Tara Kitchen

P Alright, gather 'round, folks, because I've found a place that's practically a portal to another culinary dimension. My last visit there was nothing short of a revelation. The food? Oh. My. Gosh. It's not just good; it's mind-blowingly amazing and unlike anything else you'll find in the area. You can taste the high quality, the love, and the sheer effort poured into every single dish. Seriously, it's like tiny edible works of art. And the service? Top-notch. They're like ninjas of hospitality – attentive without being intrusive. Plus, I remember a glorious Thursday special with buy one get one. I'm crossing my fingers it's still valid, because a deal like that on food this good is practically a public service. Now, let's talk about the ambiance. stepping in feels like you've been whisked away to a vibrant marketplace. The Moroccan design is absolutely stunning. It's so pretty, you'll probably spend half your meal just admiring the intricate details. So, if you're looking for an incredible meal in a beautiful setting, stop reading this and go. Now!

I got a gift certificate through the WTEN be our guest program. My boyfriend and I went to this location because we live in Troy. The restaurant is small and intimate and well decorated. The staff was very kind and accommodating and asked us if we had any questions about the menu. They told us most of the dishes that we picked were very popular across all three restaurants. The food was well seasoned and very flavorful. We shared an order of the Moroccan cigars, while my boyfriend got the lamb pepper fry and I got the hyderabadi wedding chicken. A nice gentleman ended up paying for our dessert, we chose baklava, our favorite. Would definitely come back sometime, especially with the restaurant so close !

Edit: After recent visits have had worse quality, I no longer recommend Tara Kitchen as a must visit restaurant in troy, though its still an okay dinner spot. Months ago i visited and had poor service (which i understand was due to a new waitress, but yikes it was bad). Most recently, the menu has been changed removing the spicy options (including the spicy date sauce) and many of the best dishes. The lamb with smen also was worse during my last visit. I dont think the food at the troy location was ever up to par with Schenectady, but this seems like a disappointing direction. If i enjoy my next visit more, then I will update my review accordingly. — my original review below — Have been to the schenectady location many times, and am happy to discover the troy location is also delicious and flavorful, with the same tea, rice, pita, and menu options. I love the tagines, particularly the lamb with smen, chicken with oranges and spinach, and the spicy date sauce which is quite spicy. Always also order the eggplant dip Ive only come here for lunch once and it was good but the dinner selection is better. The staff were kind and helpful, and i like the larger open space in the Troy location. The food is also presented beautifully.

They don’t take reservations. On Saturday evening, the waiting time was about 30 minutes. Once got our table, they were so busy that we were waiting almost 20 min with an empty table (no drinks, no plates..) until everything (our ordered meals, glasses of water, tea, ustensiles) arrived in the same time. I ordered the chicken tagine. The meat (chicken breast) was overcooked, so hard to chew and the tagine was too sweet. I can’t finish it. I love their rice and bread, I would come back and try other specialties in different timing.

Excellent food! The service is excellent, always coming by to see if she can refill our sweet tea (free) and water. Her recommendations are excellent and we enjoyed ourselves tremendously. Will have to go again soon!!!

The flavors and aromas of the dishes at Tara's Kitchen are intoxicating. The food is authentic, with incredible flavor combinations and a diverse menu! My favorite entrée has to be the tagines—stews cooked in traditional pots. The lamb tagine with chickpeas, parsley chermoula, and tomato jam is a must-try, along with the lamb tagine with vegetables in spicy date sauce. Their lamb is always so juicy and tender that it literally melts in my mouth (low-key drooling right now). The portion sizes are perfect, and I love their pita bread—so soft and warm. It’s wonderful that they have a dedicated "Vegetable" section for vegetarians, which made it so convenient when deciding where to take my aunt for dinner. The appetizers were very good too; we had a sampler of all three dips, Moroccan cigars, and potato patties. I also appreciate that the food comes out steaming hot, and you can see them making it fresh in the kitchen. The baklava was also fantastic. Everything about the ambience feels so Moroccan, from the music and paintings to the cutlery and placemats. The staff were nice, serving food quickly and answering any questions we had. However, on one visit, one of the staff members was very sick and coughing a lot, which made me a bit nervous, especially with a little baby with us. I hope the restaurant can be more mindful of that in the future. I also wish they had their Moroccan wines in stock; every time we've been, they never seem to have it. Tara's Kitchen is a wonderful spot that captures the essence of Moroccan cuisine. I’m looking forward to returning and trying more of their delicious dishes!

