This was our first time at the Troy location. We have been to Tara Kitchen in Schenectady several…read moretimes and the one on Western Avenue in Guilderland was our favorite. We would often dine there with my mother who only recently tried Moroccan food since going with us. On this night we took my mom out to the Troy location since we learned the Guilderland location has stopped dining in service. The atmosphere was quite different, a little darker, very quiet and relaxed. We had no trouble getting a table around 5:30pm on Saturday night. A few of the tables were full and even the counter had someone dining. The staff was very friendly and courteous. We shared a hummus, olive, and beet appetizer. My husband wanted to try the warm fig salad which is usually my favorite but each time I get it it always seems different from the last time. What it lacked in arugula it made up for in olives and figs which was not disappointing for him since he doesn't really enjoy arugula anyway. All three of us ordered vegetable Tagines. My mom and I both got our favorite, the Brown Lentil Tagine which was filled with green olives, preserved lemons, and artichoke hearts. My husband always changed which vegetable Tagine he chooses but this time he picked the Chickpeas and Oranges. The sauces is a little sweeter with the oranges and cherry tomatoes with a prune sauce. All Tagines were served with rice and pita bread and there was no way we could finish so we all had lunch for the next day all packed up to go home. My husband insisted we get a baklava to go which I didn't protest. We are primarily vegan and as honey is one of those controversial items we will just say it is the closest thing on the menu to a plant-based dessert. In all it was an excellent evening and we are looking forward to coming back again soon!

It took me much longer than it should have, but I finally completed my "Tara Trifecta." I have a…read moregood opinion of all of the restaurants, and I've never had a bad meal or experience at any of them. Though I will give this one a slight advantage because of its ambiance. It's very relaxing, never harried here, and the music fit the mood (who knew you could do a smooth jazz rendition of a Kiss song?). Hot tea, made to order, is provided in a generous amount in a beautiful pitcher. We stuck with more traditional Moroccan chicken dishes for our meals, lemon chicken and chicken in apricot sauce with vegetables. Both came out quickly. All the vegetables in my entree had the perfect combination of crisp-tender plus flavor, and I almost wanted to pour the leftover sauce from the dish into a water glass and drink it (dipping your pita bread in it is the more polite option). Apart from being on a one-way street, the restaurant is convenient to access, and there's usually street parking very close. If not, there's a parking garage across the street.

I have experienced Tara's food in a variety of contexts: ala carte at the original Schenectady…read morerestaurant, on the generous lunch buffet, and now in the prepared food incarnation at the repurposed Guilderland restaurant which is now primarily for takeout though you can dine in if you like. It's very approachable Mediterranean food: an overused word but the best way to describe it. Tara uses a lot of spices that will be new to many diners, but the results are well balanced and will not turn off people who are afraid of heat or funky smells. I've dined at this location when it was a sit down restaurant and now it is a "Mediterranean market". You can order a/combination meal with an entree and two sides, to eat in or take out b/a variety of specialty prepared dishes which were designed in collaboration with former New World chef Ric Orlando c/snacks such as dolmas, baclava etc d/jarred spices and sauces, made by Tara (they are great) and others. There's also a nice assortment of dishes, famines and coffee urns for sale. I ordered a chicken and spinach taigine with chickpeas and orange plus seasoned rice for my sides and it was a very good and filling meal with generous portions. Also took home several jarred items and a tub of dolmas (great) and baklava (too dry) at $4.95 each. Not a five star meal because the combo order was not heated thoroughly with some cold sections, and the baklava needed some honey syrup or other moisturizer. But very good food and a great resource if you are in the area.

I might be the odd one out but I was a little under whelmed by my experience at Tara Kitchen. The…read morefood was great, but I wanted more. Literally. This was my first time here so I guess we didn't know what to expect as" Upon entering, it is a nice space, smelled great, comfy seating and nice decor. Our service was great and everything came out quick and fresh. We started out with drinks, wine for me and a Moroccan beer for my date. We were also served hot tea, which tasted exactly like sleepy time tea and honestly I felt really tired by the time I left. We wanted to order the cigars, the restaurant was empty and had just opened for dinner about 30 minutes before we arrived. They were sold out ... okay. We decided to order the Casablanca platter of hummus, olives and pickled vegetables. This large serving of hummus came with 4 small triangles of pita. Not even enough to eat half the hummus, and when we asked for more we were charged. The hummus was delicious and fresh, the olives were an excellent pairing with the hummus and the veggies offered a bright bite as well. It was a great balanced plate to share for a starter. We have been trying to eat lighter so we decided to split the Lamb Tangina, this was not ideal. While there was enough for us both to feel satisfied, the portion for $30 left some to be desired. There were about 5 small pieces of lamb, a few potatoes, and the vessel was mostly filled with (delicious) broth. This was also served with less than 1/4 cup of basmati rice, I am not even joking. It was like a 2oz cup of rice for this brothy dish. We thought it was comical. After saying that, it was so freaking delicious. The lamb melted under the weight of your spoon, the broth flavor was deep with complexity from the smen (fermented butter) and preserved lemon. It was kind of like a soup, I was just eating spoon fulls of the broth. I would definitely come back, and at least we know what to expect as far as serving sizes. It's just pricy for what you actually get, but I suppose the flavors were worth it and I'm glad to have experienced it.

