We came her for our anniversary and were pleasantly surprised (I had come for a bachelorette party and had the wine sampler for parties and liked many of the offerings and thought that we should give it another shot.)
We had a delicious Guiness short rib appetizer followed by one of the best pieces of fish that Mike says he has ever eaten out. It was served on a pea and zucchini risotto that he raved over. I had a steak w/ a garlic demi glaze that was quite nice. Our wine was delicious and very reasonably priced. For desert we shared a butterscotch creme that was yummy (and very very rich - we were grateful for the fresh creme it was served on.)
I would come back. The service was very good and there were several other items on the menu that looked intriguing.
I love Taste and cannot say enough great things about the fantastic waitstaff and the delicious menu. We try to get to the restaurant at least once a month and we are never disappointed. I am a huge fan of the stuffed lobster tail and the pistachio crusted swordfish. The cheese plate is always a huge plus as well, and I am always so appreciative that they cater to my blue cheese allergies without any problems.
I would definitely recommend Taste to people looking for great food, great service, and a low-key restaurant. This is definitely one of my favorites in the capital area.
This was my first foray to a "fine dining" restaurant. It wasn't a typical sit-down dinner - I was accompanying my boyfriend to his company's party at the penthouse portion of the restaurant. The food was buffet-style with three different types of macaroni and cheese (including lobster), chicken satay, and some random other appetizer-like foods. The mac and cheese was okay, but I could have made my own (much better) mac and cheese at home. The lobster tasted like canned shrimp and the chicken was dry and bland.
Despite the mediocre food, the penthouse was very nice. The nighttime view of downtown Albany and the Hudson was beautiful. The service was great, and the bartenders were very nice and accomodating. I would probably never come here on a regular day for dinner, though. The food didn't seem like it was worth the price, and besides, if I didn't have detailed directions in front of me, there's no way in hell I'd ever be able to find the place again. It's practically hidden!
The valet was extremely rude. Â The steak was ordered medium, but was severely overcooked. Â The waitress took my wine glass, and never returned. Â The atmosphere was ok, but I would rather have good food in a crappy place, than crappy food in a nice place. Â On a scale of 1-10, I would rate the service a 2, atmosphere a 6, and the food a 2.
Review Source:I can't review the food. Â
I didn't eat any. Â Nor, did my friend. Â We went here to listen to swing/Jazz, The Swing Docs. Â And they were good. Â We sat outdoors on the patio and had a bottle of Rhone white wine. The wine was cheap ($30). Â It got a little funny when we wanted a piece of bread we never received. Â Then it took 10 minutes and asking the seating hostess for help to get the check. Â Then the change was never returned on $31 from a $40.
I didn't resent the tip, but, I can't think of any waitress who believes that patrons are leaving a 30% tip and doesn't need to bring change for the customer to make that decision.
We had a good time.
Others seemed to have a good time too.
Go for the music and you'll probably have a good time also.
The food at Taste absolutely rocks. From the Tapas to the dessert. My wife and i had our anniversary dinner there. The service was spectacular. The food was to die for. The ambiance is perfect. The Chef Paul Ozimek is so gifted. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for 5 star food at a 3 star price. Will be sure to send our family and friends
Review Source:Our party of 4 adults and 3 children had an excellent dinner here after an event at the Times Union Center. The menu offers a ton of options for those on a gluten-free diet. They even offered GF dinner rolls - a rarity - which were even better than the regular rolls. The appetizers were delicious, especially the shell fish chowder. Everyone in our party had a different entree and we all agreed everything was excellent. Deserts were homemade and there again Taste excelled. The hostess and staff were very friendly and attentive and went out of their way to make the children feel welcome - they even got to meet the chef! The decor/atmosphere is upscale with a beautiful dining room with comfy chairs and the bar area looks like a great place for a nightcap. Unfortunately, we're not locals or we'd be going back often. We'll be sure to visit Taste again the next time we're in the area.
Review Source:we went here for restaurant week so there was only a limited menu...and perhaps the quality was lower because of that.
the atmosphere is nice and upscale. staff is very friendly. Â the food was...eh. Â i had a roaste beet salad app. it was basically 1 beet cut into 5 pieces and a few pieces of arugula...less than impressive but tastey for its sample.size.
then we had the rib fritters...delicious.
snapper...no flavor. bland. we dipped it in the ramoulade that was for the bread.
chicken and dumplings...burnt grilled chicken. boring. fail.
desserts were great. the drinks...well...we orderdd one the the specialty ones that was a brandy and fruit thing. it was ALL BRANDY...undrinkably strong.
id go to sit at the bar...but not again for a meal.