Pretty cool decor to match authentic Moroccan cuisine. They have a lunch buffet, which is a perfect primer or introduction to Moroccan cuisine.

We tried Morrocan plates- chicken dishes with golden and apricot sauces. I do not recommend them. The chicken was dry, chunky and only seasoned on the surface. So it was difficult to finish without any other sauce provided. Other than that, the service/ atmosphere were fine.

I love Tara Kitchen! The Troy location is perfectly located and has a very nice interior. The shrimp with prunes, tomato jam and harissa was delicious. The sauce was so flavorful and came with rice and some pita on the side. The only annoying thing was the shrimp tails were left on, which in a sauce requires some patience! We didn't have room for dessert but the options sounded delicious.

I've been wanting to try Tara's for ages and finally got the chance! I went here for dinner on a Sunday and was sat immediately. The waitress brought over complimentary tea, which was delicious. For appetizers, we started with the dip sampler - eggplant, parsley, and olive tapenade - and Moroccan Cigars - Phyllo dough filled with ground lamb. Both were fantastic! The flavors of the dips were great, and the warm Pita bread was so fresh. For entrees, we ordered the Chicken with pomegranate, molasses, olives, almonds, and Harissa, and the Lamb with honey, prunes, apricots, almonds and Harissa. The chicken tasted sweet at first but had a spicy finish. It was a touch too sweet for my taste. The lamb, however, was outstanding. The prunes and apricots were not too sweet, and the dish had excellent flavor. Overall, the service was excellent, as was the Moroccan decor. The menu is extensive, so I'm looking forward to going back to try more things as well as their all you can eat lunch buffet!

The dip sampler with the warm Pita bread was good and as well as the Moroccan Cigars. The chicken tagine included tender chicken but the pieces were too large requiring you to slice them with a knife or fork. The tagine sauce was good but was lacking almonds which were supposed to be included.

This review is for the $15 buffet, which is only available at lunch and also the only dining choice at lunchtime at this location only. My initial reaction was that this was just OK. There is a nice pilaf, some chickpeas, a veggie combo, two chicken dishes and some kind of grain patty, all with mild flavors that were a far cry from the variety served on Tara's regular menu. But the three hot sauces (spicy but not punishing, and just different enough for you to try them all) kicked things up a not. Do not sleep on these. Also, on my second visit to the buffet I discovered there are artichoke hearts! and some intense olives lurking among typical salad bar ingredients. Extra points. More points for the free pours of mint tea and the fruits and guilty-pleasure brownies for dessert. Surroundings are peaceful and lovely. Check out the lavish floor to ceiling tile in the bathroom.

I was told to try here but honestly wasn't that impressed. The best dish was the rice - very good! The bowls however weren't my favorite but i'd definitely try a different kind next time. Small building and nice staff.

Staff was super friendly. We had Casablanca platter to start. Especially liked the harissa olives. Main courses were Shakshuka and chicken mandi; both were delicious.

Amazing food. Friendly service and delicious mint, green honey tea. It all hit the spot! Highly recommend!

I went to the $15 buffet lunch. It's my first time trying Moroccan food, it was really good! There were a couple of vegetarian options, rice, pepper fish, and a grilled chicken option. The super sweet server told me all of the names but I forgot what it was. Everything was really good but that pepper fish was my favorite. And make sure to try all of the dips too. The brownies were a nice touch at the end. If my husband wasn't so super picky I'd take him here for a romantic dinner.

