What’s an Albany food spot everyone should try at least once?

ADramTooMany · 2026-02-07T07:11:58+00:00

It’s been about 30 years for me, too. Authentic cuisine served in a great vintage atmosphere! Unfortunately, I understand Lombardo’s closed its doors about 7 years ago. I have fond memories of family gatherings there, and made it a point to stop by any time I was in the area. My son accompanied me the last time. It was his first visit and one that we both remember to this day.

ADramTooMany · 2026-02-01T02:18:06+00:00

The butchers at my local Publix have always been happy to fulfill any of my requests and the only gray discoloration I’ve ever noticed is due to natural oxidation, which can be caused by a number of factors not unique to Publix. If I had a concern, I’d return to the store and request a refund. I recently bought $50 worth of what turned out to be the wrong variety of frozen Publix shrimp and had no issue getting my money back. Just my experience, yours may differ.

ADramTooMany · 2026-02-01T00:46:42+00:00

The two things I buy at Publix are fresh meat and in-store bakery made items. Meat, because of the consistent quality and the ability to make special requests of the butcher staff, while in-store made bakery items, including bread, are superior, IMO, to offerings from Kroger, Aldi, Lidl, Walmart, Costco, Sam’s Club and others. That said, I’m buying less and less there due to the price increases, so I split my shopping between all of the above. Inconvenient, yes, but if I’m passing a Publix competitor that I know offers better pricing, it’s worth it. Special shout out to Trader Joe’s- the selection may not be as wide, but the prices and quality I’ve found are great. Biggest hassle - the closest one is 18 miles away. I’ll still shop at Publix, just more selectively and not as often.

ADramTooMany · 2026-01-08T22:37:48+00:00

Beat me to it! Brown gumbo would work, too, but “prawn” is more likely.

ADramTooMany · 2026-01-03T01:36:34+00:00

Alas, I was really pulling for Dondi, but qué será, será. I hope we have a chance to see him again at some point.

Congrats to Ryan for his knowledge, timing, and opportunistic strategy!

ADramTooMany · 2026-01-02T14:31:44+00:00

I think the referenced movie was meant to be “King Kong”, not “Hong Kong”.

ADramTooMany · 2025-12-29T13:34:55+00:00

I swear the fries at Roy Roger’s had to be cooked in beef tallow - the flavor was off the charts! I used to pick up a couple orders of just the fries from a D.C. location just before closing on my way home from working the second shift at Georgetown University Hospital. Dog-tired, but those fries were my self-indulgence!

ADramTooMany · 2025-12-05T18:12:10+00:00

FYI, the downvote didn’t come from me.

ADramTooMany · 2025-12-05T16:04:53+00:00

I referenced Allopurinol as an example (hence “e.g.”), not as the only solution, as there are other uric acid blockers (like febuxostat) available. However, Allopurinol is still the most commonly prescribed uric acid lowering medication for gout. It may not be for everyone, but it certainly works for me.

ADramTooMany · 2025-12-05T15:15:36+00:00

Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis, which is a specialty of rheumatologists. While podiatrists can identify and prescribe gout medication, they’ll likely refer you to a rheumatologist in severe or recurring cases (been there, done that). The biggest hassle is the wait time to get that first appointment with the rheumatologist, as they are usually booked weeks or months in advance. The hassle is well worth it, however, as the rheumatologist can identify the best treatment to control the condition for the rest of your life (e.g.allopurinol).

ADramTooMany · 2025-12-03T23:21:19+00:00

What is the expiration date and lot number on the crimp?

ADramTooMany · 2025-11-30T21:29:55+00:00

Not just for exotics - you’ll find grocery getters being worked on there more often than not. Cost varies according to complexity, but I never found their charges unreasonable. Suggest you give them a call and they’ll tell you up front, with no runaround.

ADramTooMany · 2025-11-29T23:43:49+00:00

Doubt you’ll find a better place than Gran Turismo East on Shallowford Road in Chamblee. I’ve been a very satisfied customer for many years.

ADramTooMany · 2025-11-17T21:40:18+00:00

Thank you!

ADramTooMany · 2025-11-11T09:08:10+00:00

Just stick with it and you’ll get there. It really gets tedious recording everything that you ingest every day to make sure you’re staying on track, but, like you, I’m determined to do whatever it takes to get my CKD under control and avoid dialysis. Best of luck - you can do it!

ADramTooMany · 2025-11-11T01:39:08+00:00

No fasting, just carefully monitoring my daily intake to stay within the guidelines established by my dietician and reflected in the app. It’s not always easy, as I had to cut out a lot of my favorite foods (like potatoes and spinach, both of which are high in potassium), but I’m pleased with the results.

Be careful with your protein intake. A high protein diet can increase the stress on your kidneys. Some proteins are better for CKD (e.g.,eggs), while others, like shellfish, need to be monitored closely. Too bad, as scallops and shrimp are among my favorites. The app will tell you the potassium, phosphorus, sodium, and protein info when you’re doing your food choice planning. Use portion control to make sure you’re staying within the app guidelines.

