Where are you going for Easter? A local brunch Sounds Marvelous!

   If you are looking for a place to eat this Easter, Albany County definitely has you covered! With many options to choose from, there is something for everyone this Sunday. Check ‘em out below:

Easter Brunch at The Capital American Eatery

Sunday, Mar 27, 2016 from 10 AM 4 PM

Where: The Capital American Eatery Address

Cost: $29.95 per adult. $14.95 per child under 12

   Come to the Capital American Eatery on Sunday, March 27th for a spectacular Easter Sunday Buffet Brunch. Immerse yourself in a dining experience fit to satisfy your palate and expose you to fine cuisine.

   Never know what to decide? That is ok!  With multiple food stations to choose from, brunch includes an Omelet, Pasta, Seafood, & Carving station, along with a Waffle and Dessert bar!  This buffet also includes tea, coffee and soda. Reserve your spot online here.

        Easter Brunch at The Point Restaurant & Lounge

Sunday, Mar 27, 2016 10AM

Where: The Point Restaurant and Lounge, 1100 Madison Avenue, Albany, NY

Cost: $29.95 adults, $15 children 4-12, plus tax & gratuity

   Enjoy Easter Brunch at The Point Restaurant & Lounge! Celebrate and relax with family and friends on this fine Sunday morning!

   Easter Brunch and Dinner at Simpson’s

Sunday, Mar 27, 2016 7 AM to 9 PM

Where: Simpson’s at The Desmond Hotel & Conference Center, 660 Albany Shaker Road, Albany, NY 12211

Cost: $41.95+

   Bring everyone together for either special Easter brunch, or have a nice holiday dinner. Eat, laugh, and celebrate time together, and take time to relax! Indulge in a special holiday menu, including traditional Easter favorites and more! Dinner is served from 1 pm – 9 pm.

   Easter Brunch At Glen Sanders Mansion

Sunday, 10 AM - 2 PM

Where: Glen Sanders Mansion, One Glen Avenue, Scotia

Cost: $40 Adults / $20 Kids

   Enjoy Easter Brunch from 10 AM to 2 PM at The Glen Sanders Mansion on Easter Day. View their menu here, and call ahead to reserve.

Brunch with the Easter Bunny at Reel Seafood Co.

Sunday 11:30 AM – 2 PM

Where: Reel Seafood Co., 195 Wolf Road, Albany, NY 12205

Cost: $5 - $25

   On Easter Sunday the Reel Seafood Co. will be hosting Brunch with the Easter Bunny. This is an extraordinary brunch with many choices on the menu to decide from. Designed with families in mind for a day full of fun and a visit from the Easter Bunny!

   Enjoy live music featuring Frank Sinatra classics and receive a free photo with the Easter Bunny. Adults can enjoy options from the Bloody Mary or Mimosa bar, or some Adult Hot Cocoa.

    Sugaring Off Sundays

Sunday 8:30 AM – 1 PM

Where: The Farmer’s Museum

Cost: $9 for ages 13 & up, $5 for ages 7-12, Free for ages 6 and younger

            Enjoy a full pancake breakfast including scrambled eggs, sausage, and home fries. Stay for many activities later on, including contemporary and historic maple sugaring demonstrations, children’s activities, and more.

   Join in on an Easter egg hunt in the Historic Village at 1pm. Eggs will be filled with carousel tokens and candy. One special golden egg winner will win free rides on the Carousel all year long! Now that sounds like something worthwhile! 

Eight Epic Entrees to Satisfy Your Fall Cravings

The weather is colder, the days are shorter, and our taste buds are craving fall favorites! Here are eight dishes that are guaranteed to please when you're in the mood for classic fall food:

The Ginger Man

234 Western Avenue, Albany

Fall cravings satisfied by:  Sweet Potato Gnocchi with maple brown butter, goat cheese, and toasted walnuts

#NewMenu item #SweetPotatoGnocchi! With a maple brown butter, goat cheese and toasted walnuts #AlbanyGingerManMenu #AlbanyGingerMan #NewDinnerMenu

A photo posted by AlbanyGingerMan (@albanygingerman) on Oct 20, 2015 at 4:29pm PDT

The Hollow Bar + Kitchen
79 N. Pearl Street, Albany
Fall cravings satisfied by: Butternut Squash Bisque with Nine Pin Cider, apple, and onion

New World Bistro Bar
300 Delaware Avenue, Albany

Fall cravings satisfied by: Pecan Bourbon Braised Pork Belly with roasted garlic caramel, shaved kale, and smoked Old Bay pecans

Mmmm #foodporn

A photo posted by Nishka (@nishkamatic) on Jun 5, 2015 at 6:02pm PDT

Druthers Brewing Co.

