Eating BIG in Upstate New York

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
- The Regional Riches of Upstate NY  

I spent of week of mostly play, with some work, in Upstate New York this past July. We rented an AirBNB near Hudson that was semi off the grid in the sense there was nobody near it as far as neighbors and passing cars as plus all that other city stuff. My wife still had to work for the week before taking the following one off which is when we left for Rhode Island and Massachusetts (click links for posts on those). When someone says Upstate New York there's lots of places one could be talking about. As I learned on this trip it's not a small place. There's handfuls of different areas within the area. Since we were driving I would be able to stop for lots of Roadfood but not everything I was hoping to try would be within reach. I'm not sure I can explain why but Upstate NY has as many regional food specialties as anywhere else in the country. It's flooded with stops I've always wanted to check out.

Sights from Upstate New York 

We did lots of hiking in the morning and checked out Eater hot spot type dinner places at night. I mostly rode around during the day. There's lots of cute little towns in Upstate New York. Some like Woodstock and Cooperstown are well known and then there's one of the country's biggest college towns in Syracuse plus big urban areas like Buffalo and Albany can be seen, there's a wine region, a historic horse track, lots of old school Italian towns. Plus hot dogs. I have to say I think Upstate NY offers the country's best selection of hot dog stands. A big part of what makes it so impressive is the fact they have a bunch of regional styles within the region. I made it a point to try as many as I could and made it to most in reach. While I wasn't surprised to find lots of Roadfood type spots I wasn't expecting all the chef driven options. Especially in Hudson. But it does make sense when NYC is so close. I wasn't expecting to enjoy the area as much I did but I would love to go back and further explore some parts of it. My only complaint was the constant rain. I guess they had record amounts.

Sights from Upstate New York 
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Red Top Hot Dogs (Hamburg, NY)

Hot Dogs around the Buffalo area are charcoal grilled natural casing Sahlen's wieners. Ted's is the most well known purveyor in town with handfuls of locations. But this little stand in Hamburg which sits  across the street from Lake Erie uses another locally made wiener from Wardynski's out of Buffalo. They're a beef and pork blend and may have been my favorite of all the locally produced wieners I got to try. They grill up really nice. One weird thing (to me) about East Coast hot dog stands is how some of them serve the toppings on the side and you have to put them on your hot dog yourself. That was the case at Red Top where I got one with mustard, onion, and dill pickle relish. This was an excellent hot dog that I enjoyed alongside an order of their popular cottage fries. Since 1946.

Hot Dog from Red Top 
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Heid's of Liverpool (Liverpool, NY)

I was extra excited to try the Two Hot Dog Special (add a side of gravy for the fries) at Heid’s of Liverpool. The Syracuse University favorite serves up two styles of flattop seared natural casing wieners made locally by Hofmann Sausage. The traditional German Frank (aka a red hot) is a classic frankfurter while the snappy grillers (aka white hots) are very similar to brats. I should’ve took a pic of the toppings bar which is a DIY event. The spicy brown mustard and red pepper relish are also part of their signature offerings. I did mustard with sauerkraut and dill pickle relish on the white hot and mustard, raw onions, red pepper relish, dill relish on the red hot. Very cool spot. Since 1917.

Hot Dogs from Heid's of Liverpool 
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Voss Bar-B-Q (Yorkville, NY)

There's some that say this seasonal dairy stand just outside of Utica is the best hot dog stand of a strong Upstate NY bunch. Voss Bar-B-Q has been at it since 1938. Locals line up for hot dogs of which they offer two blends popular in the area. The traditional red hot and the local specialty a white hot (similar to a bratwurst). I believe both are made by Zweigle’s out of Rochester. I tried a red wiener in the form of their signature “Mexi” dog which I ordered all the way which means chili, cheese, and onion are joined by mustard, relish, sauerkraut, and pickle. Then I got a white hot with mustard, onion, and hot relish. Both were bad ass. I also got a bbq ham sandwich which is barbecue by sauce only. Similar to Russell’s in Elmwood Park (IL) for those that know what I’m talking about.

