808 Bistro Lights Up Scarsdale Avenue
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There’s new energy on Scarsdale Avenue and as soon as you see the neon lights and pressed tin ceiling at the 808 Bistro you start to feel the vibe. Located in the former home of Millenio, the site has been transformed in metallic and light. The layout includes a generous bar and an appealing list of locally named cocktails to enjoy.
Scarsdale now has its own drink– the Scarsdale Smash, a combination of vodka, triple sec, orange and cranberry juice with fresh lemon sour. There’s also the Route 22, which is muddled pineapple and cucumber with gin and club soda and the drink menu includes Mojitos and Margaritas in strawberry basil, ginger, pineapple, mango and raspberry. My pineapple Mojito was a satisfyingly sweet blend of fresh crushed pineapple and mint with rum and syrup.
The menu is an eclectic mix that defies categorization. Chef Salvatore Cucullo Jr. is the son of the owners of Fratelli’s in New Rochelle and there are some Italian offerings. However, he comes to 808 Bistro by way of an education at the Culinary Institute or America and work experience at the recently closed Café des Artistes in Manhattan and brings his versatile style to the table.
We started with Pan Seared Sea Scallops with asparagus, and goat cheese in a balsamic reduction. Yes it was rich – but delicious as well. On the lighter side, we ordered a Quinoa Salad (pronounced keen-wah) with orange, golden raisin, cucumbers and cilantro in a citrus vinaigrette. The salad was fresh, flavorful and unique and is also on the lunch menu. My companions had a healthy portion of a Buratta Mozzarella, sliced local vine tomatoes, basil and fire-roasted pepper salad and struggled to down it all. Also recommended from the choice of appetizers are the fresh oysters and the baked macaroni and cheese with lobster, shrimp and truffle oil.
For entrees, there are pastas, fish, poultry and meats. Among the chef’s favorites are NanasGnocchi, with tomato and basil, which is based on a family recipe. We tried the Chianti Stained Pappardelle with beef, pork and veal ragout. It was a hearty dish of homemade noodles with large chunks for meat in a tomato sauce and might have been more fitting for a cold night in February than a steamy evening in June. I had the linguine with shrimp, clams, scallops, calamari and mussels and we also had the pistachio crusted halibut. Both were well prepared, fresh and flavorful. From the meat selections were a marinated skirt steak, a Rib-eye Steak, Veal Capriccioso, several pork selections and chicken or veal any style. If you bring your family, you are sure to find something to please everyone.
For dessert, we had an irresistible Chocolate Polenta Pudding and a Berry Napoleon that was apparently a favorite at Café Des Artistes. The Napoleon had fresh berries, and whipped cream sandwiched between layers of light pastry.
Though the restaurant has only been open for three weeks, service was efficient and the meal was well timed. Everyone on the staff was gracious and made us feel welcome. Prices for appetizers ranged from $12-$17, salads $7 - $14 and entrees $17 - $28. The lunch menu includes some of the appetizers and pastas discussed above as well as a selection of sandwiches and wraps reasonably priced at only $10.
There were so many appealing choices and limits to what we could consume, so we’ll go back to try it again. We recommend you try it too – before it gets too hard to get a table.
808 Bistro
808 Scarsdale Avenue
Scarsdale N.Y.
914-722-0808
www.the808bistro.com
Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.
Zagats Picks for Westchester
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Zagat Survey has released its 2010/11 Westchester and Hudson Valley Restaurants Survey covering restaurants in southern New York plus nearby Connecticut and the Berkshires. The updated guide is based on the experiences of 4,502 avid local diners and covers 961 restaurants, including 70 important additions.
"Westchester and the Hudson Valley are home to an impressive crop of affordable restaurants," said Tim Zagat, CEO of Zagat Survey. "With Zagat content available in print and our suite of mobile applications, diners north of New York City can access our reliable restaurant reviews wherever they go.”
This year, Westchester welcomed a surge of ultracasual eateries specializing in affordable fare. In Hartsdale, Frankie & Fanucci’s presents thin-crust pizza, while a new location of well-known Connecticut pizzeria Frank Pepe opened in Yonkers. Diners hungry for comfort food were met with newcomers Rainwater Grill in Hastings-on-Hudson and Mamaroneck’s Roasted Peppers. Consumers interested in something different were greeted by Barnacle BBQ and Fish Shack, also in Mamaroneck, with live music on weekends and a rear deck overlooking Mamaroneck Harbor.
Worldly cuisines with down-to-earth prices popped up all over Westchester. These newcomers include Sleepy Hollow’s Tyrynda Thai (Thai), Hartsdale’s Masala Kraft Café (vegetarian Indian) and New Rochelle’s Don Coqui (Puerto Rican). Asian arrivals play it safe with moderately priced menus, such as those at Lucky Buddha in Thornwood, which provides everything from hibachi to Indonesian dishes, Mt. Kisco’s Neo World Bistro and Sushi Bar and Haiku in White Plains.
