Page 53 - Westchester Magazine - January 2011

stuffed with proscuitto, herbs, and grated Parmesan braised in a brandy, shitake mushroom, and pea cream sauce. Molto bene.
OCEAN HOUSE OYSTER BAR & GRILL Croton-on-Hudson (914) 271-0702
There’s a reason diners queue up for a table in this 19-seat, no-reservations restaurant.
(For starters, the New England clam chowder rivals anything you could find in actual New England.) Chef Brian Galvin seeks out the best fish he can find, including both common favorites and lesser-known vari- eties, and brings out their flavors in simple, unfussy presentations. Ditto for the oysters: leave your yen for the same-old Bluepoints at home and take in his selection of East and West Coast bivalves that may not have name recogni- tion but sure taste good.
OUTHOUSE ORCHARDS
North Salem
(914) 277-3188 outhouseorchards.info
Yes, this 200-acre farm can bring you all of the delights of fresh, locally grown produce: to- matoes, apples, peaches, plums, squash, and corn. But we’d be lying if we said that was the main
reason we stop by on a crisp fall afternoon. We go for the un- healthy stuff: the cider doughnuts, served warm. Kids love Outhouse Orchards, too, taking part in pumpkin- and apple-picking as well as the fun hayrides.
PENICHE TAPAS
White Plains
(914) 421-5012 penichetapas.com
Spain was fabulous way before Gwinnie and Mario traversed it, and Peniche was there to show Westchester the way. Expect chic, young crowds and sexy fla- vors, like super-expensive jamon de Belotta paired with vintage Madeira. Madeira, you say, isn’t that in Portugal? The good news is that Peniche covers the whole Iberian Peninsula, and all with incredible style.
PETER PRATT’S INN
Yorktown
(914) 962-4090; prattsinn.com
No other restaurant in Westchester has been able to inte- grate the old with the new as well as Peter Pratt’s Inn. The old: the building’s foundation dates back to 1780, and the dining room still gives off that cozy Colonial vibe. And the tradition of serving the Pratt family’s regional American cuisine goes back to the mid-’60s.
But what’s just as exciting is chef/ owner Jonathan Pratt’s ability to look forward. He’s converted his kitchen to one that cooks locally grown food in efficient applianc- es—even his truck runs on veggie oil. And, even better for us, he started Table Local Market to sup- port sustainable farming—and give us access to fresh produce.
PIPER’S KILT
Eastchester (914) 779-5772
You don’t always want a refined burger, made with a specialty blend of Waygu beef. Sometimes you want a fat, juicy burger, and you want it with giant onion rings, and you want to wash it down with a beer. Piper’s Kilt—an Eastchester institution—caters to all of these whims, with a relaxed, pubby atmosphere full of folks who won’t judge you for craving ground chuck over Kobe beef.
Q RESTAURANT AND BAR
Port Chester
(914) 933-7427 qrestaurantbar.com
Q is as close as Westchester comes to a communal backyard, where everyone hunkers on picnic benches and dives elbow-deep into Americana fare. Texas bris- ket, St. Louis ribs, and succulent Carolina pulled pork, all cooked
to low and slow perfection in
a garage-sized Southern Pride. 'Cue geeks admire perfect purple smoke rings, though that’s strictly for connoisseurs—we just love Q’s classic flavors, roomy sides of mac 'n' cheese, and crisp, house-made slaw. Best thing? There’s bourbon and Mason jars of sweet tea and not one single mosquito to ruin your down-home evening.
RAINBEAU RIDGE FARM
Bedford Hills
(914) 234-2197 rainbeauridge.com
Mark and Lisa Schwartz were once just like us, going about their suburban lives. Then, they decided to buy the farm—literally—and we get to experience the benefits of their hard work in the form of Rainbeau Ridge’s award-winning, locally made cheeses. (Our favor- ite: the ChevreLait goat’s milk cheese.) And, should you want to follow in their footsteps, the farm now hosts classes for kids and adults in cooking, canning, bak- ing, and other seasonal chores.
RED HAT ON THE RIVER
Irvington
(914) 591-5888; redhatbistro.com
Yes, the food is good, with French bistro staples like steak frites, mussels, and ratatouille. But it’s the “on the River” part
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