Al-Baraki

CLOSED. And apparently has been for some time. The space is now occupied by a luncheonette called Nana’s.

The food was delicious, the owner extremely friendly and welcoming. This restaurant deserves to make it.
Our food was very good, we had both versions of the chicken shwarma, as a platter with rice and salad and as a wrap. We also ordered the tabouli, not the best I’ve ever had but this is one of those dishes that each person has their favorite, we ate it all.
Although the owner has obviously made and effort at decorating I would suggest the atmosphere is lacking. Some good Middle Eastern music would be a huge improvement.
Some reviewers have suggested the food is frozen not fresh, they are wrong.
All in all, a great experience, we will return.

Having enjoyed visits to the predecessor hole-​in-​the-​wall location in Troy, I was really disappointed to try the Cohoes restaurant.
The other reviewer who lamented that the ball-​style kibbeh had been replaced by the layer-​style kibbeh is 100% right on. The kibbe siniye is dry and nothing special and not worth $ 16.50. The chicken kebab was ok, but with less chicken than would fit on any normal-​sized single skewer seemed like a poor way to spend $ 15.50. Yet the most shockingly overpriced dish would have to be the tzatziki appetizer, $ 7.50 for a plate of oily pita chips with a tiny (one-​inch) thimblefull of tzatziki sauce. Since the kibbeh came with the same thimblefull of tzatziki sauce, it would have been courteous for the waiter to inform us that we were about to waste our order with this item. The next day for lunch, we were at Union Café (Schenectady). My wife asked for a side of tzatziki and received many times that quantity for $ 0.59.
I gave Al-​Baraki a chance for two reasons: one is that the reviews spoke of kibbeh. Where are you going to get kibbeh around here? I was eager to have some. Meh. Second, I remembered from the Troy location that Al-​Baraki served the rare and delicious makdous, a pickled eggplant stuffed with walnuts. Well, the makdous ($ 6.50) was delicious, what little bit of it we were offered to eat (atop a bowl of salad) – just four teensy slivers. Well less than half of a single small mediterranean eggplant. We carefully divided it up and savored it, but, honestly, it would have made one generous mouthful if we had been given a less stingy serving.
The prices are *outrageous* for the experience on offer here. Our two appetizers and two entrees (no drinks) set us back $ 67 with tax and tip. Even the positive reviews here (which, sorry, I think reflect very low standards if the food was anything like what we received) confess mystification at the prices charged at this drab eatery. I won’t be going back. I feel that with a little imagination and trust/​respect of the customer, Al-​Baraki could have used its evident know-​how (they can make good makdous; they used to make good kibbeh; etc.) to create a popular restaurant. Perhaps a more casual order-​at-​the-​counter place that served up good quantities of good food. Get a line going down the block that way, and build on that. The vision here is to occasionally reap $ 70 from a couple of hungry adventurous diners, not to build quality that speaks for itself and brings people back or inspires them to tell their friends.
I believe everything I’ve written above is fair and stands on its own. But I should mention also that after leaving I (and no one else in my party, to be fair) suffered from horrible stomach distress.
The reviewer who states information from a server that much of the cuisine here is frozen and reheated has the ring of truth given the general atmosphere and vibe of the (ghost town) kitchen and restaurant activity the early evening we visited. In any case, the same thought independently crossed my mind as I was sitting there trying to enjoy the meal we were served.
I guess I’m depressed to do so but am effectively wishing for the demise of this place, since it’s so badly on the wrong track. Yes, even if I know an even less imaginative pizza place that I’ll never visit, or perhaps a vacant storefront, will take its place. I sure need a proper discovery to restore my faith in the capital region ethnic dining scene.

My wife and I were so excited to try this restaurant, but we were a bit disappointed by it.
We loved the food, it was very good — we tried the Royal Dinner. However, the raw garlic paste that they put on everything was too much. I was tasting raw garlic for two days after eating here. Everything else was fantastic. We especially loved the rosewater sugar syrup that was drizzled over the baklava that we had for dessert.
The prices charged for the food were outrageous. The prices are far too high for the Albany area. Additionally, the prices on the menu at the restaurant are higher than the prices on the menu found on their website — this needs to be updated.
The service was great and the server was very nice.

