Category Archives: Ice Cream
“I’d much rather hang out in a cafe. That’s where things are really happening. “
Joe Sacco
I don’t visit Saratoga as often as I’d like but each time I do I find a new little restaurant or store that I never knew existed. My most recent trip was pretty spur of the moment, my Mother bought a Groupon to Eugenio’s Gelato that was going to expire so we picked up my Grandma and Aunt and onto Saratoga we went! 
Since it was lunchtime, we figured it’d be best to stop for food before indulging in sweets and almost right next door was Miss London’s Bakery and Cafe (464 Broadway, Saratoga). When you walk in, it’s like you’re entering a little cafe in Paris, France- which is the feel I think it’s obvious they’re going for. The first thing we saw was their large choice of sweets including croissants and fruit tarts but we were strong and moved to the sandwiches.
For sandwiches you have many choices including paninis, croques, classics, baguettes, etc. NOTE** On the menu they say that each sandwich is served with a mixed green salad but we were told that those are optional and if you don’t order them the price will be adjusted so TECHNICALLY they’re not “served with” a salad, you are paying for it in the end. You order up at the counter, pay, sit at a table and they will then serve the food to you. I ordered the smoked chicken , fontina, basil, roasted red peppers, and roasted red pepper mayonnaise panini. The sandwich was very, very good and it came served with 3 little olives which was a nice touch. If I was to have gotten the salad, the meal would have been $12.00 but the waitress informed us that it was more around $9.00 each since we didn’t. Served on a ciabatta roll, the bread was toasted and perfectly crunchy, one of the best I’ve had, cheese melted and the mayonnaise wasn’t over powering at all. I also had a black currant tea which paired nicely, there were sugar cubes on the table instead of packets (which included raw sugar). I really enjoyed the feel of this cafe, if I lived closer to Saratoga I could see myself hanging out there with tea reading a book pretending I was in Paris. 
The prices were a little high for my liking but it’s worth it for a treat once in a while.
Afterward, we went to Eugenio’s Cafe Gelato (458 Broadway, Saratoga) a little bit down the block. There aren’t many really good and fresh gelato places in the area and this was a great find! Not only do they serve gelato but also sandwiches, soups and other desserts. I had to try two different types of gelato because I couldn’t make a decision. I had the stracciatella because that’s my favorite, it’s vanilla gelato with chocolate pieces throughout which may seem like chocolate chip ice cream but it’s different in texture and amount of chocolate and kinds of chocolate mixed in, definitely worth trying.
The other flavor I had was a caramel salt flavor. I don’t remember what they called it exactly but the mixture of sweet caramel with a salty flavor causes a tasty confusion on your tongue. Think about the combination of chocolate and pretzel, that sweet and salty wonderousness on your taste buds. What I liked about this trip was that other than the fact it was a nice day, I enjoyed lunch at a little cafe and then sat outside with gelato and fresh air afterward. It only took a few hours but it was a nice break from working or being inside the house. As the weather gets colder and more snowier I feel as if this trip won’t be as enjoyable but if you’re looking to get out of the house for a little bit, take a visit to these two places. I get more of a feeling of freshness and not cold from gelato versus ice cream so even as the leaves are falling, the gelato will still be a good addition to your day (if not, they serve hot beverages as well!)
“Life is like an ice-cream cone, you have to lick it one day at a time. “
Charles M. Schultz
Well, I finally did it. I’ve not only lived in the 518 my whole life but have had numerous birthday parties and attended numerous birthday parties at Guptills Arena but never experienced Coney Express (1085 New Loudon Rd., Latham), until a couple days ago.
I decided to try their new Fat Free flavor Mint Patty. With other mint ice creams that have those teeny tiny chocolate chips, 
I find myself annoyed with having to chew with each and every bite of ice cream but with mint patties, they’re big enough to enjoy the creamy parts of the ice cream and only have to chew every so often. As for the ice cream itself, I did like the flavor and it wasn’t lacking in mint but the minty flavor took over the fudge topping my Mom had and the chocolate crunch dip I had on the ice cream as well as those mint patties I was so excited for. This is either a good thing or bad thing depending on your feelings on mint ice cream but I guess if you don’t like mint ice cream, you would have ordered something else! I, personally, would have liked to have tasting the chocolate a bit more but that’s just my opinion.
