Tonight's "Date Night" took us into Albany, NY where we dined in an establishment called The Ginger Man. The Ginger Man was sequestered in a neighborhood that looked mostly residential but, the restaurant itself harkened back to a simple time with an easy, Irish Pub theme.We were greeted by Pauline who seated us at a table and gave us ample time to peruse the various menu and drink options. We placed our order; a Franzikaner Hefe Weisse for me and a "spicy and dirty" martini for my fiancee`
The drinks were very good and served quickly. We then turned our attention once again to the menu options. We discussed a couple of different approaches but, when Pauline returned, we were told what the specials were for that evening which changed our game plan completely.We decided on an order of Bluepoint Oysters as an appetizer. I ordered a paella while Diane chose to go with the "Triple Play Special."
The oysters were very tasty. They were fresh and served on a bed of ice. They were accompanied with two sauces, a Sabachi and rice vinegar with lemon. Both were quite tasty. Once we finished the appetizer, the wait staff were very attentive and cleaned the table while asking whether we wanted a refill of any of the drinks.
The meals were next and they were both fabulous. The triple play was a home run. The three meats were an ample portion of a skirt steak, roast pork and spare ribs. They were all well prepared and presented on a bed of polenta.
My dish was a a paella which featured shrimp, chorizo sausage and clams. The dish was an ample portion served over Spanish rice with saffron.
