Tara Kitchen

<Superb> Moroccan tagines! We had the chicken with mixed veggies in apricot and prune sauce, and the lamb with pomegranate molasses, black olives and almonds. They were just as good as they sound- savory, tender, and hot in our individual cast iron Staubs. Service was friendly, parking plentiful, and 😷 were required. Highly recommended!

Went 6 pm on a Saturday, very busy but still had a table open. They could probably use one more server, though there was a help wanted sign in the window, so that made sense. Had the Chicken Tagine with tomato jam, harissa, figs, and almonds, and it was very tasty. The sampler dips were good, as well as the "cigars" with lamb. Parking was full.

Roxanne Garland

Tara Kitchen NEVER disappoints! Everything I’ve ever had here has been amazing. When traveling through, we make accommodations specifically to eat at Tara Kitchen (usually in Schenectady but this time we went to Albany).

Vivian Nicastro

I’d wanted to try Moroccan food for quite some time, and my experience at Tara has me hooked. The flavors! Absolutely incredible. Generous portions, attentive service, and a truly enjoyable meal down to the last bite. I can’t wait to return.

Michael Owen

Shoutout to the Chefs in the Kitchen and the owners for putting together a wonderful menu. I had the Mixed Vegetables with Figs in Spicy Date Sauce. From my meal to the the tea served in the beginning, the potatoes Pattie’s . I enjoyed the entire experience. Staff was nice. I hope more people get too experience these rich flavors.

Rajesh Kumar

A gem of a restaurant, beautifully decorated in a calm, low-key relaxing vibe that enables you to partake deeply of the culinary delights they have on their menu. I had the Fish in Spicy Date Sauce with Seasoned Rice and Vegetables. From the first bite I could sense this is something extraordinary- the fish perfectly cooked, soft and flaky, and the sauce had a deep heat which brought out the flavors in a profoundly satisfying manner. Even though it was a very hot day, my wife tried the Chicken Soup with Chickpeas and Vegetables ... its depth of flavors was the perfect antidote for the weather :-)! Our server (and chef!) Txito turned out to be the perfect host, with a warm pleasing personality and prompt, efficient service. All in all, a true find for this New Yorker out and about in Albany :-)!

Justin Nguyen-Le

This was a great experience. We were greeted by a very professional and nice host. After taking our seat we were served with a jasmine, honey-mint tea; it was very smooth and delightful to the palate. The mint flavor was the topping. For starters, I ordered the 3 sampler and each sauce was profoundly unique. For the entree, I ordered the SHRIMP, & FISH IN TOMATO CHERMOULA WITH BLACK OLIVES and oh my was it a different world of flavors for me. The tomato sauce was very smooth and flavorful. The fish and shrimp tasted fresh and delicious. All of it combined with the fruity and pungent black olives was enlightening. The other dish I ordered was LAMB WITH SMEN, SAFFRON, POTATOES & PRESERVED LEMONS . This was the polar opposite of the first dish; it was full of powerful flavors and very enjoyable. The serving of rice was well seasoned and matched well with both dishes. I would love to return to try other dishes and highly recommend anyone to come here.

Food Beasties

Lovely, friendly service. Fairly small dining space but every inch of it radiates "bright & cozy" vibes. Ive found their restaurant menu to be too spicy, but the spice level on the lunch buffet is really good... just be aware that they do have some super spicy sauces that are unlabeled. The lunch buffet selection is small but very good quality and an excellent value even as a daily excursion. This is a must try for area foodies

Ari “Don” Sagiv

Some of the best and most authentic Moroccan cuisine I've ever had. They serve an incredibly sweet tea to start. The chermoula appetizer is a must have, it is tangy and savory. The host recommended the lamb with lentils, eggplant, and harissa for a spicy dish, and it certainly did not disappoint. 100% would go back.

Hanh Nguyen

Service and food are excellent. 👌 We were served complimentary mint honey tea. Ordered 3 sampler dip served with Naan, smen lamb, fish and shrimp in tomato chermoula. Recommend this place.

Lee Bickmore

My son and I went to the buffet at the Guilderland Tara Kitchen yesterday. The food, as well as the service, was fabulous. There were two kinds of chicken, a shrimp dish and multiple vegetarian dishes, including a wonderful mix of fresh vegetables. I came in hoping that the dishes would have the same great flavors and spices of the dinner tagines, and I was not disappointed. It was good value for the price and I definitely plan to be a multiple repeat customer at the buffet in addition to continuing to get take-out dinners.

Risa

Wonderful food! I had the vegetable tangine and was so flavorful. Their pita was warm and fresh. The whole meal was delicious. We will return. Service was fast and friendly as well 5/11/23. Still excellent food!

Doughvakiin

<Superb> Moroccan tagines! We had the chicken with mixed veggies in apricot and prune sauce, and the lamb with pomegranate molasses, black olives and almonds. They were just as good as they sound- savory, tender, and hot in our individual cast iron Staubs. Service was friendly, parking plentiful, and 😷 were required. Highly recommended!

Philip Kelley

Went 6 pm on a Saturday, very busy but still had a table open. They could probably use one more server, though there was a help wanted sign in the window, so that made sense. Had the Chicken Tagine with tomato jam, harissa, figs, and almonds, and it was very tasty. The sampler dips were good, as well as the "cigars" with lamb. Parking was full.

It has been more than a decade since my last exposure to Moroccan food with a close friend sharing his culture. While I enjoyed those different restaurant visits with him, I definitely stopped after he completed his degree and returned home. I happened to chance upon Tara Kitchen while searching for recommended lunch spots in Albany, where I chose to stop for lunch before continuing my drive to Niagara Falls. It's a cute little place with a small buffet spread for lunch, which I opted for since I wasn't feeling particularly picky and wanted to sample a wider variety of dishes that allows me to better gauge their culinary touch. It was a quiet day and only one other group was in the restaurant. I jumped straight in and grabbed a touch of every hot dish served. The flavor profile was slightly different from what I remembered having with my friend. Don't get me wrong as I'm no expert in Moroccan cuisine. It was just a new experience all over again. The food is good, slightly towards the sweet fruity side, but still balanced. I was more honestly impressed that a buffet was able to serve tender cuts of chicken breast...which usually dries up and dies hard on the hot hold line. I would return again if I'm ever in the area. It's a nice different touch on ingredients we are all familiar with.

I enjoyed a delicious dinner with very good service both times I have dined at Tara kitchen in Albany. The tagine menu alone could provide many geeat dinners and there is much more to enjoy. It's a wonderful alternative to burgers, sushi and the pervasive Italian food of Albany. Give it a try! The Westmere location is not a food court.

The food was very fresh and clean. Absolutely no complaints about the food. The service was good. They answered all questions and were very nice. There was no heat. It was pretty cold in there. Nothing was said. I overheard someone asking about it and they were trying to fix it. I would have appreciated them telling us or acknowledging it. The decor was thoughtful but everything seemed cold. I have been following this restaurant for a number of years. The owner seems to travel alot but the restaurant did not reflect that. We drove 1.5 hours to get there. I have wanted to try it for some time. The ambiance just was not there for me.

The food is very good. The price averages to about $30-$40 per person. This was a lovely experience. However, I do feel that it is priced slightly high. Some of the dishes were quite salty. I do not know if that is the intended flavor or not, but the saltiness was off-putting. (We had a party of 7 that all agreed the dish was very salty.)

Jireh H.

It has been more than a decade since my last exposure to Moroccan food with a close friend sharing his culture. While I enjoyed those different restaurant visits with him, I definitely stopped after he completed his degree and returned home. I happened to chance upon Tara Kitchen while searching for recommended lunch spots in Albany, where I chose to stop for lunch before continuing my drive to Niagara Falls. It's a cute little place with a small buffet spread for lunch, which I opted for since I wasn't feeling particularly picky and wanted to sample a wider variety of dishes that allows me to better gauge their culinary touch. It was a quiet day and only one other group was in the restaurant. I jumped straight in and grabbed a touch of every hot dish served. The flavor profile was slightly different from what I remembered having with my friend. Don't get me wrong as I'm no expert in Moroccan cuisine. It was just a new experience all over again. The food is good, slightly towards the sweet fruity side, but still balanced. I was more honestly impressed that a buffet was able to serve tender cuts of chicken breast...which usually dries up and dies hard on the hot hold line. I would return again if I'm ever in the area. It's a nice different touch on ingredients we are all familiar with.

Lorre S

I enjoyed a delicious dinner with very good service both times I have dined at Tara kitchen in Albany. The tagine menu alone could provide many geeat dinners and there is much more to enjoy. It's a wonderful alternative to burgers, sushi and the pervasive Italian food of Albany. Give it a try! The Westmere location is not a food court.

V

The food was very fresh and clean. Absolutely no complaints about the food. The service was good. They answered all questions and were very nice. There was no heat. It was pretty cold in there. Nothing was said. I overheard someone asking about it and they were trying to fix it. I would have appreciated them telling us or acknowledging it. The decor was thoughtful but everything seemed cold. I have been following this restaurant for a number of years. The owner seems to travel alot but the restaurant did not reflect that. We drove 1.5 hours to get there. I have wanted to try it for some time. The ambiance just was not there for me.

