Raindancer Restaurant, Amsterdam NY
Posted by amsterdamfood on August 5, 2007
For the restaurant that has the reputation of being the best in town, this place has a big problem.
I stopped by for an early dinner yesterday at around 4 PM. They were a little confused as to whether to give me the lunch or dinner menu, so I asked for both. The specials included a mixed seafood fry and a tomato-gorgonzola bisque.
I was already pretty sure, at least generally, what I was going to order, that being a hunk of beef. After all, this is basically a steak house. After looking over the menus I chose the Rib Eye Steak. I asked whether it would, to make sure that it didn’t, come smothered in a sauce. (Last year I ordered a beautiful porterhouse from a place in Lake George, asked for the sauce on the side, but neglected to say don’t smother it with cracked pepper.) She assured me it would come only with a pile of fried onions on it, which I could push aside. I also chose a baked potato. The waitress said that it came with bread and salad from their salad bar. The tomato-gorgonzola bisque sounded interesting so I took that as an appetizer. I also ordered a Bass ale which they have on tap, planning on ordering a glass of wine when the steak came. I ended up ordering the Woodbridge Cab which is a pretty standard low-end red wine in restaurants, but appeared to be the best they had by-the-glass.
Now we get to the problems and disappointments. First the problems. I went to build a small salad and found nothing that appeared appealing. The lettuce was wilting. Cucumber slices were erratically sliced, some an eighth of an inch thick and some as thick as an inch. They were all in a sorry state of repair, getting dried out and the thicker ones getting soggy in the middle. In other words rotting. Other veggies such as cauliflower and carrots were limp. Pickles were drying out. I managed to find a few pieces of lettuce and some whole small tomatoes that weren’t too bad. Nothing else looked edible.
Another problem. The waitress had brought butter to the table. It came in the one-serving pat-sized little plastic tubs with a foil lid. Typically when you open one you see the squirt pattern from the factory where they filled the tubs. Since I was working on bread as well as, later, a baked potato, I had occasion to open several. In about half of them the butter had previously melted and pooled on one side of the little tub. Now, this didn’t necessarily mean that the butter was bad, but for an expensive restaurant it’s extremely poor form.
The bread was available at the salad bar, self serve. They had both a dark and light, plus one that appeared to be a mix of the both. The dark bread appeared to be the light bread with coloring, as opposed to dark meal. I opted for the light bread which was good for appetizer bread, flavorful, soft in the middle with a bit of a crust. They also had a big slab of cheese which looked very interesting, but turned out to be flavorless. I was hoping for a hard cheese like a parmesan or asiago. I think it was jack.
The soup was hearty and thick, but I’d be hard pressed to call it a bisque. The predominate ingredient was tomato, I think in the form of whatever marinara sauce they use, and there was no detectable cream. The gorgonzola (or at least some kind of cheese, hard to tell) was there, but totally overwhelmed by the spices in the marinara. I would have eased off on the spice/tomato component and added some cream.
One last disappointment; when my steak arrived, the promised fried onion pile wasn’t in evidence. Does this mean the cook forgot it, or the waitress doesn’t know her menu?
Now, with problems and disappointments out of the way, I have to say the steak was wonderful. I ordered it rare and indeed it was, and they still managed to get a good char on the outside. The baked potato was good; cooked through, moist, with a crispy edible skin. The beer and wine were fine.
The pricing is expensive, at least for the area. The steak and potato were $27 and the total with soup, beer, wine, tax and tip was $50.
So, while the main course was great, until they can fix their quality control issues, particularly with the salad bar, I can’t recommend Raindancer Restaurant. At the prices they charge, everything should be perfect.
Raindancer Restaurant
4582 State Highway 30
Amsterdam, NY
518-842-2606
Map
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pam said
I am stunned at this wordy and ridiculous review. I have eaten at The Raindancer numerous times and have NEVER been disappointed. It has a great atmosphere, and the food has always been consistent and very well done.The portions are large and the food cooked to order. The staff has always been friendly and professional. The salad bar is excellent, full of fresh salad ingredients and breads. I have never ever seen anything wilted. and find that very hard to believe. I don’t know what alternate universe you live in or if you are just an impossible to please pain, but I will say that The Raindancer is one of the best places I have ever eaten at. Let me also say that my husband and I are very fussy when it comes to food. We both know the difference….I personally feel that you always get what you pay for at The Raindancer. Speaking of paying…You can choose to eat in the bar area. It’s a different menu, but also has excellent choices, and less expensive!
amsterdamfood said
Pam,
I’m glad you have had pleasant visits at Raindancer. But, unfortunately mine was not. Please note that I gave praise where it was due. The steak and potato were great. I don’t know how else I could have described the salad and maintain honesty. I will not succumb to anyone’s sensitivities about food-PC.
