ALBANY — Before lunchtime last Wednesday, the rotunda of City Hall smelled of Nepalese spices, peppers, onions and chicken, with cups of mango lassi at the ready to cool the chile heat.
Mystic Momo, an Albany restaurant that was opened two summers ago by a married couple to showcase the cuisine of their native Nepal, was the first food vendor to participate in a new program that will bring in a rotating roster of vendors from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays to add another lunch option for approximately 1,300 city employees and the public who work in or visit City Hall.
The promotion is one of two initiatives introduced by Mayor Dorcey Applyrs intended to “remove barriers to access for local food vendors,” according to an announcement from the city. It continued, “(T)his first-of-its-kind program allows entrepreneurs to reach new customers, build brand awareness, and generate revenue with less red tape.”
Upcoming vendors are Sparkz of Soul (Latin fare) on Wednesday, Halal Grill (Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food) on July 8 and Mash More (potato-focused comfort food) on July 15. Vendors generally will set up in the rotunda unless moved because of an event being held there, according to Zipporah Hommel, Applyrs’ communications director. Applications for future vendors are available on a page on albanyny.gov.
“We want more people to know about and try our food,” said Mash More owner Jia Hui Gu, who opened the restaurant last year at 274 Delaware Ave. in a former combined location of KFC and Taco Bell. He said his wife, Nico Yu, applied for the City Hall program and will staff it.
The second initiative further advances the mayor’s much-touted “Turning the Lights Back On” campaign, according to City Hall. Applyrs recently signed legislation, introduced by Common Council members Sergio Adams and Mark Robinson, that expands the hours food trucks may operate in the city. Previously 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., hours are now 7 a.m. to 2 a.m.
“Whether someone is leaving a concert, attending an event, or spending an evening downtown, food trucks help keep Albany active and welcoming,” Robinson said in a statement. He continued, “This legislation supports entrepreneurship, strengthens our nightlife economy, and helps create a city that people want to visit, invest in, and enjoy.”