I put a chocolate crunch dip on the ice cream not knowing what to expect and it turned out to be chocolate Captain Crunch cereal mixed with chocolate. It was good but trying to chew the chocolate cereal and the mint patties while my ice cream was melting made it difficult so next time I might just get plain chocolate instead. As for the cone, with all the radio ads and the signs posted everywhere I had to get it on the waffle cone. They come in regular and large and as you can see, the regular is plenty of ice cream for one serving so be cautious before you order that large. I don’t tend to like waffle cones but this was fantastic. It had a strong waffle flavor and complimented the ice cream wonderfully- they aren’t know for the best waffle cones for no reason! Total it came to a little over $5.00, which may be steep for ice cream but you get a good amount for the price. Afterward (or beforehand) don’t forget to check out the roller skating rink! Work off that ice cream, right?
“Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush. “
Doug Larson
It’s official, Spring has begun. It may not look like it outside but with 2/3 of my favorite 518 ice cream places open, believe me it’s only time before the snow stops and the warm weather is upon us. 
This past week’s weather has been cold to tolerable to beautiful to snow but that didn’t stop my Mom and I from going to Kurver Kreme in the cold. Be forewarned, Kurver Kreme is CASH ONLY so make sure you stop at the bank before experiencing this great ice cream.
What I really like about Kurver Kreme is that the ice cream is so soft and there are so many flavor options. When my mother and I went, their No Fat/No Added Sugar options were vanilla and peach. I’d never had the peach before but the flavor was great, I could really taste the peach. One of my favorite accessories to my ice cream is their chocolate mint sprinkles. What I love about Kurvers is that I enjoy their vanilla ice cream just as much as I enjoy the flavors. Those sprinkles on plain vanilla ice cream is probably my favorite thing to get there.
Though it’s an ice cream place, don’t rule out getting food there either. They use local Albany hot dogs and are tasty for a great price especially when the weather gets nicer! Am I making your mouth water yet? You don’t have to wait, Kurver Kreme just recently opened for the Spring, stop by for a scoop or two!
“Ice cream cravings are not to be taken lightly.”
Betsy Cañas Garmon
On your way back from a concert at SPAC or a day at the track or maybe when you’re just exploring the Ballston Spa area you’ve probably seen JJ’s Snack Bar (Saratoga Ave). 
I’ve stopped there on a few occasions either for a quick dinner or a quick scoop of ice cream and enjoyed the food. Hopefully you’re not arriving here looking for a 5-star meal, this is a place for burgers and hot dogs. My favorite part of this place is the playground. I’m 21 years old and I can’t help but swing on a swing that’s available. There are 3-4 tables to eat your food/ice cream but I tend to enjoy ice cream more when I’m on a swing. They have vanilla, chocolate and twist and though they’re basic flavors- you can’t go wrong. The kiddie size was perfect for me, one scoop (with sprinkles of course) and I was satisfied. Next time you see it, don’t pass it by, even if you just get an ice cream cone! Treat yourself!
“I will not eat oysters. I want my food dead. Not sick, not wounded: dead.”
Woody Allen
I don’t know about any of you but I’ve wanted to go to Nikko’s Hibachi/Buffet since it opened on 1893 Central Ave, Colonie. The price for dinner is pretty steep but I eventually gave in and went with my friend Maggie for dinner and it was fantastic.
You have the option of paying for hibachi or the buffet but if you get hibachi (which is located in a separate back room behind the buffet) you can add the buffet to your meal for just $5. In total with tax and a small tip, we each paid $25 for just the buffet which is worth it for all the seafood you’re offered.
On the first wall of the square pattern, when you first walk in, is a selection of various caviars like wasabi caviar for example, seaweed salad (which I highly recommend if you’ve never tried it) in a small dish, wasabi, ginger, sliced fish on ice (such as red crab, salmon, yellowtail, etc) and clams on oysters on the half shell. Behind you is two rice cookers, one filled with fried rice and one with white rice along with miso soup.
