SIGNATURE DISH: Blackbeard’s offers ‘different type of cuisine’

ALBANY — For a unique experience during a lunch appointment, where quality and timely service is essential, Blackbeard’s is one of Albany’s go-to restaurants.

A couple can be seated and have their order taken within 10 minutes, even when there is a sizable crowd during the Friday lunch hour. Diners are served a starter dish, including the restaurant’s special bread and butter pickles, onions, crackers and lemon. Within another 15 minutes, the couple may already be eating.

It’s a pace that allows the one-hour lunch break to be easily honored.

The seafood pasta comes with buttered toast and is made with shrimp, sausage, herbs, mushrooms and penne pasta. Those who get the green beans as a side dish will find them well-salted and mixed with ham. The catfish, and the hushpuppies, are fried with seasoning that might even make it appealing to someone who does not like fish that much, and the cheese grits are made to be appreciated by almost anyone who grew up in the South.

The decor includes white string lighting and items consistent with what might be found in most other seafood restaurants. Glasses rarely get empty, and a person is fed well enough that they can expect to leave with a to-go box if they do not start out hungry.

Kevin Austin, the kitchen manager at Blackbeard’s, said the seafood and barbecue spot has been in business for more than 30 years and offers “a different type of cuisine.”

The seafood pasta dish, in particular, has been found to be popular since it was added to the menu a year or so ago.

“We used to do (just) fried food, and dabbled into a different area,” Austin said. “Consumer changes (means they) sometimes want different things.”

Along with the seafood pasta, shrimp and grits has also become a popular dish.

“I see a lot of those, especially on the weekend,” Austin said.

The kitchen manager added that the North Slappey Boulevard restaurant stands out in that it has good service, reasonable portions and a good atmosphere. Its dining room floor has room to seat hundreds, making it one of the larger independent restaurants in the city.

“We have reasonably priced food that is reasonably portioned,” he said.

Space at the restaurant is rented out for special events, and there is a banquet room that is often booked. Blackbeard’s also does catering and delivery, which has been found to be a growing demand.

“We are a very versatile food service establishment,” Austin said.

A stand-out feature of Blackbeard’s is its bread and butter pickles, which Austin said is a combination of sweet and dill pickles.

“It has a sweetness and a tartness that sets it out,” he said. “That is another thing that sets us apart.”

The uniqueness is noticed by more than just Blackbeard’s loyal base.

“We have regulars, but we also have a lot of out-of-towners as well,” Austin said.