For those of you who aren’t aware, this restaurant is owned and operated by the SAME people who owned the BFS Restaurant!
I went in to try their food about three months ago because, yet again, we had a Groupon for $ 30 worth of food for $ 15. I’ll re-​post what I posted on BFS about their food, because it’s exactly the same with the exception of a few minor upgrades and improvements.
First, let me start by explaining that my Grandfather was from Lebanon, so I’ve grown up with this style of cooking and cuisine. Al-​Baraki is a disgrace.
Let me make something clear for those of you that THINK this is good food. ALL OF IT IS FROZEN AND RE-​HEATED with the exception of their Vegetable dishes such as salads and accompaniments! That little tidbit of information came DIRECTLY from our Waiter (AGAIN) when we asked about how the Lamb was prepared for the Kibbe. To make matters worse, the Kibbe isn’t prepared with Lamb, it’s BEEF. That should be a crime and clued me in on how this experience was going to be, AGAIN. The only meats that are actually cooked are the Kebabs and a choice few chicken dishes which I believe our waiter said was about 2 – 3.
For what they charge for a plate of food is absolutely ridiculous considering that more than half of the plate is the side dishes rather than the meats. I ate the Garlic Steak Kebabs which were pretty decent, but the only GOOD thing about it was the sauce. My steak was overcooked and dry and they put a minimal amount of the garlic spread on the steak.
The only thing I will give them is the plating. They plate their dishes very nicely, but that’s not hard when all you have to do is pop open four containers and spoon on whatever you need.
The décor is non-​existent. The couple of portraits here and there, the bland white table linens and the rickety excuses for tables and chairs make you wonder if half of your food won’t fall in your lap half-​way through the meal. The outside of the Restaurant is poorly taken care of and they need to seriously Windex the window.
— Service was TERRIBLE
— The «Cooks» were in street clothes, cooking in the Kitchen
— All Desserts are FROZEN, RE-​HEATED, and then plated
— Drink refills are NOT FREE
— «Authentic» dishes are NOT AUTHENTIC
Like I said, I thought this was a «new» restaurant, but it’s the same BFS owners and staff. Only a few things have improved, but not much. This was a waste of time and money, AGAIN.

A disappointment in taste and service and the restaurant was cold.
We ordered the sampler platter and kofta kabob and shared dishes. I tried everything from both dishes and every single piece of food I put in my mouth was a disappointment. Nothing was bad to the point I wanted to spit it out. But nothing gave me that urge to eat another bite or return. Isn’t that what eating out is all about? That special feeling when you eat something and reach new heights of taste or something is prepared in a way you haven’t experienced? And you get that «oh. that’s good!» reaction? Why else go out?
The only thing I enjoyed (a little) was the White coffee with rose water syrup. Even the baklava was boring — I’ve had better baklava at 20 other places and that’s not an exaggeration. Remember baklava is served at a lot of places even diners.
I’m only bumping this place up to 2 stars because I recognize the challenges of opening shop and attracting middle class eaters to Cohoes, a backwater cesspool in the Albany area, and the food wasn’t awful or foul, just very boring and uninspiring. And they need to hire more waitstaff and a hostess. The waitress looked taxed to the max and that creates a bad vibe for customers.

As am an avid fan of Middle Eastern food, I’ve tried many Middle Eastern restaurants in the capitol region. The food, prices, portions, and service is the best at Al Baraki! I have been there several times now and the experience gets better every time.
It’s a family run place and the service is friendly and warm. Don’t be surprised if the chef comes out and talks to you. The food may not be delivered super fast (it’s not a fast food joint), but you do get incredibly fresh tasting food when it arrives.
Food wise, it’s authentic Lebanese cuisine. All of their appetizers are different and delicious, giving you a chance to try new things. Our favorite is the Meza platter and the Ariya appetizers. For main entries, the Kifta and cubed kabobs are delicious, and the portions are large! The meat is also done just right.
Location wise, Cohoes is a bit deserted and a dying town. But the good news is that there is plenty of curb side parking. Overall, a nice gem tucked away in the rough of Cohoes.