My husband has been wanting to try Taste for quite a while so when we got a Buy 1 Get 1 free coupon attached to our Bruce Springsteen tickets we figured we would try it before the show. We made a reservation and after we were seated we were told that the coupon expired in December even though it said that it was good through the date of the event (April 16). We hadn't even gotten the tickets until February. Anyhow she offered us an appetizer instead. The restaurant was a madhouse and they were not able to handle the volume. The next problem was that they had a special "Concert" menu that we were not thrilled with. The only appetizer we wanted was a salad with buffalo sauce and tortilla chips; it was actually the highlight of the meal. I was not happy with my filet ($30); not real tasty and a bit tough. The small amount of mashed potatoes and vegetable that accompanied it were very ordinary. My husband had the vegetable risotto ($24) which was tasty but the portion wouldn't have been enough for a 6 year old. The worst part of this meal was when we tried to leave. When I asked for the check the waitress told me she didn't want us to leave because she didn't want another table. 25 minutes later, after several requests, we still didn't have a check. After we asked one final time and she ran off muttering about someone else having our check and "I guess she didn't find you", we left in frustration and called the next day to pay. Overall the experience was very poor and way too pricey. We will not be going back. I realize that it was probably an overly busy night because of the concert but this would have been their time to shine and we both felt that they blew it.
Review Source:Summary- Bar/Drinks, service, and decor (which is a carry over from Dale Miller) keep this review out of one star status. I won't be back for the food. I must not be the only one, it was straight up empty on a Friday night, maybe 4 tables total and a half full bar. Dale Miller is sorely missed.
We went for an awesome Charity event, and were a wee bit hungy as the apps at the event just weren't doing the job.
Food- 1.5 Stars
We got 5 Tapas to split between 4 people. We actually ordered four but they brought out one wrong one at let us keep it.
-Oysters- Some odd pumpkin migonette on top was not good. Also 2/3 were improperly shucked. If you can't do Oysters well then don't put them on the menu.
-Shortrib Sliders- These were the 2nd best thing that came to the table, they were OK but I could make them better at home. The Aioli was heavy on some, tasteless/non-existent on others. A bit larger than I think of a slider as.
-Nano Chips- Also pretty decent, although not quite cooked enough (a little soggy)
-Spicy Fried Chicken was pan fried not nearly enough and was not spicy... at all. Pieces were also borderline undercooked. Not even remotely good.
-Portabella was fine if not a bit sloppy. The plate was kind of a mess, but the flavors were OK.
Service- 3.5 Stars
Bartender was serving us as we sat at high top in bar, he was nice, proficient, and funny. He also comped us the chips when he made the mistake.
There was also nobody at the hostess stand when we came in or went out (carrying drinks which I found to be funny if we hadn't been going back up to the event). Probably because there was nobody there to seat.
Atmosphere- 3 Stars
I (still) like the inside of Taste, but the seats near the end of the bar where they have enclosed fires and a waterfall thing (both show some wear, not working 100%) were way too warm. I was toasting over there.
Drinks- 3.5 Stars
Excellent drinks, then the last Manhattan that was ordered was blah, more Bourbon than anything else. Overall solid though.
Value- 1 Star
I could think of 10 places without even searching yelp that I would rather go at this price point.
This review is for lunch only.
When it comes to expensive restaurants I place a premium on two things:
1) The quality of their ingredients
2) The ratio of price to value
At lunch, Taste excels at these two things. Especially when it comes to their hamburger. Because theirs isn't just any burger, it is made from Kilcoyne Farms beef. This is a collective of ranchers in the North Country of New York State that supply pasture raised beef.
A burger of the stuff, topped with cheese and bacon and served with fries costs about ten bucks. Now for any old hamburger that might be a bit pricey. But for a burger with special beef, served in a beautiful setting, with thin rimmed water glasses, white linen, and heavy silverware, it is among the best burger bargains anywhere.
The picture above is their rare, and it was quite tasty.
You may notice that the bun looks out of proportion to the rest of the burger. Sadly that is true. Next time I'm in, I will see if they can toast or grill the bun, which may lessen it's breadiness, which really detracts from the burger, especially in those magnificent middle bites where the domed bun comes to a peak.
Oddly their desserts are priced the same as the burger. So you may want to go elsewhere for a bite of something sweet after the meal. Or not. A burger is pretty darn filling on its own.
Taste is fine. Â It's one of the few nicer places to eat in downtown Albany (besides Jack's or Marche or something), and it has a menu where every colleague could find something to eat. Â The food isn't cheap, but it's not outrageously expensive. Â The problem is that it's just not that good. Â Why is everything so sweet? Cherries with the duck confit, sugary sweet braised lamb, sweet and sour chicken lollipops, red grapes with the Brussels sprouts. Â People like savory, well-seasoned meals and sometimes need a break from citrus glazes. Â Lamb shouldn't taste like candy.
Review Source:I've only been to Taste once many months ago.
Overpriced food that tastes above average but not amazing. Â The seating was a little close and cross-talk seemed to inhibit conversations at my table and the table closest. Â I'm usually not paranoid, but I felt like every whispered word was being overheard. Â The table next to mine with 2 hot girls and 1 guy seemed embarrassed at the buffoonery coming out of the guy's mouth. Â I felt bad for the 2 hot girls that they knew I could hear everything their moronic male friend said. Â The women could not leave fast enough. Â And the buffoon with the 2 hot girls made the girls pay for their portion of the meal. Â Granted it's public dining, but if i want to whisper how I disposed of a body, I should have that option, which I didn't. Â Also, I felt like I was seated in a closet without windows.
