The Rail House Restaurant 10803….New and Delightful in Pelham
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- Written by Judie Dweck
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A quote from Luciano Pavarotti appears on the menu at The Rail House; ”One of the very best things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is that we are doing and devote our attention to eating. ‘’ And so I did.
Upon checking out the address of The Rail House, it seemed familiar. It has been home to Bacci, Villa Nova and Casa Amore. Its newest occupant is the charming, rustic Rail House Restaurant. It is managed by Florio Rugova, a familiar face in the Westchester world for over 30 years. I remember his professional presence at La Fontanella and Jordan Hall in Pelham. Rugova believes that a restauranteur needs to be “a people person”, gracious, understanding and with a good knowledge of the business.” He certainly fits the bill. For Rugova, the best part of the work is to see his guests leave happy. Rugova indicated that among the many restaurants in Pelham, “The Rail House is unique because of its diverse menu, its ambiance and its railroad theme. We are very proud of our product and our Italian American menu offers a little bit of everything to suit every taste. If Rugova was a guest at The Rail House, his meal might start with chicken dumplings, tuna tartar or ceviche. This would be followed by short rib, branzino or pappardelle with short rib stroganoff and his meal might end with a flute of hazelnut chocolate, mango guava or lemoncello gelato.
A black awning greets you as you enter this cozy restaurant. It has been completely redecorated in black and white tones. The main dining room, with its beamed ceiling, seats about 70 guests. Black and white railroad related photos and signs adorn the walls. The adjoining bar is roomy, as well. Upstairs, there are two party rooms for private events. They are open seven days a week. On Monday through Friday you can enjoy a happy hour from 4 to 7 PM.
We were seated at a cast iron pedestal table with the sun shining in from the window as we awaited the treasures being prepared by Chef Rolando Cordado, who has honed his skills in several high end New York City restaurants.
As we checked out the menu, warm bread and a dish of fresh ricotta, olive oil and a dip of eggplant, sun dried tomatoes and roasted peppers was presented for us to nibble on. As our dishes arrived one by one, we noted that the simple white dishes displayed each course beautifully. We started our meal with plump Maine mussels. The creamy Dijon mustard sauce enhanced the flavor of the mild tasting mussels. Thinly sliced grilled toast absorbed the flavor of the rich sauce. Chicken dumplings were pan fried and generously filled with a mild chicken filling. The won ton wrappers remained crisp. A tangy sweet chili sauce sat beside the dumplings for dipping. They were delicious and can also be prepared steamed instead of fried. I look forward to enjoying the steamed clams, with white wine and chorizo, potato gnocchi with grapes and goat cheese, and other interesting appetizers. The raw bar included clams, oysters, seafood towers, shrimp cocktail, ceviche and smoked salmon. We couldn’t resist the tuna tartar. Here, pristinely fresh ahi tuna was coarsely chopped and formed into a disc. It was topped with avocado and set on a bed of seaweed and sprinkled with black and white sesame seeds. Chili sauce completed this light and excellent starter.
With winter weather outdoors, a good entrée choice is the braised short rib. The slow low braising process produced a very tender and flavor filled dish. I never used the knife at my place setting since the meat fell apart at the mere touch of my fork. This tender cut of meat rested in a nest of mashed potatoes, surrounded by roasted Brussels sprouts. Branzino was nicely fileted and blackened for a full bodied taste. It was served atop the currently popular, healthy and tasty Brussels sprouts. This time the sprouts were shaved and tossed with mushrooms. Barolo wine and a bit of sweet mango salsa complimented the spicy blackened spices on the coating of the fish. Other creative entrees include wasabi tuna, the railroad tracks, (skewers of filet mignon, shrimp and chicken) and classics of New York strip steak, chicken scarpariello, chicken martini, paella, as well as lighter fare such as a signature burger, a salmon burger and fish tacos.
Of the pasta selections The Station, pappardelle with short rib stroganoff, and the sea linguini marinara or fra diavolo are waiting to be devoured. A massive brick pizza oven glows in the back of the dining room offering a variety of pies such as buffalo chicken, vegetable, sausage and broccoli rabe and of course Margherita. Salads here include a classic Caesar and some inventive combinations such as a Thai salad with cabbage, pine nuts and romaine dressed with a sesame ginger dressing, beet and kale with quinoa and almonds and a chopped Greek salad. Add a protein for a light but hearty meal. One of the daily specials of the day was indeed special. Our parmesan encrusted cod was divine in its simplicity. The delicate filets were lightly crusted with crumbs and parmesan. The filets surrounded a mound of freshly sautéed spinach. This combination of ingredients sat on a pool of beurre blanc studded with a small dice of tomatoes. It is clear that fish cookery is one of Chef Cordado’s many gifts.