I really wish that all my reviews could be positive, after all that would mean better food for us, but I will continue to tell it as it is. If you read my other reviews you will see that when I’m pleased I say so. For instance I recently had a wonderful meal at Nicolino’s.
Dave said
I was a Fulton County resident working in Albany up until a year ago and I’ve gone to Raindancer frequently for many years, and I have to agree with the original writer — quality control at Raindancer has slipped significantly. The comment on the salad bar was worded a little more strongly than I would have put it but is essentially right: the produce is uninspired, subpar, and not the quality you’d expect for what you pay.
Years ago it was much better … I had the feeling that they previously had a great set of chefs who were probably involved in selecting the produce and supplies themselves but now I’m guessing provisioning is handled by clerks, clicking off the cases of Iceberg lettuce and square synthetic tomatoes in their spreadsheets.
Since the restaurant was on the way to work my wife and I went there frequently but did notice a subtle slipping of quality taking place over the years. Small changes like charging for refilling iced tea and little things like that began creeping onto the bill, the interior has been getting raggedy and looking more and more dated, the quality and variety of breads and cheese has noticeably declined (the writer was absolutely on the mark about that), and the menu that changes but grows less inspired (with dishes I assume are less costly and easier to make) over time.
My elderly parents love to go so we take them whenever we’re up visiting them, but for $50 a head there are definitely much more attractive alternatives in Amsterdam and, if you’re willing to drive a little further, innumerable better restaurants in Albany.
I guess what we see with Raindancers is basic economics at work: This restaurant succeeds because of its location, its big parking lot, and its reputation from the old days. It’s convenient from the Thruway so it’s competing in a market where the low end is being handled ably by the Windmill Diner and the middle end is handled by the nondescript fare at the nearby Appleby’s. So it tacks on a more upscale facade and hopes for the best, trying to find that sweet spot where they are just a little better than the surrounding restaurant offerings.
In short I agree that the original writer’s comments were severe but I must also say that he is not coming from an alternate universe, just the larger universe of far better area restaurants.
BM said
My personal theory is that the Raindancer is popular for a few reasons. First, you will know everyone there, so you can see and be seen. Hey, Amsterdam’s a little fishbowl, and the fishies like to be seen! Second, it is basically the only restaurant with a menu that diverse, and there are so few options in Amsterdam. It completely sucks that you may have to wait to order from the bar menu because there aren’t enough seats in that section. Ultimately, in a town with so few choices, the Raindancer is the best of the limited bunch, decent food, a full bar, and enough menu choices so that when you have to return frequently due to lack of local options, you can live with it! Often better than a 30 mile drive to Albany for better food.
amsterdamfood said
BM,
I guess you realize that I disagree that they’re “the best of a limited bunch”. But I may be in “a limited bunch” in that regard. They certainly are successful.
rug city said
I agree with many of your reviews for the most part. I grew up in Amsterdam, left for NYC, and came back recently. My wife & I are constantly trying out new restaurants in town hopeful that one will actually stand the test of time and remain a good, consistent favorite we can bring out-of-towners to and not be embarrassed. Unfortunately, we’ve yet to find that place. Raindancer has gone way down hill. They’re the only game in town and they’ve fallen victim to this. Decor is hopelessley outdated- a mixture of 80s knotty pine, dark, crummy rooms, and a salad bar you could find across the street at Ponderosa. The only thing I’d recommend is the bar menu. Have a few excellent appetizers and a nice cold drink & catch up with old friends. Otherwise, the menu is way overpriced for what you get.
A few places I look forward to you reviewing are Crystal Ristorante, Michaels, and Russos. Crystal Ristorante can go from excellent to laughably bad between visits, and as is indicative of most of the local house restaurants, just can’t seem to get the renovations just right- they recently put a brand, spanking new neon sign on the front of their warehouse-like addition, that looks like they ripped it off the automotive shop next door. All that said, I’ll always keep coming back to these local restaurants because they deserve a lot of credit for making a go of it in a tough area, and they need our support.
