Page 112 - Westchester Magazine - January 2011

Dining
Ardsley
with Mediterranean influences in a chic setting. Executive Chef Ethan Kostbar, formerly of Dressing Room in Westport, Connecticut, uses natural, locally grown ingredients to create dishes such as black peppercorn seared tuna, mint pappardelle in a braised lamb-shoulder ragu, and lobster cobb salad. Private dining available. Open every day for dinner. Lunch and late-night bar dining planned. $$$ New American ★★★
OPUS 465—465 Main St, Armonk (914) 273-4676; opus465.com. Nestled in the heart of Armonk, Opus 465 features electic Continential cuisine and casu- ally elegant decor. Live music Wed through Sat, pa- tio dining during the summer, and Sun brunch. Open every day for lunch and dinner; special late-night menu Wednesdays 10 pm until 12 am. Reservations suggested. $$$ Continental
RESTAURANT NORTH—386 Main St, Armonk 914-273- 8686; restaurantnorth.com. The seasonal menu by Chef Eric Gabrynowicz, formerly of Tavern at the Highlands Country Club in Garrison, New York, changes daily at this farm-to-table eatery. Menu selections have included pan-roasted Chatham cod, orecchiette with lamb Bolognese, and scallops with fennel soubise. Stephen Mancini, previously wine director at Union Square Café, is co-owner. Open for lunch Tues to Fri, dinner Tues to Sun, and brunch Sat and Sun. $$$ New American ★★★
Banksville
LA CRÉMAILLÈRE—46 Bedford-Banksville Rd, Banksville (914) 234-9647. New for spring and sum- mer at this French getaway is a $36, three-course, prix-fixe lunch menu from 1 to 3 pm on Sun. Lunch
Dining Guide
// By John Bruno Turiano
is available Thurs to Sat. The dinner menu is served all day, starting at 1 pm on Sun. Reservations advis- able. $$$$ French ★★ 1/2 􏰀
Bedford
THE INN AT BEDFORD POST—954 Old Post Rd, Rte 121, Bedford Village (914) 234-7800. Jeremy McMillan, formerly chef de cuisine at A Voce Columbus in Manhattan, is the chef overseeing the farmhouse cuisine at this Richard Gere-owned, 110- seat formal restaurant (The Farmhouse) and 50-seat bakery/café (The Barn). Primarily serving seasonal foods from small family farms, expect entrées such as a trio of Berkshire pork, wild striped bass saltim- bocca, and hand-rolled garganelli. The Farmhouse is open Wed to Sat for dinner and Sun for brunch and dinner; The Barn is open Mon to Fri for breakfast and lunch and Sat and Sun for brunch. The bakery is open Mon to Fri. Reservations required for The Farmhouse. $$$$ New American ★★★ 1/2 􏰀􏰀
Briarcliff Manor
FLAMES STEAK HOUSE—533 N State Rd, Briarcliff Manor (914) 923-3100. This steakhouse serves up old favorites like dry-aged porterhouse steaks and Nova Scotia lobster. Dine in the wine cellar or in the private dining room. Open every day for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. $$$ Steakhouse 􏰀
Bronxville
NEW: ELIÁ TAVERNA—502 New Rochelle Rd, Bronxville (914) 663-4976; eliataverna.com. Rui Cunha, formerly owner of Oporto in Hartsdale, is behind this 60-seat Greek eatery. Dishes to try include falafel, swordfish steak with olive oil and lemon; spanakopita, and a sampling of the approxi- mately 20 hot/cold meze (the grilled halloumi, or semi-soft cheese, is a winner). Open every day for lunch and dinner. Reservations accepted except Fri and Sat evenings. $$ Greek
HAIKU ASIAN BISTRO & SUSHI BAR—56 Pondfield Rd, Bronxville (914) 337-5601; 1 Cross River Shopping, Cross River (914) 763-9120; 265 Mamaroneck Ave, Mamaroneck (914) 381-3200; 149 Mamaroneck Ave, White Plains (914) 644-8887. This quartet of pan- Asian restaurants offers dishes from Japan (there’s a sushi bar), China, and a host of other Asian countries. Popular items include sesame chicken, calamari salad, Sichuan crispy shredded dried beef, Malaysian red curry, and pad thai. Open every day for lunch and dinner $$ Pan-Asian 􏰀􏰀
ROSIE’S BISTRO ITALIANO—10 Palmer Ave, Bronxville (914) 793-2000; rosiesbronxville.com. At this Italian bistro, enjoy baked zucchini blossoms stuffed with goat cheese, San Pietro oreganata (pan-roasted whitefish), Parmesan-crusted veal scaloppini, and lasagna malfatto. Don’t forget a side of Rosie’s gar- lic bread. Open every day. $$$ Italian 􏰀􏰀
SAMMY’S DOWNTOWN BISTRO & BAR—124 Pondfield Rd, Bronxville (914) 337-3200; sammysbronxvile. com. The owners of nearby Rosie’s Bistro have opened this restaurant serving American and Eu- ropean (Spanish, French, and Italian) dishes. East Coast halibut, bouillabaisse, chicken or veal Fran- cese, and homemade wild-mushroom ravioli are some of the entrées offered. Open every day for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. Mas- terCard, Visa, and AmEx only. $$$ Eclectic
Chappaqua
CRABTREE’S KITTLE HOUSE—11 Kittle Rd (off Rte 117), Chappaqua (914) 666-8044; kittlehouse.
