Let’s face it.  There’s a certain type of place that qualifies as a real Albany restaurant.

• It’s usually Italian
• The flavors lean toward sweet, and fried
• The portions are huge
• You can stare at your empty glass a long, long time before anybody offers you a second drink

We don’t really like eating there.  Luckily, there are more and more alternatives every day.  This is the chronicle of our search for the wonderful gems of upstate New York (and perhaps a little beyond).  Down the gullet-hole we go…