Well, Tara's kinda ruined Moroccan food for me... anywhere other than here and possibly Morocco. The flavors are SO exquisite. So nuanced, so authentic. All of the tagine dishes are to Moroccan standards - all sorts of Mediterranean ingredients, not always what you'd expect to see together as a Western Hemispherean, but that's part of the magic. Anything you order with pita, the pita is magically soft. Even the side of rice has subtle flavors all through the grains, infused in every bite. Truly magic. Into the foods: My friend got the eggplant, roasted garlic & tomato dip. The dish honestly tasted like none of those as much as it tasted like all of those. It all comes together in such a unique way that if you had it blind, you couldn't identify a single ingredient. But it was slightly sweet, smooth, rich, creamy, totally delicious. Magic. I didn't sample his dinner but I got the chicken tagine. After asking between the tomato jam and pomegranate molasses tagines, I went with the tomato since I was told pomegranate comes across a bit sweeter. Man, if that wasn't the perfect move. I have NEVER before had a tomato sauce this amazing that I actually want more tomato sauce. And there was plenty. Plenty of meat, vegetables, fruit (figs!), nuts (almonds!), spice (harissa) - they added extra harissa to give me more heat in my meal! So excellent. So exquisite, seriously. I've never tasted anything like this and it was just the perfect balance of all five senses (yes, umami is in there with so much flavor/spice depth to the sauce). My appetite has decreased, the tagine is deceptively large, and I still would've dived into a second tagine of this dish when all was said and done. I wanted a little bit of dessert, but they admitted the baklava and cheesecake are not homemade. So I asked for the most dessertlike appetizer and received orange salad. The oranges are a flavor offset from the tomatoes and almonds, and then mix in salty olives and, well, this is technically not a dessert so I forgive that. The pomegranate molasses dressing is not thick like molasses but has that sweet touch to it and sweetness depth from the molasses. I will note here that a few orange seeds made it in - clearly a fresh fruit was sliced, but the ONLY caveat of the night was for them to look for seeds when preparing this. This dish was not really my thing. Authentic definitely, but the warm fig salad that I was leaning toward was PROBABLY the right choice in the end. Service: Attentive, friendly, personal. The whole staff will chat - the chef even came over to say hi! Atmosphere: Cozy, a nice place to date or bring the family, anything from casual to formal. Verdict: Tara's Tagine 4 Lyfe.

This place is tucked on a bad street in old downtown Troy. And once you enter it's just a small dining area maybe 12 tables total with the kitchen nestled in the corner and it's open to the view of guests. I love watching the kitchen and the flow! Our waitress was young and seemed inexperienced. She did however know the menu which is great because it's traditional Moroccan cuisine and she was well put together and friendly. The food on the other hand was simply amazing. We all had different tangines and had some starters that were great too. And most everything can be vegetarian or vegan which is great for inviting friends who roll that way. I would honestly recommend this place to anyone who's looking for something a bit different. Just make sure you leave yourself plenty of time because the food doesn't come out quickly.

Fantastic Moroccan food. Great drinks, interesting fun menu. Hip little joint - highly recommend!

Ambiance, food, location...I'm sorry there aren't more reasons to be open later. Love it

Loved the food. Best restaurant food we've had in a while. Desert was awesome. Everyone was very friendly. Servers help each other so you never are waiting for "your server".Nice atmosphere. Parking was easy. A little pricey, but worth it.

So good. First time eating here and everything was great. Loved the tea. Pomegranate Harrisa chicken was sweet, sour and spicy. Very interesting and tasty. We will be back

Tara Kitchen is our place for enjoying wonderful Moroccan food. We had never experienced the cuisine before; never had food prepared in a tagine. It was a new and delicious experience. The tagine and an earthenware pot where flavors, spices, ingredients marry. I had the chicken with black olives, potatoes, peas & carrots. Hubby had the chickens with pomegranate molasses, olives, almonds and harissa. Both were delicious, and full of flavor - sweet, savory, crunchy, chewy. Marvelous! Portions are generous. Entrees come with rice and warm pita. Menu includes a few Mediterranean and Italian choices so there's something for everyone.

I always enjoy my meal at Tara Kitchen. I have tried many dishes over the years, but personally love the Fish with preserved lemons and green olives. If I am in the mood for spicy, I go with the Lamb with honey, prunes, apricots, almonds and a touch of harissa. I have had the pleasure of taking a cooking class with Chef Aneesa who is friendly, kind and creative! I have used Tara Kitchen to cater a birthday dinner or two, and when I want to attempt this deliciousness at home I purchase their sauces, preserved lemons and Ras-el-hanout.

This restaurant introduced me to Moroccan food, which I now love. The dishes are exotic and flavorful. My favorite is a seafood tagine.

Dinner was spectacular and the people are extremely nice. The aroma greets you at the door and you are not disappointed.

A small, cute restaurant in the Antique District of Troy, New York, an up and coming neighborhood in this old mill town. The food was so spectacular, authentic and flavorful. The server was so polite, welcoming and helpful. Her knowledge of the cuisine was amazing, explaining every dish and its ingredients. I highly recommend this wonderful place to everyone.

