Tesoro D’Italia a Dynamic Venue for Dining and Entertainment

By Morris Gut

A veteran restaurant team, Peter Lucaj and his brothers Mark and Don, pooled their years in the hospitality business eight years ago and opened Tesoro D’Italia Ristorante, a casual, friendly Italian eatery on Marble Avenue in Pleasantville.

The sprawling restaurant bustles daily. It could be a big party in the back, a private meeting in the exclusive wine room, a busy lunchtime crowd or the spirited happy hour crowd, mixed with occasional entertainment.

The restaurant is divided into a main dining room that seats 100 guests, a semi-private fireplace room for up to 40 guests and a lovely glass-enclosed wine room seating up to 25. A spacious banquet room can accommodate 160 people for all types of parties and private events. There is an inviting colorfully tiled bar and lounge for networking, spirited conversation and casual dining. A dramatic wine wall highlights the dining room along with smoked glass dividers and white tablecloths.

The regional Italian menu includes such popular starters as fried calamari with dipping sauce; baked clams; eggplant rollatini; grilled portobello mushroom; Italian baby eggplant; and a hot antipasti platter for two, with baked clams, fried calamari, shrimp oreganata and grilled portobello.

Hearty pasta specialties include a delicious fusilli melanzana with fresh tomatoes, basil, eggplant, parmigiano cheese and fresh mozzarella in a meat sauce; linguini seafood, with shrimp, calamari, clams, mussels with fresh tomato, basil, sautéed garlic and oil; two-color cavatelli, with broccoli rabe, sundried tomatoes, sausage, garlic and oil; house-made mushroom ravioli, stuffed with porcini, portobello and ricotta and served with a light truffle cream sauce; and classic linguini with clam sauce.

Main courses with generous portions include the Chicken Tesoro, a breast of chicken dipped in parmigiano cheese with white wine, lemon, peas and asparagus; Veal Chop Valdostana, stuffed with fontina cheese, prosciutto, parsley and shitake mushrooms with white wine and truffle oil; the classic Filet of Sole Francese, served over spinach; chicken payard (a thin breast of chicken and served with endive, avocado, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, oil and balsamic; and veal scallopini with porcini and shitake mushrooms served in a garlic sage and cognac sauce.

Carnivores will enjoy the hefty 16-ounce black Angus shell steak served with mushrooms; broiled veal chop with mushrooms; grilled double-cut pork chop, served with vinegar peppers and sliced potatoes; and the 24-ounce bone-in grilled ribeye steak served with mashed potatoes.

Lucaj and his team have been drawing a good crowd for their weekday prix fixe lunch deal Monday through Friday from 12 to 3 p.m. for $24.95. There’s also a popular weekday happy hour featuring specially priced cocktails and bar snacks.

Tesoro D’Italia Ristorante is located at 160 Marble Ave. in Pleasantville. The restaurant is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Main courses at lunch are $14.95 to $31.95. Main courses at dinner run from $18.95 to $54.95. There is a full take-out menu and a bar and lounge with TVs. Weekday happy hours. Major credit cards accepted. Proper casual dress. Reservations are accepted; suggested for larger groups. Ample free parking. Info: 914-579-2126 or visit www.tesoroditaliany.com.

Where to Enjoy Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest season is upon us, and many folks enjoy the hearty flavors of Bavaria in the fall. Here are a few suggestions where you can take in the German-style beers and ethnic specialties. You can also check your local pubs and taverns who often serve Oktoberfest dishes this time of the year.

Nadine’s Restaurant

Christian and Pamela Schienle, proprietors of the long-running Sel et Poivre French restaurant in Manhattan, took over the former Jennifer’s Restaurant and melded many of its popular German specialties with French and Austrian classics.

Nadine’s offers a spacious beer garden. Its menu includes German specialties such as a trio of weisswurst, garlic sausage and bratwurst with sauerkraut; sauerbraten; jagerschnitzel; and wiener schnitzel. Top off your meal with fresh crepes or French chocolate mousse cake.

Nadine’s Restaurant is located at 715 Saw Mill River Rd. in Yorktown Heights. Info: 914-962-4298 or visit www.nadinesrestaurant.com.

Valhalla Crossing

Owner Stan Chelluck operates this bustling vintage stationhouse restaurant next to Valhalla’s Metro-North station. Over the years, he has spruced up the railroad cars, façade and sweeping bar and offers flavorful rail car dining. During Oktoberfest, the kitchen serves sauerbraten, bratwurst, wiener schnitzel, hunter chicken schnitzel and a hearty Munich Burger. Portions are generous.

Valhalla Crossing is located at 2 Cleveland St. in Valhalla, just off the Taconic Parkway. Info: 914-682-4076 or visit www.valhallacrossing.com.

Dunne’s Pub

The house will be serving the popular Oktoberfest menu throughout the month. Declan Farrell’s kitchen puts out fine versions of a potato pancake appetizer, sauerbraten, a hearty triple wurst plate with all the trimmings, veal schnitzel and calf’s liver, German style. You can also enjoy a darn good corned beef Reuben. There’s a fine selection of German beer, too.

Dunne’s is a neighborhood treasure, an authentic Irish tavern with all the traditional Gaelic accoutrements intact. There’s also live music on Wednesday evenings.

Dunne’s Pub is located at 15 Shapham Place in White Plains. Info: 914-421-1451 or visit www.dunnespub.com.

Morris Gut is a restaurant marketing consultant and former restaurant trade magazine editor. He has been tracking and writing about the food and dining scene in greater Westchester for 30 years. He may be reached at 914-235-6591 or gutreactions@optonline.net.