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| Dolan's on the Avenue, Central Avenue's newest restaurant and sports grill, is is open for business. Co-owner Peter Hitchcock stands with Chef Joe Marino. |
Hitchcock, who also owns Rock's, says the new venture just next door is going well, but the work to get to this point was extensive. The space, which had been home to a string of restaurants in recent years, had to be completely overhauled, he says.
The renovations to the space took place over the brutal winter, which slowed them down some, he says. However, the final results speak for themselves. More pictures of the restaurant can be found on our Facbook page here.
"Everything in here is new," Hitchcock says, pointing out the new bar and woodwork surround. "We lowered the floors, to create a little more space inside," he says. He also added a brand-new kitchen at the rear of the restaurant, and finished the dining room with new high-top tables and lighting. The restaurant has a natural light flooding into the space from the picture window at the front, but still feels cozy, probably due to the polished brick and wood details.
When I caught up with him, Hitchcock was meeting with Dolan's new chef, Joe Marino to talk about the menu. Marino, who was the co-owner and chef at the Betty Boop Diner for years before coming on at the helm here, says Dolan's food will be as good or better than the fare served at the well-known Albany spot. "Make sure you mention that," Marino says.
Dolan is Hitchcock's mother's maiden name, and the restaurant will, as the name would suggest, offer Irish fare like shepherd's pie and corned beef and cabbage. However, they will also serve burgers, sandwiches, and more traditional pub fare, which is currently missing from Central Avenue's line-up. The restaurant will also keep local brews such as Nine Pin Cider and Schmaltz Brewing Co. on tap.
Dolan's will serve breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late fare. The restaurant is located at 75 Central Avenue in Albany.