I'd give Taste 4 stars but the price/food quality ratio isn't that great and I don't like the seating, at least the table I was given. Â The service was good.
I never set foot into the bar/lounge area so can't comment.
I have no urge to go back to Taste at full prices. Â Maybe I'll check it out during restaurant week or something with a $20 fixed price menu.
Downtown Albany Restaurant Week 2011 was my second time at taste, the first being a cocktail hour event a few months previous. Â I left the first event wanting to come back and check out more of the restaurant, since I already liked the vibe.
I was glad I had been there before because it really is hidden. Â The first time I went I felt completely lost and had to ask the valet where in the world I was supposed to go. Â The second time, though, I knew exactly where I was going .
So I went with my aunt for Restaurant Week and we had an excellent time. Â We were seated early and in a mostly empty restaurant. Â I was surprised at first that we were seated immediately next to the only other diners in the room (without a table buffer in between), but they were very friendly and we all compared notes on the RW menu, especially curious about the things we hadn't ordered.
Our waiter was prompt, friendly and, frankly, adorable (or as my aunt noted on her comment card "Hot Waiter"). Â All the staff, actually, create a very nice scenery, which may have inflated my star rating a little bit. Â Maybe.
The food was excellent. Â My biggest mistake was noting that they listed off spicy components of the dishes on the menu, so I failed to mention my pepper allergy, and, as luck would have it, ordered the only thing on the menu that contained unlabeled peppers. Â Since my aunt and I were splitting the appetizers, it was fine. Â The fritters were quite good, but the crab-stuffed crepes I wasn't able to eat.
Everything else was great. Â I'm a huge fan of butternut squash and the ravioli was very tasty. Â The desserts were phenomenal and I have to make a point to mention their ginger spritzer, which, if you like ginger, is a truly amazing drink.
I'd love to go back, but for a regular basis it's a little out of my price range. Â That said, as long as they keep participating in Restaurant Weeks, I'll make a point to go back.
Amazinggggg, great food, great service, great atmosphere! I haven't had such a great experience in a long time!
My friend and I went there to celebrate her birthday. The NY Players were playing on the terrace, they are fantastic. The staff here are all welcoming and the food was delicious. I had chicken breast and my friend had meatloaf. Both meals were perfect. I plan on going back every other week (thats when the NY Players play) because it was so wonderful.
I really want to give this 4 stars, but just cannot. A solid 3 stars, but that's it. Just as there were many perks, there were as many downs.....so here goes....
Atmosphere...we sat outside Friday night because they had a live band and it was a nice night out. Outdoor patio was very casual yet sleek looking and it felt very 'city' like with the buildings and trees around us. I liked the idea of live Friday night entertainment during dinner to give it a little something different than other restaurants.
Service was phenomenal. Our waiter was nice, knew the menu, took care of my allergy concerns, and just gave us that feeling like he couldn't do enough for us. Even the guys who refilled the water and brought bread were very nice and refilled bread and water ASAP. Waiter even asked kitchen staff to write "happy birthday' on my father's ice cream dish to make his dinner special since we were there for his birthday. Wait staff would probably be the reason I would try this place again. So now on to the food....which is where some of the big misses begin....
Food---Menu here offers twists on traditional fare like kobe meatloaf and espresso rubbed duck, however the food doesn't always deliver consistently to the expectation set up by the description of the food. It's not bad, but just not as great as described on the menu. Â Appetizers were ok. ONe of the appetizers, the citrus poached scallops could not taste any citrus in the dish at all. Also, the sauce that the scallops were laid over had almost no taste to add to the tasteless scallops. However, the tempura veggies were decent and fried nice and golden yet still soft. However, I'd reconsider the fried bok choy since it just kind of becomes hard and can just flake apart. Dinner I had the butter poached lobster in what was supposed to be a lobster bisque foam over cavatelli. My cavatelli was changed to israeli couscous b/c of my cheese allergy and the cavatelli were made from ricotta so this was a nice plus and actually that type of couscous went really really well with that lobster dish. Lobster was cooked well and tasty and the bisque foam was quite innovative. However, I would not call that flavor of the bisque a bisque...it was more the flavor of a tomato soup...kind of reminded me of a high quality campbell soup. My father had the cioppino and could not rave enough about it as did his girlfriend who had the carpaccio 3 ways. My sister ordered the duck, duck, goose and said that while the espresso rubbed duck was good, she didn't taste enough duck fat in the duck confit portion. Dessert----holy moly---was FANTASTIC!!!!!! If you go there for nothing else, go for the white fudge brownie and house made chocolate ice cream---phenomenal!!! Â Words cannot describe how good those were. Ice cream was creamy and smooth and decadent and the brownie was dense and rich and tasty. However, props goes to the other desserts too as we did a tasting as well of the blood orange panna cotta (very refreshing tasting), vanilla bourbon creme brulee, and guiness chocolate cake. All desserts were a definite nice ending to the evening.