1053 Broadway, Albany

Fall cravings satisfied by: Smoked Chicken Panini with American cheese, kimchee aioli, upstate apples, mortadella, spiced pumpkin seeds

Peaches Cafe

1475 Western Avenue, Albany

Fall cravings satisfied by: Caramel Apple Cheesecake

carmel apple cheesecake I can die happy now

A photo posted by Bree Beaudette (@burreeto_) on Oct 22, 2013 at 2:54pm PDT

La Serre

14 Green Street, Albany

Fall cravings satisfied by: Stuffed Portabella Mushroom with spinach, roasted red peppers and fontina

City Beer Hall

42 Howard Street, Albany

Fall cravings satisfied by: Beet Salad with roasted golden beets, bulls blood beet, fresh burrata, aged balsamic, watercress, and bitters candied quinoa

Our new fall menu features some delicious seasonal salads!😛 Roasted golden beets, bulls blood beet, fresh burrata, aged balsamic, watercress, and bitters candied quinoa🌿 #Seasonal #WeGotTheBeets #CityBeerHall #NoFilter

A photo posted by The City Beer Hall (@thecitybeerhall42) on Oct 16, 2015 at 10:29am PDT

Grandma's Pies

1273 Central Avenue, Albany

Fall cravings satisfied by: Roasted Half Chicken with apple walnut stuffing and cranberry sauce garnish

Spirit of Albany: Passion Fruit Caipiroska

A hint of sweet, a strong citrus flavor, and a tropical taste are offered in this delicious signature cocktail. The Doublecross Passion Fruit Caipiroska at Texas de Brazil was elected to be their 2015 Spirit of Albany Cocktail. Although this drink sits on the menu, it is the perfect selection to be with this year's collection of Spirit of Albany drinks. "Why?" you ask? well...

Although the passion fruit is native to South America, the name could have been penned for New York's Capital. Albany has always been proud and passionate about its heritage and history. This cocktail's golden hues and sweet tones also remind us of the Annual Tulip Festival, another celebration of the passion and history of the city.   

The tempting flavors and beautiful colors of this cocktail are unique and powerful just like the restaurant that offers it. Texas de Brazil is one of Crossgates Mall's newest restaurant additions and if you haven't been yet, you ought to try it! But you may want to go on a day that you are particularly hungry for the "all you can eat" style meat offerings and 42 topping salad bar leave you wanting for nothing more.

Find out how to make the Passion Fruit Caipiroska yourself by watching this video: 

Editor's note: We asked some of Albany’s best mixologists to create original cocktail recipes that embody the spirit of Albany, and we compiled those recipes into our 2015 Spirit of Albany Recipe Guide. (The ACCVB does not, in any way, condone drinking and driving so please designate a driver as we did for this series.)

Taste the Spirit of Albany

One city, 400 years of history, and 11 great cocktails...

What could I be talking about? The 2015 Spirit of Albany recipes, of course!

The 2015 Spirit of Albany recipe guides featuring eleven original cocktail recipes from restaurants and culinary attractions throughout Albany County is available now! For the third year in a row, we've encouraged local mixologists to create original cocktail recipes that they feel embody the true spirit of Albany.

This year’s recipes include ingredients from local producers like Nine Pin Cider Works, the Albany Distilling Company, the Underground Alchemy, and Harvest Spirits. Many also make good use out of apples, New York State’s official fruit! 

The 2015 cocktails are as follows: 

• The Tri-City Martini – Reel Seafood Co. 

