“When we support local businesses, we’re supporting our neighbors, our friends, and our families.” – Steve Jobs
From the Saratoga’s Best Team
Let’s Get Social
Did you know you don’t have to wait until Saratoga’s Best gets put in your mailbox to learn all about the latest Spa City business offerings? Follow us on Instagram (@saratogasbest) and our NEW Facebook page (@saratogasbestmagazine) for day-by-day deals, offers and local business highlights!
Teresa Frazer PUBLISHER
Tara Buffa SALES MANAGER
Tina Galante CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
Natalie Moore EDITOR
Kathleen Gates ART DIRECTOR
• Jewelry
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• Dining Tables
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“When you support small businesses, you’re supporting a dream.”
Jerry Greenfield, Ben & Jerry’s
- transforming the lives of low income
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Rebuilding Together Saratoga County
Reshop for the Good sells gently used second-hand furniture and home goods to support the mission of Rebuilding Together Saratoga County
• Chairs
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and home décor to ReShop for the Good. All repairs for Rebuilding Together Saratoga County.
• Antiques
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- transforming the lives of low income homeowners by improving the health and safety of their homes.
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Spa, NY 12020
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Reshop for the Good sells gently used second-hand furniture and home goods to support the mission of Rebuilding Together Saratoga County
• Accent Tables
• Antiques
• Tools
homeowners by improving the health and safety of their homes.
• Chairs
Accent
• Jewelry Appliances
TUES.-FRI
• Artwork
- transforming the lives of low income homeowners by improving the health and safety of their homes.
132 Milton Ave, Ballston Spa, NY 12020
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HOURS
132 Milton Ave, Ballston Spa, NY 12020
Call ReShop for the Good for more details. Donations are accepted any time during store hours: Tuesday-Friday 10-5 and Saturday 10-3
- transforming the lives of low income homeowners by improving the health and safety of their homes.
• Dressers
When you DO GOOD, you FEEL GOOD.
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Donate used furniture and home décor to ReShop proceeds support home repairs for Rebuilding Together
TUES.-FRI. 10AM-5PM • SATURDAY 10AM-3PM
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SATURDAY
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132 Milton Ave, Ballston Spa, NY 12020
132 Milton Ave, Ballston Spa, NY 12020
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• store@rtsaratoga.org
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Ave.,Ballston Spa,
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To donate, please call, email or visit
Donate used furniture and home décor to ReShop for the Good. All proceeds support home repairs for Rebuilding Together Saratoga County.
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• 518-587-3315
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Reshop for the Good sells gently used second-hand furniture and home goods to support the mission of Rebuilding Together Saratoga County - transforming the lives of low income homeowners by improving the health and safety of their homes.
• Couches
• Small Kitchen Appliances
132 Milton Ave, Ballston Spa, NY 12020
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• Tools
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pleasecall, l or visit
• Couches
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Call ReShop for the Donations are accepted hours: Tuesday-Friday
132 Milton Ave, Ballston Spa, NY 12020
• Dressers
TUES.-FRI. 10AM-5PM • SATURDAY 10AM-3PM
• Lamps
• Small Kitchen
• Dressers
• store@rtsaratoga.org
• Jewelry
• Artwork
132 Milton Ave,
• Jewelry • Lamps • Mirrors
132 Milton Ave., Ballston Spa, NY 12020
• Accent Tables
• Accent Tables
OMAKASE, AT LAST
Saratoga has its fair share of sushi joints, but with her new downtown Japanese restaurant, Capital Region restaurateur Briana Lin is bringing something all-new to the Spa City.
BY NATALLI AMATO
portrait by SHAWN L a CHAPELLE
As featured in saratoga living
It’s become a common occurrence across Briana Lin’s six Capital Region restaurants: Regulars often ask her to order for them. Always striving to bring new food experiences to her guests, Lin maintains a trust between her customers that she doesn’t take for granted. Now, that spirit is being taken even further as Lin readies her newest restaurant, Omakase Sushi and Grill. What is omakase, exactly? Briana brought saratoga living up to
speed. “So, omakase—you don’t order,” she says. “The chef makes the choice of the fresh ingredients, making it in front of you.” The word omakase is Japanese for “I’ll leave it up to you”— something Lin has been hearing for quite some time now.