So the hits and misses---food was a mixed bag but with a good ending. Wait service was awesome. HOWEVER, we waited almost an hour between each course. There was clearly something going on that night b/c the waiter gave us our desserts and after dinner drinks on the house and apologized for all of the long waits. Even the dessert course took the better part of 20 minutes to get to us. Also, we noticed inside that waiters were all playing bartenders. Also saw the front of house guy helping to deliver dishes (and it was clear he didn't know how to do it, but was trying to help bring things out to keep things moving so hats off to him). It was also quite evident that even outside there was a scarcity of help and people were running around like crazy. But the big hit of all of this---service quality never suffered and the waiter was always right there when we needed him. So our 7:30 dinner reservations turned into a 3 hour dining experience...luckily it wasn't all too bad b/c we had the live band, but they were only on until 9:30 and we were left outside with the drunkards who were there drinking at the bar. C'est la vie right?
Anyways, overall not too bad and I'll probably be back again to try it. Food was visually appealing, but not overly consistent with flavor compared to description of foods. But I'll definitely be back at least for some dessert.
It was my girlfriend's birthday, so I decided to take her somewhere a little bit more formal than the standard franchise restaurants.  I did a somewhat intensive online search and Taste sounded to be a new and  interesting destination.
We had dinner reservations on a Thursday night at 7:30. Â After the valet had taken our car, we started our way into the building in which Taste is located. Â We opened the glass doors and entered a lobby/hallway like room and it took us a minute to notice that the actual entrance to the restaurant was to our right, as it was somewhat obscurely marked.
Our original reservations were for outdoor dinning, but as we were lead to the patio we were informed that the band for the evening had been cancelled. Â Also, it was a humid evening and there was absolutely no one sitting out there. Â Rather than feel like a bunch of zoo creatures, we politely asked if we could be seated inside instead.
It must have been one of those nights because there was only one other couple seated a few tables down from us. Â We both thought this was a little odd, but we couldn't complain about our waiter's promptness and seemingly individualized attention towards us, which was borderline intrusive at times.
The food arrived in a remarkably short amount of time, as it was expected to be, given the lack of patrons. Â Appetizers were seared Ahi Tuna, which were very good. Â Main courses included beef carpaccio for her and espresso spiced rougie duck breast for myself. Â Both were very good, considering the smaller than average portions.
Overall, we had a pleasant experience. Â The service was fast and the food was, well, tasty. Â Prices were fair, all else considering. Â I don't have any plans to return to Taste in the foreseeable future, but I also don't have plans not to return.
My wife took the day off to spend some time with me while I was on vacation. I think she was just jealous of the fun I was having trying new places all week and wanted in on the action.
I decided we would give a try at Taste. My wife works a block or two away and she's always looking for someplace new to meet her friends for lunch every so often. With all the gluten free options on the menu it seemed like this would be the perfect place for her to enjoy.
We were worried about parking, but even as we pulled up at noon there were plenty of metered spots available. I literally parked right in front of the entrance and walked in like I owned the place. Unfortunately, I did not realize this would be the highlight of the visit.
Taste ended up being a lesson restaurant science. The place ended up feeling like it was owned by some corporate committee who followed the textbook like a checklist for all the things they had to have.
To begin, the entrance to the actual restaurant was hidden. As you walk in from outside you see a little coffee shop like room with the Taste logo branded all around on the glass walls. It is obvious that that is not the restaurant, but there doesn't appear to be anything else inside. We started to walk out to see if there was another entrance we missed somehow when the lady in the shop came out and directed us to the actual entrance. The door looked like a wooden wall, and had nothing to indicate this was where we would need to go.
Once seated, everything around us was textbook restaurant science. The flow of the room was designed to catch and direct your eye, always to something yellow, orange and red. You know, the colors that promote appetite. Contrast with the seats, which were cooler colors like brown and blues, the colors that promote comfort and relaxation. The tables were covered in an artificial leather that really felt awesome, but every single table ended up looking dirty because of the way it wore in spots. Everything was open and let the eye wander, but would have been too loud and obnoxious to talk had there been anyone else in the restaurant.
A restaurant with a special lunch menu with mulitple soup and sandwiches did not have an option to have the two combined into one meal. I wanted to try the seafood chowder, so I ordered it anyway. The bowl was hot, extremely hot. The textbook says that hot food needs to be served in hot plates. Unfortunately, the soup itself was cold. This seemingly impossible feat made the place feel fake right away. Additionally, the soup tasted more of a smokey meat than anything seafood, perhaps an Andouille sausage or a Pancetta was included and ended up taking over. Which isn't to say I didn't enjoy it, but it definitely did not seem like a seafood chowder.
I had the King Crab salad roll and did not enjoy it. The meal looked like artwork on the plate, but no one gave any thought to how someone would eat it. Too much going on to pick it up and eat it, too much other stuff on the plate to cut with a knife and fork.
My wife ordered a pastrami Reuben. Since she's been away from bread she does not often have a chance at a Reuben it was something she was looking forward to. After her first bite I could tell something wasn't right, but she was being polite and didn't say anything. After she finished with half of her sandwich she couldn't take it any longer and told me it tasted like fish. I took a bite, and wouldn't you know it, salmon.