This place is a gem. If you live in the Albany area and enjoy ethnic cuisine you should really try this restaurant. Everything my wife and I ordered was fabulous. The waitress was very helpful. She even steered me away from an entrée’ (KIBBE SINIYE) which when I had a little bit on the sampler I ordered was very interesting, but I don’t recommend it for an entire meal.
To sum things up, Al-​Baraki is a step up from your average little Middle Eastern restaurant. The food is great, the staff is friendly and knowledgeable, the dining room is nice and it is easy to find a place to park.
I believe you should support your locally owned businesses when they deserve it and this one does.

Alright, so I’ve been here twice now, and I HAVE to be kind because the food (when fresh) is so delicious that it will seriously send you into fits. Both times I’ve had the «Royal Feast» which is a sampler of different dishes, and enough to share with friends, so that’s usually what we do.
Even my daughter loves the food, and she’s five. But she’ll eat up the salad, the pita and hummus with lettuce and cucumber and tomato, and the chicken. She’s a big fan of the rosewater lemonade, as well.
I’m docking Al Baraki a star for a few reasons–
1) It’s always cold in there. I mean, really uncomfortably chilly. I hate that I can’t relax when I’m in there, I’m always stiff and shivery.
2) They’re stretched remarkably thin, typically with only one server, so expect the service to be slow and very forgetful. On this vein, know your cuisine when you get in there so that you know if something’s missing. I know what tabbouleh is, so when there was no tabbouleh on the plate like there was supposed to be, I knew to ask them to bring it. Can’t live without that tabbouleh, it’s like crack.
Also like crack, their french fries with toum. HOLY COW. Oh my.
3) My friend and I today– we ordered hot tea. We were not asked what kind of tea we wanted even though I noticed coming out of the bathroom that they have a small selection of various herbal teas. We got black. Regular Shop Rite brand black tea. Yes, you read that right. The real hilarity was that it was salty.
… I was thinking maybe it was supposed to be? Like maybe somewhere in my American naïveté I had missed that the Lebanese take their black tea with salt, sort of like how you can get a salty lassi with your Indian food? But no– it was not supposed to be made with salt. The owner marched out, tasted it to be sure we weren’t messing with him, and then marched the COOK out to question him about why there would be salt in our tea. And then tasted the sugar from the Domino packet to make sure that wasn’t salt. «Sometimes the factories can make a mistake,» he said, and I was too busy laughing to tell him that the tea was salty prior to my putting anything in it.
Anyway, the gentleman replaced the teas, they were fine the second time, and we were comped for them, so that was great. My friend and I joked about it the whole way home. «Hey, remember that one time we ordered tea and it tasted like the tears of our ancestors?»
4) Consistency. Portions were smaller this time around. Also what was on the plate last time I was there was not what was on the plate this time. Last time the baba ganouj was darker and had pieces of eggplant skin and char in it, really good. This time it was just whitish, it was weird. Last time the Royal Feast came with deep fried kibbeh (the crispy football shaped ones,) this time it came with baked kibbeh (the squares with the diamonds cut in the top.) I prefer the fried, so it was a disappointment.
5) Price. My word, it’s a bit expensive, isn’t it.
Anyway, so when they’re not forgetting about the tabbouleh or accidentally salting their tea, and my god if they’d just turn up the heat and drop their prices a little, I would give them TEN STARS. Buuuut. I can’t. Not this time.

