Alibi’s Martini Bar 1100 Madison Ave., Albany 489-5972         Fusion food and unique martinis; kitschy décor and young urbanites.     *Ambition Café 154 Jay St. 382-9277 Fun atmosphere; good specials; serving regional wines; occasional live music; inconsistent hours of service.   *Aromi D’Italia 2050 Western Ave., Guilderland 452-9200 Contemporary, tasty Italian; cute setting; "world-famous" gelato in many, many flavors.     A Taste of Greece 193 Lark St., Albany 426-9000 The gamut of Greek; good vegetarian selection     Bangkok Thai 268 State Street 374-3048   The only Thai close to campus-- enough said.     Bayou Café 507 Saratoga Road, Glenville 384-1568 Mix of Mexican, Southwestern, and Cajun, with varied results; an outdoor-seating option; tasty blackened catfish and great fries.     Buca di Beppo 44 Wolf Rd., Albany 459-2822         Italian chain restaurant with much "flair"; serves the hugest portions known to (wo)man; great for a big, rowdy party.     Clinton's Ditch Bar & Grill 112 S College St Schenectady, NY 12305 346-8376 Pub food that can sometimes be great; backyard patio on the edge of the Stockade.     The Daily Grind 204 Lark St., Albany 427-0464 European-style café offering an eclectic sampling of tidbits.     Eartha’s Restaurant 60 Court St., Saratoga Springs 583-0602         American cuisine in an elegant atmosphere; excellent seafood specialties; open for dinner seven days.     Earthly Delights Natural Foods 162 Jay St. 372-7580         Cute health food store; small but tasty lunch selections including soups, noodles, and sandwiches; sit outside on sunny afternoons.     *El Loco Mexican Café 465 Madison Ave., Albany 436-1855 Fun atmosphere; nice selection of salsas and guacamole; tasty margaritas; good food at reasonable prices.     El Mariachi 144 Washington Ave., Albany 465-2568         Pleasant Mexican restaurant with decent margaritas.     Emperor’s 10 Wolf Road, Colonie 591-0628 Decent Chinese with a generic décor.     Ferrari’s Ristorante 1254 Congress St. 382-8865         "Authentic" and locally-approved Italian.     Fireside Pizzeria 1631 Eastern Pkwy. 382-1616         Upstairs/downstairs seating; daily specials; good pizza; serves the expected Italian entrées.     Gandhi Indian Restaurant 1 Central Ave., Albany 449-5577         Tasty and very affordable food in an uninspiring setting.     Geppetto’s 547 Nott St. 370-9862         A place to run in from campus for a quick bite; try the stromboli.     Gershon’s Deli 1600 Union St. 393-0617         Traditional style deli loved by Union staffers.     *Glen Sanders Mansion 1 Glen Ave., Scotia 374-7262         Fabulous converted house with banquet facilities and an attached hotel; gourmet food and a fantastic wine-list; expensive.      Hiro’s 1933 Central Ave., Colonie 456-1180         Go for the hibachi tables and stay for the outrageous cocktails served in mini-emperors; they only accept American Express.     Ichiban Restaurant 338 Central Ave., Albany 432-0358 A decent sushi place which also serves Chinese food.   Karavalli 2788 Hamburg St. 355-9495 Indian food with some variety; with two other locations; some people swear by it.   Luigi’s Restaurant 1125 Barrett St. 382-5429 Vast menu of homemade Italian specials from Northern Italy; very close to campus.     *Mama Rosa’s 271 Lark St., Albany 472-9555 Casual, affordable, fantastic Italian; across the street from Lark Tattoo; may still host monthly drag shows.     *Mamoun’s Mideast Café 206 Washington Ave., Albany 434-3901 All of the expected Middle Eastern dishes and done fairly well.     Mangia 1562 New Scotland Ave., Slingerlands 439-5555 Fresh Italian with outdoor seating.  *Mexican Connection 41 Nelson Ave., Saratoga Springs 584-4466 Good Mexican in a charming location, with good service.   Mari's Van Vrenken Ave. 384-0924 Very close to campus; pleasant decor; decent sushi and good soups; say hi to Mari.   Miss Albany Diner 893 Boradway, Albany 465-9148 Pre-war dining car with fun brunch foods.     My Linh 272 Delaware Ave., Albany 465-8899 Fresh and often fun Vietnamese dishes in an elegant setting; good vegetarian choices.               Nico’s Pizzeria 441 State St. 372-6024 The best of New York style; don’t eat there— take it home or have it delivered.   Night Sky Cafe 402 Union St Schenectady, NY 12305 (518) 372-2590 Wireless; artsy; features local art & music.   O’Leary’s Pub & Grill 153 Mohawk Ave., Scotia 382-6431 Pub fare, good cole slaw, and huge burritos (I don’t know why).     Oliver’s Café 191 Freeman’s Bridge Rd., Glenville 393-3060 Cute setting; daily specials; great service.     Panera’s Bread Co. 412 Balltown Road 377-9808 A chain with a nice feel; fresh breads; good soups and sandwiches.     *Parisi’s Steakhouse 11 Broadway 374-0100 Great if eclectic menu; cheap happy hour drinks; good appetizers; wonderful service; “interesting” décor; try the steaks!     The Parker Inn 434 State St. 688-1001 Lovely drinks and wonderful bartenders; rich, yummy appetizers and desserts.     Peaches Café Stuyvesant Plaza, Guilderland 482-3677 Cute brunch-type place with such fare as Belgian waffles.     Peter Pause 535 Nott St. 382-9278 Ask Chad Orzel (Physics) about the eggplant parmigiana!  Next to campus; cheap.     Pinhead Susan’s 38 Broadway 346-6431 Basic pub fare and atmosphere; Irish fries worth trying; ask about the name.     Professor Java’s Coffee Sanctuary 217 Wolf Road, Colonie 435-0843 Light menu; large selection of teas and coffees; comfortable and cute atmosphere; events such as poetry readings.     Ravenous 21 Phila St., Saratoga Springs 581-0560 Lovely, casual crepes place, with Belgian pommes frites in paper cones.      Redwood Diner 2688 Hamburg St. 355-9522 Can we say greasy spoon?  Decent lunch; good cheesecake if you like it creamy.     River Street Café 429 River St., Troy 273-2740 Seasonally changing menu of fresh and well-prepared fare; higher prices; view of the river.    *Saso’s Japanese Noodle House 218 Central Ave., Albany 436-7789 Small but nice sushi place; my favorite in the area.     *Sitar Indian Restaurant 1929 Central Ave., Albany 456-6670 Excellent Indian food in an atmosphere suitable for entertaining; pricier.    Slick’s Restaurant 127 S. Ferry St. 370-0026 Mostly a bar with good lunch fare and huge sandwiches; cheap.   Sushi Thai Garden 44-46 Phila St., Saratoga Springs 580-0900 A combination of Japanese and Thai food with a wide array of options.     Tai Pan 1519 Route 9, Halfmoon 383-8581 Nice, open atmosphere and great dim sum, with menus in English.     Troy Pub & Brewery 417 River St., Troy 273-BEER Basic pub food and their own beers; a pleasant place to eat outside in appropriate weather; mediocre service.     Union Inn 517 Union St. 382-9264. Recently renovated; okay food and atmosphere; close to campus.     The Van Dyck Restaurant & Brewery 237 Union St. 381-1111 In the Stockade with outdoor seating; eat only the basic bar fare; indifferent bar tenders and wait-staff; wine bar atmosphere upstairs, especially if it’s jazz night (sometimes Tuesdays).     Victory Café 10 Sheridan Ave., Albany 463-9113 Pleasant atmosphere; appealing specials; good sandwiches; fun drinks like Chocolate martinis.     Villa Italia 226 Broadway 335-1144 LOVE it!  Hang out to do your schoolwork/grading.  Great pastries!   Yono’s Armory Center, 64 Colvin Ave., Albany 436-7747 Noted chef cooks fusion in this reputed restaurant.