I brought this to the attention of our waiter and he said that yes, it was pastrami salmon on the Reuben. I guess it was possible we missed it, but I went back over the menu online and there's absolutely nothing about salmon listed.
I put in over an hour of time in the meter, figuring a place in the middle of downtown would have us in and out for the lunch rush. But over an hour and a half later my meter was empty. Even if the place were wonderful, the slow service would have prevented my wife from ever been able to stop in on her lunch hour.
Overall, the restaurant felt like it was owned by a committee who just followed a checklist from a restaurant science textbook. On paper, everything should be a perfect experience but in reality everything ended up feeling artificial. If any real person owned the place gave a damn about someone walking in and actually experiencing the restaurant the place could be so much more.
I removed my reviews of Dale Miller since he is gone.This review is for Easter Brunch at TASTE.
The Penthouse dining room is very special with its ultra modern twists in decor and of course, the view of The Egg and Plaza.
It was chilly in the room where we sat, but the buffet was set up across the hall in a warmer room. Every time we filled our plate however, the food cooled off by the time we sat down again. Our $39.00 p.p. brunch included a mimosa. While it was delicious it was rather laughingly TINY...I mean, I know it is a comp...but if you are going to use very tall flutes, at least fill them nearly halfway!
I was glad to see rare lamb the carving station alongside rare tenderloin - with a variety of sauces to choose from. I am not a big fan of ham because it is usually so very salty- but theirs was actually much less so and very tasty.  They had shrimp (thankfully already peeled) with great cocktail sauce - the shrimp could have been colder and cooked a minute longer for the crunch factor. Lobster Mac 'n' cheese had very tiny bits of lobster in it, so you could not just open the lid and pick out chunks of lobster - you had to take penne along with it.....filling and a bit overcooked.The pan seared salmon was also a bit dry  -which is a huge problem with food that sits in warming pans on a buffet. House made pate was quite good.and the H.M. croissants were divine. I enjoyed one with nice quality smoked salmon.
We saw no Belgium waffles - which had been advertised on the Brunch menu- but we wanted lunch anyway.
They had pancakes, soggy French toast with bananas and cooked-down strawberries, and someone making omelets.
The entire buffet set up was attractive and dishes well displayed. To their credit, it was extremely kid-friendly. Mr. Easter Bunny was hopping around giving out Easter Eggs filled with treats, and they had adorable fancy Easter pops on the buffet tables and some decorated Easter eggs.
The small dessert table was a great disappointment to me, however. Compared to the effort Chef obviously made to create abundant, diverse entree choices - dessert seemed like an after thought with barely any effort. There were tasteless little brownies,lacking in enough chocolate,  miniature éclairs - which were all dried out with a weird filling, and berries - but no whipped cream for them. Not even ice cream. The one cake was a gluten free chocolate cake that looked nice (no frosting) but was not very flavorful. There were chocolate chip- cookies that did not have enough chocolate in them, nor did they taste buttery. Tsk Tsk.
'Guess they figured everyone would be too full for desert.
Coffee was a do it yourself affair and I must say, it was a bit annoying to carry that across the hall and remember to fill it with cream at the buffet, since none was supplied on the tables.
One mention about the service, I feel that once our server saw that we would not order wine after the wee freebie, he ignored us. A dirty plate sat on our table at least 15" Â while we had our dessert. In spite of about 5 older men on the floor - just apparently overseeing...they did not oversee the dirty plate. Hmm. they were busy, but not swamped.
All these minor details make me question, was it worth a total of $90.00 with tax and tip?
I can't say it was, yet I can't say it wasn't. The room and the view was so pleasant, as was the company of my fella, and it was fun to walk outside on the deck to look around nearly 360 above Albany. Finding one or two dishes that were really good makes it worthwhile too.
Will we return? Probably in summer, if they offer outdoor seating. A Â buffet is not necessarily the true test of a good chef. They used to have wine tastings and I hear that they are bringing them back.
I tried Taste during Restaurant Week 2011.
My evening started with a hard time finding parking. I finally caved and paid the $5.00 for the valet to park me.
When entering the building, it was not very clear where Taste was, as the doors were closed and not well marked. Once I was in and past the hostess station into the dining area, my hopes were up, because it was decorated quite tastefully. It was modern and historic at the same time. I was seated at a table that has the wall-long booth with many tables at it. The booth was sprinkled with lovely throw pillows for our comfort. The tables were set nicely, and the flatware was very unique looking and cool.
Despite the restaurant having only one other table with customers when I arrived at 5:00pm, service was very slow. I was at my table an entire six minutes before even being greeted by my server. She was very friendly and knowledgeable. When I asked if something in my meal was gluten-free, she must have made a note about that, because when I was finished ordering my meal, she asked me if I would like some gluten-free rolls. I was thrilled at the prospect and agreed.
The server warned me that the gluten-free rolls could take up to ten minutes, but I did not care about that, because I really wanted to try them. Less than ten minutes later, she came back with them and told me that they were from a local bakery. They were quite tasty for gluten-free, I must admit.
My appetizer also came out quickly. It was very creative, and the flavors went really well together. It was sort of a salad, but not really, and it had cuttlefish and blood oranges and other unique ingredients on it as well. The cuttlefish was cooked perfectly and had very fresh flavor.
