SOS: Breaking the Best

For the last couple of days I’ve been shilling for your support in the annual Times Union Best of the Capital Region Readers’ Choice Poll. I am coming to realize that all of these things are truly a farce. Seriously, how many people who vote in polls like this actually would consider themselves readers of the paper?

If you would like to be outraged that I’m asking for support on a slate of candidates that you may know nothing about, so be it. But I hope the same people don’t vote for judges, city council representatives, or other elected officials based on their party designation without having fully vetted each of the candidates’ positions on the very important issues of the day.

The slate I’m promoting represents the FLB party’s best interests. And if you are a food lover living in the Capital Region, or elsewhere, I’d argue they represent your best interests too.

But today we’re taking a break from all of that to actually take care of some old business. There is plenty of selling out to be done this week. Press releases have been sent and received. And if I don’t pass them along to you, the media community might stop confusing me for a journalist.
In theory journalists get credentials for notable events and invitations to interview visiting chefs. It’s a tough gig, but somebody has to do it. Now it’s time to pay the piper.

Garden Bistro 24 Coming to Vista Technology Park
Columbia Development to Construct 3,000 Square Foot Restaurant

ALBANY – Columbia Development and Garden Bistro 24, Inc. are pleased to announce their plans to construct a 3,000 square foot restaurant inside the newly constructed Vista Technology Park, located in the Town of Bethlehem. Garden Bistro 24 at Vista will be the second restaurant from co-owners Charles and John Grizzaffi. Their first restaurant, which opened in 2010, is located at 1839 Central Ave in the Town of Colonie. Garden Bistro 24 plans to maintain the same style of cuisine at both restaurants with the same focus on quality and innovativeness that current customers have come to expect.

“Our food quality, freshness and attention to innovative culinary practices is what differentiates us in the marketplace. Our chefs have been with us from the beginning and are well prepared to carry on the Garden Bistro 24 tradition as we expand,” said John Grizzaffi, who is also the executive chef at their current location.

“Working through the development and leasing process with Columbia Development has been a rewarding experience. Their attention to detail and thoroughness make me believe that all phases of construction will go smoothly. We expect to be opening late 3rd quarter or early 4th quarter,” said Charles Grizzaffi.

“We believe that Garden Bistro 24 will be a valuable asset to Vista Technology Park and the Town of Bethlehem”, said Marc Goldstein, Director of Real Estate of Columbia Development.

Garden Bistro 24 is an American Bistro with French influences. To read more about the restaurant and their menu visit http://www.Gardenbistro24.com.

Park Side Eatery to open in Saratoga Springs

Michael and Heidi Hoyt, the owners of Black Diamond Caterers, are extending their
passion for food into a new food establishment. After thirteen years of successfully
operating and growing their catering company they are moving into the restaurant stage
of their development but they don’t want to use the term “restaurant”. They are calling it
an eatery and are defying all things restaurant.

The new 5000 square foot Park Side Eatery will be located at 42-44 Phila Street which
will be an extension of the current location of Black Diamond Caterers. The eatery will
face both Phila Street and Congress Park allowing for opposite entrances. The
building, historically known as the Old Palmetto’s Building, and the surrounding
neighborhood is steeped in rich food history. Currently, it is dubbed “restaurant row” by
locals. Hattie’s, Seven Horse Pub, Phila Fusion, Capriccios, Four Seasons and
Ravenous are just some of the food findings in the neighborhood.

Park Side Eatery will have a comfortable, warehouse look and feel. “It will fit very well
into the neighborhood. We want to be a welcoming stop in the course of someone’s
day. In addition to people enjoying their food in our seating area we fully expect people
to run in and out as they head for home with dinner for the family,” says Michael Hoyt,
the general manager and official taste tester of all the foods.

“For years we have wanted to open a place where food is the focal point. We spent
many years in the ‘white table cloth’ dining arena and we wanted something very
different. Park Side Eatery will be about the food experience. It’s casual, there will be
no table service but there are tables to sit. There will be a number of food cases filled
with fresh cold and hot foods ready to eat there, take home or take to the office,” says
Heidi Hoyt, the chef half of the owner team.

“This is a counter style eatery with as many or more offerings than any restaurant.
Everything will be made on site. We are installing a large, open kitchen with a fifteen
foot double sided hood system that everyone can easily see. People like to see where
their food comes from,” adds Michael.

