Ninja – Someone who is trained in martial arts and hired for espionage or for assassinations.
With this definition in mind and the location of Ninja in Schenectady being on Broadway St right across from Center St Pub, it’s quite the area to have snuck in and infiltrated the Downtown Schenectady Area. This building has been many things; it was a night club, a restaurant, another type of restaurant. Then for a very long time it was just a random place with a sign outside that said “Ninja”with very little information online about the place until one Saturday night as I was celebrating my birthday, I noticed they had an hours sign posted and people inside. I knew it was time to be a ninja myself and do some intel gathering. My spying began after walking home from school where I decided to walk by the place and a waiter from Mr. Wasabi recognized me and invited me, showed me around the place. Such beautiful atmosphere, and very different from when I remember it being an Italian restaurant where they was many draperies.
(5) Customer Service – Meaning How well they assisted me in my needs
The waiter that recognized me from Mr. Wasabi was Jackie, who was there the night of our random adventure. I promised him I would return and this was me making good on my word. Our server was Justin, also the temporary General Manager, who promised us he would break dance for us. – He did not. :)
The overall customer service from Ninja was very spectacular. It’s very silly of other establishments who do not have this way of thinking. From splitting our check for everyone to constantly making sure we were all set, even asking for our overall opinion on the experience made me feel welcome inside of Ninja.
(5) Food & Drink – How well their food tasted, their drink selection
Because they have just opened their drink selection isn’t fully stocked, but give them time. This wasn’t their grand opening. The night we went, they also didn’t have their dessert yet, so again, give them time. I was told they were receiving their supplies for dessert soon.
My drinks for the night consisted of: Pomegranate Martini, it was my favorite drink of the night. It’s a mix of pomegranate, vodka, and lemonade. Ginger Champagne, this was my second drink of the night and it consisted of pickled ginger, vodka, and champagne. It was very delicious! Finally, my first drink which I asked to be surprised… I was given a Ninja J, which is a very sweet drink. If you like your drinks very sweet, then this will be for you!
All of my guests tried to get something different so we could all taste each other’s food to see how good it was. Appetizer wise: The crab rangoon was delicious and fresh! As were the pork gyoza, which had the perfect crispy bottoms. Bang Bang Shrimp was also delicious and even one of my guests who didn’t know what to get because they’re very new to Asian food got the Thai Chicken Wraps, which he was impressed by. Dinner wise: They have General Tso’s Chicken which uses real chicken and not the mystery breaded meat, the sauce was sweet and just a bit of spiciness. (And I know what you’re going to say, “General Tso’s? But isn’t that Chinese?” Actually it’s more American than you think.) I went with a Beef Yaki Udon, where the beef melted in my mouth and the flavors were both sweet and savory.
A few of us tried some of the speciality rolls they have. We tried; Naruto which is a roll wrapped with cucumber instead of nori, very delicious. I had the Sushi Bombs and Rising Sun, they both tasted so fresh and appealing. The last roll we tried was the Volcano Roll, the person who got this roll felt it should have been spicier to be up to par with its name however I liked it just as it was.
(5) Price - Here I am not grading my cost, but by the quality of the food I get for the money I spent. (Example: I pay $5 for a hamburger that I could make myself.)
I feel the money I spent for the drinks and food were well worth it. I’m not trying to sound erudite, but even with my culinary knowledge of Asian cuisine, I don’t think I could have pulled this off.
(5) Presentation – How things were presented to me; Food, Drink, Staff, etc.
All of the staff wore uniforms to set themselves apart from everyone else. Food presentation was spectacular, which you can’t ask for anything less of an Asian establishment.
2014 U-Pick Adventures continue with Marie’s pick to Cella Bistro. Many people told me to venture to this location because they would drive by the place and it was always stirring, so I had to put it on the list! Â
 (5) Customer Service - Meaning how well they assisted me in my needs.
Very excellent. I will not call in for a reservation when I have a party less than six so when I arrived Tera was very eager to get a table ready for me as soon as possible. When my other two guests arrived, we were seated and ordered our drinks and then ordered our appetizers and entrees. The kitchen was running very slowly, most likely because this was the weekend right after Thanksgiving and I bet a lot of people didn’t want to look at turkey anymore so they decided to go out to eat instead, which Cella Bistro wasn’t ready for that. However, because the kitchen was so slow Tera was very sweet about it and even took items off our order to ease the pain of having to wait for the kitchen.