Complete your meal with a sweet bite. A slice of cappuccino cake was rich but not too sweet and a lovely ending to our meal. Espresso infused chocolate cake layers were alternated with coffee cream and topped with a sprinkling of cocoa powder. Freshly whipped cream shared the plate. A flute of hazelnut chocolate gelato was a light conclusion, as well.
Lunch specials are offered seven days a week from 12-3 o clock with a choice of appetizer, entrée and coffee or tea.
A leisurely lunch or dinner at The Rail House offers friendly, professional service and a beautifully prepared variety of dishes. It is a fine addition to the growing restaurant scene in Pelham. The manager and host Florio Rugova makes you feel welcome at this new and charming dining venue.
The Rail House Restaurant 10803
65 First Street
Pelham, New York
https://www.therailhouse10803.com
914 365-1044
Tree Lighting and Breakfast with Santa Bring Joy to the Dale
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- Written by Oliva Halligan
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On Friday December 6, Scarsdale rang in the holiday season with the annual tree and menorah lighting in Boniface Circle. Residents were treated to music, courtesy of carolers from Hoff Barthelson Music School and For Good Measure, the high school a cappela group, as well as hot chocolate served by the Scarsdale Police Department. Santa was on hand to preside over the festivities, and his elves entertained the little ones with cookie decorating and face painting, and planting seeds in ecofriendly planters to take home. The crowd also was able to enjoy dinner on the go from Walter’s and Westchester Burger Company food trucks. A great time was had by all.
The festivities continued on Saturday morning, with a special breakfast with Santa that was prepared by the Scarsdale Fire Department. Local families were treated to pancakes and all the fixings, as well as arts and crafts for the kids. The little ones also got to spend some quality time with Santa and tell him what they’re hoping to receive this holiday season, and he sent each child home with a goodie bag. Both events were sponsored by the Scarsdale Village Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department as part of their annual programming for Scarsdale residents.
Photos: Olivia Halligan
Granita Cucina and Bar in Hartsdale: Molto Bene
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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When Frankie and Fanucci’s closed its doors in Hartsdale a few months ago, many sighed and bemoaned the loss of yet another favorite eatery. It had been a casual spot for pizza and salads, reasonably priced, willing to deliver and reliable. But then we learned that the same management planned to reinvent the restaurant-both the menu and the décor- and open it as Granita Cucina & Bar serving “modern Italian food” and featuring a welcoming bar.
Granita, which refers to a frozen limoncello drink that is served at the end of every meal, opened two weeks ago and is already hopping. We visited on a Tuesday night and found locals socializing at the bar and sampling offerings from the menu. The restaurant has been thoroughly redone in black, white and green and features a long marble bar, a wall of inviting banquettes and bistro style lighting, tables and chairs. Much to our surprise we found that even with a tile floor, the busy restaurant had good acoustics and we could easily converse across the tabletop.
The menu includes many small plates for sharing, along with salads, pizzas, pastas, and entrees (secondi) and vegetables (contori). The large selection ensures that everyone at the table will find something they enjoy.
For starters we tried the arancini, which were fried rice balls with a dollop of smoked mozzarella in the middle. These were delectable. Also from the antipasti menu we ordered the wood fired meatballs which arrived atop creamy polenta in a sauce of tomatoes (pomadoro) and basil oil. Other options included octopus, roasted beets, burrata, yellow fin tuna tartare, and fried calamari.
Next up was the mixed green salad with squash and goat cheese, topped with candied pecans and dressed in maple vinaigrette. Other salads included the arugula, fennel, radish and orange salad and a Caesar salad with gem lettuce, baby kale, and watercress. Any of these salads can be turned into a meal with a topping of salmon, shrimp, steak or chicken.
For those missing Frankie and Fanucci’s, the menu includes nine choices of wood fired pizza – including a gluten free version. There’s everything from the traditional margherita to krispy kale with kale pesto, mozzarella, parmigiano and lemon zest to prosciutto with tomato sauce, arugula and parmigiano-reggiano.
