Plum Blossom in Troy: A Feast for the Eyes

You’ll Remember the Experience, But Probably Not the Meal

We all have a lot of food memories from the pandemic – taking up baking after binging episodes of the Great British Baking Show, indulging in comfort foods to ease depression, and experimenting in the kitchen to fill those endless hours; my favorite food memory is a spicy mouth-numbing dish of string beans in a Szechuan sauce from Plum Blossom in Troy. It was the pandemic so of course it was take-out and it wasn’t until recently that I dined in-house at Plum Blossom. 

Located at 685 Hoosick Road, the green-neon-lit stand-alone building is easy to overlook on a busy road that most of us are just trying to survive, but stop. Yes, stop. Once you open the doors, you’ll understand why. You are immediately transported into an upscale Cantonese banquet hall – a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach.  Without a doubt, the most beautiful restaurant I have ever visited: intricate wood paneling, coffered ceilings, white-linen tables, and everything beautifully lit by strategically placed Ming-inspired lamps that add a glow to the variety of woods. Your first instinct is to gasp and then to sigh: this is a Zen palace of the palate!

Upon being seated, you are welcomed with complimentary fried wonton strips and a variety of dipping sauce. Now for the food itself. Well, it’s not mind-blowing and with the exception of the aforementioned string bean dishes, not particularly memorable. The menu is your standard selection of American-Chinese favorites – sweet and sour chicken, beef with broccoli, the classic appetizers of gyoza, crab rangoons, etc., but the prices are also pretty standard and that is rather surprising. I would have had no problem paying more for my meal due to the beautiful ambiance and interior design. The portion sizes and prices are comparable to a take-out only strip mall Chinese restaurant and that’s why Plum Blossom is fantastic value for money. You’re paying for a fairly decent meal, but what you are actually getting is an incredible dining experience.

I had the Pad Thai. Like many others I’ve tried in the area, I felt it was lacking in texture and those pops of sour, sweet and spice that usually make Pad Thai a dish that tastes different with every bite. It needed a bit more variety of toppings – some chili crisp, more peanuts, Thai basil, more lime; but for $13.95 compared to the $18 I pay at nearby restaurants, it was fine. My companion ordered Sweet & Sour Chicken ($13.95) and a second one to bring home to her husband, but she admitted that one order would have fed both of them due to the portion size. Soup, fried rice, broccoli and an egg roll were included in her order. Since our visit in mid-December, she has dined in and also ordered take-out a few times. 

I will definitely be returning to Plum Blossom and exploring the menu more in those future visits. There must be dishes on that menu that match the exquisiteness of the space – the whole Peking Duck served table-side with pancakes certainly caught my eye. You aren’t guaranteed to crave the cuisine here, but you will be back to relax and enjoy a 5-star dining atmosphere with 3-star pricing and flavor. 

Plum Blossom is located at 685 Hoosick Road, Troy, NY and is open Mondays, Wednesdays-Thursdays 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. and Sundays 11:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. Closed Tuesdays. 

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