I came here for lunch with a coworker. The location is in Troy and it's near my office until we had a short three minute walk over quite convenient. If you're driving over there is a lot of parking on the street there I s also a parking garage nearby. The location is in a beautiful old brick building which they've kept up very well. The restaurant had ample stating it was spaced out it was socially distant. The menu had many choices. One of the dishes I wanted was not at that location it was at Schenectady location so I wasn't able to get it so I ended up getting the chicken with mixed vegetables and apricots and prune sauce it was delicious the flavor was excellent the right amount and mixture of spices along with the apricot and prune sauce. The meal was quite large for lunch so I was able to save half of it and take it back with me for dinner so they give an ample supply of food. The service was also excellent they were a bit slow but I think they were down one person and that person came in the service picked up. I will definitely be back

I'm a huge fan of the original Tara Kitchen in Schenectady. I've been trying to get to the Troy location for quite some time and finally made it last night. The space is larger than the original but still has the open kitchen concept. The four stars is primarily for the food - it's wonderful. Fantastic flavors for every dish. The only issue that we ran into - they don't seem to be ready for busy nights. If they can figure out service issues (there was only one server for the entire place and the table turnover took an extraordinarily long time), I'd give them five stars. They don't take reservations. Next time I hit this location, I'll make sure to: -arrive significantly earlier if I have a show to attend -dine here if I don't have anywhere to go after dinner The food is terrific.

Really nice selection of dishes, and the service was excellent. Food was well seasoned and piping hot when served. A nice visit in every respect.

This was my first time here and I was not disappointed. Very unique flavor profiles- I've never had anything with pomegranate molasses before. The meat was incredibly tender. The olive tapenade and the "cigars" were great, and I loved the toasted pita on the side of everything. I think the rice served on the side was forgettable, and the baklava was just okay. Overall, I'd recommend this place to folks looking for something different or for those looking for flavorful vegetarian food.

I used to love Tara kitchen. I went this week for lunch to discover they no longer offer a lunch menu. The buffet was very limited (including dry chicken) and the items were barely warm. Dessert was a few sad brownies and a bunch of grapes. Server was distracted, saying she would be back with plates or tea and completely forgot about it. Sad.

It has been years since I first tried the lamb pizza at Tara Kitchen in Schenectady. Back then, I said that it might be a bit of a stretch to call this dish pizza, but whatever you call it this is a delicious dish. And it's only available at lunch time. What has always left me scratching my head about Tara Kitchen is why the lunch menu is so reasonably priced, while the dinner menu seems to add about $10 to every entree. Maybe it's because at lunch the plates aren't served in tagines. I can't imagine it's about portion sizes, because the lunch portions are more than adequate. At lunch with a friend we split a starter of harissa dip, one of the lamb pizzas, and a plate of lentils with artichoke, preserved lemons, and green olives. We couldn't finish it all. Seriously, after one slice of that lamb pizza after noshing on the harissa dip, I was no longer hungry. That ground lamb on top of bread, with tomato jam, and baby onions is fantastic, but it's heavy. Really, I'd suggest going for lunch with four people and splitting it, so everyone could get a piece. My only regret is that we didn't have time to grab dessert of moroccan oranges. I saw that on the sidewalk chalk board, and it made me excited about the prospect that this could be a seasonal treat of imported specialty fruit. This Troy location is relatively new, and I like the bright and sunny room. It's more spacious than the original spot in Schenectady. But it's also missing a bit of that coziness that comes from being in close quarters to the kitchen, and feeling like you've stumbled into a hidden gem. Tara Kitchen in Troy is still a gem, but it's definitely a different experience. For those who have been dreaming of more elbow room, your dreams have been answered. I'm not entirely sure why it's not slammed every day at lunch. Maybe it's because people don't realize what a value the lunch menu actually is given the prices at dinner. Still, the best bet is to bring a group, so you can share a few different things, and get as many of those delightful flavors as possible.

Flying in from Houston for an overnight stay and found this restaurant off the Hudson river. Superb!

My hubby and I have been meaning to try Tara Kitchen for quite some time but for some reason, it's taken us several years to make it out and boy, we sure wish we had tried sooner! We LOVED everything we ordered...from apps to dessert. Service was great and food was phenomenal. We started with grilled scallops and a warm fig salad. Both were amazing. Our entrees were so flavorful and cooked to perfection. I NEVER finish my entree and always have enough for a box to take home, but I ate everything on my plate and it was not because it was a small portion size. It was just that good. We enjoyed the baklava for dessert as well. We will be back- with our vegetarian family members as the options for vegetarians are pretty solid :)

Moroccan at its best! Flavorful and fantastic at the same time. As soon as you enter, the aroma of spices and flavor hits you immediately! You know right away that you'll experience an amazing meal. Plenty of dishes to choose from and something for everyone. Don't pass by the opportunity, if you can.

