Culinary for a Cause: Chili Challenge

The Northeast Kidney Foundation will be hosting their 5th annual Chili Challenge on Thursday, November 1, from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express in Latham.

Here's the lineup of restaurants participating:

Bellevue Café
The City Squire
Dinosaur BBQ
The Eatery at Carol's Place
Coxsackie Diner (Exit 21B Diner)
Farmer Boy Diner
Gazebo Banquets
Halfmoon Sandwich & Salad Shoppe
Lark Street Tavern
On Tap Sports Grille
Orchard Tavern
Philly's Bar & Grille
Pig & Whistle at the Grove
Powers Irish Pub
Rafferty's
Salty's Pub & Bistro

If you are interested in attending, tickets are still available for sale at Price Chopper or online at www.healthykidneys.org. And as a sign of appreciation for all of the hard work of utility and storm workers, they will receive 50% off their ticket price at the door with an ID.

Fore more information, please visit www.healthykidneys.org.

Have you experienced Marché yet?

If you haven't been to Marché at 74 State yet, there is no better time. Experience the taste of autumn with their new seasonal menu, made with ingredients from local farms. This time, apples and squash are the main attraction and the menu (below) looks delicious.

Head down after work to enjoy a drink at the bistro bar. They have an award-winning wine list that is sure to please, or try one of their chef-inspired drinks that complement your autumn meal. All of these cocktails are made with spirits from Golden Harvest Farm's Harvest Spirits Distillery, located just south of Albany on Route 9. 

If you want to experience a distillery without the travel, you can walk from Marche to the Albany Distilling Company, located next to the Albany Pump Station at Quackenbush Square. Read about their grand opening, first products, merchandise, and hours of operation here.

Capital City Gastropub now offering expanded Happy Hour and New Menu!

Ask and you shall receive: expanded happy hour promotions at the Capital City Gastropub.

The new happy hour schedule is as follows:

Sunday-Tuesday: $9 Pizzas and $3 Select Drafts all night.
Wednesday: Half-price burgers all night.
Wednesday-Friday: $ 9 Pizzas and $3 Select Drafts from 5 p.m.-7 p.m.
Every Friday: Enjoy live music from 9 p.m.-11:30 p.m. with Carl Daniels, for an additional $2 you can enjoy a select micro-brew, a different brew will be offered each week.

For more information or to check out their new fall menu head over to the Capital City Gastropub Website.

La Serra to host benefit for Starlight Foundation

Le Serre will hold it's second annual Over the Moon cocktail party and reception on Thursday, November 1 to benefit the Starlight Foundation. Festivities are scheduled to kick off at 5:30 p.m. with tickets currently on sale for $85. Proceeds from the evening will go to helping the local chapter of the Starlight Foundation, a group that provides services to Capital Region families with children suffering from chronic and life-threatening diseases.

The evening will include an open bar for beer, wine, and a special cocktail, prizes including performance tickets and sports memorabilia, a variety of hors d'oeuvres, and cupcakes provided by Coccadots.

La Serre is located in Downtown Albany at 14 Green Street.

Living Resources Culinary Cornucopia: An Update

As many of you know, November 11th marks the 22nd Annual Culinary Cornucopia event hosted by Living Resources. That night, at least thirteen restaurants will be participating in the Living Resources annual fundraising event. The chefs participate in a series of closed-door competitions during the day based on guidelines of the . Their dishes are presented that evening to more than 500 guests at the grand reception. All proceeds benefit Living Resources, which provides services to individuals with disabilities.

The participating chefs and restaurants include: Nathan Kutzscher of Albany Marriott Market; Teddy Somboon of Blue Spice Modern Gourmet Thai Restaurant; Luca Brunelle of Brown’s Brewing Company Taproom; Scott Cooper of Capital Region BOCES Culinary Program; James Frese of DZ Restaurants’ Pasta Pane; Dominique Brialy of Epicurean Bistro & Wine Bar; Jeremy Kane of The Hilton Garden Inn Troy and the Rensselaer Banquet and Conference Facility; Will Brown of Mazzone Hospitality; James Simmons of Reel Seafood Company; and Michael Spain of Sperry’s Restaurant.

The Albany Marriott on Wolf Road will play host to the event, which is the single largest fundraiser for Albany-based Living Resources, a non-profit that provides services to individuals with developmental disabilities and traumatic brain injuries.

You'll need to act fast if you'd like to enjoy the reception, dinner, and silent auction, as the event usually sells out at 500 tickets, which cost $150 each.

And let's not forget the fun part! Participating restaurants include Angelo’s 677 Prime, Blue Spice, Brown’s Brewing Company, Pasta Pane, Epicurean Bistro & Wine Bar, Glen Sanders Mansion (Angelo’s Tavolo), Prime at Saratoga National, Reel Seafood Company, Sperry’s, and others. It's sure to be a delicious evening!

To learn more and order tickets, please contact Joan Meyer at (518) 218-0000, Ext. 5330 or email meyerj@livingresources.org.