Some of Westchester’s top restaurants have changed their tune to attract bargain-hunting diners. Dan Barber’s Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills added less costly options to its tasting-menu format, while Port Chester’s Tarry Lodge now offers lunch and brunch specials. In Yonkers, X2O Xaviars on the Hudson (Most Popular in this Survey) regularly hosts value-oriented events including an unlimited champagne brunch on Sundays.
The 2010/11 Westchester and Hudson Valley Restaurants guide sells for $14.95 and was edited by Bill Corsello, Michelle Golden, John Bruno Turiano, Judith Hausman, Julia Sexton, Lynn Hazlewood and Lorriane Gengo. For information on Zagat’s mobile products, visit http://www.zagat.com/mobile.
Roasted Peppers in Mamaroneck
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Roasted Peppers in Mamaroneck offers casual American dining with a Mexican and Spanish influence. At reasonable prices the restaurant serves lunch and dinner-- and brunch on Sundays. The ambience is low-key and perhaps a bit chain restaurant-esque. With brick walls, pictures of roasted peppers, and soft pop music the restaurant is a cross between your local pizza place and a branch of Chipotle. Regardless of the decor, the food was delicious. Recurring flavors include roasted peppers, jalapeno, and tomato. The service was not top-notch-- the waitress seemed unsure of which dishes to recommend and she misjudged the timing of our order so the salads arrived after our entrees-- but the overall experience was very satisfying, for both my appetite and wallet.
Reflecting the theme of the restaurant, bread was presented at the beginning of the meal with roasted pepper hummus. The appetizers, each $8, hit the spot. The cornmeal chipotle fried calamari, was a perfect balance between crunchy and chewy, and was served with a succulent honey jalapeno tartar sauce. Meanwhile, the signature stuffed roasted pepper came stuffed in two ways: one half with romesco and goat cheese and the other with ground beef-- a very filling appetizer (no pun intended) -- and a good dish to share. The signature salad was nothing special and the lime vinaigrette was good but failed to provide a kick. On the other hand, the warm seafood salad was worth the wait. Be sure not to fill up on appetizers, because the entrees and desserts are just as tasty!
The entrees are all reasonable portions for one, except the large serving of paella, which is enough to share. The three red snapper tacos had a refreshing blend of flavors, while the rotisserie organic chicken was simple, not too dry, and served with a nice mole sauce. The paella tasted as authentic as any in Spain. No one at my table chose to taste from the “burger corner,” but I wouldn’t be surprised if the burgers are mouthwatering too.
All desserts are just $5 and melt-in-your-mouth good. The waitress recommended both the jalapeno brownie and the rice pudding. The jalapeno brownie with coconut ice cream sounded like a strange combination, but the subtle jalapeno and coconut flavors complemented the very rich brownie. The dessert would make anyone feel like a kid again. The warm cinnamon spiced rice pudding with bourbon sauce was not as sweet but just as delicious. As we were the only ones left at Roasted Peppers late on a Monday night the restaurant also gave us the sweet Lepe flan to try for free and we recommend that as well.
The overall dining experience made for a fun night and a full tummy and we recommend you try Roasted Peppers soon. For the complete menus for lunch, dinner, and brunch, check out the restaurant’s website at www.roastedpeppersny.com
Roasted Peppers
320 Mamaroneck Ave
Mamaroneck, NY 10543
914-341-1140
914-341-1141
www.roastedpeppersny.com
Zero Otto Nove
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If you’d like to get out of town without risking a flight, drive south, but not too far south to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. I first discovered the neighborhood after a trip to the New York Botanical Gardens. I wanted to find the source of the crusty Italian bread and fresh pasta I often purchase here in Scarsdale. Using my nav, I threaded my way through the Bronx and happened into authentic Italian shops such as Casa Della Mozzarella and the Terranova Bakery. Several times I brought home creamy cheeses, prosciutto and bread, but then I was tipped off to a restaurant that uses these local specialties on their own menu. Why cook I thought, when I could be served a superior Italian meal right on Arthur Avenue?
Zero, Otto, Nove (089) is the area code for Salerno, Italy, home of Roberto Paciullo who is the owner and chef of the famed Roberto’s and his newer Trattoria Zero Otto Nove at 2357 Arthur Avenue that opened in 2007.
When you enter the restaurant you’re faced with a long bar and sometimes a long wait for dinner. The restaurant does not take reservations so go early or be prepared to spend some time at the bar. Hidden in the back room behind the bar is a two-story skylit room, with a balcony centered around a large wood-burning pizza oven. The stuccoed, faux-rock walled eatery is decorated to make you feel like you’re sitting in ancient Rome. When you peruse the extensive menu you quickly forget whether you’re in Italy or the Bronx.
Zero Otto Nove (089) is famous for their thin crust pizza, and you must try a slice. Share a pie with your companions – there’s a long list of choices from the traditional Margherita to a Caprese with mozzarella, cherry tomoatos, arugula and parmesan cheese to the Diavola with San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and spicy soppresatta. More adventurous diners might try the Pizza La Cirilo with butternut squash puree, cream of truffle, mushrooms and mozzarella or the La San Matteo with mozzarella, sausage and broccoli rabe. Whatever you try, limit yourself to a slice so that you’ll have room for antipasti, pasta or an entrée.