Just left this place. Unattentive staff and short-staffed waited 30 minutes to only be served water and forgotten about. Indian man maybe manager double teaming tables with waitress instead of checking to see if everyone was attended to. I'll stick to the Tribeca location. They need to do better.

We were warmly greeted as we came in from the rain and were seated at a table for four while we waited for our remaining party of two to arrive. Menus for four were provided, but place settings for only two. Servers are young, attentive, possibly family members, and help to contribute to the feeling that this is a more homey dining experience. During the ten minutes before the rest of our party arrived we were served warm honey-mint flavored tea. While they do not serve alcoholic beverages at the Troy location, I assume they have future plans for a beer and wine license since that is what they sell at their Schenectady location. While staff inquired whether we wanted water, no effort was made to see if we might have wanted something else from the beverage section of the menu, such as iced tea or flavored Pellegrino water. I'm not an expert on Moroccan cuisine and have no way of knowing what it is supposed to taste like. I enjoy trying different flavors and textures. I can only tell you if I enjoyed the food and experience at a restaurant. With that disclaimer out of the way, here are my comments on dinner at Tara Kitchen. We started by ordering three appetizers for the table - the Eggplant Dip ($5), the Olive Tapenade ($6), and the Warm Fig Salad ($6). Plenty of warm and delicious pita slices were provided with the apps and happily replenished as needed upon request. The Fig Salad, with a honey-harissa vinaigrette, also included white beans and olives. One member of our party who does not care for beans or olives, was pleased to discover that she enjoyed the combination of the two in this salad. It was a very nice mix of textures and I, who is also not a big fan of olives, refilled my plate with multiple servings as I especially enjoyed the sweet and tender figs. While the others at the table thought the Eggplant Dip was the highlight of the apps with its roasted garlic and tomato dip, I was not overwhelmed. Similarly, as I've already said I'm not a big fan of olives, the Tapenade did nothing special for me, but it was well received by the others at the table with its artichoke hearts and sundried tomatoes. For my entrée I decided upon the Lamb with pomegranate, molasses, black olives, almonds, and harissa ($24). Harissa, I understand, is made from a series of peppers along with herbs, garlic, coriander, saffron, caraway, and possibly other ingredients. In spite of the various peppers, this was not a hot spicy sauce. It was actually mild. The lamb was very tender and its flavor had blended in the soupy sauce of my dish. The rice provided with each entrée helped to soak up some of my sauce, but I had to request a spoon, otherwise I would have been left with a plate full of liquid that the delicious pita was unable to absorb. None of the other dishes served to our table had this level of liquid sauce. Overall, the dish was pleasant but it did not wow me. My wife had the Scallops, Fish, and Shrimp with black olives in tomato chermoula ($26). The fish was swai, a white fish that is very mild in flavor. While chermoula is described as being a marinade commonly including such ingredients as dried parsley, cumin, paprika, pepper, and salt, both my wife and I thought this dish was somewhat bland. It just seemed like it was missing something in the flavors category. Of the three fish, the scallops were the tastiest and cooked perfectly, and we appreciated that the kitchen removed the tails from the shrimp. Both of the other diners in our party were pleased with their meals. One ordered the chicken with the same pomegranate sauce that I had with my lamb, while the other ordered a lamb dish with honey almonds, prunes, apricots, and harissa. Noise level in the brightly lit dining room is noticeable and slightly above average. It didn't necessarily prevent table conversation, but it did create a constant awareness of its existence.

Very delicious, authentic-tasting Moroccan and top-notch hospitality in a setting that could use an interior decorator to disguise the sterile box-like office building enclosure. But it's pleasant enough, just not exactly cozy, settle-in category. Tables for 2 or 4; they also do a busy take-out business in short dinner hours. The tea is outstanding. Fava bean salad: superb. You want the Tangines for authentic, delicious, soul-satisfying Moroccan dishes. I can attest to two outstandingly delicious lamb tangines. (There are adaptations for I suppose more timid tagalongs called "dinner plates" -- you probably want to skip over them). A wonderful culinary experience, and I definitely intend to return. I am only envious of people who live nearby and can get takeout from there oh, whenever! It seems the tangines should transport home for takeout fairly successfully. Enjoy this gem that has opened an eastern location from Schenectady!

