|
GrubLink Publicity
|
|
Written by Guss Firestein
|
|
Monday, October 25 2010 18:50 |
The Hungry Dutchman: Scotti's Restaurant By: Guss Firestein Posted: 10/21/10 For those of us in our twenties, owning our own business seems like a distant dream. For Gaetano Sementili Jr., the owner of Scotti's Restaurant & Pizzeria, owning his own business became a reality in 1994 at the young age of 20.
The original establishment opened in 1966 and has gone through several owners before Gaetano, also known as simply "Guy." Having grown up locally, Guy knows the area extremely well and has built up a great following. He is extremely friendly and passionate about what he does; it is really a beautiful thing to see one love what they do.
Guy's passion for cooking started at a young age. Growing up, Guy's mother taught him the essence of cooking, an essence he supplemented with experience from working in the industry and later on, culinary school. Guy had been working at Scotti's for five years, first as a dishwasher and then as a waiter, before he bought the establishment from the previous owner.
Since he has taken over, the menu at Scotti's has almost doubled, with many new entrees, appetizers, and even wines (which I think is great because everyone knows that there is really nothing better than some good Italian food paired with a good glass of vino).
With his local contacts, great personality, and industry experience, Guy is ready to take on the challenges of running the restaurant.
I met Guy through my GrubLink escapades and decided to let people in on Guy's history and his awesome restaurant. I arrived at Scotti's right around lunchtime, which worked out perfectly because Guy was just about to eat a pizza he had made. Of course, being the friendly person he is, Guy shared some slices with me. This pizza was right out of the oven and tasted, frankly, unreal: fresh spinach, chicken, and garlic on a white pie.
A twelve-inch cut pizza with the toppings I mentioned would run you about sixteen buckaroos, a little more expensive than your typical pizza. But, let's remember that good quality food isn't cheap.
See HUNGRY on Page 13 |
|
GrubLink Publicity
|
|
Written by Guss Firestein
|
|
Friday, October 15 2010 14:05 |
The Hungry Dutchman
Slick's Restaurant & Tavern
By: Guss Firestein
Posted: 10/14/10
It was while wandering through the streets of Schenectady that I came across a beautiful area filled with the flowers, cobblestone streets, and antique streetlights reminiscent of Savannah, Ga.
This area, I discovered, was called the Stockade. Named for the stockade fence that originally surrounded the area, it claims the title of New York's first historic district and is the oldest neighborhood in the city of Schenectady (it has been continuously inhabited for 300 years).
Even though the Stockade is only a few blocks from campus and is home to the place where professors from Union College first taught classes, many students rarely take the time to go check it out. If you need an extra incentive to go visit, then I have four words for you: Slick's Restaurant & Tavern.
This isn't the kind of bar you go to looking to get rowdy. This is the bar you visit for a nice beer and a seriously epic sandwich. Located at 127 South Ferry Street, Slick's Restaurant& Tavern can be a bit hard to locate; however, its variety of choices (almost 40 different bottled beers) and food options, like a sandwich the size of a small baby, makes the trip well worth your time.
Union students used to be frequent customers of Slick's, but lately sightings of current Dutchmen and women in the restaurant have become rarities.
The owners, Barbara and Michael Naumoff, reflected on these changes, saying "Union students used to come have a sandwich while they did their homework. It was great!" Hopefully, we can bring the Union College clientele back to Slick's.
They keep it simple with just offering five different sandwich choices. These choices are: roast beef, turkey, corned beef, ham and cheese, and tuna fish.
I'm a roast beef man myself so, naturally, that's the sandwich I went with. I've had many a sandwich, but this whopper of a sandwich may have been the biggest sandwich I have ever had. It's one of those sandwiches that you have to strategically eat only with a fail-proof game plan in mind. If you like a challenge, good food, and reasonable prices, then Slick's is your place.
Take a walk on the wild side and check out the Stockade and Slick's. They serve food from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.I promise you won't leave hungry.
Check out GrubLink.com for their menu.
© Copyright 2010 Concordiensis |
|
GrubLink Publicity
|
|
Written by Guss Firestein
|
|
Friday, October 01 2010 22:28 |
Union Entrepreneurs A glimpse into the lives of your average Union students with above average ideas By: Catherine Elliot Posted: 9/30/10 Entrepreneur #1: Eric Dyer '12
Down the busy pathways of Boston, one will find all sorts of strange and marvellous shops. One has all kinds of high-end furnishings, decorations, clothing and household goods. This particular shop inspired a Union student to step outside of the normative approach to business and bring in some fresh blood. Eric Dyer '12 took inspiration from his grandfather's successful Salvage Company to bring great deals to college students.
Last summer, when taking classes at Boston University, Dyer went into the BU Bookstore to look around. For some time, he had been considering starting up a business, but it was in the BU Bookstore that Dyer had a breakthrough. College students generate comfort in their rooms predominantly through rugs. However, they are sold in Wal-Mart, as Dyer notes, ''with prices between $25 to $60. It's ridiculous.'' The prices could, and should, be easily addressed.
Buying from his grandfather's shop-which receives all high-quality overstock produce, insurance losses, and overcuts from big corporations-Dyer resells them at much more affordable rates, creating a rug revolution. Dyer claims that this is to especially cater to college students' "conspicuous consumption."