We arrived on a wet, chilly day and all chose warm pasta dishes. Service was attentive and steaming plates of fresh pasta appeared just as we finished our arugula salad. The Pasta Al Forno, baked fusilli with meatballs, soppressata, ricotta, mozzarella, sliced egg and tomato sauce was creamy, flavorful and irresistible. Malfade, which are curly-edged flat noodles are served with porcini mushrooms, smoked mozzarella and cherry tomotoes and the pasta special that day was rigatoni with spinach and sausage in a parmesan sauce. 089 also offers a whole grilled fish of the day and full selection of seafood dishes including baked codfish, grilled shrimp, squid, calamari and octopus and a zuppa di pesce. If you’re looking for Carne, there are pork chops, chicken scarpariello, Cornish hen, veal cutlet and even steak.
Though we didn’t have room for the tiramisu, cannoli, ricotta cheesecake or profiteroles, we sipped our cappucino’s and savored the relaxed ambience at 089. Even though we were sure someone eagerly awaited our table, we were welcome to stay as long as we liked. The handsome waiters were helpful and charming, and as we left we debated whether or not to share the info with readers of Scarsdale10583.
Trattoria Zero Otto Nove
2357 Arthur Avenue
Bronx, New York 10458
718-220-1027
www.roberto089.com
Lunch: Tuesday- Saturday Noon- 2:30 PM
Dinner: Tuesday-Thursday 4:30- 10:00 PM
Friday and Saturday 4:30- 11 PM
Sunday 1:00 – 9 PM
Elia Taverna
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Rui Cunha, former owner of Oporto in Hartsdale has re-emerged in Chester Heights, at the crossroads of Bronxville and Eastchester off California Road. He has migrated south and his cuisine has traveled eastward – from Portugal to Greece at his new hotspot Elia Taverna. He’s teamed up with brother-in-law and chef Michalki Sarris, who hails from Telly’s Taverna and Dimitri’s Seafood Restaurant in Astoria and clearly knows how to run a Greek kitchen.
The restaurant opened two months ago and has been an instant hit. As they don’t take reservations on Friday and Saturday nights, hungry diners have been lining up in the parking lot in the hope of getting a table on the weekend. The good news is that Elia Taverna does accept reservations on weeknights and they are open for lunch. So if you’re determined to get in, you just need to plan ahead.
The restaurant is small but inviting, adorned with posters of the Greek Isles that elicit pleasant memories of trips to Mykonos, Santorini or Paros. You’ll get a warm welcome from the waiter and instantly be served toasted pita and Greek olives. Until they get their liquor license, you are allowed to bring your own bottle – so remember to grab your favorite red or white before you go.
The menu starts with a long list of cold and hot appetizers. We tasted the taramosalata – a creamy caviar dip and skordalia made with garlic and potatos. A sampling plate of skordalia, tzatziki, taramosalata, and melitzanosalata (roasted eggplant dip) is available for $10.95.
From the zesta or hot list, there’s fried calamari, charcoal grilled octopus, kolokithokeftedes (fried zucchini cakes with fresh herbs) and homemade stuffed grape leaves with rice, fresh dill, lemon and Greek olive oil. We tasted a few more– including the garides saganaki – which were sautéed shrimp in a tomato sauce with fresh feta cheese. The shrimp were delicious and the spicy sauce was perfect with pita and rice.
The menu includes gyro and souvlaki, both available as pita sandwiches or on platters with Greek salad, tzatziki and rice. Choose from falafel, gyro, pork or chicken souvlaki or a Greek burger, all reasonably priced at $6.95 for the sandwich or $12.95 for the platter.
For entrées there are traditional Greek specialties like pastichio, moussaka, and spanikopita. From the grill, there’s lamb or chicken kebab, lamb chops, and a mixed grill platter of gyro, sausage, beef and chicken. The chef features fresh grilled fish, including branzino, red snapper, salmon and swordfish and Rui recommended that we come back soon to sample the Octopus, which was too much to eat for lunch.
Elia Taverna welcomes children and has a kids’ menu with hamburgers, chicken tenders and cheese sticks, for those with a less adventurous palate.
If you remember the delicious sangria served at Oporto, you’ll be happy to know that Rui is working on bottling his secret recipe and selling it in stores. For now, we hope that Elia Taverna will get their liquor license so we can enjoy a glass of the fruity blend there.
Our lunch was delicious and fun. I could swear I saw my companion blush a few times as the charming Greek waiter served up compliments along with our food. "We're definitely coming back here for a girl's night out," she declared as we walked out the door.
Choose a quiet weekday for lunch or dinner and find your way down the Hutch to Elia Taverna. If you can’t get a table, take out is available as well.
Elia Taverna
502 New Rochelle Road
Bronxville, NY 10708
914-ONE-GYRO – 914-663-4977