DATE NIGHT SUCCESS! my fiance and I decided to do a Capital Region food tour day when we decided to make Tara's Kitchen one of our stops. We both have never had Morraccan food before so we were ecstatic to experience the culture and different flavors. When we went inside, we immediately fell in love with the decor. The draped sheets by the windows gives the space a majestic feel. We got there on a Saturday at around 5 pm and it became increasingly busy. We ordered the eggplant dip as an appetizer and LOVED how soft the house made pitas came out. We ordered the chicken with black olives and the flavors seemed to melt in our mouths. The chicken was cooked perfectly. It came with rice and pita. We loved their harissa which added a special hint of spice to all the entrees. We are SO pleased and cannot wait to come back! I highly recommend stopping by.

There should be a Yelp rule,"don't Yelp while drunk". Actually, there might be, but I don't care. Tara Kitchen is just SO DELICIOUS. The service is good, the wine is good, the plates (try the ones with molasses and spicy harissa!) are good, too. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to finish my wine, my chicken with saffron and vermicell, and my significant other's chicken with okra and HOW IS IT SO GOOD?

I remember my first Tara Kitchen meal like a long-ago childhood experience, edges blurry, but fondly held. It was approximately three years ago, and a bitterly cold winter night. A friend and I sat at the tiny Schenectady location, at one of the tables closest to the door, shivering each time a customer came and went through the door. Do you remember that scene in Ratatouille where Remy's experience tasting foods presents on screen in abstract shapes and colors? And when he puts together both strawberry and cheese - there's an explosion, a dance of his tastebuds? That's how I recall when I first tasted the preserved lemon and olive tagine. The salty brine, the sourness, wow! I managed to return two more times to Tara Kitchen in Schenectady, always eager to return, yet less so to make the commute from Albany. I was thrilled to hear the news that Tara Kitchen was opening a closer location. I celebrated my latest birthday by having dinner at the newly-opened Troy spot. The eggplant-garlic-tomato jam dip? Get it. I had a vague memory of trying an eggplant dip in Schenectady and remembering it being too smoky for my taste - something along the lines of a baba ganoush. I am glad I decided to give it another shot because the eggplant-garlic-tomato dip was not at all smoky. It was chunky, but melt-in-your mouth tender and had both a sweetness and acidity that felt well balanced and kept my mouth from boredom bite after bite. Served with a small plate of warm pita that was continuously refreshed until I had to self-impose a limit or I would have no room for the main course. Although tempted to order again the chicken with preserved lemon dish, I decided that, with a new age, I must try something new. Thankfully, my other half followed my not-so-subtle suggestion of ordering chicken with lemon and olive so I could have my new dish and also eat some of his! The chicken with lemon and olive did come across as a tad bit salty. Of course, preserved lemons are packed in a salt brine and olives themselves are salty little buggars themselves, but my dinging partner did note that the flavors felt "a little repetitive after a while." If there were a way to order an appetizer portion of this dish, it would be ideal, because the flavor combination is fantastic, but to salty for a whole entree of it. I ordered the lamb with pomegranate molasses, black olives, almonds, and harissa - hoping for that spicy-sweet combo. Although I cannot say I detected any heat, which was surprising for anything with harissa in the description, this dish was complex. It was sweet without being cloying. I enjoyed fishing out almond fragments and plump raisins, which kept the dish texturally interesting. In full disclosure, I am not a fan of olives or raisins, but I together in this dish, they just work! If there's an ingredient that doesn't seem to fit while you're pursuing the menu or maybe you're wondering if you really want prunes, just take the chance, I think you'll find it was worth the gamble. Much like my first visit to the Schenectady location holds a strong place in my memory, my visit to Tara Kitchen has similarly left its imprint. The tagines don't look like they have a lot of food, but, trust me, it's enough. Combined with the small side of rice and plate of pita that come with each tagine, neither of us had room to finish ours, though that might have something to do with all of the pita and eggplant dip we devoured. The only sad part about not having room to stuff our faces any more we felt it was unlikely that our attempt at reheating leftovers would result in the dishes tasting nearly as good as when freshly prepared by Tara Kitchen. Go here immediately. Even if you have never had Moroccan food before. Especially if you have never had Moroccan food before. Go here even if you think you'll hate preserved lemon, and prunes, dates, and apricots. Go here immediately, because it's just too fantastic to wait any longer.