FIESTA MEXICO RESTAURANT—468 Ashford Ave, Ardsley (914) 478-4672; fiestamexicoardsley.com. Try authentic Mexican fare along with a medley of Tex- Mex offerings. Grilled pork chops in a tomatillo sauce, enchiladas poblanas, tacos al carbón, and fajitas with grilled marinated shrimp are popular dishes. Lunch and dinner are served every day. Reservations rec- ommended on weekends. $$ Mexican 􏰀
Armonk
GAVI RESTAURANT—15 Old Rte 22, Armonk (914) 273- 6900; gavirestaurant.com. This casual Italian eatery off Armonk’s main thoroughfare serves linguine with shrimp and crabmeat, veal scaloppini, and baby lamb chops with garlic sauce served with mashed potatoes and artichoke. An international wine list, with most bottles costing between $30 and $150, is available. Open for lunch and dinner every day. Reservations suggested. $$$ Italian
MARC CHARLES STEAKHOUSE—La Quinta Hotel 94 Business Park Dr, Armonk (914) 273-2700; marccharlessteakhouse.com. This 7,000-square- foot steakhouse’s offerings include a 16-ounce New York strip, everything-encrusted salmon, a 22-oz porterhouse pork chop, and broiled lobster tails. Open for dinner only Mon to Sat. Reservations recommended. $$$$ Steakhouse 􏰀
MODERNE BARN—430 Bedford Rd, Armonk (914) 730- 0001; modernebarn.com. The Livanos Restaurant Group’s (City Limits Diners, Molyvos, Abboccato) hometown eatery is a New American restaurant
Side Order Royal Treat
If golden puff pastry filled
with an almond cream made
with almond flour, eggs, but-
ter, and rum sounds delicious,
sample a king’s cake from La
Renaissance Pâtisserie Française (9
Harwood Ct, Scarsdale 914-472-0702; lrbakery.
com). Associated with the Christmas season in certain European countries as well as with Mardi Gras and Carnival in the Americas, the Galette des Rois—or King’s Cake—is a traditional holiday treat enjoyed in the days leading up to the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6, which marks the arrival of the Three Kings bearing gifts for Jesus. Each cake comes with a plastic or porcelain figurine (“la fève”), like a farm animal or a local food, and a paper king’s crown. The figurine is traditionally hidden in the cake (al- though La Renaissance Pâtisserie Française leaves the figurine for customers to in- sert themselves to avoid choking hazards); the person who gets the cake slice with the figurine is crowned king for the day and is obligated to offer the cake the follow- ing year. David Shore, owner of La Renaissance Pâtisserie Française, uses fresh local butter for his variation. The exterior is brushed with egg wash for a nice sheen and it's topped with a spiral design. Customers can choose from an 8-inch ($22), a 10- inch ($29), or a 12-inch ($36) galette. // JBT with Joe Cesarano
The following is a list of local restaurants, some of which are Westchester Magazine advertisers. Prices, hours, and specialties are provided by the restaurants and are subject to change. Restaurants are listed by town. Calls to confirm days and hours are recommended.
KEY TO SYMBOLS // NEW: New to our listings UPDATE: We note any significant changes // $—Average entrée $10 or less; $$—Average entrée between $11 and $17; $$$—Average entrée between $18 and $24; $$$$—Average entrée above $25 // RATINGS // ★★★★—Outstanding ★★★—Very Good ★★—Good ★—Fair
Under $20 Restaurants: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦—Outstanding ♦ ♦ ♦ —Very Good ♦ ♦ —Good ♦ —Fair // 􏰀—Best of Westchester (Editors' pick) 􏰀— Best of Westchester (Readers' pick)
Restaurants accept major credit cards unless otherwise noted.
110 / JANUARY 2011 / WWW.WESTCHESTERMAGAZINE.COM
PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER CANNON