Handing over the discretion to the chef invites diners on a culinary journey that is to be savored and experienced fully; the multi-course meal often introduces diners to creative flavor and ingredient
combinations that they wouldn’t otherwise have tried. Lin gives a tantalizing example: king salmon sushi with black truffle.
Clearly, this isn’t going to be your average upstate New York sushi restaurant.
An avid traveler and foodie whose family owns restaurants in China, Lin found inspiration for her latest concept during trips to New York City and Japan. “I love food,” she says. “Everywhere I go, I try different food.”
FEATURED BUSINESS
Part of the excitement is figuring out how she can bring the spirit of these experiences back home.
“I’m always thinking about how to bring something different to the Albany area,” she says. “All of my restaurants have a different concept.” Omakase Sushi and Grill will be Lin’s seventh greater Capital Region restaurant to date, building on the reputation she has earned from Yang’s Asian Bistro, Kobe Hibachi and T-Swirl Crêpe in Latham; Sawa Sushi Bistro in Glenmont; Volcano Asian BBQ and Hot Pot in Niskayuna; and Azuma Sushi Bistro just down the road in Malta. She even has an eighth restaurant in the works: Prince Tea House, an Asian-European fusion dessert/brunch/ afternoon tea franchise that will take over the Hong Kong Bakery & Bistro space on Wolf Road in Albany. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. “This one,”
Lin says of restaurant No. 7, “is going to be high-end, upscale sushi.”
While Omakase will certainly be a swanky environment (the former 30 Lake space has been completely remodeled), what truly makes Omakase Sushi and Grill a must-try culinary experience is the carefully selected ingredients themselves.
For all of her restaurants, Lin orders directly from a Japanese food company three times per week. However, for the upscale Omakase, she’ll be selecting ingredients she hasn’t been able to integrate into in her more casual concepts before. Think: tuna belly and fresh wasabi.
Lin takes pride in being able to bring an all-new experience to the local food scene. “That’s why I keep opening new restaurants,” she says with a laugh.
“Customers always tell me, ‘Oh, you should open a sushi restaurant in Saratoga!’ It’s a good opportunity right now. People like to try new things.” However, Lin isn’t aiming to push anyone fully out of their comfort zone at Omakase—unless that’s what they want. In addition to omakase, her new spot will also have an a la carte sushi menu, as well as a menu of other Asian dishes that folks can order for lunch and dinner, dine-in or takeout, seven days a week. Omakase Sushi and Grill will also have a full bar. While reservations aren’t a hard and fast requirement, Lin recommends making one. And one thing’s for sure: You’re going to want one.
30 Lake Avenue, Saratoga Springs 518.680.6888
Follow Omakase Sushi and Grill on Facebook
18 ADVERTISING
“We always look forward to our coupons that come flooding in as soon as the newest issue gets delivered.”
—Paul Ludwig, The Grapevine Fine Wines & Liquors
“When I was a new owner in town, this is how I let everybody know I was here in Saratoga. After being in Saratoga’s Best, I took o —and then I was o and running.”
—Mario Cardenas, West Ave Pizza & Chicken
YOUR MESSAGE, IN 30,000 LOCAL MAILBOXES.
That’s what you’ll get when you advertise in Saratoga’s Best, a quarterly publication mailed directly to 30,000 homes in northern Saratoga County.
What are you waiting for?
Reserve your space for the Spring issue by February 20. Contact Teresa Frazer at saratogasbest@gmail.com or 518.369.3926
29th Annual Festival of Trees sponsored by Catholic Charities of Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties
December 5-8, 2024
Saratoga Springs City Center
Wednesday, Dec 4, 6-8pm
Preview Reception • tickets $75 each, under 35, $60
ursday, Dec 5, 4-9pm • Friday, Dec. 6, 3-8pm
Saturday, Dec. 7, 11-7pm • Sunday, Dec. 8, 11-2pm
$10 per person • $5 for Seniors
$5 for ages over 10 • Under 10 free Victorian Stroll • $5, Chats with Santa $5 Breakfast with Santa • Saturday, December 7 $10/ticket (2 and under free)
8:30-9:30am • 10-11am • 11:30am-1pm (Sundaes)
e Festival showcases beautifully decorated trees, wreaths and other holiday and gi items for purchase, with proceeds bene ting the programs of Catholic Charities of Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties.
e Festival of Trees is an annual event and an integral part of the holiday season in our community.
For more information, please call 518-587-5000 at the
“Never miss a party…good for the nerves–like celery.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald
