Dish Saratoga: Snack-sized tidbits from our summer food scene
The Wild Horse, Clancy's and Familiar Creature are all worth dishing about
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Start-up brain, commitment issues…name it what you will. We’re still figuring out what we want to do on Saturday mornings. For today, let’s try some dish on what to expect when you’re out and about on Saratoga’s summer food scene!
Wednesday, my fellow wined-out wino friend Maura Postlethwait and I hit up Familiar Creature for an early-evening debrief at the still-newish Phila Street hotspot. On the happy hour menu: $6 mini-martinis. (We had ours wlean, straight, up with a twist.) They say “mini” but they’re almost as big as the Adelphi’s. What a steal. We also split a $14 heck-of-a-deal charcuterie plate. The happy hour is a blink-and-you-missed-it 90 minutes (4 to 5:30 p.m.), but get it together and go. They even made us separate bread plates to prevent cross-contamination (Maura “Gluten-Free Concierge” is celiac.) Nothing beats that sexy brasserie vibe on a hot summer afternoon.
When I walked by Clancy’s Tavern on Caroline Street on a somewhat-recent boiling hot day, two workers were hard at work outside doing something construction-like (by hand). I respect old-fashioned elbow grease, so I sent over an eager, beer-loving stringer to check out its fancy new reno, which they tell us is almost done. (Wowie.) The new bathrooms are swank (no joke, see above), the back bar is all-new, and there are four new TVs.
The last piece: a fancy new kitchen, which should be done by October 1. Expect wood-fired pizza and upscale bar food. Count me in. (Words I never thought I’d say about this particular Caroline Street tavern, all due respect.) See you in the fall.
The last shout-out I want to give is to The Wild Horse, across Caroline from Clancy’s. I love a good theme, and their track season cocktail list is clutch. I first tried the Wildhorse Margarita, made with orange liqueur, fresh lime and … Volcan reposado tequila. I was asked if I preferred blanco tequila, was thrown, and said yes. But the answer really was no. Reposado’s layered flavors were everything (both bartenders agreed and said they had so many people ask for blanco that they now feel obligated to ask everyone). Don’t be fooled. I finished with a refreshing Post Time, made with Hendricks gin, elderflower liqueur and club soda. Fun fact: The bar/restaurant currently employs three Maddie’s and four Alex’s (three female, one male). We have fun in there — give it a go.
Full disclosure: this was a bit of a rush job, due to the second consecutive Saturday morning power outage on my block. This next week promises to be a rush, starting with this weekend’s sacred Dave Matthews double-hitter that kicked off last night, and my girl Shania Twain tomorrow night (all at SPAC). PLUS: a Truman vodka pop-up happy hour at Bocage, Jerry Seinfeld (again, SPAC), and so much more. Hope to see you out and about.
More Dishy original stories from this week to read with your Second Cup of coffee!
MLB great Jayson Werth back in the Saratoga winner’s circle
Barber to the Spa’s top jockeys opens downtown shop
Meet the SSPD’s mystery social media star
Here's where the new Tommy Bahama is hidden on B'way
Dining meets art at the new, unique Libby Supper Club
This moving Opening Weekend race brought tears to a stunned crowd