(4) Decor - The atmosphere of the place.
Very homey and relaxed. If the bar wasn’t there I would have assumed I was in someone’s house.
(5) Food & Drink - How well the food tastes, their selection of drinks
(5) Price - Here I am not grading my cost, but by the quality of the food I get for the money I spent. (Example: I pay $5 for a hamburger that I could make myself.)
Even though the food was prepared and served in a place that could be in your dining room, don’t expect to be able to recreate these dishes at home!
(5) Presentation - How things are presented. Food, Drink, Staff, etc.
All employees wore uniforms and the establishment was well kept and clean.
2014 U-Pick Adventures continue with Rebecca’s pick to Canvas, Corks & Forks. CCF recently opened in the area of Downtown Schenectady. It’s one of those eat, paint, and sip locations where you eat some food, paint a little picture, and sip some really good wine. Â
(5) Customer Service - Meaning how well they assisted me in my needs.
CCF has their classes listed online which you can pay for your ticket and event request anything in particular. I requested zoodles, which are zucchini sliced into noodle for those who are concerned about the carbs. I was e-mailed by Thomaura O'Sullivan to confirm my request and she even asked me if I had any food allergies.
(5) Food & Drink - How well the food tastes, their selection of drinks
For the zoodles, I had a choice between the styles and went with the tossed in oil, sun dried tomato pesto, grana padana, caramelized onions and sausage – called the Mediterranean Mamma’s Mac. It was quite delicious. I mean, if I could have taken the entire Mac N Cheese bar home, I would have taken that Mac home with me. For drink I went with the moscato which was bubbly, sweet, and delicious. If the option to buy the bottle was there, I would have. Thomaura brought out some samples of the fries and even a sample of the oreo brownies, both were very delicious.
(5) Price - Here I am not grading my cost, but by the quality of the food I get for the money I spent. (Example: I pay $5 for a hamburger that I could make myself.)
I’m sure you’re thinking that a Mac N Cheese bar sounds a bit, cheesy. It’s not. The quality of the food was overall very delicious. If I could order the full sizes of the samples that I received. I will be more than happy.
(5) Presentation - How things are presented. Food, Drink, Staff, etc.
I know I’ve always talked about there being uniforms and that’s a plus… here there it’s not needed. The idea of CCF is very open and freestyle. To mingle with the other guests is encouraged; to get more paint on your own is also encouraged. Of course to balance this all out is the class that the Mac N Cheese bar has when it’s set up.
Side Note: I wish Thomaura the best in her endeavor. CCF is all about the fun and free spiritedness. When I first saw the location opening I was curious to see how it would fit into the robust life that Downtown Schenectady has evolved into, but I believe she will be just fine. If you believe that food is “second” here, it’s not.
2014 U-Pick Adventures continue with Danielle’s pick to Mexican Radio. Mexican Radio is the new kid on the block in the Downtown Schenectady Area. I was so eager to go that I went before this adventure and had one of the worst experiences ever.
When I went there the first time, it was their grand opening week. My niece wanted to go out for dinner and I suggested we go to Mexican Radio since it was talked up so well during its construction and renovation of the Old OTB building. We went there at around 7 PM and the head waitress told us that there would be a two hour wait. My niece and I didn’t care; we decided to see a movie in that two hour time period. 45 minutes later they called me and left a message saying our table was ready, unfortunately we were already at the movies and we weren’t going to leave. After the movie we headed back over there and explained that we got a call about an hour ago. One of the waitresses rudely said, “We don’t hold tables for more than 5 minutes.” And then I told her that it was supposed to be a two hour wait, we went to see a movie and they called me 45 minutes later. And as looking around, we could easily see open tables enough for two people. Another waitressed piped up and said to seat them.
