Welcome to Jack's!

JACK'S!

I am excited about this week's post. How can I not be excited? I finally had the opportunity to go back to Jack's Drive-In. Jack's Drive-In has been a staple to Wynantskill for as long as I can remember. The classic burger joint is more than just your average fast food restaurant.

As I approached the line with my three buddies, I was thinking about what I wanted to order. Well, it was actually more to the fact of how much I wanted to order. Jack's Drive-In can be comparable to White Castle burgers because they are small sliders with all the goods on top. Once I got to the window it wasn't difficult, I got my usual. The four burgers with "everything", cheese fries and a Pepsi.

"Everything" in Jack's terminology is cheeseburger, ketchup and caramelized onions. By far, the best part of the burger were the onions. It is difficult to describe the flavor the onions added to the burger. If you haven't been to Jack's I would recommend that you get to Jack's Drive-In before the weather changes and you won't be able to enjoy the full Jack's atmosphere.

The Fries!

Before I left, I looked around the park benches, I noticed a table of businessmen, a table where a grandfather and granddaughter were experiencing Jack's for the first time and even a table full of federal agents packing heat. Jack's is definitely a place for for everyone to enjoy a good ol' fashioned burger (with everything). Until next week, let's see how many of my followers can go to Jack's.

Cheeseburgers with "Everything"

Jack's Drive-In

24 Main Avenue

Wynantskill, NY 12198

The College Kids Love this Place

The Deli and Brew located on Vandenburgh Ave in Troy, right next to Hudson Valley Community College.  What else do you need? Subs and beer, the perfect combination for any occasion.  What I like about this place is that the subs are definitely not overpriced and you can get them as big as you need.   Beer and the gigantic subs are important here, but the pizza seals the deal. 

Like I've said before, if your looking for a place with good subs, just follow the college kids.  The Harvard on the Hudson kids know what's going on, that's for sure.  If I was still in college I would be down there every day.  Unfortunately those days are over, but I still know good food.

A Silver Anniversary for Paolo Lombardi's Ristorante

I have blogged a lot about Paolo Lombardi's in the past.  Today the Troy Record had a great article to mark its silver anniversary.

Click here to check it out.

If you want a good sub, get in line with the college kids.

There are a few courses in the food world that it's always a good idea to follow the pack of college kids. One is pizza. The other is subs.

DiBella's recently opened two locations in the Capital Region that I know of. One is in Latham near Chipotle on Route 7, but the one that caught my eye was the location on Western Avenue next to Uncommon Grounds and near the SUNY Albany campus. The line when I first spotted it was literally out the door!  I figured I'd wait a few weeks until the hype died down to try it, but my return trip was the same long line. It was 3pm on a Saturday, so I guess it was the late late college lunch crowd? I thought it was still summer break?

I was successful at beating the crowd on my third try.  Had a great chicken cheese steak.  Today was my second trip and there was no way I was finishing this turkey and swiss on multigrain. Maybe I'll save the rest for when we lose power this weekend and I'm bored of Hurricane Irene.

The Laportos Flim Flam

Typical Average Joe luck – show up to a restaurant only to find it on vacation. While we were huddled around the “sorry we’re closed” sign, a buddy of mine suggested Laporto's but he didn’t think we were dressed to the nines so we should look elsewhere. Being an average joe, I threw caution to the wind. 

No sooner do I get in the door then I wish I had a collared shirt on. But who cares, I wasn’t wearing basketball shorts and a white t-shirt (like another friend) and my money is as green as the next guy’s. Anyway, I got a chance to see some of the meals when I walked in and this huge mound of fried calamari that looked too good to be true. Everything looked top shelf.

Once I saw the calamari I had to get it. I dove in as soon as the waitress put it down. After I ate a few pieces I noticed the garnish. It wasn’t just there to give it some visual pop, it propped up all the calamari. You end up with half as much as you think you get. It was definitely good and I’d order it again but that’s a major let down.

Every time I walk into an Italian restaurant, I can’t help but ask “how’s the veal?” If that reference flew over your head there’s a certain movie you need to watch right this minute. Anyway, I went with a pretty big group so I got to try a few different things.  The veal parm was really good and the veal Giuseppe was excellent. There was a lot of crab stuffed in there and the sauce was very good. Another friend had veal in a brown gravy sauce which was a little salty but very tasty. As for me? Well I chose poorly. (2 movie references now, try to keep up)

Capital Region Craft Brewers Festival

This one's today folks. Sorry about the short notice.