That was the end of things going quickly. Customers started to come in and be seated, and I ended up waiting. The people seated next to me were seated, greeted, spent awhile ordering drinks and then another while ordering their meals, were given drinks, bread, and appetizers, all before my meal arrived forty minutes later. It should not take forty minutes to prepare rare ahi in a very slow (at least when I ordered it) restaurant.
After the long wait, my ahi finally arrived. It was cooked medium-well. The server quickly dropped it off and disappeared before I could say a word. I watched for her for a few minutes and then gave up and tried the ahi. The flavor was actually really good despite being overcooked. (Overcooked ahi is usually terrible, so this speaks volumes about the quality of their fish.)
One of the reasons I chose the ahi dish (even though I really do love ahi) was that it came with pomelo on it. Pomelo is currently my drug of choice. I eat them at least three times per week! Well, I guarantee you, the grapefruit on my dish was NOT pomelo! It wasn't even close! However, all of the interesting flavors in the dish worked very well together. It would have been better with real pomelo, but that's okay. I must say, though, it was very difficult to get a little of each component of the dish into the same bite.
My server finally came back by when I was about halfway through. I told her about the fish being way overcooked but that the flavor was good enough that I decided to eat it anyway, and she said something about how she noticed that it looked more cooked than normal. (Then why on earth did she bring it to me? Back when I was serving in fine dining, I never would have taken that dish to the table! I would have made the chef redo it and explain to the customer about the wait.)
As I was eating my ahi, the people next to me (the ones who came in much later than I but were enjoying their items sooner) got their ahi, and it was beautifully seared rare. sigh. So much for consistency.
Then the long wait for dessert began. I had the flour-less chocolate cake. It was actually very good. It was not too rich, yet it was rich enough. I have been off sugar and fat for so long, that it tasted amazing to have dessert, so I might not be a good gauge on how good it was. I was happy to have something fatty and sweet in my mouth! lol
The portion sizes at this restaurant were perfect. This was the first place I've been to in a long time that I actually finished all three of my courses.
I am glad I tried it during Restaurant Week, because had my meal cost more than $20.11, I would have been very annoyed. I will not be going back. Between the long wait and the inconsistencies in cooking quality, it's not worth the price. It is not difficult to sear rare ahi. The fact that it was served to me medium-well is something I cannot look past.
I haven't been in to eat yet, but I enjoyed it very much when it was Dale Miller so I am looking forward to it
I am pleased to say that the staff were very helpful with a misplaced gift card when I called to ask how it might still be salvaged. Â Note: Â if you have the receipt that shows the "folio number", it can viewed by them and used by the giftcard-holder-who-lost-the-gift-card.
We held my parents 50th anniveresary in the penthouse level function rooms with view of the Egg and the Hudson river. The outdoor balconey was open too for cocktail hour and was a huge hit. The room is elegant and very flexible. Staff was outstanding for the most part - let us play our own I-tunes playlist, proactive at the bar, flexible in the set up and overall a good group.
 Food wise we had a halibut, grilled chicken and a filet as the entrees and all diners seemed very happy. The fish could have been a touch warmer but it was a group setting and those things can happen...Maura and her team seem on the ball. There were several pass apps prior to dinner that yield a variety of flavors and the cookie platter was outstanding.
 Great room for a private party, being above it all, even in Albany, adds a little something to the evening.
Any review written prior to 1/18/11 should be considered out of date. Â Not only did the name change from "Dale Miller" to "Taste" but the chef and menu changed also. Â It should be noted that the ownership has not changed.
With that, I'll say that we had a pleasant experience and dinner for four on Saturday.
Taste offers size options when selecting many items from the menu. Â This applies to both appetizers and entrees.
For our appetizers we chose to share Chorizo-Filled Dates w/ pancetta chip; Roasted Baby Beet Salad w/ arugula, goat cheese, and passion fruit vinaigrette; and Shrimp & Grits Andouille w/ vidalia onions, and roasted tomatoes. Â The dates were a real pleaser. Â The shrimp, grits and andouille could have used a bit more spicing. Â The salad looked attractive with multi colored beets and seemed average in flavor.
The chosen entrees were Pomegranate Glazed Bison Short Ribs with Warm Radicchio Slaw; Guinness Brined Kobe Flank Steak with Roasted Shallots and Brussels; a Butter Poached Maine Lobster of the chef's choice of preparation; and an entree from the "Trio of taste" section of the menu entitled MooMoo Platter - Crispy Veal Sweetbread Nugget, Chorizo Filled Veal Roulade, and Veal Osso Bucco.
I didn't pay full attention to the description of the chef's preparation of the lobster, but it was quite unique since it arrived with a strawberry foam. Â The meat had been removed from the claws, knuckles and tail so there was no mess to deal with. Â Since this was not my selection, of an entree, only an offered taste of the foam left an impression on my memory. Â I seem to recall my taste of the lobster was typical lobster. Â Properly cooked but apparently not memorable for me.
My choice of the bison short ribs was a good one. Â Flavorful and tender, easily removed from the bone.
