, for them, she was very patient and kind and offered menu options and even personal talk. Seems like she doesn't like tourists, just regulars. Anyways she was rarely seen throughout the meal and so I just sucked up the not so good food and we finished and took awhile to get the check. That was the only point in the interaction she seemed to be present in the restaurant. Other times she was nowhere to be seen. When paying, she loudly exclaimed what do you want to tip? In an attitude saying that, we had to tip, and it had to be a sufficient amount otherwise she'd be upset - which she was because service was not good. Even when we left and said bye, she gave us no word back and just another one of those scowled looks. Only one lady working the front and she was barely present and not pleasant. Overall food really isn't bad but it isn't amazing either. If this cuisine is what you're craving go for it, it's fairly priced. I would support a small business. But don't expect a clean restaurant or friendly service - unless youre a regular or fits the server preferred demographic. Not the best experience for me. Whole heartedly believe if service was better this could be a solid place!

Second time eating Kazami first time dining in. Atmosphere was nice clean quiet welcoming. The…read morebathroom very clean but only 1 gender neutral. Our server was great kind and attentive and was nice enough to separate our broth from our noodle to take home. I was told curry fried rice was excellent and so was both the soups. Husband got the black pepper fried rice and said it was ok. Since this is on Union street in Schenectady parking can be hard but we lucked out and got parking right in front. Definitely was not disappointed and got to spend great time friends from out of town. Would highly recommend if you like ramen and PHO.

I ordered online, but everything was amazing, might of ordered a bit much but I wanted to try a…read morehandful of different things. Takoyaki, coconut buns, popcorn chicken, avocado eel sushi and mochi. Sadly mochi by the time I got to it was slightly melted but thats okay I still ate them it was my fault for being obsessed with the coconut buns I reaally liked those. Also really liked the fact the Bubble tea was customizable, I had been craving a good tea I hadn't had accessibility to for sometime. Pricey... eh probably not I ordered alot, surprised it came in a pretty nice bag, got here in good time. Would I order again? Oh I think there are quite a few items I'd like to get again.

This is a cute place. I would say i instagrammable! :- ) they have 2 screens where you could order…read more We ordered the tonkatsu ramen and i ordered the brown sugar boba. The ramen is OK but I think they could add more flavor. The milk tea needs more flavor too. It is so light that I am not really enjoying what Im drinking. The service is great. They give you your order right away. For now, this is a place that it's good to try or you want to hang out with friends but unfortunately, it's not something that I would crave for.

I tried the boba for the first time in my smoothie and it was a mistake. lol definitely not my cup…read moreof tea. To me it taste like flavorless gummy bears. Weird because how can something be flavorless but have a taste. That's just me. From now on I'll stick with the mango or strawberry bobas. I can't knock this place one bit for that. Service is still outstanding and super friendly. Even when this place gets packed to the door service is great. They have so many drink options but I'm still on team smoothie. I've tried most of the combinations and never had a bad experience except with the plain bobas. The restaurant is always super clean, fresh filtered water is always available for free. I really need to expand my drinking game and try other options.