For our pasta course we went for the fusilli with wild mushrooms, market greens, truffle oil and sundried tomatoes – all good! But again, if you prefer gnocchi with short rib ragu, linguine with shrimp, or a hearty carbonara, they are all available.
And as if this was not enough, you’ll find a full range of main courses to complement the small plates. I would highly recommend the pan seared chicken, served atop sprouted rye berry with shallots, fava beans and tomato confit. The chicken was pan roasted to perfection, crisply on the outside, moist on the inside and sure to please all. We also had the branzino, grilled with lemon and fresh herbs, served with a side of broccollini.
We finished our meal with two desserts: Bread pudding with crème anglaise and an almond chocolate tart topped with vanilla ice cream. Though we didn’t need more, I must say both were molto bene!
The service was leisurely and gracious -- permitting us time to enjoy the qualith meal, the neighborhood vibe and the happy feeling that we would be back often to savor expertly cooked food in a relaxed atmosphere.
The icing on the cake was the refreshing iced limoncello, or granita, that’s served at the end of every meal.
Granita Cucina & Bar is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week and offers cocktails for 2/$13 and wine for 2/$10 at happy hours.
That said, if you miss Frankie and Fanucci’s, their Mamaroneck location will deliver to your home in Scarsdale, so give them a call.
Granita Cucina and Bar
202 East Hartsdale Avenue
Hartsdale, NY
914.725.8420
https://www.granitany.com
Hours:
Sun - Thurs: 11:30 am - 10 pm
Fri & Sat: 11:30 am - 11 pm
The bar is open till it’s closed.
America’s Favorite Food At Westchester Burger Co. In Scarsdale
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- Written by Judie Dwck
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Garth Road is quickly becoming the place to visit for a large variety of restaurants. Most recently, I stopped at the new Westchester Burger Co. Managing partner Vincent Corso explained that Angelo DiFeo, owner, chose the Scarsdale location since Scarsdale is a community generated area with strong family values. “We want our presence to be felt in Scarsdale and the surrounding communities. We try to accommodate current trends such as vegan, vegetarian and gluten free diets, as we bring you America’s favorite food and much more. Our house made quality dishes set us apart from many other burger spots.”
Seating about 85 guests, the casual space has a bar and high tables towards the back and many tables and banquettes fill the dining room. Corso described the room as quaint and comfortable. The kitchen team was entirely trained by Angelo DiFeo. His mother is a chef and he learned his craft at the family restaurant, Grazziela, in White Plains. Plants in the wall niches, movie posters and a wall sized black and white wall hanging, the work of Sabrina’s murals, catches your eye. The spot has a simple contemporary feel. I was happy to note the cloth napkins at each setting in this casual restaurant.
To start your meal, try an everything Bavarian pretzel, Reuben or chicken spring rolls, crispy mac n cheese or stix and bisque, grilled cheese and tomato bisque, or as I did, Brussels sprouts. With the mention of Brussels sprouts, many people will turn up their nose and say no thank you. Clearly, they haven’t tasted the dish, as served at WBC. Here, the sprouts are cut in half and roasted with the addition of chopped cashew nuts, mint, sweet Thai chili and a drizzle of spicy sriracha aioli. For “ fine dining between the buns” they offer 21 combinations to suit every taste. If you wish you can also build your own burger with choices of protein, toppings and breads. The WBC Burger with its all natural blend of beef, is enhanced with smoked mozzarella, lettuce, tomato, pickle and a mayo based WBC sauce, on a brioche. The Balboa Burger is a beef burger topped with Swiss cheese, bacon, and frizzled onions on a garlic toasted bun. The grass fed lamb burger is rich in flavor with a julienne of zucchini, caramelized onions and rosemary flavored aioli on focaccia. Those are the ones I sampled. It will take 18 more visits for me to try them all. The greenhouse burger is a double stacked veggie burger with guacamole and a balsamic vinaigrette. There is a plant based burger, a sesame seared tuna burger, A Reuben burger with pastrami and a bada bing burger with a hot Italian sausage blend, broccoli rabe and provolone and a bison burger, and the list goes on. There is even a sophisticated kobe burger. They are served with either a salad or fries. The sweet potato fries were crisp and tasty. In the event that you have not had your fill of turkey, there is a Thanksgiving burger with ground turkey, corn bread stuffing, cranberries and gravy.