On the second wall of the square pattern (to the left) is sushi. I couldn’t name for you all the various types of sushi but some include a “Green River Roll” (avocado), california rolls, Philly Roll (salmon/cream cheese), dragon roll (eel/avocado rolled in rice, avocado and salmon), etc. 
Next to that is a selection of fish on rice: eel, squid, tuna, salmon, etc. Next to that are two soups, Udon and another in which I didn’t recognize. After that, was chicken skewers, dumplings and shrimp shumai. The dumplimgs were good but even after tasting it I couldn’t tell you if it was pork or chicken (I assume pork). One thing I was worried about was that the sushi was going to taste like it had sat there and that wasn’t the case, it was very fresh. The sushi makers are in the middle of the buffet box so if you have any questions, feel free to ask them as they make the sushi rolls.
The the third wall, in the back of the restaurant is the dessert area. 
There they have little cakes (the brown one is coffee NOT chocolate, don’t make the same mistake I did if you’re not a coffee fan), elephant ear cookies, macaroons, a cream filled pastry, etc. The cookies were fantastic, as you can see, I grabbed 3 of them because I just couldn’t get enough! Also, the cream filled pasty was phenomenal so take one of those to try too! Don’t fill up too much on dessert here, after dinner you have the option of Green Tea, Strawberry and Red Bean Ice Cream so make sure you save room!
The last wall seemed like the miscellaneous section. Food over here included BBQ Calamari which I don’t recommend. That was the only thing on this buffet that I disliked. I was unable to break through it with my teeth, it was like rubber with BBQ sauce on it. I also had the crab legs, which were good but I was very frustrated with getting the meat out so I gave up. A favorite of mine was the Garlic Ginger Lobster, I just wish I saw that when I wasn’t so full so I could’ve had more. Next to that is Cesar salad, seafood salad and various fruits like pineapple, honeydew, cantaloupe, edamame and tomatoes.
I was surprised by how busy it wasn’t, but I went at 7:00pm on a Wednesday so that could be the reason. My friend Maggie, who I went with, who had been there before, said that she’s never seen it that empty. I was worried about the price being too steep but I definitely feel like I got my money’s worth. There is so much food to choose from and it was all very good. The best part of a buffet is that you can try anything you want, even if you don’t think you’ll like it or you’re scared of Japanese food. If you’re unsure, lunch time is around $12.00 but there isn’t any lobster available. So if you’re worried, try it for lunch before you dig into your wallet for dinner. Next time- Hibachi for sure!
“Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.”
Ernestine Ulmer
Every time I go to Bumpy’s Polar Freeze (2013 State St, Schenectady) I’m bombarded with the huge list of flavors that I have to choose from. Each time I decide to try something different but after this flavor, I may be hooked. 
I recently tried Maine Blueberry since after going to that taffy place in Maine, I love Maine Blueberry! In addition to the Maine Blueberry, I decided to add Oreo crumbs and oh what a great idea that was! My favorite part was the ACTUAL blueberries that were embedded in the ice cream, you don’t see that everyday. I’ve also tried their Passion-fruit flavor and it was really good, not like a flavor you’d find anywhere else in the 518. If you want to go on the bumper boats, make sure you have about $5 to experience 5 mins in the mini-pool. Is it worth it? Not really, but make sure you buy your child an ice cream large enough to make them realize it!
*Note: on Tuesdays, if you bring your own banana it’s 1/2 off a banana split!
“One belongs to New York instantly, one belongs to it as much in five minutes as in five years”
Thomas Wolfe
My cousin Cruise and his friends decided to go to a concert at Irving Plaza in NYC this week and in order to actually make it there safe and on time, I decided to drop them off and then spend the evening with my Aunt. 
The boys were hungry so we started at Gray’s Papaya (402 6th Avenue). I couldn’t imagine a cheap meal tasting any better. Just ask for “The Special” and you get two hot dogs and a drink for $4.95, tax included. Gray’s Papaya is obviously known for their papaya juice and I recommend that be your drink choice! You have the option of putting onions or sauerkraut on your hot dogs if you wish.