We get seated and I ordered white sangria, which tasted pretty good. I decided to order the Guacamole Grande, which turned out to be a poco plate of “homemade” chips and “homemade” guacamole and salsa. My niece and I decided to order a Carne Asada Fries which comes with either rice and beans or salad, we opted for house salad. When the order came I was given a Caesar salad and the portion size was relatively small for the amount I paid. When it came to dessert, we both went with an ole time favorite, fried ice cream. What we got was not even close to what fried ice cream is supposed to be; we received a ball of ice cream rolled in toasted coconut.
The following are out of 5 Points and reflect August’s experience.
(5) Customer Service - Meaning how well they assisted me in my needs.
I called Mexican Radio Friday evening to place my reservations for our group. They handled it quickly and pleasantly. Upon arriving at the restaurant, we were seated swiftly by the head waitress and given water. We even had the option of sitting outside or inside, since 2/3s of the party was cold, we opted for sitting outside much to my distaste due to insects. When it came time to paying we asked our server, Rachelle, to split our bill and she was more than happy to do so.
(4) Decor - The atmosphere of the place.
I remember when the building was the Old OTB building, it’s changed a lot and in a good way. It’s very beautiful; the only thing I would change is the outside paint job.
(4) Food & Drink - How well the food tastes, their selection of drinks
A couple side notes: This is the first time I have ever gone to a Latin restaurant and never received complimentary chips and salsa; you do have to pay for them. Also, I did see the Grande Guacamole dish that other customers were ordering and it didn’t look anything like the small dish I received the first time I went.
(4) Price - Here I am not grading my cost, but by the quality of the food I get for the money I spent. (Example: I pay $5 for a hamburger that I could make myself.)
The quality of the food I received was very good and more upscale than what I first received. Â
(4) Presentation - How things are presented. Food, Drink, Staff, etc.
Uniforms. Check. Food presentation. Check. Drink presentation. Check. I would only change the outside area where they have a small server station which shows a bag full of dirty napkins and dirty dishes. It takes away from the beautiful work they did and also becomes a magnet for the insects which should be taken care of better.
2014 U-Pick Adventures continue with Eric and Erica’s pick to Mizu Sushi. They have been trying to get me to come to this place for a while now, but I’m pretty loyal to my key Asian places.
The following are out of 5 Points.
(5) Customer Service - Meaning how well they assisted me in my needs.
I called in the reservation for Mizu Sushi the night before with the goal of eleven people, but a few got sick or emergencies came up so we walked in with the eight of us to see Jean putting our table together. I’ve never seen such a waitress with a skill to memorize the tables order, person by person… until now; even with a few of us changing our mind with our dessert picks.
(5) Price - Here I am not grading my cost, but by the quality of the food I get for the money I spent. (Example: I pay $5 for a hamburger that I could make myself.)
The quality of food was outstanding.
(4) Presentation - How things are presented. Food, Drink, Staff, etc.
There were no uniforms, just the simple black. I would hope they get some type of logos on their shirts. The food was presented excellently. As many times states before, “we eat with our eyes first” – my eyes were pigs. ;)
In April, we went to Karavalli to continue the U-Pick Adventure with Eve’s pick.
This Indian place is located out in Latham. The food was delicious; however the attitude of the server was less enjoyed. It would be ideal to return since they did accommodate us very well since I called in the reservation the day of the adventure.
In May, it was my pick to return to Tara Kitchen.
Tara Kitchen serves up Moroccan food. One of the many hidden gems of Schenectady. A good number of the dishes are cooked in tangines and many of the sauces the chef uses in her dishes are available to purchase in the store!
In June, it was Sue’s pick for Thai Thai Bistro. This was originally the January adventure, but because of a medical emergency it was postponed.
March Adventure - Marotta's Bar Ristro "Tunnel Lounge"
Marotta’s Bar-Ristro “Tunnel Lounge”
Server:Â Ashley O
Table: 11 Guests
The Tunnel Lounge is an addition to the Marotta’s Bar-Ristro establishment which was to feature a more “night club” feel with its own separate menu.
The following are out of 5 Points.
(2) Customer Service - Meaning how well they assisted me in my needs.
