Page 110 - Westchester Magazine - January 2011

this is the story about the language of food. the love of food. and family.
Hot Bars
No time for a meal? No worries. These bars offer plenty of room for fireside drinks and snacks.
Blue Hill at Stone Barns (630 Bedford Rd, Pocantico Hills 914-366-9600; blue hillfarm.com) offers a stunning wood- burning fireplace with plenty of seats to lounge and enjoy.
121 Restaurant and Bar (2 Dingle Ridge Rd, North Salem 914-669-0121; 121restaurant.com) has a wood-burning fire in the bar area with tables nearby.
The Rye Bar & Grill (1 Station Plz, Rye 914-967-0332; ryegrill.com) boasts three gas fireplaces, one in each dining room, as well as a cozy one in the bar area.
“★ ★ ★ ★”
— Westchester Magazine, 9/2009
“Very Good”
— New York Times, 5/2009
Main Course
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Lusardi’s (1885 Palmer Ave, Larchmont 914-834-5555; lusardislarchmont.com), a longtime Westchester favorite known for its mixture of Italian and Mediterranean fare, offers solace in comfort foods like pap- pardelle Bolognese and wins you over with its Barolo-laden wine list. But it’s the gas-lit fireplace in the dining room that adds to the restaurant’s coziness, making this doyenne of the dining scene a popular winter staple.
You’ll want it to snow just so you can thaw yourself by the fire at Peter Pratt’s Inn (673 Croton Heights Rd, Yorktown 914- 962-4090; prattsinn.com) and dig into a hearty slice of grilled Colorado lamb with Dijon baby roasted potatoes. This former Revolutionary War-era barn, with its thick, petrified chestnut beams and Colonial design, serves epicurean meals in a snug, rustic setting that, thanks to the crackle of flames in the 231-year-old massive fire- place, takes you back to a slower-paced, non-texting era. Sigh.
If the long list of inventive cocktails at The Lobby Lounge at the Ritz-Carlton, Westchester (3 Renaissance Sq, White Plains 914-946-5500; ritzcarlton.com/en/properties/ westchester/default.htm) doesn’t warm you sufficiently, the gas-burning fireplace, with its center-stage presence, will. The flicker- ing flames, which are lit most of the year, make for a spacious living room atmo- sphere ideal for people-watching (I saw Ann Curry!). Plunk yourself into one of the comfortable couches or chairs and enjoy the daily-changing menu (e.g., charcuterie and cheese on Tuesdays, sushi and oysters on Saturdays).
The mood is stylish and refined at Tango Grill (128 E Post Rd, White Plains 914-946- 6222; tangogrillny.com), where a gas fireplace illuminates the back dining room. I’ve long been a fan of the muted wood tones and formal ambience, along with the richly fla- vorful Argentinean and Italian cuisines. In keeping with the hot theme, try the rum- spiked dulce de leche crêpes for dessert, a flaming creation served with ice cream.
The Tap House (16 Depot Sq, Tuckahoe 914- 337-6941; thetaphouseny.com) exudes casual pub-style hospitality while offering sophisti- cated food and a dizzying array of craft beers. This tastefully decorated space (think Old English pub with a dash of New York buzz) first impresses with its high-ceilinged front room and long bar where a few cozy booths entice with little lamps and semi-private nooks. There’s also a more intimate upstairs room that overlooks the action below. Our fave, though—complete with a walk-through the kitchen to get there—is the convivial dining room with gas-lit fireplace, making it a nice place to hibernate untill spring.
There are at least two reasons to be warmed by the charm of Marc Charles Steakhouse (94 Business Park Dr, Armonk 914-273-2700; marccharlessteakhouse.com). The double-sided (gas) fireplace in the main dining room, which also opens to a private dining area, makes for a “twice as nice” spot to thaw out and enjoy the colos- sal shrimp scampi, Porterhouse pork chop, or sizzling New York strip with a Shiraz demi-glace. And, since three’s the charm, there’s also a smaller, more private fire- place that segues between the lobby of La Quinta Inn and the steakhouse—an ideal hideaway in which to sip a Purple Rain martini and wish for snow.
Who knew the Doubletree Hotel, reno- vated two years ago, had such an inviting mountain-lodge feel? Its chalet-soaring ceiling and hulky stone fireplaces (yes, there are two log-burning fireplaces in the lobby) warm you up even before you enter Bistro Z (455 S Broadway, Tarrytown 914- 524-6410; bistroz.com), where a third fire- place sits with your “reserved table” sign. Executive Chef James Rosenbauer, who has worked at some of New York City’s fin- est restaurants, including The River Café and the long-defunct Sign of the Dove, prides himself on offering local, seasonal food. And, indeed, starters like pumpkin- and-sage ravioli with dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and shaved Asiago cheese definitely taste better accompanied by the comfort of a warm, crackling blaze.
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Jeanne Muchnick, a frequent contributor to Westchester Magazine, admits she loves fire- places, heat lamps, bonfires, and outdoor fire pits (she’s always cold).
The Cookery
39 Chestnut Street Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
914.305.2336 thecooker yrestaurant.com
OPEN FOR LUNCH, DINNER AND SUNDAY BRUNCH
108 / JANUARY 2011 / WWW.WESTCHESTERMAGAZINE.COM