By Kayla Anderson
When I joined Mohawk Valley Living, I started thinking a little more about the places, people and experiences that make this region what it is.
I was born in Northern California and moved to the Mohawk Valley when I was young. But as I grew up, spent time exploring the area with family and friends, attended college locally and eventually began my career here, I started seeing the region through a completely different lens.
There’s a lot that makes the Mohawk Valley special. It’s the history, the different cultures, the familiar faces and the sense of community you find from one town to the next. And, of course, there’s the food.
Now at 26 and living on my own, I’ve entered what my generation calls “adulting.” And if there’s one thing living on your own will teach you, it’s where to find a good meal when cooking just isn’t happening that night.
Through plenty of takeout orders, dinners with friends, recommendations and a little trial and error, I’ve discovered dishes throughout the region that I find myself recommending again and again. From longtime local favorites to restaurants serving flavors and cuisines from around the world, our area has no shortage of good food if you know where to look.
For this month’s MV Eats, I asked each restaurant which dishes they consider signatures and what their customers order most. Some may already be familiar, while others might give you an excuse to try somewhere new.
With cooler days settling in, it felt like the right time to share some of the dishes I’ll be craving this season.
Either way, I hope you’re hungry.
Black Stallion
At Black Stallion, the Pork Chop has become one of those dishes customers order again and again. The chop is topped with an orange sesame sauce, then finished with scallions, shiitake mushrooms and sesame seeds for a combination that’s savory, slightly sweet and full of flavor. Between the sauce, mushrooms and sesame, it has a little more going on than a traditional pork chop, which may be part of what keeps people coming back to it.
Another signature is the Arancini, a standout appetizer and longtime favorite. Crisp on the outside and rich and flavorful inside, it’s the perfect way to start the meal and one of the dishes longtime customers have come to know well.
Together, the two give you a good place to start if it’s your first visit, or two familiar favorites to return to if you’re already a regular.
Boulevard Diner
The French toast at Boulevard Diner starts with something that makes all the difference: challah bread baked right in-house. It was a detail I didn’t know until speaking with the owner, and it makes this breakfast favorite feel a little more special. The challah isn’t the only bread made in-house. Boulevard also bakes its own Italian, marble rye and wheat breads.
Thick slices of freshly baked challah give the French toast a soft, rich center with just the right amount of golden crispness on the outside. Pair it with sausage or bacon, and you have the perfect mix of sweet and savory. With fall settling in, Boulevard is also bringing back its pumpkin bread French toast for the season, offering a seasonal twist on a diner classic.
For those who prefer a heartier, savory breakfast, the Loaded Giambrotte is exactly what the name promises: loaded. Medium Italian sausage, sweet peppers, onions, greens, home fries and jalapeños are scrambled together with locally sourced eggs and finished with melted mozzarella cheese.
Mōtus
Mōtus is one of those places where the experience feels just as thoughtful as the food. The intimate fine-dining restaurant works just as well for a quiet dinner as it does for a celebration or special occasion. What I enjoy most about the menu is the way they bring together ingredients and flavor profiles you might not immediately think to pair, but somehow they just work.
The Mushroom Toast is a perfect example. It starts with house-made brioche topped with roasted locally foraged and cultivated mushrooms, including chicken of the woods, hen of the woods and three varieties of oyster mushrooms sourced from Fruit of the Fungi in Lebanon, New York.
The mushrooms are finished with a juniper glace, then topped with a sunny farm egg, salsa verde and fresh pea shoots from Fresh Herbs of Fabius. Rich and earthy with bright, fresh flavors layered throughout, it’s the kind of dish that makes you appreciate a combination you may never have thought to order on your own. It’s also a thoughtful showcase of Central New York ingredients and the creativity Mōtus brings to the table.
Ohio Tavern
At Ohio Tavern, the Seafood Riggies put their own spin on one of Central New York’s most recognizable dishes. The marinara used in the vodka riggie sauce is made from scratch, bringing a touch of sweetness that balances the heat from the cherry peppers and the savory flavors throughout the dish.
One of the best parts is that your plate doesn’t have to come exactly one way. Want a little less heat? They can tone it down. Not a mushroom person? Leave them out. Every order is made fresh, so you can make this local classic your own.
And really, when fall weather starts settling into the Mohawk Valley, there aren’t many things more comforting than a big plate of riggies.
Roso’s
At Roso’s, a few customer favorites stand out, especially if you’re craving something hearty. The Cuban is a go-to, layered with bold flavor and served with your choice of Russian dressing or chipotle aioli. For a little extra kick, the chipotle aioli is the way to go. I also like that the choice of sauce lets you change it up depending on what you’re in the mood for.
Another popular pick is the Breaded Chicken Cutlet Caesar Salad Sandwich, a special that combines two classics in one bite. A crispy breaded chicken cutlet is topped with Caesar salad for a sandwich that’s crunchy, savory and packed with flavor. It’s essentially a Caesar salad and chicken cutlet all in one, and it’s easy to see why customers keep coming back for it.
Roso’s also offers weekly specials, giving regulars something different to try and another reason to keep checking back. Between those changing selections and longtime favorites like the Cuban, there’s always something worth ordering.
Charlie’s Place
At Charlie’s Place, Mondays mean one thing: turkey dinner. The weekly special features turkey roasted in-house with scratch-made mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy, and regulars know not to wait too long to order.
The homemade dinner has become such a favorite that customers start calling as early as 8 a.m. to reserve theirs, and some Mondays it’s sold out by noon. With comforting, made-from-scratch flavors and the kind of meal that feels like it came straight from a family kitchen, it’s easy to understand why it has become a weekly tradition. It’s also a pretty good way to enjoy a complete turkey dinner without spending the day making one yourself.
Charlie’s Place keeps things fresh with rotating daily specials throughout the week, along with popular weekend breakfast creations, giving regulars plenty of reasons to come back beyond Monday’s turkey dinner.
Trackside Restaurant & Catering
At Trackside Restaurant & Catering, the Treasure Salad proves that ordering a salad doesn’t have to mean playing it safe. Lettuce and tomatoes are layered with mandarin oranges, grapes, strawberries, coconut, candied walnuts and mozzarella, then finished with Trackside’s homemade champagne dressing.
There’s a little bit of everything in each bite: fresh fruit, a sweet crunch from the walnuts and just enough richness from the cheese and dressing. It’s colorful, refreshing and definitely not your average side salad.
If you’re looking for something a little more comforting, the Chicken Marsala is another favorite. Tender chicken is served in a rich Marsala wine sauce for a classic Italian-inspired dish that’s simple, satisfying and hard to go wrong with. Maybe it’s my Northern California roots, but I always appreciate a dish that involves a little wine.
The more I explore the Mohawk Valley, the more I realize how much there still is to discover, and food has become one of my favorite ways to do that. Every restaurant has its own story, its regulars and that one dish people insist you have to try.
These are just a few that made my list this time around. Whether you’re looking for something comforting on a cool fall night, a new weekend breakfast spot or simply an excuse not to cook, I hope this gives you somewhere new to try.
And if there’s a dish somewhere in the Mohawk Valley that I need to know about, I’m always taking recommendations. After all, someone has to do the research.
