Gabriella’s Italian Latin Fusion Debuts in White Plains
By Morris Gut
Mother and daughter Miguelina Martinez and Gabriella Suriel have opened Gabriella’s Italian Latin Fusion Cuisine at 130 W. Post Rd. in White Plains. After a colorful renovation to the former Ernesto’s space, the kitchen is ready to go with a hearty mix of classic Italian and flavorful Latin fusion specialties and cocktails served in a comfortable, casual setting.
Martinez and Suriel, who also operate Malecon in Yonkers and El Conde in New York City, and general manager Maria Bautista and serve up a varied and tasty menu.
Great starters include octopus carpaccio, fresh sliced with chef’s special pesto and lime cream; baked clams oreganata stuffed with parmesan and lime cream; antipasto for two hot or cold, which includes roasted mix, yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, red and green peppers, parmesan, salami and prosciutto with toasted bread; and Caribbean Calypso-style shrimp cocktail.
There’s a Cuban sandwich on Italian bread that includes mustard, pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickle and moho and burgers served on brioche bun. There’s also a three-colored shrimp salad; Frutti Di Mare Salad (seafood vinaigrette served on spring mix and arugula salad, tomatoes and cucumber); chicken Caesar salad; and a Caprese salad with mozzarella, tomatoes and pesto.
Pastas include spaghetti Bolognese, which contains homemade fresh meat-based Bolognese sauce; Salmon Farfalle (sliced smoked salmon, dill and alfredo sauce); and lobster ravioli with parmesan, butter and sage sauce. Penne alla Vodka and fettuccine alfredo can be served with chicken, shrimp or seafood as a supplement.
Beautifully-plated main courses include Chicken Florentine (chicken breast with chardonnay, spinach and Alfredo sauce); Gabriella’s Sirloin Steak, an eight-ounce steak topped with shrimp, chardonnay and gorgonzola sauce; Sea Bass Villa Mella, stuffed with shrimp and bacon; chicken parmesan with marinara; grilled rack of lamb; and the classic Thermidor lobster, with chardonnay, mushrooms, parmesan and red caviar.
Gabriella’s big, hearty 24-ounce Tomahawk steak, prepared with portobello mushrooms, truffle oil sauce and yucca fries, comes with a complementary bottle of house-selected wine. A Spain-style Paella Valenciana for two is served with rice mixed with seafood and meat.
Traditional Puerto Rican Mofongo combinations served with mashed plantains come with a choice of Frutti di Mare, skirt steak, shrimp, pork skin, chicken or cheese. Additional Latin-style dishes include fried chicken with or without bones; beef stew; fried pork chunks; and fried beef. Each is served with a choice of sides.
COVID-19 guidelines are in place. There is outdoor patio seating. A special breakfast menu is served all day with complementary mimosa.
Gabriella’s Italian Latin Fusion is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. The same menu is served all day. Main courses range from $12 to $42. There are lunch specials and a cocktail bar and lounge. Happy hour is from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Take-out and delivery. Casual dress. Free parking. Major credit cards accepted. Reservations are accepted. Info and reservations: 914-358-4416 or www.gabriellaslatinfusion.com.
Sing Sing Kill Brewery
We visited downtown Ossining for the first time in a while. One of our destinations was Sing Sing Kill Brewery on Spring Street. It was mid-afternoon and the tasting room was quiet. It looked very clean, and seating was distanced nicely. The barkeeper-waitress was properly masked. There is outdoor seating in the evening, but at our time of arrival it had not been set up.
We enjoyed our Pride Rye-It! and Triple IPAs and shared a bag of Papa Best Batch garlic pistachios from Red Hook. The menu is limited, but I hear they allow food to be brought in from local restaurants. There is beer and growler take-out. The Ossining police are across the street from the brewery so drink responsibly.
Sing Sing Kill Brewery is located at 75-77 Spring St. in Ossining. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 1 to 10 p.m. Info: 914-502-0578 or visit www.singsingkillbrewery.com.
Great Hudson Views at 3 Westerly
We stopped off in the revitalized Harbor Square section of Ossining late one afternoon and got an indoor booth at 3 Westerly Bar & Grill, a nautical-themed gastropub. The multitiered contemporary dining areas were only partially in use in keeping with COVID-19 guidelines, and we felt quite distanced from other patrons. There were dividers at each table and between each booth. Staff were properly masked.
The view of the Hudson River is lovely from this sprawling space, a much-needed refresher right now. As far as I could see, there is not a bad table in the house. The long bar is not a seating option until later in the day, but I could see that bar stools had been properly distanced, too. The outdoor patio also looked inviting.
Our beers went well with an order of plump, crispy peach habanero chicken wings. After lingering for a while, we took a walk outside. Very nice, indeed.
3 Westerly is located at 3 Westerly Rd. in Ossining. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Info: 914-762-1333 or visit www.3westerly.com.
Bigfoot Creamery
After leaving 3 Westerly, we walked down the path to Bigfoot Creamery, inside Henry Gourdine Park. There was a short line waiting to order one of their handmade small-batch ice cream flavors. Its website states that the product is prepared and sourced with Hudson Valley fixings. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 3 to 8 p.m. Looking forward to trying them next time. Info: Visit www.bigfootcreamery.com.
Wegman’s to Open Wednesday
The much-anticipated opening of the huge Wegman’s Food Market off Westchester Avenue in Harrison will take place this Wednesday from 9 a.m. to midnight. COVID-19 guidelines will be in place.
Stay safe!
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.