I really, really, really wanted to like this place. I genuinely, honestly did, but I just can’t go the extra mile and give it 3 stars. «Why?» is what I’m sure you’re asking me in your head right now. Well, there are three reasons: food, price and speediness.
I’m a sucker for Mediterranean food, so when my tummy started growling one night while attending a show at The Foundry for Art Design + Culture, I knew I needed food fast and I knew it wasn’t going to be pizza. Al-​Baraki was only a couple doors down the street, so there I went. It was a Friday night during peak restaurant hours, so I figured it was going to be busy, but when my friend and I walked in, it felt like we walked into chaos. Only one poor waitress was on duty, attending what seemed like about 10 tables at once. She was doing her best, but I could tell she was beyond frazzled. I almost felt bad for being there and making her do more work. After standing at the counter for 20 minutes waiting for someone to take our order, the waitress finally got a minute to take it. I ordered a small sampler platter for $ 9.50 and sambouski for $ 6.50. It was so busy that the cook even came out to take table orders, and apologized to my friend and I for taking so long. All in all we waited 40 – 45 minutes for two appetizers that cost almost $ 18.
When I finally got the chance to eat my food, I was sorely disappointed. I had asked for cheese sambouski but was given beef. Thankfully I am no longer a vegetarian and ate them anyway. The sampler platter was the biggest disappointment. For about ten bucks I was given one nugget of falafel (which was rather bland), one stuffed grape leaf (again, not the best i’ve ever had), a dollop of hummus, and a dollop of babaganouj (which, at first, I thought was mashed potatoes — also not very tasty). It was laid on a bed of soggy lettuce and coupled with a mostly-​cold pita that wasn’t even as tasty as most pitas I get in a plastic bag at a grocery store. For $ 18, which is a lot of money to someone in my age/​job bracket, the food was lacking in more ways than one.
Needless to say, I was unimpressed and saddened. Like I said, I really wanted to like Al-​Baraki. The waitstaff was nice and did the best they could, but I’m not sure if I’m going to give it a second chance. If I do, I’m going to give that waitress the biggest tip in the world. I felt so bad for her and she was so nice, and I hope she made bank in tips that night!

This place is absolutely fantastic. I wanted a broad sample of their dishes, so I opted for the $ 22 «Royal Feast» that is essentially a gigantic sampler platter that includes a side salad and baklava for dessert. I loved every single bite, and the garlic paste was positively to-​die-​for.
The service was a little on the slow side, so I wouldn’t suggest this place for someone on a tight schedule, but the quality is positively phenomenal. The price is a bit on the high side, but not unreasonable considering the amount of quality food you get for your money.

Not much on atmosphere but really great food. Don’t go if you are looking for fine dining and table-​side service. This is not a «fancy» restaurant. The food is terrific, and for casual fare, you will not be disappointed.

Quality Food (5 star) — we had the baba ghannouj, chicken shawarma, and combo kabob. Everything was beyond fresh and flavorful. Can’t get any better!
Quantity Food (4 star) — the entrees were good sized, while the baba ghannouj was on the small side.
Service — (4 star) — the waiter Paul, who I believe was the owner, was very courteous, but seemed a bit busy. I think he should have one more employee helping.
Price (3 star) — not cheap, but at least you get what you pay for with the delicious food.
Ambiance — (3 star) — clean and cute, but nothing spectacular.
Overall, this place is definitely worth trying as the food is absolutely amazing. Very solid!

No bad, not bad at all.
I know nothing about Lebanese food but my wife does… we both left saying «damn that was good». The toum (garlicky goodness) was one of the best things I have ever eaten.
The place has a lot of seating but my impression was this is a two person operation; husband and wife. Don’t go here expecting fine dining. Do go expecting very friendly service and amazing food.

WOW!
This place is a mind warp. you go in and its very simple, a few tables little décor or ambiance and you think «this won’t be impressive.» You sit down, it takes a while for the server to get to you because it looks like the server is also the cook and the one busing tables.
You look at the menu, it all sounds really good and the prices are very reasonable. Your order and then magic happens, the kitchen door opens and the whiff of the Lebanese food is enough to make you swoon. A-​M-​A-​Z-​I-​N-​G. Wow!
My grandmother was Lebanese so I thought there was no way anyone could even come close to her cooking but this was right on. Fantastic, fresh and full of flavor.
I will def. be coming back here again when I am in the area !
FYI:
I had the
–Sample appetizer (plenty for 3 people)
& the majadra (YUM)

Hours are wrong, I put in correction to Unilocal.
Picked up food this time, was more than underwhelmed.
Food– 2 Stars.
All the fresh items were pretty awesome. The salads are great as are the grape leaves.
I got a Kibbeh dinner. It was so dry it was like cardboard. I am guess they just don’t have enough business to keep something like kibbeh fresh. It was not good.
Service– 3 Stars
Nice enough but they pretty much hung up on me when I called my order. They need to learn basics of running a restaurant as noted from last experience sitting down.
Atmosphere– 2 Stars
Very basic, very white, but clean. Nobody in there.