Cody Lissa

The food is very good. The price averages to about $30-$40 per person. This was a lovely experience. However, I do feel that it is priced slightly high. Some of the dishes were quite salty. I do not know if that is the intended flavor or not, but the saltiness was off-putting. (We had a party of 7 that all agreed the dish was very salty.)

Update: Thank you for sharing your detailed response. The bottom line is that I was confused about exactly what the location was (restaurant? takeout? Store?) and I’m sure others were also. Never good for a business! Please come back to the area doing what you do best. Hard for me to say anything negative about Tara Kitchen, but frankly not surprised that this one is closing. It had been there multiple times when it was a normal restaurant. Amazing lunch buffet, full menu, etc. They converted it to basically a store for their ingredients and a take out operation. It didn’t know what it was and neither did the public. The gentleman who staffed it was more than accommodating and he said that he would make anything I wanted despite the lack of a menu. I ordered shrimp with olives and preserved lemon, a fave. Got it home and it had many many more olives than it should have making the dish inedibly salty. And no slices of preserved lemon. Was told that people did not like the large pieces and they chop it up. Part of the appeal of the item. Good bye and good luck. Stay with your original concept. It was never clear what exactly the Guilderland branch was!

We love Mediterranean flavors and were excited to stop at Tara. Interesting concept of the focal point is a deli counter and you select your meal from the deli. Your food selection is put into a serving box and then microwaved. You get your food served in the box.. The food was ok, reason I say that is due to food only being warm. We like our food freshly made and hotter. The samosas were the best part of our meal. We highly recommend them! The restaurant was clean and inviting. Staff were friendly. May stop in the future to grab a meal to go.

Richard R.

Update: Thank you for sharing your detailed response. The bottom line is that I was confused about exactly what the location was (restaurant? takeout? Store?) and I’m sure others were also. Never good for a business! Please come back to the area doing what you do best. Hard for me to say anything negative about Tara Kitchen, but frankly not surprised that this one is closing. It had been there multiple times when it was a normal restaurant. Amazing lunch buffet, full menu, etc. They converted it to basically a store for their ingredients and a take out operation. It didn’t know what it was and neither did the public. The gentleman who staffed it was more than accommodating and he said that he would make anything I wanted despite the lack of a menu. I ordered shrimp with olives and preserved lemon, a fave. Got it home and it had many many more olives than it should have making the dish inedibly salty. And no slices of preserved lemon. Was told that people did not like the large pieces and they chop it up. Part of the appeal of the item. Good bye and good luck. Stay with your original concept. It was never clear what exactly the Guilderland branch was!

Nancy Simmons

We love Mediterranean flavors and were excited to stop at Tara. Interesting concept of the focal point is a deli counter and you select your meal from the deli. Your food selection is put into a serving box and then microwaved. You get your food served in the box.. The food was ok, reason I say that is due to food only being warm. We like our food freshly made and hotter. The samosas were the best part of our meal. We highly recommend them! The restaurant was clean and inviting. Staff were friendly. May stop in the future to grab a meal to go.

I really wanted to love this place. Went here with my wife on valentines day for a special night out. There were 2 tables seated when we arrived. Our food took over an hour to come out while I saw 8 people come and go for take out orders. I had lamb biryani and it tasted like boiled tasteless meat. I mentioned this to my waiter and he came back and said it was pressure cooked. Not a problem if done right. So they offered me a free dessert. Rice was perfect BTW. So I continued to eat the rice until I bit into a whole (I think) cardamom pod. Blew my mouth up. The only thing they did right for me was to take my meal off of the bill.

Michael Murray

I really wanted to love this place. Went here with my wife on valentines day for a special night out. There were 2 tables seated when we arrived. Our food took over an hour to come out while I saw 8 people come and go for take out orders. I had lamb biryani and it tasted like boiled tasteless meat. I mentioned this to my waiter and he came back and said it was pressure cooked. Not a problem if done right. So they offered me a free dessert. Rice was perfect BTW. So I continued to eat the rice until I bit into a whole (I think) cardamom pod. Blew my mouth up. The only thing they did right for me was to take my meal off of the bill.

The food is ok but the prices are up 50% which again I could swallow. However, the portions have also shrunk in half. The last cheesecake slice I got was 1/4 size of normal cheesecake for $8. Come guys seriously, it’s ridiculous.

Dmitriy Yukhvid

The food is ok but the prices are up 50% which again I could swallow. However, the portions have also shrunk in half. The last cheesecake slice I got was 1/4 size of normal cheesecake for $8. Come guys seriously, it’s ridiculous.