• Apple Cider Sangria – The Ginger Man

• Ironweed Old Fashioned – Albany Distilling Company

• Centennial Tini - Jack’s Oyster House

• ‘Old Lansing House’ Cosmo – The Hollow

• Roff Old Fashion – The Century House 

• The Warehouse District – Nine Pin Cider Works

• Empire State Apple Manhattan – Wolf’s 1-11 Arena Sports Grill

• Albany Apple Knocker – New World Bistro

• Dark & Spicy – 677 Prime

• Passion Fruit Caipiroska – Texas de Brazil

This year, along with the Spirit of Albany recipe cards, we are producing a video series that features each cocktail with a step by step “how-to” by the mixologist! The eleven videos will be released each Friday beginning April 3 and will be available on the Discover Albany YouTube page and on the Culinary Capital blog! 

Read the inspiration behind each cocktail, view the recipes, or order your our free recipe guide online by clicking this link. 

Recipe guides may be picked up at the Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center for free, or at any of the participating restaurants/locations.  The Spirit of Albany is a special promotion of The Culinary Capital.

Spirit of Albany Series: 677 Prime

This first installment of The Culinary Capital Blog is designed to invite locals and visitors to experience the rich dining culture of Albany through partner restaurants, as part of the Spirit of Albany campaign.  Over the coming weeks this blog will highlight six inspired cocktails that were crafted by these participating restaurants; Jack’s Oyster House, The Hollow, New World Bistro, 677 Prime, La Serre and The Century House. Follow along as we chronicle how the city is depicted through this diner’s journal of food and fare.

The Dark & Spicy at 677 Prime

One of Albany’s staple establishments – 677 Prime – a restaurant which has served the Capital Region in good stead, since Spring of 2005, is one that undoubtedly delivers the ultimate dining experience. The unmistakable feel of an up-to-the-minute men’s club is exuded in the entry way, where regulars have the option of stowing coveted dining essentials – like a twenty-year-old single malt Scotch whisky – in individually lit lockers appropriately constructed in rich mahogany and metal mesh doors. 

Such a display, affirms the restaurants’ position of marrying luxury with high-toned whim.  In the dining room, tradition meets contemporary in a deceivingly large and lavish dining space.  The wood tones are balanced by cool brushed metal accents, which are highlighted by a smattering of beautiful crystal and industrial light fixtures; it is indeed, the ultimate juxtaposition of masculine and feminine touches. The tufted leather booths coupled with crisp white linens adds to 677's understated sophistication. And a gallery wall pageants the artistic work of talented local artists.

Elegantly constructed floral arrangements and topiaries add brilliant hue to an otherwise quiet and neutral palette. And as the old adage goes, “you eat with your eyes first” and this atmosphere certainly sets the stage for something truly delectable. 

The menu at 677 runs the gamut from the expected to the exceptional. And although it is branded as the quintessential steak-house, some of the offerings buck conventional steak house fare and are truly thoughtful and purposefully inventive, such as the molten “crab cake” dip. The prices do skirt industry standards, however, every guest would attest that hand-cut steaks from top purveyors is definitely worth it.

There’s no dispute that 677 is a classic dinning institution, however, of late, its well-stocked bar now brandishes a cocktail that is anything but traditional.  The Dark and Spicy is an improbable combination of Ginger Beer, a smattering of rums; ADC Quackenbush Still House Rum and Gosling Rum, as well as, Golden Falernum and Simple Syrup, garnished with fresh lemon.  It is well composed, in that, the initial spice attack from the Ginger Beer and Golden Falernum was not overwhelming but rather warming as it facilitated the distinct taste and heft of the Rum to create a long and lingering, pleasant mid-palate.  

Although this drink features enough lemon juice to create somewhat of a palpable pucker, the characteristic acidity was muted by other dominant spice flavors.  However, in the end, it was the subtle saccharine notes which complemented the smooth finish to reveal a truly balanced cocktail; one which distinctly plays on the contours of the city in which it was created to represent.

Editor's note: We asked some of Albany’s best mixologists to create original cocktail recipes that embody the spirit of Albany, and we compiled those recipes into our 2014 Spirit of Albany Recipe Guide. In this exciting blog series local foodie BrigidWashington, a Culinary Institute of America grad and local restaurant consultant, explores each restaurant – it’s menu, it’s atmosphere, and of course, it’s custom cocktail – and provides her perspective on how it all comes together to create part of Albany’s creative culinary scene! (The ACCVB does not, in any way, condone drinking and driving so please designate a driver as we did for this series.)