Excellent food, friendly service.

This was really my first time trying Lebanese food and it wasn’t really my favorite. My friend suggested it and goes there often. They just started a new lunch buffet apparently so I figured that would be a good place to start. I didn’t ask the price beforehand, which i later regretted. It was about $ 16 and there was not very much selection. The owner/​chef was very friendly and came out asking everyone personally if they wanted Falafel as it wasn’t on the buffet. This was excellent and would have made the buffet a little more worthwhile. The hummus was excellent also, as well as this garlic paste they make and some sort goat cheese pita like pizza. I didn’t really catch the name because of the buffet. Overall I hate to leave a bad review because it seems like a nice place with some good dishes but the buffet was a fail. I would like to come back again and order off the menu.

One word: Yum.
I didn’t know the history of Al Baraki in this area (River St. to Lark St. to Remsen St.) until I did a little research. Seems they have quite the reputation. And with good reason.
Husband and I decided to come here on a whim. I’ve never had Lebanese food before, but I’ll try anything once or twice. We ordered a lot of food so we could try a number of things, and portions were plentiful so we took a lot of it home.
We started with chicken soup (pic), which is served with bread and the infamous garlic paste. According to our server (perhaps the owner?), the garlic paste is made with pure garlic, lemon juice and a little oil. And holy crap, is it good. Had I known that they sell it, I probably would have taken some home.
Then we tried the sampler appetizer (pic), which includes falafel, hummus, baba ghannouj, grape leaves and tabbouli. I didn’t get to try each thing (Husband is tough competition, lemme tell ya), but everything I did try was delicious. The tabbouli (parsley, tomato, onion, mint, lemon juice, and olive oil) was my favorite. Very fresh and light.
For an entrée, he had the Combo Dinner (pic) which includes chicken shawarma and kofta kabob (beef) served with salad and garlic fries. Husband was kind enough to share half a bite of the chicken, which was perfectly cooked, tender and very nicely seasoned. He loved his dish. I had Moujadara (pic), a vegetarian dish with lentils and rice, topped with caramelized onion and served with Lebanese salad. Very tasty; the onion really made the meal sing. The salad wasn’t anything spectacular, but I get enough salad anyway.
For dessert, we split the kataifi with kashta (pic), which was sort of similar to baklava with it’s delicious nuttiness. Mmm.
Service was friendly and very attentive; staff was eager to give suggestions and was very quick to refill our water and tea. We could tell he took pride in the food and wanted to be sure we were happy with it. Prices were very reasonable.
My only concern is that we were the only customers in sight from about 7:15 until 8:45 on a Thursday night. I hope this was due to the horribly cold weather and recent snow storms rather than a lack of business. After all, Cohoes isn’t exactly known for it’s food. Don’t you dare leave me, Al Baraki!

What is left to say about Al Baraki? Ever since they appeared on the local food scene, it’s been my go-​to place for Friday night takeout. I have never had anything here that was less than awesome.
Should I start by praising the garlic paste? If you frequent either the Troy or Albany food co-​op, you might be familiar with this super-​strong garlic dip which manages to overpower anything it touches. Many dishes at Al Baraki are lightly touched with their garlic paste. Anything more would be too much.
The baba ghanouj is the best baba ghanouj I’ve had. Smooth, but not overly pureed. Fully spiced, but still eggplanty. They give you a nice warm pita to dip into it. The chicken shwarma wrap is amazing. I feel like its addictive qualities must have been worked out in a laboratory somewhere. How else can you explain something that causes you to stuff it in your face so quickly?
I am delighted to now have Al Baraki in my own neighborhood