The festival runs from 2:30 to 6:30 pm at Joe Bruno Stadium in Troy and is hosted by the Tri-City Valley Cats and sponsored by Brown's Brewing Co. Tickets run from $10 to $47 depending on the amount of tasting tickets you want, if you would like an event glass, a VIP pass or other novelties.

The event website has plenty of information about ticket prices, participating brewers and directions.

Troy Pig Out

 Cancel your plans for the weekend and forget about whatever your wife has been nagging you to do, the Troy Pig Out is back. For those of you not in the know, the Troy Pig out is a two day competition that pits professional BBQ teams from all across the U.S. against one another. Winners are given People's Choice awards and attendees can visit various the BBQ vendors and listen to live music. That's not all though, there will also be a fireworks show Saturday night which promises to be a lot of fun. It's a great time and plenty of fun for the whole family.

The event is free but if you want to participate in the People's Choice rib competition you have to purchase tickets. Tickets will go on sale Saturday at 4pm. Each ticket is $1 and can be redeemed for one rib from one vendor. Tickets go fast so they suggest lining up for them by 3:30 pm, well before the tasting actually begins.

What: 4th Ever Troy Pig Out
When: Saturday, July 16th 11am-10pm and Sunday, July 17th 11am-4pm
Where: Troy Riverfront Park

The Taproom (Brown's Brewing Co.)

First off let me just clear the air - I have a confession to make. Even though you can't see it in these pictures, I made a questionable beverage decision when I went to The Taproom. I ordered a Bud Light. I'm a little fuzzy on whether or not I lived under power lines growing up so I'll blame the paint chips I ate as a kid for forgetting to order one of their signature award winning beers. It must run in the family, I have a relative that insists on ordering spaghetti everywhere. Even Chinese buffets.

So good I ate half of them before I remembered 

to take the picture.

Breaded, fried, crispy and delicious - small wonder these wings are consistently chosen as the best wings in Troy by RPI's Wing Fest.  All of their sauces are good but I recommend Carrie's Sassy BBQ - it's a good change of pace for a wing sauce especially if you're looking for a break from Buffalo sauce. It's sweet but not too sweet. The sauce was so good I ended up dipping my fries in it. Anyway, you get plenty of wings to share. One thing stood out to me - the wings were huge. I don't know what they were feeding these chickens but, by the looks of them, they could bench press me. Hopefully they didn't grow up in Chernobyl Farms. All kidding aside, they were some of the best wings I've had in a while so I can't fault RPI for choosing them.

The Southwest chicken wrap I had was good but it wasn't something I'd order again. It was lacking some "oomph" and didn't have the kick I expected after reading the description on the menu. They were pretty light on the jalapenos too - it was not as memorable as the wings. If you go, I'd suggest the jambalaya as your entree - I've had it before and it was very good. It definitely gets my seal of approval. Their beer pretzel appetizer - two large soft salted pretzels - are also worth a try, but only after you had the wings.

Bomber's Burrito to Open in Troy

First Dinosaur now Bomber's? Troy is definitely doing something right for Capital Region foodies. I'm a big fan of Bomber's (see my review) so I'm going to be keeping an eye on this project as it unfolds and I'll definitely have to see if the food is as consistent at the new location as it always is in Albany.

The powers that be are mulling over 2 Kings St. in Troy - right across from Ryan's Wake, Jose Malone's and Brown's Brewing Co.. If everything proceeds smoothly then construction could begin as early as July and last until the Fall.

For more about the project check out Danielle Sanzone's story for the Troy Record here.

St. Basil's Troy Greek Festival

I know, I know, I'm late to the party with this one but I still wanted to get the word out before it was too late. Like I said a few days back, this is the time for church festivals. That means there will be plenty of food and fun to go around for the whole family. St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church in Troy is holding its 17th Annual Greek Festival this weekend. It started Friday and continues today (Saturday) noon - 10 PM and Sunday noon to 5 PM.

What can you expect? Food, dancing, a bazaar, raffles...and did I mention the food?!

For directions and more info, please click here.

A Troy Classic: The Notty Pine Tavern

As I'm sure you can tell by now, I'm always on the lookout for solid pub fare. I had a sudden craving the other day so I started scrolling through my mental Rolodex and I remembered a place I hadn't visited in awhile. If you're a Troy native, I'm sure you've heard of the Notty Pine Tavern. It's one of the city's many landmark neighborhood taverns. If you haven't stopped in yet, you need to pencil it into your schedule, especially if you like pizza. It's located off of Hoosick Street near RPI.