Hot Dogs at Voss Bar-B-Q

BBQ Ham Sandwich at Voss Bar-B-Q
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Famous Lunch (Troy, NY)

Famous Lunch in Troy sits just outside of Albany. In this part of Upstate New York mini hot dogs are all the rage. They're locally produced by Helmbolds. These mini natural casing (beef / pork) wieners are made to be enjoyed a few per seating kind of like hot dog sliders. They can be found all over the area with Famous Lunch being the landmark spot to enjoy them. My visit here went exactly as I expected it to and that means it was a memorable one. Towns like Troy have always fascinated me and places like Famous Lunch are great places to eat like a local. Lots of locals on this visit with the majority of them ordering hot dogs by the 4’s, 8’s etc. The four inch wieners are crisped up on a flattop that sits in the front window and come served on mini buns. Everything on them includes zippy sauce which is a chili / coney like condiment plus mustard and onions. I did three bc I was hitting another stand after Famous Lunch but I also had to try a burger with their grilled onions and standard white American cheese. Both were home runs and the price was a steal too. A first ballot National Hot Dog Hall of Famer. The epitome of a greasy spoon in every sense of the saying. Since 1932.

Mini Hot Dogs at Famous Lunch 

Cheeseburger at Famous Lunch 
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Gus's Hot Dogs (Watervliet, NY)

The town of Watervliet has been home to Gus's Hot Dogs since 1954. As far as aesthetics go, Gus's too is greasy spoon greatness. It's a roadside stand that you can find with your nose. There's no indoor seating these days but plenty of picnic tables off to the side. Gus's does mini hot dogs with their own signature sauce but I didn't think they were as good as Famous Lunch up above. I also tried a tasty Italian sausage sandwich which is a locally produced Italian sausage patty topped with onions and peppers directly from the flattop. This place is the NY equivalent to Jim's Original in Chicago. 

Mini Hot Dogs and Sausage Sandwich at Gus's Hot Dogs 
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Ted's Fish Fry (Watervliet, NY)

Both the fish fry and by extension the fish sandwich are big draws in Western New York. With seven locations around the Capitol Region Ted's is the biggest of draws when it comes to fried fish. I visited the OG for a fish sandwich which at Ted's comes served on a hot dog bun. Of course they sell hot dogs too but it's the long strips of fried fish placed into a hot dog bun that most folks are here for. I tried one with both tartar and cocktail sauce and it was excellent blue collar food. The make the onion rings in house so an order of those was also in store and they too were awesome. Since 1949. 

Fish Sandwich and Onion Rings from Ted's Fish Fry 
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Slick's Restaurant (Schenectady, NY)

I knew I would be visiting Slick's when I first found it while browsing restaurants in Schenectady. It's an old corner bar where the overstuffed sandwiches are the big draw. Upon entering I felt like I had morphed back a few decades into a previous era. The owner dressed in uniform also seemed from another time. This place just oozed old school. For $10 you can get a huge sandwich made with meat sliced to order. Roast beef was commonly mentioned and is the one deli meat I only like to eat when it's made onsite so I got that on white bread with a side of housemade potato salad (plus chips). This one was NYC sized at an Upstate NY price. Great stop. I just wish spots like Slick's weren't so rare. 

Roast Beef Sandwich at Slick's Restaurant 

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Perreca's Bakery (Schenectady, NY)

The town of Schenectady has it's own Little Italy. It's a small one block strip but they have a n arch and a few shops still up and running. Both of them holdovers from the neighborhoods heyday. The first stop is Perreca's Bakery which had a facade that was calling my name. I spied some tomato pie in the window so that was reason enough to stop in and try a slice. Perreca's opened in 1914 and has been continuously run by the same family. They use the same coal oven they did on day one to make Italian bread and tomato pie. The latter of which is a popular snack in these parts (especially in and around Utica).  Tomato pie is a simple style of pizza where the crust is a thick, focacia like dough that's topped with a thick layer of tomato sauce and Romano cheese. I'm sure there's slight variations here and there but this would be the only spot I got to try it at as I never made it to any spots in Utica.

Tomato Pie from Perreca's

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Civitello's (Schenectady, NY)

Right across the street sits Civitello's which is another neighborhood centennial business (est. 1922). I stopped in here hoping to score some of their pizza and maybe some cannolli but both were sold out for the day. So I settled for some lemon ice and a handful of their Italian cookies which are probably my favorite type of cookies. The ice wasn't as good as some Chicago spots but it still hit the spot on a hot day. The cookies were terrific and so was the friendly lady who's grandpa first opened the place. 

