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October 21, 2015Pickle(d) Perfection Achieved, Downtown Albany Foodfight Winners Announced
The Downtown Albany Business Improvement District (BID) announces the winners of Food Fight | Pickle(d) Edition held on Saturday, October 17, from Noon to 3 p.m. throughout the streets of downtown Albany. The pickle competition consisted of 17 venues providing the public with pickle(d) items over the course of three hours. Judging for Food Fight was conducted by Kelly Hillis, proprietor of Greenwich-based Puckers Gourmet Pickles.
The winners are as follows:
- “You are the Bread to My Butter Pickle Award” (Best Use of a Cucumber Pickle): dp An American Brasserie | Yono’s | Chef Steve Kerzner for Crispy Pickled Croquette
- “Your Downtown Dill is a Thrill Award” (Best Use of a Pickled Ingredient): Ama Cocina | Chef James Frese for Spicy Pickled Golden Beets
- “You Can Pickle That Award” (Most Creative Use of a Pickle or Pickle(d) Ingredient): tie between Charter (Hilton) | Chef Anthony Verni for Goat Cheese Pannacotta with Pickled Beets and Pistachio and Jack’s Oyster House | Chef Larry Schepici for Veal Osso Bucco Pierogie with Pickled Veal Tongue, Pickled Root Vegetables, and Braised Veal Sauce
- The public was also invited to participate in the Spear-It Award (People’s Choice). The winner was dp An American Brasserie | Yono’s. Second place went to Ama Cocina, and third place was a tie between The Capital American Eatery & Lounge and Jack’s Oyster House
The 17 business that participated during the event were: Aji Steak Stone & Sushi, Ama Cocina, The Barrel Saloon & Texas BBQ, The Capital Eatery & Lounge, Charter (Hilton Albany), Cider Belly Doughnuts, Dali Mamma, Dawn’s Victory Sports Café, The Hollow Bar + Kitchen, Jack’s Oyster House, Maurice’s Pearl Street Delicatessen, The Merry Monk, Olde English Pub, Pearl Street Pub, Public House 42, Yono’s | dp’s American Brasserie.
“It was a brine of the times in downtown Albany as Saturday brought the Food Fight and 1,000 people to the streets of our District with this pickle-centered event that gives chefs a unique way to show off their culinary creativity,” said Georgette Steffens, executive director of the Downtown Albany BID. “The ability to introduce, or reintroduce, Downtown to people is instrumental in spreading the word about projects and people behind our vibrancy. As Albany’s newest neighborhood, we are continually welcoming residents, employees, and visitors to an area that boasts a 97 percent residential occupancy rate, and has welcomed 15 new retailers so far this year alone.”
“The chefs of downtown Albany definitively raised the pickle bar with this event,” said Hillis. “Each portion was incredibly creative, and nicely balanced, making for an enjoyable event and a very difficult decision process. These restaurants were willing to step out of the box, and served up crisp, fresh, delectable choices. I will definitely be back to experience these restaurants, and would encourage everyone to do the same.”
To see photos of this event, please click here.