The roots of the restaurant date back to 1945. While Italian-American food has always been their specialty, the menu offers an extensive selection of sandwiches from Philly Cheese Steak to Turkey Club to French Dip. On a recent trip, I switched it up and got "The Mayflower" sandwich. How can you go wrong with that classic Thanksgiving fusion?  I was a little thrown by the white bread (it's been awhile since the Missus switched the house over to wheat), but the thing was really solid. I need to put the place back in the regular rotation.

If you go, here's some advice. It's a neighborhood joint so everyone will look you over to see if they know you. It's the type of place where everyone knows almost everyone. All the regulars eat at the bar or at the booths in the bar. If you want to real experience, don't be shy about bellying up. If you're a wallflower by nature, it's also ok to go sit in the dining room too.

A Taste of Troy

Looking for something to do tomorrow night? The Franklin Terrace Ballroom on 126 Campbell Ave in Troy is holding a benefit tomorrow from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm. Troy restaurants will be on hand, offering select items from their menus for attendees to sample. Tickets are $20 for pre-sale and $25 at the door. Proceeds benefit Hope 7 Community Center Food Pantry and Youth Programs.

Click here for more information.

Park Pub: Thanksgiving in chowder form? Yes please.

I don’t stroll into a pub expecting monogrammed plates, I just want good food that hits the spot. The menu might not be the biggest in town and the fare might be pretty standard, but sometimes I’m just in the mood for some pub food and a few beers to wash it down with. For days like that, check out Park Pub, in Frear Park in Troy.  We stopped by this weekend and got Thanksgiving Chowder. No photo this time, Average Joe tries to be sly on taking pictures in restaurant because of the "vast right-wing conspiracy" to uncover his true identity.  Now that Bin Laden is fish food, it's freeing up special-ops which gets me nervous.  So, anywho the photo I took of the Thanksgiving Chowder didn't come out because my fat finger was in the way.  Let me say this, Thanksgiving in chowder form, why did we think of this before?  I blame the education system.  You have to try this, it's Thanksgiving dinner = chowder.  How many times can I say Thanksgiving and chowder?  Looks like four, do me a favor go to the Park Pub and try the Thanksgiving Chowder (5), it's thanksgiving meets chowder without the annoying in-laws.  (Six now).

The great thing about pub food is, it's quick, easy, tasty, and goes good with booze.  Check out the one good photo I was able to take of the nachos and, have I mentioned Thanksgiving Chowder in the last 37 words?  Yup.

"Expansion will enable Minissale’s to make sauce, create jobs"

Inside of Minissale's.

I'm sure many of you heard the big news yesterday, that Hamberger U is hiring again. The good news doesn't stop there, the Troy Record broke a story this morning about a Capital Region gem called Minissale's. Minissale's, a stand out Italian restaurant for more than three decades, is located on 14th Street in Troy. The restaurant will be expanding into a nearby building where they will cook and bottle their sauce for retail sale. This means more jobs for the community, something Average Joe always loves to read about. Funding for the expansion was secured through partnerships with the City of Troy, Rensselaer County and local banks.


For more on this story as well as a video, click here to read on.

Nice Guys Don’t Finish Last in Troy’s BBQ War

Dinosaur BBQ arrived on the scene last year and has been the talk of the town ever since. Average Joe has been one of the chain’s best customers – I’ve been to all of them and plan to keep on going. The rumor is they’re going to open a new joint in Newark, NJ and I’ll probably go to that if I ever find myself in The Brick City. But, as great as they are I’m here to tell you that they have some tough new competition.

Troy’s Mustang BBQ may not have an iconic logo or sell its sauce at Price Chopper, but it’s definitely making a name for itself in terms of food and service.  Just thinking about the tangy sauce they use slathered over the tender rib meat has my mouth watering. Mustang serves all of the classic BBQ dishes with sides like Mac n Cheese, sweet potato fries and some outstanding freshly made potato salad. Mustang’s menu is big enough to keep you coming back and their fried chicken is good enough to make you forget about any other chicken shack. As good as the food was, nothing blew me away more than the service.

Call me a sucker for good service, but I happened to stop by when the owner was working and he rolled out the red carpet just for me. By the time I left I felt like we were best buddies. Troy residents sure do have a lot to be thankful for when it comes to BBQ.

Where’s your favorite House of BBQ? Sound off below!

Buon Appetito Part 1: Ragonese Italian Imports & DeFazio's Pizza

I opened my own personal Pandora's Box by mentioning Genoa Imports in Loudonville a few posts back. Now, all I want to do is post about all of the wonderful mom and pop Italian "corner stores" we are so fortunate to have in the Capital Region.