Italian Cookies from Civitelli's Bakery 

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Willa's Bakery Cafe (Hudson, NY)

We popped into the newest iteration of Willa's on it's first day in business. I guess they moved into Hudson from another town close by. They seemed to be the first tenant in a beautifully restored building down by the train tracks. Willa's calls itself a bakery-cafe and they do coffee, pastries, breakfast and lunch. The menu us very seasonal with lots of really tempting options. Me and my wife love fresh cut fries and all other forms of fried potatoes so we tried Willa's breakfast version served with fried onions and some garlic aioli and they're the front runner for "best fried potato dish in 2021". 

Breakfast Potatoes at Willa's 

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Feast & Floret (Hudson, NY)

My wife found us this terrific little farm to table type Italian spot in a trendy part of Hudson. Feast & Floret is a chefless restaurant whatever that means. It's a really nice looking spot that's part of the areas very Victorian feel. The menu has most likely switched up with the season but I'd be happy to go back based on what we had on this visit. Fontina Arancini was rich and decadent while a dish made with in season green peas was excellent. Our pasta pick was one of my favorite pasta preps of the year - Piselle con Guanciale made with al dente bucatini, spring onion, mint, and black pepper. 

Dinner at Feast & Floret 

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Le Perche (Hudson, NY)

La Perche is the type of spot you'll find in just about every popular weekend getaway town that takes it's local food scene seriously. French food with locally procured ingredients is what they and so many others are going for. Summertime is always the best time to visit seasonal menu spots like this. Seasonally inspired dishes on our visit included a sweet corn  polenta with escargot and  poached egg. The polenta was cooked perfectly so need I say more? We also got a tasty plate of crispy crab rice with fried egg and seaweed plus a decadent Kouign Amann. A perfect spot for Hudson Valley.  

Lunch at La Perche 
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Bia (Rhinebeck, NY)

Irish cuisine had long gotten a bad rap until the last five years or so. Whether that's bc it's most closely associated with corned beef and cabbage here in the States or bc of the fact they used to export their best ingredients in Ireland (fish, produce etc) it's now a thing of the past, in Dublin anyway. There's not many chef forward Irish restaurants in the States so Bia in Rhinebeck grabbed my attention when I found it while searching for dining options in the area. The menu was calling my name with it's ode to Irish summer classics with a bit of Hudson Valley flair. For starters a curry crab roll was exactly as I hoped it would be when I first saw it on the menu, very refreshing on a hot summer night. We also had a decent plate of the housemade pate and for my entree I couldn't resist the tempura fish and chips (hake). She tried the locally sourced duck confit and a fruit tart dessert rounded out an enjoyable dinner out. The menu has likely changed with the season and soon the courtyard will be of no use but keep this place in mind if you're visiting the area next summer.

Dinner at Bia Rhinebeck 

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Alleyway Ice Cream (Saugerties, NY)

Dairy is big in Upstate NY and with it so is designer ice cream. One of the hot trends these days in desserts and sweets is Asian leaning ice cream creations. One of the most popular ice cream ingredients right now is ube (purple yam originally from the Philippines) which has long been a Filipino favorite as far different desserts go. Alleyway Ice Cream makes an ube ice cream mixed with Heath Bar which is a wonderful combo as far as creation of an ice cream flavor goes. Ube has a similar nutty vibe to vanilla but it's not nearly as bland. It's also not that sweet making it a personal favorite. 

Ube Heath Bar Ice Cream at Alleyway Ice Cream 

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Schwabl's (Buffalo, NY)

I visited a ton of old school spots on our excursion out East but none as historic as the 184 year old Schwabl’s in Buffalo. I missed this landmark stop last time I was in town so it was at the top of the list for when I returned. Sebastian Schwabl settled in a German part of Buffalo not long after it became a city and he immediately got to work. The restauranteur opened a few spots including a bar called Schwabl’s. His sons would follow in his footsteps and opened spots of their own including the current iteration of Schwabl’s which was built in 1942. When most people think about the food of Buffalo, it’s the chicken wings that come to mind. But those are predated by the beef on weck which is what they call roast beef sandwiches with kummelweck rolls. It’s exact origin is unknown but it’s believed the salty kummelweck rolls studded with caraway seeds came over with a German Baker from Bavaria. 

