Ripe Tomato in Malta, NY

[Richard]

A great place to eat. Large portions well prepared and a great variety of entrees. Comfy bar for before or after dinner. Always seems to be full but not to worry, the staff are prompt and curteous and more over not over bearing. Not aimed at haut cuisine but more casual and family and that doesn't mean inferior in anyway. Don't let the full parking lot deter you, you'll be served promptly.

[Deven Black]

Are there any particular dishes you'd recommend?

[Richard]

Seafood fra diavolo was good (too much pasta but the various seafood selections were good and overall flavorful and spicy) Also a chicken breast served over spinach and the eggplant parm - both good. There are a number of interesting selections and I'll be going back to try them. They could loose the bloomin onion though. But I feel that way in general about that dish.

[steve(thelil)]

The pork dishes are excellent (with tangy purple slaw-y cabbage and excellent homemade applesauce adding to the appeal). The wine specials are well chosen and quite reasonable (We once had a nice bottle of red for 10$) Nothing I've had there is earth shaking or unique but, I've eaten there maybe a dozen times and EVERYTHING has been quite well prepared. Service is excellent, with nice touches (like they come to your table and ask if you want a shot of sherry in your yummy lobster bisque).

[smithy88k]

Definitely agree with you! Passed the place hundreds of times and was intimidated by the full lot. No need to worry as i found out..

Great location right on rt.9 in Malta, NY.

[gerchak198]

Very reliable place that is great for families. Good ribs (not barbecue, obviously), burgers, pot roast, Italian-American dishes, etc.

[financialdistrictresident]

This post is from 2003!

gerchak198 is it a step above or below Auggies?

[PSZaas]

It's nothing like Augie's. It's a venerable roadhouse, in a building that used to house a high-end northern Italian restaurant called The Elms. Serves some Italian dishes, but it's an eclectic menu; well-known locally for seafood bisque. Casual, convivial place, always crowded, rarely full.

[financialdistrictresident]

Thanks, PSZaas. We drive by it on our way to Bloomer's. Is it worth trying? Is it a destination place for seafood bisque? Or is it just a lot of food, that's okay and value priced, popular with locals (like an Auggie's)?

[jaylhorner]

Not a destination place.... mediocre food. Auggie's more interesting.

[PSZaas]

I don't think of it in the same category as Augie's. It's just a local place, very popular with the neighborhood, which is Ballston Spa, Round Lake, Malta, maybe Saratoga Lake. People celebrate there, and enjoy themselves. The bisque is good (pretty much everything is good) but neither Augie's nor R. T. is a destination, unless giant portions are worth going out of your way for. I usually pass the Ripe Tomato on my way to Cliff's, which is a destination, if you're looking for beef without any pretension whatsoever. One indicator about the Ripe Tomato, though--it hasn't changed a bit since this thread was new, six years ago. Its owners hit on a successful formula, and stuck with it. That's not necessarily a recommendation, but it is a reliable place for decent chow, and good drink.