Two New Places to Try in 2011

Always on the lookout for new dining options, we heard a lot about Juniper in Hastings. We finally got a reservation and now understand the hype. Though Juniper is a very small restaurant with an open kitchen and minimal decoration, there’s obviously been a lot of attention to detail. Chef Alex Sze has an impressive pedigree (Citronelle in Washington DC and 10 Downing in NYC) and is committed to using fine fresh and local ingredients. Service is casual but competent.

The menu has some wonderful and unusual options. We had a table of four good sharers so we sampled a plethora of terrific choices: For appetizers we tried Strozzapreti, a great pasta dish with parsnips, pancetta, poached egg and pecorino, in addition to a delicious house-made terrine plus a radicchio salad with olive-ricotta crostini, Marcona almonds, currants and parmesan. Starters ran from $8-$12 and were followed by well-prepared main dishes including a beautifully grilled Dorade, a crispy duck, a tasty diver scallop special and a hanger steak. Even the sides were special including celery root, roasted bone marrow (with the steak) and roasted cauliflower.

Prices for the entrees were reasonable ($15-$25), as was the total tab, since it’s a “bring your own wine” policy with a minimal $5 corkage charge. We topped off dinner by sharing some wonderful cookies for dessert (chocolate chip, peanut butter and oatmeal raisin). You can’t go wrong with that and we can’t wait to come back for more.
Juniper
575 Warburton Avenue
Hastings-on–Hudson,
New York 10706
914-478-2542
JuniperHastings@gmail.com
Hours:
Sunday: Brunch 10 am – 3 pm
Monday: Closed
Tuesday Lunch: 10 am – 3 pm
Wednesday – Friday: Lunch: 10 am – 3 pm, Dinner: 5:30 pm – 9 pm
Saturday: Brunch: 10 am – 3 pm. Dinner 5:30 pm – 9 pm

If you’re looking for a light snack or dinner after a movie at City Center in White Plains we also can recommend an unassuming White Plains spot. Though it’s another franchise, you might enjoy Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza on Main Street, heading toward North Broadway. The atmosphere is very casual and while the pizza is nothing special (I prefer the thinner crust variety), the fantastic wings are the reason to go! They are cooked in the pizza oven (so you feel a little less guilty since they’re not fried) and they are smothered with grilled onions. After eating them there one night, we also got them for take-out and they were equally delicious. Not your typical wings, but worth a try!

Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza
264 Main Street
White Plains, New York 10601
914-358-9702
http://anthonyscoalfiredpizza.com/