We Love Slidin Dirty!

We love food trucks. One of my favorite times of the year is when the food trucks return in the spring (usually at the end of March or beginning of April) to the park on Washington Ave and State Street. I work downtown about a five minute walk from the park and after being tuck inside all winter, walking down and grabbing some food and sitting outside in the park makes for an amazing lunch. There are a ton of options available and you'll always find something you'll like whether it's something simple like a hot dog with sweet potato fries or something different like fish tacos. But, by far the best food truck I have ever eaten at was one we discovered at Lark Fest this summer.

After a few hours of enjoying Lark Fest Amy, our friends and I were pretty hungry. Amy and I decided to try Slidin' Dirty. Immediately this food truck catches your attention, the truck has been beautifully pained to a sunset orange skyline with the silhouette of downtown Albany. Next thing you'll see, besides some very friendly faces who offer up polite and great service, is the menu. The menu is where you will fall in love. I know I fell in love so much that when I saw that Slidin' Dirty would be a Troy's Riverfront Rocktoberfest this year, that alone was enough reason for us to go, and they even remembered me from Lark Fest!

The menu changes often but the food offered is a similar type. Slidin' Dirty always offers up a choice of sliders, appetizers and/or sides. I highly recommend if your going there for lunch, get the special. Two sliders and an appetizer for $10 is a great deal for your run of the mill food, but these are not your typical sliders. They are not kidding when they say "gourmet on the go." Here is just a few options they offer courtesy of their website, www.slidindirty.com:

Avacado Fries

Fried sliced avocado with panko breading and cilantro lime dipping sauce. 

Bacon and Scallion Potato Pancake

Grilled potato pancake with bacon and diced scallion and sage aioli dipping sauce. 

Fried Risotto Bites

One of our signature risottos breaded and fried served bite size with dipping sauce. 

Jalapeno Jack Slider

Gourmet mini beef burger with sliced jalapeno peppers, pepper jack cheese, fried avocado, arugula, tomato and chipotle cream on a grilled mini bun.

The Dirty Greek Slider

Grilled Chicken with Crumbled Feta, Spinach, Sliced Cucumber and tzatziki on a grilled mini flatbread. 

Prosciutto Caprese Slider

Gourmet mini beef burger wrapped in prosciutto and topped with tomato, basil, sliced red onion, fresh mozzarella cheese and balsamic reduction on a grilled mini bun. 

Slidin' Dirty not only shows up at the bigger events around the Capital Region, but they have a regular schedule of where they will be on their website. You can even place your order ahead of time and pick it up! Slidin' Dirty also has a catering menu for parties, weddings or whatever your big event may be. So trust Amy and I on this one, if you want amazing gourmet food that for very reasonable prices, whether it is by chance or you go seek it out. Go find that amazing orange food truck and start Slidin' Dirty!

Brunch!!

Little known fact about me, I hate breakfast. I know, I know...how do I consider myself part of the human race? Well eggs are gross, bacon makes me nauseous, pancakes and syrup---I cringe at the thought.

Something magical happens, however, when you mix the worst meal together with the best meal (lunch). It become some hybrid, mutant supermeal that could only be named BRUNCH! I am a big fan of this anomaly...how that can be possible due to my disdain for breakfast is beyond me. Must be the power that this brunch mutant has over me...

Anyway, we eat brunch quite a bit so I thought I would share our top three favorite places to go on a late Saturday or Sunday to get our grub on! ( these are in no particular order, because Chris and I have conflicting ideas as to which one is the best...they are all amazing though!)


1)  Cafe Madison

As soon as you walk into this place you can tell it's going to be a good meal. Why? Because most likely if you're going there any time during the weekend you're going to have to wait 10-15 minutes. Yes, it's cramped and yes, people WILL invade your personal space while waiting (not by choice, it's just a tad small in there). But, after all of that you will find that it is most definitely worth it. The menu is different every time, but I have yet to be disappointed. From their Home made toast (about six different varieties-Dill onion is my favorite!) to their perfectly-seasoned, perfectly-crisped home fries, you will neither leave hungry, nor unsatisfied. They are located right on Madison (obviously), next to Juniors and The Point. Check them out!

2) Iron Gate Cafe

Chris stumbled upon this place as a quick place to grab lunch during the week (he works about two buildings down). He would always rave about it to me, and sometimes he'd even bring me home a wrap or some soup. Since the lunch was so amazing, as soon as he mentioned that they had brunch we HAD to go. Sure enough, it wasn't just great...it was better than I could have even expected. It may had been the passion fruit mimosa making me enjoy my sweet potato pancake like it was the last last thing I would ever eat...but I'm pretty sure it was just THAT good. Unlike Cafe Madison, Iron Gate usually keeps their menu pretty standard. I, However have never had anything on this menu. The reason for this is because there are usually about four or five specials that make your mouth water just from reading their descriptions...I usually stop there. What really won my heart though, was the adorably quaint courtyard surrounded by- you guessed it- an Iron Gate. Not something you would expect on Washington Avenue in downtown Albany. Bottom line...go there!

3) Carmen's

Tired of the same ol' bacon-and-eggs routine? Carmen's certainly spices thing up, and gives a heavy Cuban infusion to their brunch menu. Adding chorizo, Plantains and even black beans and rice to their menu. I ate here this morning, and I'm STILL thinking about how good my meal was! Located right over the bridge in Troy, this place is a hidden treasure among a vast sea of run-down brick buildings. Their coffee is something of magic, their staff is super attentive and friendly, and the atmosphere is fun and inviting. Definitely worth going once...or a hundred times.