Amazing food. I will definitely be back to try more items. Flavorful, fresh, just great all around…read more Service was fast and friendly, you just order at the front counter and wait. Not a whole lot of seating, mainly great place for takeout, but we did eat in and with not a lot of people it was comfortable. Definitely recommended!

Do you like falafel and not to spend an outrageous amount of money on it? This place has the best…read morefalafel and anytime I get the chance I order the wrap. They're super fast, food is always fresh and hot, and ordering process online is super easy. I've never ate inside, but they do have some seating and a couple patio tables outside. The inside has restrooms and a television. I imagine sitting and eating there is enjoyable as well. Pick up is very easy and convenient with a nice parking lot. I'm afraid that if I stayed I'd just order way more!

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 :))

Noticeably spotless! The staff all smile and really seem to love being there. Very upbeat and super…read morefriendly. I did not realize there were several locations in the capital district. There is one closer to me so I think I will be visiting there real soon. I got a toasty Big Chicken Shawarma wrap. It was stuffed full of fresh ingredients. Every single ingredient complimented the other I can't even describe it. It was a nice size and I ate it all. Absolutely delicious. I don't think I've had a toastier wrap ever. It was perfect. Pics included! A nice relaxed atmosphere with apparently several locations. I would encourage you to try one!

Staff are very welcoming and pleasant. Food very good…read more Tomato soup excellent. Shawarma bowls very good with fresh quality ingredients. Rice and pita bread very good. Fair pricing. Quality utensils. Quick service. Place and bathrooms are clean. Management/owner doing a fabulous job! Will always return! And will try the desserts next time.

Fresh, flavorful, good quality food fast and at a reasonable price AND a local small business with…read morea positive story. Simone's is simply great. All of their proteins have enough distinct flavor that they actually taste different and there is enough topping variety to keep it interesting from one visit to the next. Simone's isn't generic bowl slop nor questionable quality Chipotle. Meatballs, beets, and spicy tahini would be some of my recommended favorites. My family can't wait for the Glenmont store to open!

If you're a fan of the Chipotle or Subway build-your-own style concept but want something a little…read moredifferent, Simone's Kitchen is definitely worth a visit. Mediterranean food done fast, fresh, and with plenty of options. The best part is the customization. Tons of fresh toppings, flavorful proteins, and some excellent dips and sauces that let you build exactly what you're craving. Everything looked fresh and the ingredients tasted like they were prepared with care. Service was friendly and efficient. The line moved quickly, orders were put together correctly, and it was easy to get in and out without feeling rushed. The atmosphere is casual and clean, making it a great option for lunch, a quick dinner, or a healthy alternative to traditional fast food. The only downside is the price. It's a little more expensive than some of the fast-casual chains, but the quality and freshness help justify the cost. Pizza Beast Score: 4/5 "Fresh ingredients, great Mediterranean flavors, excellent dips, and quick service. A little pricey, but the quality makes it worth the stop."

I've been dying to come here ever since I drove by a month ago. Finally! It's a nice, clean…read morerestaurant with great service! We started with some appetizers of cigar rolls and falafel. Mmmm delicious. The cigar rolls were so good we ordered another one. It comes with five rolls and a side of tahini. Crispy and fluffy with feta. The falafel comes halved and was crispy and delicious. Everyone pretty much tried everyone's dish because you just had to. I got the chicken shish. It came with a generous amount of char grilled juicy chicken chunks on a flat pita with a generous portion of yellow rice and a side salad. Dinner mate got the braised lamb shank and the other got the braised short ribs. They both came with generous sides. The asparagus was nice and tender. The short ribs just melted in my mouth. The chicken kavourma came fancy and just bursted with flavor with lots of chicken and vegetables. I didn't get to try the lamb because it got gobbled down so fast. The strawberry mimosa was delicious too. A must try in that row of restaurants on Madison. We got the best spot in the house, the window seat, where we saw people walking their dogs and lots of friendly people waving with their dogs and cars with dogs and cool cars driving by. Very entertaining for a seven year old. Baklava with ice cream for dessert. Amazing! They do not have a kids menu so if you have a picky eater, plan ahead! We did make a reservation for a party of five.

I'd give it 10 stars I could. The hummus was incredible as was the rest of their dips. I got the…read moredonair and the meat was juicy and delicious. The server was really friendly and the food came out fast. The artwork was cool and the restaurant was very clean.