In addition to their varied burgers, there are sliders and tacos, as well. I was very impressed with the blackened tuna taco. The rare tuna was combined with avocado and poblano cream with an amazing blood orange power blend which gave the fish a truly delicious flavor. I look forward to trying the beer battered cod taco, the wild mushroom flatbread and the zesty arugula flatbread, as well. Wings are a popular choice here. “ It’s all about the sauce”. Try old bay, spicy sriracha, Thai peanut, or chipotle citrus bbq to name but a few sauce choices. Among the entrees, fish and chips, grilled Atlantic salmon, roasted or fried chicken, and blackened ahi tuna are offered. I couldn’t resist the bbq baby back ribs. They were fall off the bone tender and the slow, low cooking intensified the bbq flavor.
If you wish a lighter choice, the harvest salad with arugula, beets, apples, dried cranberries, walnuts and goat cheese with a shallot vinaigrette or the farmhouse salad with avocado, red onions, and croutons with that amazing blood orange dressing with or without a protein are fine possibilities.
The list of homemade finales are varied and rich. Brownie sundae, tiramisu, fried oreos, very berry napoleon and bago dough are some choices. There is even a gluten free chocolate cake and a bread pudding of the day. Creative cocktails perhaps a Manhattan in Westchester, Pear Collins, or Concord Grape Mojito can accompany your meal.
At lunch, in addition to the regular menu, there is a $12 lunch special. Stop in for happy hour weekdays from 4-7 PM. If Sunday brunch is your meal of choice, from 11-3 WBC offers, “The ultimate brunch experience. “ Whet your appetite with smoked salmon flatbread, apple cinnamon French toast, vegetable frittata, chicken and waffles or a protein bowl. WBC seems to be the LEGO of the food world, with offers to build your own omelette or build your own burger, with many options for added ingredients.
WBC also offers private parties, catering and food trucks. You can order from Grubhub. Enjoy the WBC experience. With the large variety of dishes offered I probably would add “and more “to their name.
Westchester Burger Company
56 Garth Road
Scarsdale
914 205 5900
What to Watch: The Best of Fall TV
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- Written by Stacie M. Waldman
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With the proliferation of television channels, the advent of Apple TV and so much streaming content, there seems to be no end of all the good shows and series to watch. If you’re a bit overwhelmed, here is our list of some great shows to watch this fall that will make it worth it to stay up late. We also had the chance to chat with a couple of stars in the shows, so we will let them convince you to watch in their own words.
PRODIGAL SON: FOX Mondays @ 9:00 PM
This show is a psychological thriller that will keep you on your toes. Malcolm Bright (Tom Payne) is a criminal psychologist who uses his gift of solving crimes to help the NYPD while dealing with his own extremely interesting life, like his serial killer dad. Is Bright a psychopath himself? Does it take a criminal to solve a crime? The twists and turns will keep you watching.
UNBELIEVABLE: Netflix (Streaming)
Based on a true story, this Netflix hit is about a teenager, Marie Adler (Kaitlyn Dever), who reports being raped and then has to deal with the consequences of not being believed by those close to her or the law. The acting is real and believable and the story is truly unbelievable. The female investigators played by Toni Collette and Merritt Wever are phenomenal. I binge watched this one. There’s nothing else like it on TV.
EVIL: CBS Thursdays @ 10:00 PM
This creepy drama-with-some-comedy is already picked up for season 2 and follows female forensic psychologist Kristen Bouchard (Katja Herbers), priest-in-training David Acosta (Mike Colter) and contractor Ben Shakir (Aasif Mandvi) as they work to examine the origins of evil as it relates to science and religion; or science versus religion? Kristen Bouchard’s four daughters also star in the show and I had the chance to speak to Dalya Knapp, age 8, who plays Laura Bouchard.
What’s her favorite scene: “Definitely it’s in episode 4 when I fall down the stairs. Want to hear a secret? They removed part of the floor and put a little foam mattress on it, and they put knee pads under my tights so I wouldn’t get hurt. When you see the scary virtual reality creature trying to get me, it’s actually my photo double! I loved rehearsing it.”
Interesting things about being an actor on EVIL: “Well, in real life our mom is Dutch and our dad is Australian and off set he’d teach us to speak in his Australian accent! Also, we have different directors for each episode and in episode 5, the director was British and she called the elevator ‘the lift’ (giggles).”
Why should people watch EVIL? “Well it’s not really for kids but it’s funny at some moments and I think everyone can enjoy it. People can connect to it because of religion and the writers are so good.”
