Let’s have a party Albany. We are just about done building the FUSSYlittleBALLOT 3.0 and today we are going to power through the rest.
Can I get a woo hoo?
As usual, let’s just take a moment to remember the goal of today’s post. Every year the Times Union polls the Capital Region about what’s best in the area. Only a small fraction of residents respond, but their responses help to define our region and continually cast it in a negative light. Smaller but better restaurants get left in the cold as people’s loyalties are split, and mediocrity reigns supreme.
However, if we could all agree to vote on a slate of businesses that may not be our own personal choice for The Best, but that we all recognize are certainly among the best, then a few great places might be able to break through.
Today, we knock off the very last few and make sure everyone has had a chance to weigh in on each category. In the past the TU questionnaire has been posted in April. And believe it or not that’s just next week. So I want to make sure that when the time comes, we can hit the ground running.
So without further ado, please put your thinking caps on, and get ready to give me your best.
Remember, these are just my top three picks. They are neither intended to be definitive or authoritative. In some cases, like this first one I’m shooting a bit from the hip and being driven as much as ideology as anything else. As opposed to some people, I’m perfectly fine voting for a place I haven’t personally experienced. We’ll talk more about that last statement in the near future.
Best restaurant to open in the past year
Surely I’m forgetting something important. Let it be known that I am not forgetting the Gastropub, but rather I’m leaving them off.
3) Olde English
2) All Good Bakers
1) Hungry Fish Cafe
Best restaurant for kids
This category should be called Best restaurant for families. Because kids are always going to prefer ice cream, pizza and robotic rodents to actually eating food. But there are plenty of places to take them where they aren’t underfoot and you aren’t tempted to slit your wrists, like:
3) Pizza King
2) Ala Shanghai
1) Ralph’s
Best Indian/Pakistani restaurant
It’s hard to argue with South Asian street food and snacks you can’t find anywhere else. Parivar is a gem. Besides that a good cheap buffet and other regional Indian specialties. India is a big country, and it’s great to have a place in the region that acknowledges this and brings us some dishes that are lesser known in this former British colony.
3) Aashiana
2) Karavali
1) Parivar
Best Mexican/Central/South American restaurant
When choosing among the food of Central and South America, I’m almost going to always pick Mexican.
3) Flores Family Restaurant
2) Mr. Pio Pio
1) La Mexicana
Best sports bar
Don’t hate me just because we follow different sports.
3) Olde English
2) Wolff’s
1) The Ruck
Now what are yours? Please let me know your TOP THREE so I can try and work them into the FUSSYlittleBALLOT 3.0. Also, don’t forget to check out the below and make sure you weighed in on the other pressing matters of the day (from weeks past).
- The Markets
- Wine & Beer
- Ethnic Markets
- Pizza
- In a League of Their Own
- Asia
- Sandwiches & More
- Regional Specialties
The next time we talk about this, I’ll be presenting you all a slate for us to rally behind. It’s going to take some compromise and personal sacrifice. But I’m hoping 2012 is our year. If not, there’s always 2013. Because we’re not going anywhere.