I’m wondering when the first person will take a chance, open a funky good restaurant in one Amsterdam’s old, historic buildings, and actually do it right. Belgian ale on tap (and Genny of course), B&W banner pictures of old Amsterdam factory life lit up in front of exposed brick walls, and a few simple, but well-prepared dishes. NO ICEBERG lettuce, NO foil-wrapped pats of butter, NO Drop-ceilings & crappy decor…
amstergirl said
I am happy to hear that the Raindancer has a new head chef. From what I understand he is a guy who doesn’t have the ego that the last chef had and instead he just aims to please the customers. We had some trouble a few years ago when my husband asked for his meal prepared slightly different from that on the menu and the chef basically refused. We didn’t go back for about 6 months after that. Then we heard there was a new guy in the kitchen so we started to go back. We haven’t had a bad experience since. As far as the decor goes, I guess I like the good ol’ days, so the decor doesn’t bother me. It is more nostalgic to me than offensive.
Laura said
Here I must say I have been here 3 times since Dec ‘07 and had not so great experiences each time. All 3 times it was feezing in the dining room and my party had to ask that the heat be turned up. One meal I ordered, a shrimp dish was completely smothered in butter and not very warm. The other was another fish dish and I could not eat it because with every bite I got a mouthful of scales from the fish, yuck.
I will add that on each of these times I was there they were not busy, less than 1/3 of the tables were occupied.
Amsterdam Native said
This used to be a great restaurant that has slipped significantly over the years and is too pricey. We just went there and had the worst meal we have ever had anywhere. The waitress never asked or recited the specials. It started with horrible salad bar items. The worst coleslaw I ever tasted and over-fermented pickled beats and the area is too confined. Next was luke warm appetizers. Main course worse. Burnt chicken and ham in $20.00 pasta dish. Mild buffalo wings w/ absolutely no wing sauce. Just fried wings. Take home dessert was ordered and when we got home the order was wrong. Also one piece of $4.75 cake was a sliver and horrible(choclate mousse cake). We did not complain at the restaurant but when I got home and discovered the wrong dessert order, scant slice of cake, and the burnt meat hidden in the middle of my barely touched pasta dish I decided to call the restaurant. I spoke with a manager and she said she would kook into it and get back to me. I even told her I have the uneaten food as proof of it’s condition. She said she would look into it and get back to me. Four days went by with no call back. I found it hard to understand why she just did’nt have me bring the food back and replace it. I called back and was treated as if I was lying with one excuse after the other. When I persisted she finally said she would send a gift certificate to cover the inedible pasta dish and peice of cake. She never apologized for the bad experience or anything. Very poor business practice! My advice: Save a few dollars. Go down the road to Charlie’s. The owner used to be the chef at Raindancer!
P.C. Miller said
I can not agree totally with the reviews above, however I wish to relay my experience which my wife and I had today. We decided to go out for a lite dinner at about 7PM and decided to stop at the Raindancer. We were promptly seated and attended by the waitress. We pretty much had previously decided to eat in the bar area and order from the lite menu. The waitress also offer the nightly “features”. I decided to order a steak and shrimp feature and my wife ordered from the lite menu and added a decaf coffee for her beverage.
The food was fine, but the check was somewhat unexpected with a total of almost $49.00 before tip. The feature was 28.99, lite item about 12.50, and the coffee 4.20 (this included a refill) plus tax. The coffee was the problem the $4.20 was actually a charge for two cups of coffee because of the requested refill. Now I understand the economic times are tough, but charging double because one chose to order from the lite menu seems excessive to this customer. Are they really that desperate to make some extra money.
I hope the Raindancer management are satisified with their attempts to control the bottom line by adding the charge for coffee refills for certatin customers. I consider myself and wife relatively frequent customers, however are now reassessing our position. The extra $2.10 for the refill has now caused my wife and I to reconsider our “bottom line”. We will cut back our patronage at the Raindancer and frequent other restaurants in the area instead. We may not cut the Raindancer out completely, but it will be some time before we return for that extra $2.10 coffee refill.
Again I not condemming the Raindancer, but only wish to inform others and let them be aware. So they too can make their future choices.