THE GOOD PLACE: NBC Thursdays @ 9:00 PM (and streaming on Netflix)
Kristen Bell is a master of comedy and nails it again, this time with her character Eleanor Shellstrop as she realizes that she died a rather embarrassing death and is now in the afterlife. Eleanor made it to “the good place” (versus the bad place) but quickly realizes her good luck was a complete mistake. Ted Danson is back on primetime as Michael, the Godly creator of The Good Place, and the role is written perfectly for him. It’s witty and creative with poignant moments to boot.
SINGLE PARENTS: ABC Wednesdays @ 9:30 PM
Hilarious and fun to watch, this current comedy follows a bunch of single parents as they work to raise their kids and maintain their personal lives. Angie (Leighton Meester) is single mom to Graham (Tyler Wladis) and they are a great comedic pair. We spoke toTyler about his time on the show.
What’s your favorite episode so far? “Definitely the time I got to roller skate in an episode…it was super fun! It will air in early December”
What has been your favorite scene? “Really any scene when all of the kids in the show are there because then we get to hang out off camera.”
This is comedy. Have you ever had the urge to laugh while on camera? “Yes, sometimes during the end of a scene if I try to hold it in, I just can’t. I try to bite my tongue as hard as I can so I don’t laugh!”
MODERN LOVE: Amazon Prime mini-series (on demand)
This show brings the New York Times column of the same name to life in a series of stories about relationships. With a stellar cast including Tina Fey, Dev Patel, Anne Hathaway and more, each story feels like a movie in itself. The episodes are 30 minutes, but the characters are so well developed in that short period of time that I never want the credits to roll. Some are likeable while others are not. And sometimes this changes half-way through. In the episode with Anne Hathaway (episode 3), I felt sorry for the nice guy she met because she kept spoiling the dates. It turns out that her character is bipolar and her life is uncontrollable in many ways. As a viewer, when she’s “up” I felt happy and optimistic for her;” but when she can’t get out of bed, her apartment is a mess and her date is left standing by himself on the street, I truly felt “down.” The ending made me tear up.
CHERNOBYL: HBO mini-series (on-demand)
Based on the nuclear power plant disaster of April 1986 in a Ukrainian section of the Soviet Union, this mini-series follows those who risked their lives to save lives during the event and it follows the tragic stories of some of the victims of the catastrophe. The gripping series includes the stories of the firefighters and volunteers who were the first on-scene as well as the story of the miners who had to dig a critical tunnel under one of the reactors.
SRUGIM: Amazon Prime (on demand)
Srugim is an Israeli drama that follows the lives of a bunch of religious single modern orthodox Jews from Jerusalem. The show deals with the struggles of these highly educated, religious Jews as they struggle to find their place in a society that tends to value family and religion over everything else. It was not without criticism for the portrayal of the Orthodox community both in Israel and America, but it has mostly lauded by Israelis and Americans alike.
THE AFFAIR: Showtime (on demand)
This isn’t a new show, but Season 5 is the final season and the last episode has been called “the best season finale of all time” by many entertainment news outlets. The season finale wraps everything up, answering all the unanswered questions which feels satisfying for fans who have watched the show since Season 1. Personally, I felt like some episodes moved slowly and some seasons were better than others, but this is a solid choice for a drama that you can watch at your convenience.
WATCHMEN: HBO Sundays (premiered Oct. 20th)
This show is getting a lot of attention. Based on the popular graphic novel, it’s set in an alternate history where superheroes are treated as outlaw criminals. The show deals with racism in the past and racism today, and if you’re a fan of anything superhero, this is the one show to put on your list.
THE POLITICIAN: Netflix (streaming)
Ben Platt plays rich kid Payton who wants to be president of the United States, but first he has to win the election for President of his Santa Barbara high school. This is TV-14 and would be a fun show to watch with your tween or teen who swear there’s nothing you can agree to watch together. Gwyneth Paltrow and Jessica Lange round out the fabulous cast.
THE UNICORN: CBS Thursdays @ 8:30 PM
Walton Goggins plays Wade, a newly widowed dad of two teenage girls who is ready to start dating again. Wade’s friends convince him that he’s the ultimate single guy to be back on the market because he has a job, is good looking, and has the sad story of the loss of his wife. His daughters cheer him on even as he fumbles through being a single dad. The show is funny and entertaining and tells a slightly new story.
What are your top picks for the tube? Please share in the comments below!