Page 109 - Westchester Magazine - January 2011

interior, superior service, and artistic pre- sentations of even the most humble ingre- dients will have you wishing you could hire the restaurant’s interior decorator. The Barn, the restaurant’s more casual sibling, also has a wood-burning fireplace.
It’s easy to feel pampered and privileged at Equus Restaurant at The Castle on the Hudson (400 Benedict Ave, Tarrytown 914-631- 3646; castleonthehudson.com) where, upon crossing the threshold, you can’t help but think you’ve been transported to the by- gone days of the Rockefellers. This regal restaurant, with its two oversized wood- burning fireplaces (one in the Oak Room, one in the Tapestry Room), is known for its exquisite food and special-occasion dining. Just don’t be surprised when your Prince Charming forgets to open the car door for you upon exiting.
Dining at John-Michael’s Restaurant (100 Titicus Rd, North Salem 914-277-2301; vision restaurantny.com) is the definition of winter comfort. Ask to be seated at table 22, 23, 24, or 27 for a ringside perch of the majes- tic, 236-year-old stone fireplace (though any seat in the dining room has a view). Or opt for the Equestrian Room with a warm and toasty seat by the wood-burning stove. Either way, you’ll be dazzled by Chef John- Michael Hamlet’s creative winter hunter’s stew; his version of cassoulet made with duck confit, white beans, and root veggies; or his popular fennel-seed-crusted duck served with sweet-potato purée and fen- nel kraut. The restaurant, on the National Register of Historic Places, has become well known for its duck creations, despite the less formal bistro ambience (no more white tablecloths like its predecessor Purdys Homestead but instead bare wood tables). The bar, too, has been revamped with cocktail tables, a lounge area, TVs, and an extended menu of cocktails and locally brewed beers. The icing on the cake: anoth- er wood-burning fireplace by which to sit, drink, and be merry.
The brick fireplace at La Crémaillère (46 Bedford-Banksville Rd, Bedford 914-234-9647; cremaillere.com) dates from 1750 and makes you feel like you’re dining far away in some European countryside cottage as opposed to a white clapboard farmhouse in Northern Westchester. The enchanting French cui- sine, which emphasizes fresh ingredients and changes on a seasonal basis, is comple- mented by an extensive wine cellar
with more than 14,000 bottles.
Est. 1926
WESTCHESTER MAGAZINE
From The Livanos Family
John, Nick, Bill & Corina
WWW.LIVANOSRESTAURANTGROUP.COM
CHOWDERS | RAW BAR | LOBSTERS
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DINNER:
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Steakhouse
STEAKHOUSE

FAMOUS FOR STEAKS AND CHOPS
FAMOUS FOR STEAKS AND CHOPS
“All steaks were thick-cut, full of flavor and cooked to perfection.” - The New York Times
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“Best Of ” Award of Excellence - 2008 - Wine Spectator
VoVtoetded“B“eBstesotfoWf eWstcehstecshters”teirn”FiniveSiCxaCteagtoergioersibesy by thethreardeeardseorsf WofeWstcehstecshterstMeraMgaazginaezine 2003-2010
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