I decided to use their e-mail service to place my reservation due to having a busy schedule. They called and confirmed my reservation to be in the Tunnel Lounge, but alas the person who called put me in for THAT day instead of my desired date; creating a bit of confusion as to where I was. When I arrived at Marotta’s I was told that the Tunnel Lounge was closed. I really don’t understand why I wasn’t informed about this when I specifically asked to be in the Tunnel Lounge. Our server was a bit less to be desired. She completely lost interest in us as soon as we asked for separate checks. You could literally see her smile turn into a frown. Later on in the evening when a few of the guests wanted dessert, they wanted the tartufo that was pictured in the iPads on the tables (which are not updated). Ashley told us that Marotta’s didn’t have any, but she believed it to be a season item here; however when she worked at the Lighthouse it was available year round. I’m all about ownership, no matter the job I believe we should be all about that job; even when we hate it. For her to tell us about what the Lighthouse does shows disrespect to who she works for and who signs her paycheck.
“Marotta’s is Italian dining. The color palette of the inside can be best described as Tuscany. However, for it to be a hybrid of a bar and bistro you get more of a feel of fine dining.”
(3) Food & Drink - How well the food tastes, their selection of drinks
First and foremost, I really wanted to try the Tunnel Lounge’s menu. That was the entire reason behind coming. I was told that the menu didn’t do well so they scrapped it. It wasn’t even open for five months! Â
For drink wise, I went with a Tunnel Bellini, which supposedly had St. Germaine Liqueur, EFFEN Cucumber Vodka, and Prosecco. (A bellini is a Prosecco wine that has a fruit puree in it.) I didn’t taste any of that, what I got was a Prosecco wine with some muddled raspberries.
(3) Price - Here I am not grading my cost, but by the quality of the food I get for the money I spent. (Example: I pay $5 for a hamburger that I could make myself.)
Comparing my adventure to this one, the prices are a bit higher and the food portions are somewhat smaller than before.
 (4) Presentation - How things are presented. Food, Drink, Staff, etc.
Everyone is uniformly dressed, but the lighting is left to be desired.
Overall Score: 16/25
() Guests’ Opinion – I’m giving my guests an opinion. Before it was my general perception of how the night went. The overall score can be affected by their opinion. If their opinion is positive, it’s plus one point. However if their opinion is negative it’s minus one point. Below will also be quotes from my guests.
“All I tasted was vinegar and red pepper, do they not use herbs?” -1
“I liked it!” +1
“I paid 11 dollars for a salad this small? And paid 3 more dollars for a small piece of grilled chicken?” -1
“I thought the bread for bruschetta was supposed to be crunchy and not soggy?” -1
“It was OK, it wasn’t as good as the first time we went.” -1/+1
Total Guest Points: -2
New Overall Score: 14
Final Thoughts: As much as I loved Marotta’s Bar-Ristro, I’ve never had such a bad experience before. I find the lack of communication and ownership to leave a lot to be desired. If I didn’t have such a large party, I would have taken everybody elsewhere. Â
This year it's going to be a bit different. I've compiled a list of places to go and I'm giving months to certain people to pick our target for that month. Here is the list and our current targets.
Karavalli - April "Eve's Pick"
Shogun
Tara Kitchen - May "Kevin's Pick"
Marotta’s Tunnel Lounge - March "Lori's Pick"
Orchid
Thai Thai Bistro - January "Anniversary" Postponed, but we're doing it in June as "Sue's Pick"
The Van Dyke
Ichiban
Scotti’s Restaurant - February "Nicole's Pick"
Mizu Sushi
Mexican Radio
Bowtie Cinemas
Cella Bistro
Missing Adventures November '13, December '13 & January '14
Hey everyone, I know you probably thought I was gone since November, but a lot of things happened. I still had adventures, but never had a chance to post them for several reasons. So I'm going to give you a run down of what I did in those missing months.
In November, I decided to give my friends a redemption and make them come to Sitar. Sitar is an Indian restaurant which was my second ever adventure and I liked it a lot. When I brought my friends to the adventure it was completely backwards in terms of service and food. Ultimately it was up to my friends to review Sitar instead of me. Due to the holidays it was tough for me to write that up.
In December, we did a tradition which is having hibachi at a very favorite place called Hiro's. Due to it being a tradition, I didn't review it like I normally did because it holds a special place in my heart.
