The Cookery in Dobbs Ferry
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Westchester is becoming a restaurant haven with new venues popping up all over the county. The Cookery has hopped on the organic bandwagon (a good wagon to be on in my opinion) and is serving lots of locally grown produce in a small but comfy setting. The chef hails from the Eastchester Fish Gourmet and Zuppa and the orientation is Italian with handmade pastas as well as other choices. The restaurant is on a back street in Dobbs Ferry that is difficult to find but since the town is not large, you'll certainly get there! There were four of us on a weekday night and believing the NY Times, that the restaurant does not take reservations, we just drove on over around 7:15. Turns out the “no reservations” policy is just for the weekends, but after a short wait we were seated at our table. It was a lively crowd and while some thought it was a little noisy, the place had a good buzz.
The menu offered lots of choices and we tried some of the interesting ones..... a clam pizzette (interesting combo), organic salad, and ricotta crostino with honey and thyme... for starters. All were well prepared and good. When it came to main courses, they had all ready run out of the fish special so the waiter recommended we substitute the cod (not my favorite fish). I can't say I loved the fish dish. We also sampled the short ribs.... my personal favorite of our picks. Desserts included homemade ice cream and a seasonal crumble. All the wines on the list are available by the glass and you’ll get a generous pour.
Service was pleasant, very casual, and the prices are reasonable ($110 in all for 2 people).
The Cookery
39 Chestnut Street
Dobbs Ferry
(914) 305-2336
Hours:
Lunch: Tuesday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Brunch: Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Dinner: Tuesday through Thursday, 5:30 to 10 p.m.;
Friday and Saturday, 5:30 to 11 p.m.;
Sunday, 4:30 to 9 p.m.
Le Pain Quotidien in Rye
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Fans of the communal table will be happy to know that Le Pain Quotidien has opened their first suburban New York location on Purchase Street in Rye. Featuring long wood tables and oak floors, the restaurant feels like you’ve come home for a family meal. You can sit down at the communal table and meet your neighbors or grab one of the private tables that run along the periphery.
Well-known here and abroad for their fresh food and innovative seating concept, the new site is a welcome addition to the Westchester restaurant scene. Breakfast features organic coffees, teas, brioche, croissants and oatmeal with berries. At lunchtime you’ll find a tempting array of salads, tartines, soup and daily plates. We tried the ricotta tartine which is an open face sandwich served with mission figs, tomato and acacia honey as well as the roasted turkey with scallions and herbs both on freshly-baked whole wheat bread.
Their breads and pastries are also for sale at the counter. Desserts include pound cake, brownies, fruit tarts and meringues. Since the restaurant is part of a large chain the menu includes in the calorie count for each item. Everything we ate had a reasonable calorie count and was well priced. They are open late seven days a week so you can stop by for a meal or a snack anytime.
Le Pain Quotidien
30 Purchase Street
Rye, New York
HOURS
Monday-Thursday: 7:30am-9pm
Friday: 7:30am-10pm
Saturday: 8am-10pm
Sunday: 8am-8pm
http://www.painquotidien.com/
Caffe Azzurri in Hartsdale -- Sure To Be a New Favorite
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Café Meze, a perennial Hartsdale favorite on Central Park Avenue closed its doors in the spring of 2007, followed by Piave which met a similar fate. Now some newcomers have reinvented the site, with Caffe Azzurri, an elegant yet well-priced venue that will appeal to their neighbors in Hartsdale and draw diners from throughout the area.
To accommodate those who wish to meet and mingle the new owners have opened up the bar area and installed comfortable seating. Inviting couches and plushly upholstered chairs should bring in the crowd for drinks and appetizers. On Wednesday nights, drinks are half price for ladies and on Thursdays and Fridays half price appetizers are available at the bar.
The dining area has also been spruced up and beautiful wood work, a banquette that circles the room and soft light, give the restaurant an elegant ambience. The menu is Italian featuring homemade pastas, risotto, fish, veal, chicken and beef. We went for lunch and were pleased to find an extensive three-course meal offered for just $21.95. Before we could look at the menu the waiter brought out a selection of warm breads with a tray of three purees…basil pesto, chickpea and roasted pepper. There are so many options, including a soup of the day, crab cakes, fried calamari tuna tartare, buffalo mozzarella and an array of salads including Caesar, arugula endive and apples, plus another with spinach and pear and blue cheese. I chose the lobster bisque and it was flavorful and definitely made from a fresh fish broth. Fellow site contributor, Betsy Cadel, opted for the beet, goat cheese and haricot vert salad followed by a tuna tartare, with seaweed salad, and avocado. The two “starters” were more than satisfying, and made a terrific light lunch.
For pastas, there are too many to list, but among the most popular are the pappardelle with veal, beef, pork ragu and ricotta and the squid linguine with calamari, clams, mussels and tomatoes. The rigatoni with vodka, brandy, prosciutto, plum tomatoes, scallions and cream sounded good to me, and the dish that arrived was rich, tasty and spiked with a splash of liquor. There was enough served to take home for dinner as well.
Another popular item on the menu is the whole fish of the day -- Branzino on the day we visited. For entrees there was a good selection of fish including jumbo shrimp, Ahi tuna, seabass, sea scallops and an Italian seafood stew. And the Turf section listed chicken, several cuts of steak, pork chops, rack of lamb, veal chops and chicken or veal Francese, marsala, Milanese,paillard, parmigiana or piccata.
Though we had no room for dessert, the special was poached pears in red wine with a sweet glace and it was tempting indeed.
Clearly there is something for diners of all palettes and too much to sample in a single visit. However, we can attest that everything we tried was appealing, fresh and delicious.
Eat local and check out Caffe Azzurri. We bet you’ll like it.
Caffe Azzurri
20 North Central Park Avenue
Hartsdale, N.Y. 10530
914-358-5248
www.caffeazzurri.com
Open for dinner 7 days a week and lunch Wednesday – Sunday
Price per person – dinner $31-$51
$25 Prix Fixe Menu Available Wednesday – Sunday
Haiku in White Plains
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Fans of sushi and Asian fare will be pleased to know that Haiku of Bronxville has opened at 149 Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains. Check out their well-appointed new space and outdoor dining area.
Haiku
149 Mamaroneck Avenue
White Plains, NY,
914-644-8887
www.haikuasianbistro.com
Wood Oven Pizza Comes to Hartsdale
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We all know the news from the business world has been bad these days but the news from Hartsdale Village is encouraging. The vacant storefront, formerly occupied by Leah’s, will be vacant no more when Frankie & Fanucci’s Wood Oven Pizzeria opens this month.
The owners, Brad Nagy and Angelo Viscoso are newcomers to our area but they bring with them lots of experience gained at two successful Brooklyn restaurants, Fornetto in Sheepshead Bay and Vesuvio in Bay Ridge. The partners have known each other since high school and are looking forward to their new collaboration.
The centerpiece of the restaurant will be an 8,500-pound wood burning oven. Renovation is nearing completion when diners at the counter and the tables will be able to watch the pizzolo’s (pizza chefs) at work. The menu will include Neapolitan style pizzas, panninis and salads as well as beer and wine, all at reasonable prices. The opening is targeted for the end of April and they invite Scarsdale10583.com readers to go to fandfpizza.com <http://fandfpizza.com> and register to receive a free pizza.
Ciao!
Frankie & Fanucci's Wood Over Pizzeria
202 East Hartsdale Avenue
Hartsdale. New York
Hours:
Mon - Sat 11 a.m. 10 p.m.
Sun 12 p.m. 9 p.m.
