Troy 'Polish treehouse' celebrating 1st birthday

Outdoor portion of The Hill

The Hill at Muza took its first ambitious steps last year when the unused space behind the European-style restaurant Muza on Troy's Congress Street was converted into a beer garden.

Now, what some call the "Polish treehouse" is planning to mark its first birthday with a beer and kielbasa bash. The event, set for 4 to 11 p.m. this Saturday, with drinks, food, live '80s music in the 6-9 p.m. period, a photo booth with inflatable Polish props, and some new touches to the venue that will be revealed.

"We've had an incredible first year, and it shows that other Troy neighborhoods outside of downtown are ready to start booming again," said Adam Siemiginowski, who owns The Hill. "We have amazing regulars coming from Troy's East Side, but we're also drawing adventure-seeking visitors from all over the region."

Business partner Timothy Tyrrell adds, "Some of our guests say that being at The Hill feels like hanging out in a treehouse for adults, with beer and kielbasa. We've built an entire business around feel-good energy, creating an experience that people will remember and want to come back for."

The original Muza restaurant was established nine years ago by Siemiginowski's parents Jan and Alicja, who immigrated to the United States from Poland in the 1970s. The evolving menu at their son's extension of the business now includes "Euro" burgers, house-smoked tacos and wings, and kielbasa prepared in the outdoor kitchen, as well as a wine list recently featured on Albany's Yelp site.

The venue, located just off the RPI campus, is framed by three adjacent buildings, a cobble-lined wall and a wooded hill. Guests enter through a pair of black gates at 379 Congress Street. (The main restaurant Muza is located around the corner at 1300 15th Street.) A narrow walkway between two buildings leads to the open-air landscaped beer garden. There also is an enclosed clubhouse-like barroom with tables and indoor seating.

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