In January '14, I decided to return to Bangkok Bistro now called Thai Thai Bistro under new management. However I got severally sick with appendicitis and was unable to go so it's being postponed to another month.
However, I'm back in the swing of things healing from what happened to me in January and you can see our February Adventure posted! Enjoy!
February Adventure - Scotti's Restuarant & Pizzeria
Scotti’s Restaurant & Pizzeria
Server:Â Brian
Table: 7 Guests
Where I work, I was told by so many of my customers that I had to come to Scotti’s.
The following are out of 5 Points.
(5) Customer Service - Meaning how well they assisted me in my needs.
I called in my reservation and the person on the phone took my reservation information quickly and even let me know that if anything changes to give him a call. At the dinner itself, our server Brian was excellent and very attentive; asking us how our wine was, appetizers, and food. He was excellent and very very good looking as well.
(4) Price - Here I am not grading my cost, but by the quality of the food I get for the money I spent. (Example: I pay $5 for a hamburger that I could make myself.)
You will definitely get your money’s worth of food. Their menu consists of mostly pasta and cheese filled dishes. Therefore their sauces and creams really must shine past that.
(4) Presentation - How things are presented. Food, Drink, Staff, etc.
Uniforms. Check. No outlandish food presentations. Check. Better lighting please?
October Redemption - Apple Picking at Bowman's Orchards
Apple Picking at Bowman Orchards
Apple picking is one of those things that were ripped from my childhood. I went maybe once, and that was in Second Grade for a field trip.
The following are out of 5 Points. Â
(3) Customer Service - Meaning how well they assisted me in my needs.
Their customer service skills are lacking. There is no need to be rude to someone because they wish to pay with a credit card and don’t have cash.
(5) Decor - The atmosphere of the place.
It’s obviously a farm. There is no doubt. ;)
(5) Food & Drink - How well the food tastes, their selection of drinks
They say not to try any of the produce until you buy it, but how are you going to know you want that apple unless you try it? Well of course I tried the apples… hehe. The other food at this establishment are delicious, especially the various fudges and Apple Cider Donut Ice Cream.
(5) Price - Here I am not grading my cost, but by the quality of the food I get for the money I spent. (Example: I pay $5 for a hamburger that I could make myself.)
For the price you pay for the apples that you picked yourself, it’s alright. The homemade sweets like the fudge and ice cream, totally worth it.
 (5) Presentation - How things are presented. Food, Drink, Staff, etc.
No uniforms. No staff shirts. Lots of things lacking that would make me assume this is a business, you feel more like you’re on someone’s farm than you do in a business establishment. However, that’s ok because I found that the individual stores themselves to be well defined. Â
Earlier this year I had a random adventure to Casa Real and was blown away by the service, the food, and of course the drinks. I knew I had to take everyone here for an adventure.
The following are out of 5 Points. Â
(5) Customer Service - Meaning how well they assisted me in my needs.
I originally called in the reservation for 16 people, when Casa Real got my phone call I can assure you they were taken back by it at first, but you could tell they were eager for a challenge. When I got to Casa Real with a part of the party, they asked if we wanted a table in the main room or somewhere in the back, I of course told them that it was fine with whatever they were comfortable with. No point during the night was there any real issue with their service, when we asked for something, it happened. I, we, felt like real guests in Casa Real.
(4) Decor - The atmosphere of the place.
I’m going to quote my Random Adventure here: “First and foremost, don’t be turned away by the outside. The outside will make you think you’re walking into some sketchy place where you may come out with a tattoo or a piercing. Once you walk through the main door you will walk into this restaurant that gives the feel of it being a restaurant.” And this still holds true! Please oh please don’t judge a book by its cover here!
(5) Food & Drink - How well the food tastes, their selection of drinks.
(5) Price - Here I am not grading my cost, but by the quality of the food I get for the money I spent. (Example: I pay $5 for a hamburger that I could make myself.)
You will think you’re getting a lot, and that’s because you are getting a lot for what you’re paying for.
 (5) Presentation - How things are presented. Food, Drink, Staff, etc.
Common uniforms. Check. Food presentation. Check. Drink Presentation. Check.
