Menu Movers & Shakers
By Morris Gut
Restaurants Around Westchester Serving Special Father’s Day Fare
Here are a few suggestions for Dad’s special day, Sunday, June 18th.
Nutmeg Café & Bakery, 64 Main Street, Tuckahoe 914-779-1328. Share some special moments with Dad over coffee and pastries. Nutmeg Café opened on Main Street in Tuckahoe last year offering Westchester a variety artisanal baked goods, craft foods and beverages for eat-in and take-out. Proprietor and creative force behind Nutmeg is Cindy Bothwell. You may recognize Cindy from her years of working at Farmers Markets around the county in Bronxville, Irvington and Chappaqua, selling her signature goods under the ‘What’s For Dessert?’ brand. The Café is warm and inviting. There is seating for up to 25, soft background music, exposed brick walls and display cases filled to the brim with the tempting daily larder. Bothwell calls her way of cooking and baking: “American home-style rustic” and insists on keeping up with the seasons. Delightful beverages include such exclusive artisanal makers as Joe’s Coffee out of Brooklyn. Especially for summer, Cindy’s manager Mario Sama also makes his own small-batch Custom Cold Brew coffees and teas on-site. There are daily-infused water flavors, iced teas and fruity lemon or lime aids. Fresh made soups and salads were recently added to Nutmeg’s menu and posted daily on the blackboard. Enjoy delectable cheddar scallion scones; caramelized onion and gruyere crostada; and cauliflower, leek and Asiago quiche. Open daily; Sundays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. www.thenutmegcafe.com.
Tesoro D’Italia, 160 Marble Ave., Pleasantville 914-579-2126. A veteran restaurant team has pooled their years in the hospitality business and opened Tesoro D’Italia Ristorante, a casual family-friendly Italian eatery on Marble Ave. in Pleasantville. Heading the day-to-day operation is Peter Lucaj who had been general manager of Ciao Ristorante in Eastchester for 16 years. Chef de Cuisine is seasoned Dan Pennacchio whose family from father Paolo and siblings on down have been in the restaurant trade for many years. The restaurant is divided into a main dining room for 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 130 for all types of parties and private events. There is an inviting color-tiled bar/lounge area for networking and spirited conversation, and casual dining too. A dramatic wine wall highlights the dining room along with smoked glass dividers and white tablecloths. Grey and white hues help polish the space. Check out such delightful specialties as: Eggplant Rollatini; Rotelli Melanzana, Chicken Payard, and Broiled Veal Chop. Open 7 days. Ample free parking. www.tesoroditaliany.com.
Post Road Ale House, 11-13 Huguenot St., New Rochelle 914-365-2365. Chef Brian MacMenamin has refurbished and reopened his original Post Road Ale House. The restaurant is open 7 days a week for lunch, dinner and Sunday buffet brunch highlighting modern American tavern fare with most entrees under $20. Signature dishes include: Cashew Crusted Calamari; a juicy Ale House Burger served with caramelized onions and cheddar; Tuscan Grilled Filet Mignon with Grilled Shrimp; lovely Crab Stuffed Sole; Roasted Wagyu Pork Chop; and Lamb Shank Osso Buco with creamy polenta. The kitchen has a deft hand with hefty steaks and chops. The room is highlighted with glossy metal tiled walls, rustic brick wall bar, industrial ceilings with modern lighting, exposed wood beams and pipes and cherry wood floors. www.postroadalehouse.com.
Mughal Palace, 16 Broadway, Valhalla 914-997-6090. Offer Dad a taste of exotic India. Owner Mohammed Alam of Mughal Palace will be serving Father’s Day brunch and dinner. The all you can eat Indian brunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., with more than a dozen selections from salad, main courses to desserts with all the trimmings. Cost is $15.95 per person. Dinner will be a la carte and begin at 5 p.m. Look for such specialties as: Lasuni Gobi, cauliflower florets tossed with bell peppers, onion, garlic and green herbs; Chicken Barbecue Kabab, marinated boneless chicken cooked in the tandoor oven; Lamb Bhuna, pieces of lamb cooked in a medium spiced sauce of bell peppers, tomatoes and fresh Indian herbs; and Mango Chicken, boneless chunks of chicken cooked with fresh mango, ginger, garlic and dry spices. A glass of lassi will help wash it all down, and don’t forget those delicious house made Indian breads to scoop up the sauces. Mughal Palace continues to be one of the finest spots to enjoy the exotic sights, sounds, scents and flavors of regional India. Open 7 days. www.mughalpalace.com.
Ciao, 5-7 John Albanese Place, Eastchester 914-779-4646. Zef and the amiable crew at this big bustling trattoria are marking their 28th Anniversary with a major renovation of the restaurant, new upstairs al fresco deck and generous platters of Italian/American cuisine served with gusto. Be seated and enjoy such open kitchen specialties as: Burrata Salad; Hot Antipasto for two, three or more, loaded with delectable fruits of the sea; fresh Arugula Salad with goat cheese, marinated Portobello mushrooms, sprinkled with balsamic vinegar; house made Pappardelle with fresh tomato, basil and chunks of fresh mozzarella; delicious Chicken Paillard; Salmon ala Ciao, with white wine, lemon, capers and asparagus; or Veal Salvaggio, decadently good with cognac, garlic, sage, shitake and porcini mushrooms. From the grill come such hefty cuts as: Broiled Veal Chop, Black Angus Shell Steak, Sausages Frioli served with peppers (hot or sweet), mushrooms, onions and sliced potatoes; and Pork Chops with vinegar peppers. The brick oven pizzas are good, too. Cozy, friendly bar with Carole Ann at the helm. Party facilities. Open 7 days a week. Major credit cards. Free and valet parking. www.ciaoeastchester.com.
Mamma Francesca, 414 Pelham Road, New Rochelle 914-636-1229. Father’s Day buffet brunch and dinner will be served. When Nick DiCostanzo was growing up on the Island of Ischia on the Coast of Naples in Italy, his earliest memories where of the simple seaside meals he would enjoy with his family, farm-to-table and of course sea-to-table. As proprietor of Mamma Francesca for over 30 years, located on the banks of Long Island Sound with 6-story views of the ‘Queen City’s’ seafaring boat clubs, this culinary philosophy still holds true, albeit with a sprinkling of contemporary taste. Enjoy such robust specialties as: fresh Ischia Salad; individual sized pizza; Giant Meatballs; good retro versions of Chicken, Veal or Shrimp Parmigiana; Mamma’s Chicken Breast Europeo, stuffed with prosciutto, mozzarella, mushrooms and spinach in a Marsala wine sauce; a big platter of Misto Frutti di Mare loaded with shrimp, clams, calamari and mussels in a red sauce over linguini; and Pork Chops or Sirloin della Nonna, served with sliced potatoes, peppers, mushrooms and onions. Daily Happy Hours. Party facilities and off-premise catering. Free parking. www.mammafrancesca.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. E-mail: gutreactions@optonline.net.
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