Roast Beef Sandwich at Schwabl's

The Beef on Weck is a classic sandwich in every sense of its description. Big chunks of beef are roasted until medium rare in the middle. The beef is then sliced to order for sandwiches throughout the day. They come served on the previously mentioned rolls and there’s a big bucket of horseradish at each table. The most popular way to enjoy a beef on Weck at Schwabl’s is with their top notch sides of warm German style potato salad (with bacon) and pickled beets. Both were spectacular to the point where they may have overshadowed what’s an excellent sandwich. This was as close to a restaurant time machine as I’ve been in. A must stop spot when in the Western New York region.

The Insides 

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See ya next time @chibbqking 

HD Cuisine

-Grubbing in Chicago(land)
Malaysian Fare in Wheeling 

Malaysia (Penang in particular) remains near the top of my travel bucketlist. I hope to go as soon as next year if not at some point in my lifetime. I love what I know of Malaysian food but have really only had it here in the States with the exception being a Malaysian food stall I tried in Bangkok (amazing). That said the Chicagoland area has some decent options and they've doubled in the last year with a handful of openings including HD Cuisine in Wheeling. The pandemic caused them to delay opening which finally happened in the last six months or so. At first it was takeout only with a limited menu. HD is short for Hawkers delights referring to the popular Hawker food fare found all over Malaysia 

Recently Opened in Wheeling 

HD Cuisine sat near the top of my 'Chicagoland restaurants to try' list for a while. I finally made it over about a month ago and had a very good first visit. They seemed to be in the groove with a steady flow of takeout and a few groups of people dining on site for lunch. It’s a small space with one large table inside and a couple smaller ones outside so keep that in mind. I talked a bit with Chef Tony who hails from Penang. Both the actual city and also the Malaysian restaurant in Arlington Heights where he worked before opening this place. One dish I can’t wait to try in its natural habitat is Char Kway Teow which is a Chinese in origin stir fried rice noodle dish that when done proper puts out a wonderful aroma of smoky wok hei. In the meantime I think I have a new favorite version of this dish found here in Chicagoland. Chef Tony definitely learned a trick or two back in his homeland. 

Char Kway Teow at HD Cuisine 

The menu features some intriguing options that will take a few visits to sort through but for our first go we tried one of the weekly specials in an order of Malaysian Mee Rebus aka boiled noodle soup. This was a new to me in terms of the dish itself and the flavors it presented. It was more like a curry than soup but also had a spaghetti type element going on. Very good. You can check a thread over at LTHforum where others have shared their experiences (mostly positive) and in some cases pictures.  

Mee Rebus at HD Cuisine 

There was a section of chefs specials on the menu which are always a good way to lean when listed. So we tried Chef Tony’s Ayam Masak Kicap - a popular Javanese dish - which is described as fried bone on pieces of chopped chicken with chili and spices in a sweet soy sauce. This is a great dish for those who not be too familiar with Malaysian food but would like to try it. It's not too spicy or funky but there's lots of flavor in the onions and sauce. It'll be hard not to get this dish next time I visit. 

Ayam Masak Kicap at HD Cuisine 

The last few years the Chicago dining scene has seen a big boom in Asian dessert offerings. I've become a big fan of any and all of them since they first started showing up. HD Cuisine makes a super refreshing bo bo cha cha which is a popular Malay dessert that can also eaten for breakfast. The main ingredients in most preps call for pearled sago, sweet potatoes, yams, bananas, coconut milk, pandan leaves, sugar, salt. It’s all in the family as I met relatives of Tony manning the kitchen as well as his sister Lyn who walked in as I snapped a picture of the building on the way out. I promised her I’d spread the good word which I’m happy to do bc this is the type of spot I like to seek out.

Bo BO Cha Cha at HD Cuisine 

HD Cuisine 
27 Huntington Ln
Wheeling, IL 60090
(847) 777-1031
Website

Submarine Tender

-The Sammy's of Chi

I'm not a Forest Park (or OP) native but I share a common love with many of them. Sub Tender being the crush of many locals from around this way. I didn't develop my crush until my college days. Heck maybe even right after those had ended. A few college friends from around this way had brought me to one of their childhood favorites when I was hanging with them in their backyard. Sub Tender being a prototypical Chicago style fast food shack where sandwiches are featured. In many cases these places are spots that used to be Mr. Sub franchises. I'm not sure what the deal with Sub Tender's lineage is. I just know they've been a favorite of at least a couple generations worth of Forest Parkers.