I think it's clear to everyone in the area that Troy has become the culinary destination of the Capital Region. It isn't even close, as Troy has blossomed and grown in ways that those of us on the other side of the river can only dream about. The addition of Tara Kitchen on River Street is yet another example of just that. When you approach the restaurant, you will be confused because the entrance is a bit hidden. To the right of the large glass storefront is an entrance into a residential building, with the entrance to the restaurant to your immediate left. When I arrived at Tara, I was greeted by a host and shown to my table. This restaurant is not very big, but could probably accommodate a larger party with a bit of notice. I should also note that, at least on the day of my visit, Tara was unable to split checks, so be sure to have Paypal or Venmo ready to go if you're dining with a group. After enjoying a complimentary cup of green tea with honey, I made my way through the menu. Truly, each of the dishes sounded wonderful but there was one that really caught my eye. I ordered the tagine with chicken, pomegranate molasses, harissa, almonds, and olives. The sauce of the dish was really wonderful - the sweetness of the pomegranate provided a balance to the spice (not necessarily heat) of the harissa, resulting in a flavor combination that satisfied my palate. However, I wish that I could say the same for the chicken. It was clear that the chicken had been cooked before I ordered my meal, as it took on an overcooked consistency that was chewy and tough. I picked around these pieces and, thankfully, found a couple chunks that were quite juicy. I combined the rice and pita (both come with your order) with the remaining sauce in the dish and walked away feeling full. I do intend to return to Tara Kitchen to give it another try. While the overcooked chicken isn't a deal-breaker for me, I was a bit disappointed by it. I think next time I'll try one of their vegetarian dishes. Overall, though, Tara Kitchen has a tremendous menu and is overseen by a group of very gracious people. That alone is enough to bring me back.

I found this place after attending Benjamin Grosvenor's phenomenal piano recital at Union College, and the combination of the two made for a near perfect afternoon. The menu was expansive, interesting, and, while I'm not qualified to speak to the authenticity, the food was quite tasty. I love the open kitchen and the warm, eclectic feel of this place. I'll be back.

The interior is hip with pieces highlighting the Moroccan influences. It's brightly lit and has a bigger seating plan than it's first location. You can see into the kitchen where the lovely tagines are warming up and the bread is carefully charred. We were seated quickly and served hot cup of tea. The dinner menu alone had over 15 different tagine options. Your pick is served with a side of rice and pita. Warm pita is a gift, so eat it! However, the baklava is good, so save room for dessert or take it home. Upon reviewing the menu, I was a bit skeptical of the additions of dried fruit like prunes and apricots and honey with the proteins. My partner ordered the chicken with pomegranate molasses, harissa and almonds was fantastic. From the few bites I managed to have, the spice and sweet is balanced well. My (safer) dish of the chicken with eggplant in tomato jam was delicious. However, some of chicken pieces were dry. The tagines are piping hot and the pieces near the bottom unfortunately could not handle the heat. Next time, I'm going for a dish with prunes or one of the lamb dishes I kept seeing fellow diners order. Tara Kitchen was able to open a second location because they know what they are doing. This is the closet I'll be getting to Morocco (thanks school) for a while, so my tastebuds will do the exploring. Be sure to check out their retail selection. Their sauces found in a number of the recipes are available for sale. Your kitchen needs a bottle of their tomato jam and spicy date marinade. P.S.- They make for delightful presents.

Yes, yes, and more yes. If you want the same phenominal food offered at the original Tara Kitchen location, but you prefer a more spacious dining room, this is the place. If you've never tried Moroccan food before but want to give it a try, this is the place. Hell, if you are a human being who requires sustenance to survive, this is the place. The food is amazing. The service is great. The decor is beautifully ethnic yet modern. And yes, they do meet the bar set by the original location. So, drink the delicious tea. Order the tapenade to start. Make sure you try the baklava. And save me a seat at your table.

So this was quite the find in Troy. Definitely coming back when I visit next. A must try in Troy. The owners are of Indian origin and so I suspected a hint of Indian flavors mixed in the tagine. However it is not 'Indian' food with its own distinct Moroccan flavor. The food was great and one tagine is good for two people. Had a lamb tagine and the meat was cooked to perfection. The baklava is great!! Oh and again can be shared by two unless you're one of those people who just can't share their dessert. :) Also had a lot of the tea that they serve you on arrival. It was cold outside and so enjoyed it even more. The decor is tasteful. The noise levels not too loud and most of all the folks working there are super friendly. Special shout out to Selena!