After we dropped off the boys, my Aunt and I went to Whole Foods (4 Union Square South, New York) where I purchased some things that I’ve been missing here in the 518 such as Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies, Pomegranate Vanilla Granola and Garlic Naan that I’d been craving recently. After that, we made our way to the Strand (828 Broadway @ 12th St). Those of you who don’t know about the Strand should take a stroll to the East Village and check it out. Outside are shelves of books that only cost $1.00-.48 and I’ve found many good books in that area, you just have to take the time to look.
After, we went for a stroll to 16 Handles (153 2nd Avenue). I’ve already written a blog entry on 16 Handles and how wonderful I find their ice cream to be if you want to check it out. 
16 Handles refers to the 16 handles of ice cream that you can get yourself and then add whatever toppings you’d like. This past time that I went, I had the biggest blackberries that I’d ever seen but make sure you realize that the price of your ice cream depends on the weight!
Since we had some time to kill, we then went to the movies (Regal Cinema, 850 Broadway) to see Inception. The theater was packed and luckily we bought the tickets before our ice cream or we wouldn’t have been in. If the downstairs looks packed, don’t forget the balcony! Many people don’t realize they have the option, so it gives you some time to find a seat that’s not in the very front.
After the movie, the only choice we had was to go to Max Brenner for a small dinner and a chocolate treat. 
I also have another blog entry on Max Brenner so feel free to check that out as well. We ordered the large serving of the Mediterranean Trio & Crispy Spice Dusted Pita Chips that comes with creamy hummus, Spanish eggplant dip & classic babaganoosh. The Spanish eggplant dip was a little spicy but still very good, the babaganoosh didn’t have any flavor and I wasn’t very impressed but the hummus was fantastic, I wish we had more pita to finish it off. We were just gonna walk out with that but just the smell of chocolate all around you makes you want to have some. My Aunt and I ordered the Bananas Foster which can best be described as tater tots filled with banana sprinkled in powdered sugar. We were given toffee sauce and milk chocolate sauce to dip them in. The toffee sauce tasted just like a Heath bar but was a little strange with the banana flavor. The milk chocolate was probably the smoothest melted chocolate I’ve ever had. It’s reminiscent of a Hershey’s Symphony bar, that smooth flavor that you could eat with a spoon. Luckily they didn’t give us one or I would have had that whole dish. 
*Sorry for the dark pictures but Max Brenner like to keep his restaurant dark, I did the best I could
“New England has a harsh climate, a barren soil, a rough and stormy coast, and yet we love it, even with a love passing that of dwellers in more favored regions”
Henry Cabot
I’m sorry about the lack of entries I’ve written about what’s going on this week but I’ve been on a mini-life organization and that tends to take time out of my blog writing.- but no worries, I’m back with tons of things to write about!
I was on vacation a few weeks ago and in those 4 days I went to 5 states: New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine & Massachusetts. My focus may usually be the 518 but sometimes you need to get away to somewhere relatively close and where to eat and what to see there as well. This way, I get to show you what I did and maybe give you some ideas if you need a trip elsewhere.
Our first stop was Hampton Beach, NH right at sunset time. 
Isn’t it beautiful? They were having a sand sculpture competition and the entries were really cool. By the time my mother and I visited, the winners were already chosen. That didn’t stop us from taking in the more culinary options of the boardwalk.
Luckily for us, my mother and I have family that moved to New Hampshire about 5-6 years ago, personal tour guides make for the best food on the block! Our first stop was Blink’s Fried Doe.
What was different about this “Fried Doe” over any others that I’ve tried is the options of flavors available. 
When I think fried dough, I assume that I can only have powdered sugar, but for Blink’s this is not the case.
Some of the other flavor options includes Sauce & Cheese, Peanut Butter & Jelly, Garlic & Buttery, Pure Maple Sugar, Strawberry, Apple Cinnamon and the list goes on from there. Each of us decided to have the Cinnamon & Sugar Fried Doe. Though each of the options seemed delicious in their own right, we were looking for something sweet and sugary. 