Locals Favorite in Forest Park

As the name suggests this place pushes submarine sandwiches. Though I'm not sure what the tender is all about. I wouldn't call these subs Chicago style but there's alot of spots where they're making sandwiches in the same way of Mr. Sub which still has a handful of locations in the city. Sub Tender is the best of them from what I've tried. You don't come here for a perfectly curated sandwich as far as the ingredients go. This place is most popular when the sun goes down. But they do a better job than the others when it comes to their submarine sandwiches. The meats are of the typical variety you find at this type of spot but the sesame seeded bread seems to be better. Much fresher than most. Maybe this is bc they sell so many of them. Of course a nice pour of oil also helps elevate these cheap but tasty sandwiches. There's a time and a place for a Sub Tender sandwich in my life.

The Original Sub Tender (assorted cold cuts)

With this being a Chicago style fast food shack at heart they have all the other crap you can imagine too. I mean that as a compliment. Sometimes there's nothing better than one of these spots where you can choose between subs, gyros, hamburgers, hot dogs, Italian beef, and more. My trick is to really dig into the menu offerings and find the things you wont find everywhere else. Bc lets be honest the gyros from here taste the same as everywhere else. Same goes for the pizza puff and so on. One of the items that locals love here are the "BGF" which is short for butter garlic fries. They're seasoned with something secret. I like them now and then but my go to item which I admittedly don't eat often is the ham and cheese pita. It's nothing special but they prepare it very well. Starting with browning the ham on the flattop and putting it over the cheese which melts it down nicely. Everything on it is mayo, lettuce, tomato, and oil. It's not a gastronomic wonder but it does hit the spot around Midnight.

Ham and Cheese Pita at Sub Tender

Submarine Tender
200 Des Plaines Ave
Forest Park, IL 60130
(708) 366-4690

Bocadillo Market

-Grubbing in Chicago  
New to the 'Scene'

One of my favorite restaurant openings this year comes from an unlikely neighborhood. Lincoln Park is by no means a food dessert, there's plenty of good spots to eat, but it's not a neighborhood known for hot and trendy openings. Maybe trendy isn't the right word for Bocadillo Market which is paying homage to Spain's culinary traditions through a lunch program, dinner, and also a small cafe and market. It's a passion project from a husband and wife team and you can feel the love put into it.

Newly Opened in Lincoln Park

Bocadillo Market is a cafe (day), market (all day), and restaurant (night) ran by a chef who comes from DC and is serving up some must seek out sandwiches by day and a complete Spanish influenced menu by night. The sandwiches themselves are reason enough to make the trek over to Lincoln Park as these are works of art and I say that as a sandwich artist myself. Bocadillos are what they call baguette sandwiches in Spain and Bocadillo Market is doing up a handful of carefully curated options including the classic calamari variety (seen below with herb aioli, piparra peppers, and lemon). Each sandwich comes with a small side of patatas bravas so good you’ll want to grab an extra order immediately. Meanwhile the smoked lamb rib bocadillo is the best sandwich I’ve had all year. It's described as smoked lamb rib meat served with a Nora Pepper aioli, fresh herbs, pickled green beans and carrots. The smoke flavor was alive and kicking in this one. I'd like to try the other sandwich options including their cheffed up version of a simple grilled cheese and tomato soup. 

Lunch at Bocadillo Market 

We liked the lunch menu so much we returned for a small dinner of sorts a week or so later. The dinner menu has a few sections including a nice selection of classic tapas given the fancy chef treatment. We started off with an order of wild mushroom and artichoke croquetas (with summer herb lemon aioli). I'm still chasing the peak of croquettes which I reached at a random bar in Madrid but these were pretty good by North American standards. Moving on to a pleasant bowl of clams and hake served in a salsa verde broth with smoked hake and herbs. You'll want extra bread for that one. Squash blossoms are one of my favorite seasonal summertime farmers market snags. Chef Martin and team dress them up wonderfully with sobrassada, goat cheese, and rosemary honey. The best bite of the night came out last which was fitting bc the foie gras served atop Spanish French Toast with berry and beet jam and snap pea salad ate like a luscious dessert. The best foie gras dishes I've had seem to all come from Spain and this dish was on par with some of those. Foie Gras is always good but this prep was extra good. Bocadillo Market is a contender for best new restaurant. 

Dinner at Bocadillo Market 

Bocadillo Market 

2342 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 857-0331
Website