Finally! The time has come! I was overjoyed to learn that my favorite local restaurant was opening a second location. Compared to Schenectady, Troy is nearly on my doorstep. There is nothing but mouth-watering goodness here. We always start with the eggplant dip. I want to try the other appetizers, but I don't want to miss the deliciousness of the eggplant dip, so I always get it. Then I try to get a different main each time. Usually I'll go for a chicken dish since it's cheaper, but went for lamb this time since that's more authentically Moroccan. The lamb with chickpeas, parsley chermoula and tomato jam was intensely flavorful, as I've come to expect from Tara Kitchen. The lamb was totally tender. For first timers, I'd recommend getting something with preserved lemons, since those aren't really found outside of Moroccan cuisine. The first time I had a dish with the lemons was truly an eye-opening experience. They add a savory brightness. It's all served in a roaring hot tagine you have to wait several minutes to touch. I use that time to shove my face in near the food and take in a big sniff of the aromas. Oh, and they serve a little glass of honey mint tea to start. Hard to go wrong here.

Amazing food, atmosphere, and aroma! Three of us went here at lunch, but we were able to order from the dinner menu. Tagine food was a bucket list item for my mom, and she loved it. She did not even stop eating for a family photo! We were given tea to drink while we looked over the menu and plenty of naan to get every drop of sauce. I tried the Three Peppers Tagine and it was gorgeous. There was ample street parking, and a parking garage right across the street. I have eaten at 2 of the Tara locations and the food is just delicious.

Food is pretty good. Portions, for me, were a bit small. Perhaps I should have ordered an app as well. Service was uneven... mostly good but a bit confused. A bit pricy for a casual place (I mean, the table top looks like it's plywood, although it was actual flatware and cloth napkin). I will probably return because the food is pretty good.. 3 stars it's A-OK, but I am not a fan yet.

All through my years in grad school I used to take weekend trip to Saratoga to visit my family. My sister loved this place and took me here to try Moroccan food. This place is simply mind blowing. I think I might have tried all of their tagines and loved them all. The chicken made here with preserved lemons and the chick peas tagine were my favorites. Miss this place. Hope to visit soon! Tip: They sell their sauces in local grocery stores around Troy for quick and easy weekday meals.

Horrible if you're picking up for delivery or a regular pickup this restaurant seems to give drivers a very hard time. I wouldn't eat here at all, you'll probably only get decent customer service if your dining in. Expect if your a delivery driver the owner will just give you a hard time just to be difficult it's almost as if he enjoys it. I won't ever get food just because of the difficulty it is to pick up food orders. It's very condescending and I'm not sure why a restaurant would want to treat drivers this way, as they are customers too.

Great brunch spot. Something a little off the beaten path but a truly lovely experience. Nice selection of egg dishes with or without meat. Really enjoyed the Califlower and Hash. The chicken wih tomato jam was amazing!! So tender and delicious. The eggs Shakshuka had a nice spice without being too spicy. Loved the bread basket. Everything made to order. Wonderful!

Very very solid 4 stars. Inside was extremely clean and the smells...oh the smells. I wish my house smelled of those delicious herbs and spices every day. Service was friendly, food served piping hot and made to order, and food was delicious. Started when the warm fig salad which really is reason alone to visit. I had the chickpea in apricot prune sauce as it was so amazing with sweet meets savory but def not too sweet. My coworker had the brown lentil in preserved lemon and meh. She said once she got used to the flavor she enjoyed it. It was Not my favorite. Sounded better in description than it was. The baklava was the very best I've had In the area--nice and nutty buttery a little savory and a little sweet. Hot tea with honey throughout dinner . Can't wait to come back and try again!

So friendly. I had the lamb hash and loved it. Casual and comfortable, I'll be back for sure.

guys... please. THIS. IS. NOT. MOROCCAN. FOOD. Honestly this place frustrates the hell outta me. Its super expensive, you need to pay an $8 fee if you want to split a meal. When I first visited I was super skeptical when I saw the menu- I couldn't find a single authentic Moroccan meal. Couscous Royal? Bastilla? Where you at!? The meal I ordered was very watery and it simply WAS NOT MOROCCAN. Literally I showed my Moroccan husband the menu later and he was like wait what kind of food is this? Please, do not go here. It is beyond frustrating to me that the non-Moroccan owners are selling this off as Moroccan food when you have ACTUAL Moroccan food, owned my Moroccans, in Latham. If you want real, authentic Moroccan go to: Moroccan Tajine. In Latham and its the bomb. I just found it today and was so excited that I finally found real Moroccan it compelled me to write this long, overdue review of Tara.

The service is great. The management welcoming. The dishes are served very nicely in cast iron platters which keep the food hot and allows a nice mealtime conversation. The problem is the ingredients. Vegetables not really top quality. Chicken was not good. Lamb meatballs tasted pasty. Beans from a can, etc. This place could do with some local sourcing on the veggies and meats.