Next time, I’ll be eyeing that Garlic & Buttery option- sounds right up my alley!
While on vacation, usually my health concerns fall by the wayside. What I mean by that is that if my vacation last 4 days, I’m not too worried about the nutrition facts of what I’m eating, a prime example of that is my dessert to this fried dough dinner- ice cream.
Those of you familiar with the 2010 US Winter Olympics team may know the name Scotty Lago when referring to snowboarding. He won the bronze in Vancouver. What you may not know is that his family owns an ice cream place in Lone Oak, NH ( & Rochester as well) called Lago’s Ice Cream.
What I’ve learned about New Hampshire ice cream is that you should NEVER order a large- their kiddie sizes leave enough to eat the next day. Bombarded with flavors, I figured I’d pick the one with the picture of cookie monster. 
Cookie Monster was great (I always seem to be attracted to blue ice cream when I’m in New Hampshire). I love homemade ice cream and as I mentioned, make sure you get a small!! I got a small and had plenty to eat the next day for dessert too.
The next day, my mother and I went to Maine to visit a friend of hers who lives there over the summer. To me, Maine means lobster.
This was the first year that I’ve gone on my yearly New Hampshire/ Maine trip the legal age to drink alcohol so I thought it’d be best to try new beers, somewhat local, instead of what I’m used to. When in Maine, I tried Shipyard Ale. I really enjoyed it. Though, I’m usually used to darker beers like Guinness and Murphy’s I’ve become more welcoming to lighter beers and I really enjoyed Shipyard Ale. I would compare it to the texture of Coors Light but with more of a taste of Budweiser. I would’ve liked it a little thicker, aka. more like Bud, but it was a nice opposite to the heavy soup was having.
After, we headed to York Beach, ME. 
A stop to York Beach means a stop to The Goldenrod for salt-water taffy made right in front of us. You’ll be able to find this candy store either by the big sign outside or the big crowd circled around the windows in amazement as sugar becomes tasty taffy or “kisses” as they call them. 
They sell many different types of candy and they have a restaurant to stop in for lunch. They have so many flavors to choose from such as vanilla, molasses, strawberry, peanut butter, etc. When you order a box, you also get to decide what flavors you want unless you’d rather an already pre-packaged box or a small bag with a taste of each flavor before you decide your favorites. I have to recommend the Maine Blueberry flavor. Make sure they put a lot inside the box because everyone is going to come back for seconds or thirds, that is, if you decide to share. Strawberry is also one of my favorites. I don’t find that it actually tastes like strawberry but the flavor is great as well.
As I said before, Maine to me means lobster and I wasn’t going home without fresh lobster. I joke with my mother that I’m spoiled when it comes to lobster because the only time I’ve had it is fresh out of the ocean and you can’t go back from that. 
Usually we buy the lobster and cook it where my mother’s friend lives but this time we picked them up already cooked.
Fresh lobster is one of the best things I’ve ever tasted. The best part of eating fresh lobster is that it’s so sweet and delicious that butter isn’t even necessary. I’ve learned over our yearly trips to Maine how to properly get all the meat out of the lobster. My favorite new tool is the lobster fork, makes life a lot easier. 
If one is not available to you, here’s a tip* break off the tail and take your fork through to push the meat out- the best part, all in one shot (unless you’re a claw person).
After filling ourselves with about 2-3 lobsters a piece, we headed back to New Hampshire. The next day we went to Portsmouth, Maine (very close distance to NH) one of our favorite places to visit. My family is Irish so usually our routine involves stopping at the two Irish stores in town but this time we added Ri Ra, an Irish pub/restaurant for lunch.
I could always order a Guinness or a Smithwicks but I wanted to try something new and I was told that a Shandy is so good it’s almost dangerous. 
I ordered a Smithwicks Shandy which is a mix of beer (this case, Smithwicks) and a carbonated beverage (this case, Irish Red Lemonade). FYI* I purchased the Irish Red Lemonade from Ri Ra and it was more expensive than the bottles I found elsewhere in the town so if you want some, look around first.
What adds to the experience is the building that it’s in. The bar, an old bank lobby, the bathroom is through a bank safe or you can ask for a table where you sit in the old bank safe.
Spicy Chicken Sandwich & a Shandy
The building is beautiful and the food fantastic so there’s no reason to not stop here for a bite to eat if you find yourself in the area. I ordered the spicy chicken. For those of you who don’t enjoy red-hot sandwiches, this would not be the choice for you, one bite brought tears to my mother’s eyes. The sandwich buns were very small compared to the size of the chicken but it was very good. I enjoyed the sauce much better than most spicy wing sauces that I have. The plus side, this restaurant has locations all over the eastern side of the US, so look at the website to see if there’s one in an area you may be traveling.
To end our trip, what else? Ice Cream at Annabelle’s Ice Cream. 
Annabelle’s is known for its all-natural flavors as well as fresh ingredients. Their dairy-free options are also very tasty which is sometimes hard to come by. This time, I tried Wild Berries & Cream which they describe as “Our Lowest Fat Vanilla Yogurt with Swirls of Fresh Red Raspberry Sorbet.” You can add gummy bears, hot fudge, M&Ms, etc to any flavor but I usually just like to keep the ice cream plain so I can taste the flavors (though the hot fudge is fantastic!). The difference with this and the other ice cream places we’ve encountered is that a small is a small and a large is a large so order your usual. They also have sandwiches to order that all sounded fantastic so definitely try one if you can.
The next day, just as we thought our trip eating through New England was over, my mother made one more stop- ice cream at Johnson’s. Johnson’s is notorious for their large sizes so order a kiddie or a small if you need to. 
We also ordered a lobster roll meal because I was more hungry than ready for ice cream. The meal came with french fries and a drink. I don’t remember the price exactly but I remember it being between $10-15. The fries weren’t that great so in my opinion, I would just order the lobster roll instead of the meal, it’s a little cheaper. It may be hard to find so look for the lobster!
This trip to New England is a fresh change from the 518 and it’s not that far away. Instead of a weekend, I would recommend a 3-4 day weekend or spend the week there exploring the many beaches and different seafood restaurants. There isn’t seafood like that which is fresh out of the water! On the way home, I recommend taking the back roads as long as you’re leaving during the day. Instead of just seeing the names of the towns as exits, it was a nice drive to experience them for the short drive through them, gave me ideas of places to visit in the future. Who knows it may be an entry down the road. Enjoy your trip!!
“When you look at a cupcake, you’ve got to smile.”
Anne Byrn
I just had my graduation party a few weeks ago and my mother was hoping to get “one of those fancy cakes” as she called them with no luck. With the planning of the party we forgot how long “those fancy cakes” take to make and didn’t order one in time. On the plus side, I got to visit a few bakeries in the process. By far, my favorite was Coccadotts at 1179 Central Ave in Albany.
My Mom was disappointed to hear that their “Free Cupcakes for Facebook Fans” deal was the day before, since she was their fan on Facebook and was looking forward to a cuppycake. It didn’t stop us from getting cuppycakes anyway. Not only were the cuppycakes beautiful to look at, they were beautiful to the taste buds too! As many of you know, I’ve lived in NYC for the past 4 years and I couldn’t go with someone visiting me without stopping at the famous Magnolia Bakery. In my opinion, those cupcakes are almost sickenly sweet. Coccadotts on the other hand had a perfect blend of sweet. It wasn’t too sweet where I didn’t want to finish it but sweet enough where it satisfied my sweet tooth. The frosting as well was very smooth. As they recommended, wait until the cuppycake is at room temperature to experience the soft texture of the frosting. My mother couldn’t wait (I don’t blame her) but I waited as long as I could and, of course, they were right! Instead of a hard frosting because of the refrigeration, it was silky smooth and beautiful. The cake itself was a great balance with the sweet frosting. With many cupcakes, the sweet cake competes with the sickly-sweet frosting but with Coccadotts is not the case, perfect balance.
“I want to have a good body, but not as much as I want dessert.”
Jason Love
Dairy Freeze
Muddy Sneakers
