The hidden gems of the Capital District food scene

Today in The 518

• The hidden kitchens of the Capital District food scene

• Restaurant roundup + HVCC’s aviation repair program takes off 🛫 

• Your very best weekend events and Feel Good Friday!

The hidden kitchens of the Capital District food scene

We have lived in some of the greatest cities in the world, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Shanghai. In every city, we’ve found that many of the best eats aren’t coming out of white tablecloth establishments. They’re better found in those wonderful hole-in-the-wall spots, maybe tucked inside a dusty grocery store.

This recent Reddit thread on the “dismal” food scene in Albany reminded us of this reality: What the Capital District lacks in Michelin-star power, it more than makes up in ethnic flavor. Not coincidentally, Albany has always been known as a sanctuary city. These refugees settle in the city and bring the global foods of their homeland.

Stevez16 reports that “Sovrana, Oaxaqueña Triqui, Mahmouns, Irie Vybez, and Lazeez are all fantastic and within 5 blocks each other,” off Albany’s Central Avenue along Lake. We can vouch for this. Also, don’t miss Van’s for authentic Vietnamese and Lo Nuestro Dominican Restaurant, also nearby on Central.

la_vacamoo called out Mexican Market at 654 Central Avenue, a totally unassuming mini-mart with an uncreative name that also happens to have a taqueria in the back serving up some of the most delicious Mexican food in town. TheyGoLowWeGetHigh mentioned Ali Baba in Troy, a tasty Turkish spot known for its iskender kebabs.

518 Black Restaurant Week also serves as a timely reminder that the most surprising culinary discoveries can often be found in the Capital District’s ethnic enclaves.

In Los Angeles, the late-great Jonathan Gold—the only food critic to win a Pulitzer for criticism—was known for hunting down the hidden kitchens of LA’s immigrant community. We desperately need a Jonathan Gold for the Capital Region. Who’s up for the job?

Got a hole-in-the-wall you love? Respond to this newsletter and we’ll compile them for our readers!

“What grows best in the heat: fantasy, unreason, lust.”—Salman Rushdie

Expect cooler temps this weekend, but also watch out for heavy thunderstorms.

⛈️ Friday 81°/71° 💧 56%

⛈️ Saturday 87°/72° 💧 87%

⛈️ Sunday 92°/70° 💧 55%

Albany picking up the pieces from severe storms

Talk about extreme weather. First a near-historic heat wave, then a storm with wicked winds. Severe thunderstorms swept through Albany on Thursday, damaging the grounds of the Ten Broeck Mansion, forcing the Playhouse Stage to cancel opening night of “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” and displacing residents from an apartment building. Some 18,000 people lost power. The Times Union has the latest.

Daughter of Shogun Sushi co-owner speaks out

The Times Union’s Steve Barnes has an exclusive interview with the daughter of Su Wen, co-owner of Albany’s Shogun Sushi & Sake Bar who is facing brain damage after trying to stop an alleged dine-and-dasher. You can also see a photo of Su recovering in his hospital bed. A GoFundMe for him is approaching $40K.

Capital Region restaurant roundup

The popular Capital City Diner in Guilderland will be closed for major renovations for much of the summer. Darling Doughnuts in Saratoga was named one of the 10 best donut shops in America by the readers of USA Today. Questions are being raised after Nighthawks restaurant in Troy was forced to cancel its annual block party after the city demanded a much higher permit fee (from $45 in previous years to about $1,500 this year).

HVCC’s aviation repair program flying high 🛫 

We wrote recently about how more students are turning to trade programs, leading to declining enrollment for many Capital Region colleges. Hudson Valley Community College’s aviation mechanics program is training aviation mechanics and service technicians who can earn a median salary of $70,000 in the Capital Region, according to HVCC. Also, students in the 12-month certification program work out of an actual hangar at Albany International Airport! The Times Union has the full story.

How I spent a ‘Lost Weekend’ with John Lennon

Did you know John Lennon had a love affair that didn’t involve Yoko Ono? Photographer May Pang dated the legendary Beatles singer for 18 months, and now has a show with rarely seen photos from their time together. Nippertown has a full preview with images from the exhibit, opening next week at Artforms Gallery in Guilderland.

The brightest stars from the Class of 2024

A passionate political activist. A National Merit finalist. An exceptional multi-sport athlete. These are some of the standouts from the Class of 2024, as selected by the Daily Gazette Family of Newspapers. You can see all of the shining student profiles here. Congrats to all and good luck with college in the fall!