The companion who chose the kobe flank steak thought there was a bit more fat than desired on the cut. Â The taste that I tried had no indication of fat and but all were in agreement that the meat was full of flavor.
The veal trio of sweetbread, chorizo/veal roulade, and osso buco was a wonderful medley of tastes (no pun intended).
I don't recall the desserts that were shared other than the one that made the strongest impression on me. Â A fantastic restaurant-made rum ice cream!
A woman who was later identified as the owner of the restaurant was most helpful in assisting our party in choosing an appropriate wine. Â Service over-all was excellent, from our waiter who sought out answers to any esoteric question we posed, to the staff who kept the water glasses filled and cleared the table. Â An additional nice touch was a visit from the chef at the end of dinner to ask how everything was and to answer any further questions.
Before I forget, our complements to the bartender. Â Pre-dinner drinks were properly prepared by an attentive and pleasant gentleman.
Finally, I have to say if you are celebrating a special occasion such as an anniversary or birthday, there is no need to worry about ruining a classy evening with staff gathering about your table to sing. Â Recognition is provided in an unobtrusive fashion by having the appropriate greeting scripted on your dessert plate. Â Another nice touch!
I went to Dale Miller with a gift certificate that I got as a gift. Â I didn't have the highest of expectations because I have eaten Miller's food before at other establishments and have never been blown away. Â Well I have to say, I wasn't blown away this time either. Â Its not that anything was bad, its just that nothing was that good. Â When your paying what you pay here, I definitely was expecting more. Â My rack of lamb was tiny and non-exemplary. Â My wife ordered a scallops dinner - keeping in mind this was the "full" size order, there were only four scallops. Â It was a 34$ dinner. Â Thats more then 8$ per scallop. Â What a joke. Â Again, it would be one thing if it was an absolutely incredible tasting dish, but it wasn't at all. Â The service was good.
Review Source:I should have know the moment I saw the overly ostentatious ridiculously  large doors, that look  the entrance way to Jurassic Park, that this was not going to end well. Â
Who would have thought that the doors would have been the highlight of the evening but as tasteless as the meal. We went for a friends 50th b-day and it was nothing short of underwhelming. Â The calamari was greasy and rubbery...the veal roulade I had was cold, bland and had a sauce on it that looked like a congealed pool of fluid you would see on CSI - NY. Â The dessert of house made ice cream was actually pretty good and the only thing that lived up to expectation. Â
The waiter was constantly bragging about how wonderful the plates were...YES PLATES...not plating..BUT THE DAMN PLATES. Â He was so impressed on how they were compartmentalized. Â It was like he had never been to a backyard Bar-b-que with plastic plates and the three compartments. Â
The bar scene there was very cool and the only reason I gave this place 2 stars instead of one.
I must be upfront, I have only been here for Easter brunch, however this was an awesome brunch. Everything you could imagine, from omlet station, pancakes, french toast, sausage, rosmary chickem. beef tenderlion, sushi table, shrimp, desert table, fruit and veggie table you name it. Had to wait about 30 minutes outside on the beautiful balcony but didn't matter because unlimited mimosa's while you wait...now that is good service.
Review Source:When it comes to dining it's very easy to blow me away. Â Serve something tasty and mildly interesting, and I'll rave about it. Â Sadly, this is not a rave.
The dining room at Dale Miller is attractive and wouldn't be out of place in an upscale restaurant in a larger city. Â I'm a sucker for any place with heavy, formal chairs.
On the night of my first visit, Dale Miller had just opened several weeks before.
I can only remember one of the three small plates my fiance and I had as a starter, which is not a good sign. Â It was an oyster with a foamy champagne sauce, and it was wonderful. Â We had half portions, which were plenty of food when combined with appetizers and a shared dessert. Â He had duck, I had lamb. Â Both were flavorful, and both plates had the exact same presentation: meat on a bed of brown lentils. Â I asked the waiter to pick a glass of wine to go with my rack of lamb, he returned with a cabernet that was a little too "big" (please forgive my lack of wine vocabulary) for my lamb and it's jammy tomato based sauce. Â Our dessert was forgettable as well. Â There was nothing wrong with the dessert, but I'm a fiend for sweets and consider a fair dessert split to be 70% me, 30% fiance. Â I think I had two bites - there was just nothing interesting about it. Â I can't even remember what it was. Â My espresso had no crema.
The next morning, I bogarted the fruit-filled cakes they gave us as a parting gift. Â I had been excited to have them with some green tea - but they were stale! Â I was aptly rewarded for my greed. Â XD
In a word, "meh". Â There was nothing wrong with anything we tried (aside from the stale cakes), but nothing exciting, much less sublime.
Both the bartender and our waiter were scared, nervous, skittish even. Â This (and the unusual table decoration that another poster mentioned - a single orange) was the only memorable facet of our meal. Â Both of the staff members I interacted with had downcast eyes and were evidently fearful of doing something wrong. Â Let me point out that my fiance are I are not intimidating people. Â We're a completely typical couple in our 20's. Â We're friendly and polite. Â This has no bearing on my three star ranking at all, I just found it odd.