The company is not yet off the ground at Union College, and Dyer is in negotiations with the bookstore pending their response to his last message. Nevertheless, as an active member of Theta Delta Chi fraternity, he hopes to target the Greek community and expand to poster sales.
This winter break, he will also be utilizing his contacts to work with Harvard University, MIT, Amherst, and other big Massachusetts colleges to get rugs and other products in their college stores. We hope to hear more of Dyer and his Rug Revolution, perhaps in our very own bookstore one day.
Entrepreneurs #2 and #3: Guss Firestein '11 and Brett Sussman '11
For many who study far into the night, finding food promptly can become an issue. Thanks to Guss Firestein '11 and Brett Sussman '11, it shall no longer be a problem. These students have created a smart solution to our meal miseries through the establishment of their website, GrubLink.com. GrubLink.com is a sleek and well-wrought website that was launched in the fall of 2009. It has great eatery and bar information for all of Schenectady with menus, times, specials, and reviews. Interestingly, the site divides itself into different sections such as Take Out, Lunch, Dinner, Fast Food, and for a special someone, date destinations may be found under 'Classy Grub' or 'Sit Down.'
However, the website does not stand alone. Firestein and Sussman have also developed a mobile phone component with which students can text "Hungry" to 88500 to get different food specials in the area, or they can text "Drink" to get different drink specials. As Firestein notes, "This is great for those weekends or slow nights when you want to find the best deals and have fun."
If food isn't what you're looking for, there is a handy online sidebar alerting you to different concerts taking place around the college. Firestein and Sussman's online mission statement is to offer: 'A simple way to find out where to go for a bite to eat or some music to enjoy.' They certainly do this in an effortless and easy fashion. Furthermore, GrubLink also organizes events such last fall's "GrubLink Launch Party" that hosted a band that played music as people enjoyed free food from local establishments. This past spring, they also had a "Block Party" with a large number of the establishments within walking distance of campus, making participation easy. The Block Party attracted many students and Firestein says it "was a big success" and that they plan on throwing it again this year.
There are some handy new components to the GrubLink website, as they have partnered with Delivery.com. By November, students will be able to place orders or pick-ups from the site, as opposed calling in their order. Last year the "GrubStub"-a card that students can show at GrubLink associates and claim many deals and discounts-was added to the GrubLink family. A few offers include a free drink at Bombers with your meal or a 10% discount on your Union Inn check, just to name a few. Firestein notes, "We are also looking to bring on some younger students to train so that they can represent GrubLink at Union College." If interested, email Firestein and Sussman at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
.
© Copyright 2010 Concordiensis |
|
GrubLink Publicity
|
|
Written by Guss Firestein
|
|
Tuesday, September 28 2010 19:12 |
The Hungry Dutchman La Gioia By: Guss Firestein Posted: 9/30/10 In my past two columns, I have written about establishments near campus so that people who don't have cars are able to check out these places. This week, however, I felt the need to write about my favorite deli in the area only accessible by motor vehicle: La Gioia. Located down Van Vranken in a residential neighborhood, approximately 1.3 miles from campus at the intersection by Rite Aid, La Gioia is a small local deli with a range of delicious options to choose from. I actually didn't go to La Gioia until I was a junior; it is a long walk and students don't typically head down Van Vranken, and therefore would be unlikely to see La Gioia.
The first time I ventured down Van Vranken to go check out La Gioia, I had a surprisingly hard time locating it. The building looks like a house with an indistinct façade that blends discreetly into its surroundings. Also, parking is at a premium; you can park along the side of the building or try and park along the street nearby.
However, the people who work there are always friendly and love to see Union students walk in. You can use your GrubStub and Dutchmen Dollars here. I think that not making the effort is a great loss. La Gioia is one of those places that can become a staple part of your Schenectady dining experiences.
Coming to Union, there were a couple different food places I needed to survive; one spot I definitely needed was a good deli. This place has a great meat selection and all the best ingredients. My deli-dining experience has taught me that the key ingredients to a good sandwich are fresh mozzarella and roasted peppers-the combination is unbelievable!
Another splendid thing is that they carry Perecca's bread. I'll admit that sometimes this bread can make the meal just too much to handle, but on those days you want a nice sandwich on good bread, having Perecca's bread is the way to go.
The best thing is that they really pack their sandwiches, so you feel like you are getting your money's worth. The subs are soft and perfect, allowing you to focus on the flavor rather than how impossible it is to bite through the bread (which can sometimes be the occasion at certain delis).
I have gone to La Gioia so many times that I think I have mastered the deli sandwich. The process was tough; it went through several stages, but I think I have figured it out. I typically just go with their subs and start off with the roasted peppers and fresh mozzarella. The meat and sauce are the true "make or break" factors of any perfect deli sandwich. Just a hint to you young ones: I tend to go with buffalo chicken and roast beef (may sound like a weird mix, but it's super good). To top it off, throw on some honey mustard. One of my failed attempts included trying oil and vinegar for a while, but I realized that the sweetness of the honey mustard is perfect.
It's super inexpensive and I promise you will always leave feeling good. They also have lots of different Italian foods such as sausages, cheeses, olives, and cookies to name a few. If you have a car, definitely get over there and check out this food. If you don't have a car, beg for a ride or take a taxi.
© Copyright 2010 Concordiensis |
|
|