What a way to “end the summer”, I say this because Summer isn’t really done with until September 21st, but with the way the month is going and the days becoming shorter. It’s ideal to think summer is over with and what better way to honor the end with barbeque food.
The following are out of 5 Points. Â
(5) Customer Service - Meaning how well they assisted me in my needs.
It’s always a shocker when I call up a place and tell them I have a large amount of people coming and calling in a reservation, but not here. The lady who took my reservation was pleasant and more than eager to have me come in for dinner with 10 people. Anna was an excellent waitress, she was attentive and beyond pleasant with splitting the bill for all of us. I know sometimes it can be too much or even a well visual hassle to the wait staff, but she was more than happy to do so. They gave us two sampler trays of their appetizers and they were delicious.
(5) Food & Drink - How well the food tastes, their selection of drinks
Before you look at the menu and say, what’s so special about this place? It has hot dogs, hamburgers, and various comfort sides. That’s not the point. They make their own BBQ Sauces and prep all the meats by smoking right on sight, same with desserts. Settlers Beans is something you will want to try, and don’t think it’s just some way of saying baked beans, because it’s not that. There are a lot of beans in the mix and a spicy yet delicious sauce that they’re cooked in. For a BBQ place, I’ve never seen ribs that were so meaty and juicy. This place is also known for their Graveyard Burger challenge, you’ll see a picture below of this monster.
(5) Price - Here I am not grading my cost, but by the quality of the food I get for the money I spent. (Example: I pay $5 for a hamburger that I could make myself.)
There is a lot of food for what you get.
 (4) Presentation - How things are presented. Food, Drink, Staff, etc.
I know I’ve said that a uniform is one of those things I love and go for when it comes to places of business, but here with the homey feel I don’t mind it as much. Nor am I going to knock points off for poor food presentation when it was just too good to begin with.
Overall Score: 24/25
This was a perfect place to take Kevin’s Adventures to “end” summer.
(5) Customer Service - Meaning how well they assisted me in my needs.
Our waitress was awesome, I wish I knew her name so she could get credit for this. She was attentive and helped with any questions we had. Always checking on us to make sure the food was good and if we needed any drinks.
(4) Decor - The atmosphere of the place.
First and foremost, don’t be turned away by the outside. The outside will make you think you’re walking into some sketchy place where you may come out with a tattoo or a piercing. Once you walk through the main door you will walk into this restaurant that gives the feel of it being a restaurant. Â
(5) Food & Drink - How well the food tastes, their selection of drinks
(5) Price - Here I am not grading my cost, but by the quality of the food I get for the money I spent. (Example: I pay $5 for a hamburger that I could make myself.)
If I wasn’t such a pig, I would have gone home with plenty of leftovers for the amount of money I paid.
 (5) Presentation - How things are presented. Food, Drink, Staff, etc.
Going back to what I said, the outside is going to throw you off however that shouldn’t let you think less of what you’re going to encounter inside. The staff is uniformed and the food is well presented.
Overall Score: 24/25
Last thoughts? I enjoyed this place so much that I’m having a formal adventure here next month so look forward to when I return with more people and give them a full Kevin’s Adventure treatment.
July Redemption - Five Guys Burgers & Fries/Sweet Frog
Five Guys Burgers & Fries/Sweet Frog
Server:Â Wait Staff
Table: 13 Guests
Five Guys never impressed me; in fact I went to one about four years ago and felt that the experience was just distasteful. There were peanut shells all over the floor and it felt gross and dingy. Sweet Frog being a new kid on the block, I decided to hit them up afterwards for some dessert, because really who doesn’t like Frozen Yogurt?
The following are out of 5 Points. Since I’m rating two businesses there will be two scores. Five Guys first and then Sweet Frog. Â
(4/5) Customer Service - Meaning how well they assisted me in my needs.
At Five Guys the staff was pretty friendly with what I wanted, granted I was asked to see my ID for using my credit card. Weird, I know. Other than that it wasn’t that long of a wait to get my food. At Sweet Frog, it was just as it was at Five Guys, the girl working the register was sweet.
(5/5) Decor - The atmosphere of the place.
CLEAN. For being chain franchises, they were clean. There wasn’t any peanut shells all over the floor or crazy yogurt toppings everywhere.