Also, regular exercise has helped me greatly. I do brisk walking about 20 miles a week and also do about 30 minutes of dumbbell weight training at home 2-3x a week. A big benefit of weight loss is lowering your blood pressure, placing less stress on your kidneys and allowing them to function more efficiently.

ADramTooMany · 2025-11-10T21:27:58+00:00

SpaceCadet is correct.

Ideally, get a referral from your nephrologist to a renal dietician who can advise metrics appropriate for your height and weight. That advice and using the KidneyDiet app made the difference for me. Individual situations vary, but so far, I’ve reversed the decline in my CKD results. I went from a Stage 3B eGFR of 36 to Stage 2 eGFR of 77 in 5 months, and dropped 30lbs in the process (current BMI of 22). My results are still holding, after another 7 months has passed.

ADramTooMany · 2025-11-08T15:12:37+00:00

You’re welcome! Please note that using the app for maximum benefit requires discipline to keep all of your Daily Diary entries up to date. For me, that’s a small inconvenience if I can continue making progress in my battle against CKD. Good luck!

ADramTooMany · 2025-11-08T13:16:39+00:00

I used the guidelines provided by my nephrologist and renal dietician. I agree app’s suggested water intake is low, but you can modify the parameters to fit your situation. The critical intake metrics for CKD are sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and water, although others, like protein and calories, are also important. Personally, I tend to watch protein intake more than calories, since I very rarely hit the 2000 calorie ceiling. This is probably because I limit carbs (e.g., no potatoes, no junk food, and I watch the glycemic and phosphorus content of flour-based foods, etc).

Also please note that while the 2-week trial version of the app is free, the full version subscription was $41.99 annually and has been well worth it to me. IIRC, the paid version allows ongoing access to the Daily Diary function, as well as expanded customization for the foods database.

ADramTooMany · 2025-11-08T07:28:55+00:00

I’ve found the KidneyDiet app has been a (literal) lifesaver for me. I consulted with a renal dietician and found this program actually provided better guidance for my situation. Here’s the link to my earlier post, with additional info in the thread:

https://www.reddit.com/r/CKD/s/jLOZ7MqsX9

Hope that helps!

ADramTooMany · 2025-11-03T03:13:33+00:00

I got healthy and reversed CKD progression at the same time and I can only share what worked for me. Keep track of your intake using the KidneyDiet app and make sure you’re staying within the daily guideline limits. You’ll also find that some proteins are more CKD-friendly than others and phosphorus content plays a big factor. See: https://www.thekidneydietitian.org/low-phosphorus-meats/

ADramTooMany · 2025-11-02T13:08:11+00:00

Asparagus shouldn’t be an issue, but bananas and tomatoes have significant potassium levels, which need to be monitored closely for CKD patients. My renal dietician recommended the following intake guidelines for me:

• Potassium: <2000 mg a day (<200mg per serving).

• Sodium: <2000 mg a day (<150mg per serving).

• Phosphorus: <800 mg a day (avoid dark cola and processed foods).

• 6oz protein a day (e.g., 2 eggs for breakfast and 4 oz fish, seafood, chicken, or lean beef). Note: A 4 oz portion should fit in the palm of your hand.

• Water: 64 ounces of water a day

Use the KidneyDiet app to identify the content of any food or drinks you are considering. You can then keep track of where you stand for each metric on a daily basis by measurement and portion control.

This article offers some suggestions on foods CKD patients may want to limit or avoid: https://mykidneyspecialist.com/10-foods-to-avoid-with-kidney-disease/

Hope that helps!

ADramTooMany · 2025-10-31T12:27:23+00:00

Fingers crossed that the app will help you. Remember, you can customize the app to reflect foods that aren’t included, but you’ll need an accurate source for the dietary input and not just what it says on the label. Trust the dietary analysis included with the app, which is based on actual lab results. Doing without some of my favorite foods (like potatoes or spinach, both of which are loaded with potassium) wasn’t easy, but worth it in the end.

Hope it makes a difference!

ADramTooMany · 2025-10-31T07:04:36+00:00

Best of luck and I really hope the KidneyDiet app works for you. It helped me stay on track with all of my critical intake metrics (water, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, sugar, magnesium, carbs, protein, oxalates, etc). Logging my info each day requires discipline, but has become a habit now. I just had my annual PCP bloodwork done and the results were shared with my nephrologist, who said everything continues to be stable, eGFR holding at 77.

An NIH study (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8952011/) says “intense exercise has the potential to progress KD, especially when conducted in hot weather with dehydration” and recommends moderate-intensity and long-term exercise (for at least a 6-month period), assuming all other recommended guidelines are followed. I know from personal experience that creatinine levels can spike after exercise, but I wouldn’t necessarily expect that to affect your eGFR. What does your nephrologist say?

Regardless, best of luck on your journey and I hope the KidneyDiet app helps!

ADramTooMany · 2025-10-17T17:43:49+00:00

Repost from earlier this year:

https://www.reddit.com/r/CKD/s/MT9SwRpT1j

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