Second visit:
I attended a private party there a year later. Â The second visit was a buffet dinner with passed appetizers and cocktails beforehand.
It was like before. Â Solid. Â Unmemorable. Â I tried a bite of everything and only found one thing that really excited me - pork belly with sweet potato puree. Â The sushi rolls were surprisingly good as well, for a non-sushi restaurant. Â I also give them props for serving salmon in buffet pans that wasn't overcooked. Â Â
After two visits, I have to conclude that Dale Miller is a beautiful looking restaurant, with solid yet unremarkable food.
3 stars: Â 2 for a respectable yet forgettable dining experience, +1 for atmosphere and the pork belly with sweet potato puree.
Service was between a 2 and a 3, food was more like a 4 plus. I tried several of the mosaics, and everyone in my party enjoyed their meals, but we had an 8:30 dinner reservation but weren't seated until 9:15, and didn't order til after 9:30. The hostess didn't come over or acknowledge our wait after about 25 minutes until one member of my party said something to the bartender. I enjoy dining in a leisurely fashion, but we were pretty hungry. I'd like to try it again and be able to give more comments on the dishes. I definitely enjoyed the daily foie preparation and both the chocolate walnut cake and linzer torte dessert.
Also wanted to say that I appreciated the bartender's creativity and she did a great job on my Gin Blossom even without the sake.
First off Dale Miller, lower your lights! I walked in expecting ambiance and a lovely setting and got lunch room lighting. It didn't really set the mood to put a large focus on the food and transport me from one setting to another. It felt like the end of the night or a show after they bring the lights up. No music either? Tsk tsk. That's the only reason I'm not giving a 5 star review.
We came here because my daughter wanted to, it was up to her to pick where we went for the eve and she wanted to try here ... "the new place". Valet was smooth, even during an event basically across the street at the Times Union Center. The lady at the hostess stand was on the phone and gave not one, which would have been sufficient, but multiple one finger motions, while we waited to be seated. We get it... shoosh and wait. She didn't seat us, a man who came along did. We walked into a very bright(especially for dinner) room and weren't really taken aback by the setting. There were oranges placed on the table for decor, not sure if DM's is going for a theme or just randomness seeing there were no other oranges.
Service was very friendly and attentive. Pretty sure his name was Rocky, that's what the check said. Rocky did a great job explaining portion sizes and the way the menu was broken down. There are small plates called "first impressions" which are what most people have come to know as appetizers. Most of them are around $10.00. There is also an option called "mosiacs" which are small appetizers, meant to be mixed and matched most ranging in price from $5-$7.00 or 3/$15.00. Then of course there are the dinners, called "montages" and they come in either American or European portions.. basically full or half sized. The half sized portions are a nice way to try a few different things if you can't make up your mind, or you want to make your own tasting menu. I see a tasting menu on their website, but did not see it offered on the menu or table when we went there. Perhaps it was too late in the evening.
The Food:
Crispy Calamari Fantasia off of the First Impressions portion of the menu: calamari dusted with chick pea flour with harissa gastrique(gastrique is basically a sauce of vinegar and sugar) and lemon pepper yogurt. I enjoyed the chick pea coating, it was different and the light sauce had a bit of heat to it and I wanted to snatch the plate and eat it all up.. but I didn't.
Ice Cold Wild Caught Shrimp with mojito shooter and cocktail sauce. This was off of the mosaics part of the menu and a smaller appetizer. It's one shrimp per order. Shrimp was very fresh, the cocktail sauce was yummy and I don't usually like cocktail sauce and the mojito shooter was sweet. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to drink it like a shooter or use it for dipping my shrimp in so down the hatch it went.
Dinner Bread: fresh cornbread.. yes cornbread. I was taken aback and kind of let down, seeing most cornbread I've had is dry and not much of a joy to eat. Not the case here, it was very moist and just slightly sweet :)
Miso Glazed Salmon: my daughter ordered the American sized portion of this dish and one minute it was there and the next minute I looked and it was gone. I'm guessing she really enjoyed it.
Charmoula Crusted Lamb: my friend ordered this and let me try some, it was slightly spicy, very tender and juicy. I would order that next time so I could try more of it.
Steamed Lobster: the preparation for that evening was butter poached lobster served over creamy lobster risotto. This dish was fabulous! It came with a shooter and once again I was at a loss with what to do with it. Little help with an explanation would be wonderful. The risotto with the lobster was amazing tho, I didn't really need to shooter. And the sauce on the side was fabulous as well.
Warn Pistachio Financier: This was my dessert and I want another right now! Strawberry sorbet, served on some type of tiny dense sweet biscuit-like cake with rhubard champagne soup they pour at the table.
Hazelnut Filled Sugared Brioche: this was my daughters choice and she ate it too quick for me to try so I'm going to guess she enjoyed it :)
Cocktails: passion fruit mojito.. yum. italia martini.. strong, but still sweet.
Food was fantastic, service was wonderful, the restaurant could be very attractive they just need to set a different mood/tone with the lighting. Dale Miller did come out of the kitchen to stop at all the tables.. so if you go you might get to see him working the room when he's not working the kitchen.
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