I spent a few recent lunchtimes trying not to get sauce on my shirt after frequenting two such establishments. DeFazio's, a South Troy icon, is the main mast on the steamship known as Little Italy. I spent a lunch, a dinner, and a follow-up lunch eating the Chicken & Spinach Calzone I ordered. I am dead serious, it took me three sittings to eat every bite! This thing was so delicious and the sauce is perfect for spreading, dunking or just dumping on top. The only question I have for myself is when should I go back?

Similarly, Ragonese Italian Imports on New Scotland Avenue is an anchor tenant to one of Albany's solid middle class neighborhoods. It's amazing how these Italian stores are still so central to neighborhood life. Average Joe split time between a chicken parm sandwich and an eggplant parm sandwich, with a side of perfectly seasoned pasta salad, and tasty pepper shooters (a mildly hot pepper stuffed with prosciutto and provolone). A more than satisfying and gut busting meal, but to be honest the best thing from Ragonese is only available on the catering menu -- trays of their unbelievable sesame chicken have been part of my family's Christmas Eve tradition for about 10 years. I make sure I get the detail to pick them up and then I spend the ride from the store to meet the family at church snacking.

Five Rensselaer County Gems

Paolo Lombardi’s Ristorante, West Sand Lake Road, Wynantskill.

Believe it or not, Wynantskill is home to more than just banks. If you live in the Capital Region and have a craving for some upscale Italian food, few places will hit the spot like Paolo Lombardi’s Ristorante. Cheapskates beware: some of the dishes run on the high end for Italian food but, as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. They have the whole nine as far as Italian food goes and their menu offers a lot of unique dishes. Definitely try the veal, I recommend the Cotoletta alla Paolino -- veal topped with ricotta cheese, prosciutto and eggplant. Everything is top notch, they have a huge wine list and plenty of room to park outside. Check it out, you’ll thank me later and you'll head home with enough leftovers for at least lunch, maybe dinner.

Jose Malones - River Street, Troy

We live in the age of mash-up's. YouTube is full of videos mashing together two pre-recorded songs to make something new and fresh. Artists like Girl Talk and Super Mash Bros. have made a living off of it. If you haven't been to Jose Malone's you're probably spending way too much time choosing chain restaurants eating thawed frozen food or eating microwave popcorn for dinner.  Jose Malones mashes Irish and Mexican food. What more is there to say?  Corned beef on one visit and pork tamales the next.  Homemade guacamole and the region's best margaritas while watching an Irish act perform live.

Jimmy Casey's Restaurant - Washington Avenue, Rensselaer

Besides catching the train or grabbing the region's best view of the 4th of July fireworks, I have one more reason for you to visit the city of Rensselaer. Casey's Restaurant is a gem that not too many people who aren't local know about. You've probably driven by it and never thought about stopping. Besides Jimmy Casey being a terrifically nice person, the place never disappoints. Start with some bread & garlic oil or a heaping plate of chicken nachos if you are really hungry before digging into a menu where everything from the burgers to steaks to chicken parm will keep you coming back. Parking is tricky, especially on weekends, but don't let that stop you. Forget your preconceptions, Rensselaer is a great and safe little city.

Villa Valenti – West Sand Lake Road, Wynantskill

Save room for the bread, and it's ok to ask to take some home with you. Seriously. Villa Valenti is a great meal every time. You'll come back again and again as long as you don't mind birthdays and anniversaries happening around you -- there were five celebrations on my last trip.  The menu can be a bit overwhelming to the uninitiated, but it's also what makes Villa Valenti so great. You can have a completely new experience each meal. After you devour some of that famous homemade bread, order the braciole as an appetizer, extremely tender and tasty.  While you can't go wrong with pasta dishes because of their homemade sauce (also jarred and sold at Hannaford), my preference is to have pasta and sauce as a side to a chicken, veal seafood or beef entree. My mouth still waters when I think about the Chicken Saverio, a sautéed chicken breast rolled with ham and mutz (mozzarella), with a great mustard cream sauce. Wow!   

Hender’Son’s Bar & Grill - Lower Main Street in Schaghticoke

If you haven’t heard of Hender’Son’s that’s okay, that’s why I’m here.  I discovered it years ago and while it has a true cult following, there are those who may only head up to Schaghticoke once a year, in August.  If that’s the case, you need to get up there more often and you need to give Hender’Son’s a try.  Well-known for the pizza the restaurant does everything right and even cooks a mean prime rib on Fridays.  It’s your neighborhood bar with down home service and brings in that element of your favorite restaurant with good old home cooked meals.

Do you agree, which restaurants would you put on your Five Gems Lists?