(4/4) Food & Drink - How well the food tastes, their selection of drinks
Five Guys: Went with a bacon cheese burger with lettuce, tomato, onion, and mushrooms and a side of fries. Their fountain machine is pretty cool, the amount of selections you have for soda is crazy, and however I don’t drink soda so I went with seltzer water, which is in the machine as well.
Sweet Frog: My choice of frozen yogurt was mango tango and strawberry with plenty of weird toppings. Fruit blast balls, mango, mochi, and other stuff.
(3/4) Price - Here I am not grading my cost, but by the quality of the food I get for the money I spent. (Example: I pay $5 for a hamburger that I could make myself.)
Five Guys: I’m still not impressed. I can make the same burger at home and wouldn’t have paid as much. For those who say, well that happens no matter where you go out. Not true, when I go out I expect to be wowed. Just because the burger was cooked well on a grill with some fries thrown in a deep fryer doesn’t mean it should be simple. Where is the wow factor? I go out because I get to try new things and discover hidden gems.
Sweet Frog: I can’t make frozen yogurt at home, don’t have the patience nor time for it. If you plan your base yogurt well with a few good toppings, you make out well. You will pay less than what you would going to the supermarket and getting a pint of frozen yogurt and you have choices.
 (5/5) Presentation - How things are presented. Food, Drink, Staff, etc.
All wait staff was in uniform. Presentation for Five Guys is typical fast food attire. (thrown in a bag.)
Overall Score: Five Guys 21/25
                       Sweet Frog 23/25
Final thoughts, I would be more than happy to venture back into Sweet Frog for some frozen yogurt.
I saw that this place opened up awhile back and had no idea what it was about until another day I was walking to the Downtown Jay St Schenectady area and found that it served Moroccan food. Being curious of cuisines I decided that I should stop in there one day.
The following are out of 5 Points.
(5) Customer Service - Meaning how well they assisted me in my needs.
The owners were very nice in seating us right away and even explaining certain parts of the menu to us newbies.
(5) Decor - The atmosphere of the place.
When you first walk in, reminds you of an ice cream shop with the bar stools, but don’t let that fool you especially with the wall of Moroccan wine that’s imported. There are also shelves of tangines used for cooking.
(4) Food & Drink - How well the food tastes, their selection of drinks
(5) Price - Here I am not grading my cost, but by the quality of the food I get for the money I spent. (Example: I pay $5 for a hamburger that I could make myself.)
The price you pay for what you get is pretty reasonable. I didn’t leave with any leftovers, but that could be because I was famished from working out at the gym prior. You do get a lot of food in general.
 (5) Presentation - How things are presented. Food, Drink, Staff, etc.
I decided to have a random adventure on a Sunday, which is a rarity to me since I have to work every Sunday. This weekend I decided to request it off after a much needed break from both work and life in general.
My Sunday started off with heading to the Schenectady Greenmarket with a friend of mine who has never been, I’ve only been there once and it was well worth it. After putting some sunscreen on us, we walked over to City Hall where the SGM is set up. We first stopped at The Happy Cappuccino and got ourselves a drink to walk the market with. I purchased a Frozen Rainbow drink which was used in conjunction with the Schenectady Pride event that happened yesterday. It was gone before I realized I should have snapped a picture of it.
Walking through the pedestrian mall part of Jay St where a flea market is set up with many different vendors who sell items such as jewelry, silver chains, and health and beauty care.
Among the many vendors I really enjoyed Josephine’s Bakery, where I purchased Brown Rice bread. It seemed that everyone knew to go to her for her bread and other baked goods, some even came with their own Tupperware!
After wrapping up other purchases from Red Soap Co where I purchased a Non GMO soap that smells so delicious, Cascade Winery where I picked up a bottle of white wine, Gatherer’s where I picked up some of their Squirrel Bait, R & G Cheese Makers for some goat cheese, and Barber Family Farm for $2 romaine lettuce that puts all romaine I’ve seen in the supermarkets to shame! We decided to head back home take a shower from the hot day and hit the Average Joe’s Fitness.
Returning from the gym we decided to make one last stop to Downtown Schenectady to the Moroccan place called Tara Kitchen.