“We’ve always studied trends in our industry. The casual, counter-style restaurant
serving outstanding food is growing in popularity across the country, a trend possibly set
off by the economy of recent years. Daily eating out and bringing ready-to-eat meals
home is a solid part of this country’s eating habits and this new style of restaurant
serves those needs,” Heidi states.

“No one wants to sacrifice the quality of their daily meals but if the extra cost of
gratuities or the tacked on charge for overhead expenses supporting chic restaurants can be eliminated, suddenly the value of excellent food served over a counter seems
more convenient to their families and friendlier to their pocket books,” adds Michael.

“The cost of buying all the ingredients for a meal, spending valuable time creating that
meal then adding the clean up factor, day in and day out is a lot to ask of two people
working long days. We will offer so much to these families and individuals. We are
basically extending our catering operation into Park Side Eatery and offering a multitude
of daily selections,” adds Heidi.

Eight years ago the Hoyts added a division to Black Diamond Caterers named
Adirondack Barbecue. They realized at the time not everyone wanted high end foods
for every catered event so being lovers of barbecue they developed barbecue sauces,
rubs, recipes and smoking techniques. It has become a very popular division in their
portfolio. Adirondack Barbecue will now exist inside Park Side Eatery. Customers will
find pulled pork, St. Louis Ribs, Texas style beef brisket and more available every day in
an area dedicated to Adirondack BBQ.

The Hoyts will also be developing two new lines.

One line will feature Jewish style foods from the Lower East Side such as matzo ball
soup, house-made corned beef and pastrami, knishes, white fish salad, chopped liver
and pickled herring. “Just as French or Japanese cuisine is loved globally, Jewish
cuisine has made its mark in the culinary world. We are especially excited about the
corned beef and pastrami made in-house and then knife sliced to order. It’s insanely
good,” says Heidi.

The second new line will be a bakery named Glazed Bäckerei. “We have always had a
strong bakery aspect to our catering companies. Our vision for this bakery is to keep
baked goods fun and have a flair of Germany, Austria and Scandinavia. I come from a
German background and I grew up with absolutely amazing baked goods and desserts
at every family gathering. I want to bring that flavor of baked goods into our bakery. One item we are really excited about it donuts! We will be making donuts every day.
I’m really looking forward to our filled donuts called Bismarcks,” adds Heidi.

Inside Park Side Eatery, Black Diamond Caterers will have its own office area making it
easy for a wedding client to discuss their event. Part of their catering is geared toward
pick-up and delivery of prepared hors d’oeuvres and foods in disposable containers.
The Hoyt’s state that the last three years have each had record breaking growth in
catering and they are optimistic that this expansion will only further grow their original
business of full service, off premise catering.

The opening of Park Side Eatery will be in early June beginning with an invitation only
party honoring their thirteen years of loyal clients, customers, friends and supporters.
This will be followed by a grand opening weekend opened to the public.

Not an April Fools Joke from TC Paris Bakery
[from their Facebook page]

Major Announcement From TC Paris:

On April 15th (TAX DAY), we are officially closing our kitchen at The Chocolate Gecko. Beginning on April 16th, you will no longer be able to purchase our French Macarons and/or baked goods at The Chocolate Gecko.

In the very near future, we expect to announce another major announcement regarding our new location (Which we expect to reopen in late May or June, 2013).

You can still purchase our Macarons for a short time at The Chocolate Gecko, and online. They freeze very well too . . if you need to stash up for those days that we are closed.

PERKS: we will be honoring EVERY perk that was issued during our fund raising campaign, either before we close at The Gecko, or after we reopen at our new location. Please do not worry about your perk offers. We are “guaranteeing” our perks (or a full refund if, in the unexpected event, we are unable to reopen).

We are very excited about our new location, and we look forward to sharing several VERY BIG announcements with everyone soon.

Thank you all so much for all of your continued support!

TC Paris Staff

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Seriously though, I’m going to keep bugging you to vote in the Best of the Capital Region poll, regardless of where you live. It only takes five minutes. Seriously. Click here for the slate, and click here for the official ballot. Once you are done, I’d like you to ask your friends to support this crazy plan too. Thanks for your consideration.