We’re passing through this area… anything decent here? We particularly like spicy food and are disappointed that Mai Thai (as recommended by someone here in 2022) seems to be gone. But we’ll eat almost anything good. Is Lost Dog Cafe recommended?
To answer my own question – I was told by a friend from Binghamton that Lost Dog Cafe is indeed the best choice out of the very limited options, and to get the rigatoni a la vodka. Indeed, this was a tasty dish. We also got the Caribbean coconut vegetable curry and added tofu to it for an extra $5. Really enjoyed it, very filling and nicely spiced. The tofu didn’t turn out to be necessary, though it wasn’t bad. And our third choice was the sesame ginger salmon, another well-regarded dish. The other members of my group really liked this; personally I wasn’t a huge fan since I prefer my salmon more rare, but it was well-seasoned.
In Corning, we had less success. Options were again limited, and we tried a place called Nickel’s Pit BBQ. I am absolutely no expert on BBQ but I know what I like, and I prefer my BBQ falling off the bone. Theirs was not. Beyond that, it was decent. The server recommended the brisket and said it’s what they’re known for. I would’ve much preferred a tender brisket. Ribs were better, but again, not falling off the bone, as we like it, but seasoning was good. Collards were very good. The sauces and cornbread were solid, nothing amazing. But again, note that this is absolutely not my area of expertise. (Maybe we should have gone to Hand and Foot instead, but it’s more a bar scene and was too loud for my relatives.)
BTW the excellent glass museum in Corning has a really uninspiring cafe even by museum cafe standards. Try to avoid eating lunch there.
1 Like
We are occasionally up in Binghamton but don’t get out to restaurants much as we’re usually with family members who aren’t big on eating out. Lost Dog has been pretty solid for several decades. We most recently got takeout there in the fall and enjoyed our meal- of course we also had the riggies vodka … And also takeout cocktails that were insanely cheap! Glad you had a good meal there.
2 Likes
Ah yes, I forgot to note that an excellent mocktail was only $5 at Lost Dog!
1 Like
Fall off the bone is a matter of personal preference but considered a fatal flaw in bbq competitions. On the other hand, the meat shouldn’t be rubbery or chewy.
A way to get a feel for it is to eat at hometown bbq in Brooklyn, arguably one of the best bbq restaurants in the country.
1 Like
Thanks for the explanation. I’d call their brisket just slightly chewy and not flavorful – except for the fatty part, which was very nice.
A lot of us order fatty brisket, which is meat cut from the point and higher in fat content, for just that reason.
