"I eat a lot of ice cream."
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Review votes:
891 Useful, 307 Funny, and 649 Cool
Westchester, NY
Yelping SinceJuly 2006
Find Me Ina feeding frenzy or a food coma
Why You Should Read My ReviewsI'll never use the words "divine" or "mouthfeel," promise
The Last Great Book I Readthe lacuna
My Favorite Movierecently seen: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Reader
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...great food exists in Westchester if you know where to look so quit whining!
Most Recent Discoverygaram masala... in everything
Current Crushcalifornia produce
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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10/3/2009
Overall, this is a very un-Westchester like place in Westchester, minus the kvetching children that we encountered upon entering. (They left soon after; thank god, because they might have had someone else kvetching on their hands otherwise. The last thing a teacher wants to deal with on a night out is children kvetching.) In short, the prices are reasonable, the service is professional, and the food is honest and well-sourced.
We were put off by the unfriendly reception when we entered-- i.e., basically being ignored for 5 minutes. I was about ready to walk out when finally someone took notice of us and very slowly found us a table. In the restaurant's defense, a large party was just breaking up, but I was pretty insulted that we were just standing there while numerous people clearly saw us but ignored us. Our waiter, on the contrary, (actually the same one photographed in the NYT review), was on point.
We tried the ricotta crostino with honey, featuring creamy house-made ricotta (amazing) and the porchetta, very thinly sliced pork belly served with matchstick slices of red pear (more up my C's alley than mine, but interesting) for appetizers.
For entrees, I had the cauliflower ravioli with cripsy breadcrumbs on top (loved the textures and flavors of this) and C had the ziti with guanciale and lentils, which was hearty and rustic.
Hearty and rustic: those adjectives describe The Cookery quite well. As we overheard a waitress say, this is not the type of Italian place where you'll find fried calamari, nor is it the kind of place where you will find overly fussy, intricately plated food. A+ for the pasta dishes, and priced so reasonably (around $13 each), they are really such a great value.
The generous wine pour is really equivalent to 2 glasses of wine, so that was another plus. As the waiter noted, the sauvignon blanc went well with the ravioli.
The valrhona chocolate bread pudding was the only dish I wasn't crazy about other than the porchetta, and that's because I really dislike molten chocolate cake and all its incarnations and think it's a real cop out dessert. Call it what you will, but this was molten chocolate cake-- fine, but boring. My fault for not properly translating the menu description. I wish we had gone for the fried dough with nutella. Oh well, next time!
A great spot to have in Westchester!! It was sooo crowded, which is nice to see! We liked the noise level. Lively, but not deafening.
http://events.nyt...
Here is my issue. Why do people rave so much about these cakes and cupcakes? I just do not see the appeal. They look absolutely gorgeous, no question. But these are cakes made to be looked at and not eaten. As an amateur baker, I know from experience that the most god-awful looking concoctions are often some of the tastiest, and that some gorgeous confections are all aesthetics.
I have tried a number of cupcakes and cake slices from Lulu and I was not impressed. In fact, I was downright disappointed. The buttercream, which is used in many of their cakes, cupcakes, and other baked goods (they make Hostess-style mini cakes as well), is smooth and beautiful looking but its taste is so off-puttingly buttery that I can't eat it. This is coming from a complete dessert fiend, and someone who has sampled chunks of butter and loved every minute of it. The actual cakes do not wow me either. I find them rather dry. Perhaps I've been trying the wrong things, or whole cakes are different, or whatever, but forgive me for not wanting to spend $40 on a cake when a $4 cupcake doesn't please me. And after so many visits and trying so many different cake permutations, the fact that I don't love anything does not enthuse me to try again.
So why 4 stars? Well, while Lulu fails to wow me in the cake department, their cookies are absolutely fantastic. My favorite is their chocolate chunk cookie, which is actually made with caramel mixed into the batter, and huge chunks of Valrhona chocolate. Other favorites include the rugelach, thumbprint jam cookies, tri-color rainbow cookies, and peanut butter sandwich cookies. Their cocoa-dusted brownie is also stupendous, though I could do without the cocoa dusting, as I almost choked on it-- imagine that headline-- death from brownie asphyxiation.
I will definitely go back for cookies, and I do have to give mention to the extremely friendly and polite young counter folk. As for cakes-- I'll take a crooked, homemade, rich, moist cake anyday over one of these precious works of art.
Mount Kisco, NY 10549
(914) 864-0606
Pour Cafe and Wine Bar
Categories: Italian, Tapas Bars
They have plenty of moderately priced bottles of wine available. We ordered a bottle of Riesling, and the waitress suggested an alternate bottle (that was slightly more expensive) as being far superior-- we took her advice, and were very pleased, both with the wine and the fact that she charged us for the less expensive bottle we had originally requested.
The small plates and panini are simple and rustic, but delicious, and can provide you with a snack or meal, depending on your fancy. With a cozy interior, friendly staff, and city-style eats in the suburbs, this is a no-brainer.
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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6/16/2008
YAY! An 'ino for Westchester! This place is great.
I was more interested in the food than the wine, but they do have some reasonably priced glasses and bottles. They also have an interesting beer list. As for the food, WOW!
*White bean dip with warm, chewy, crispy flatbread. Wonderful.
*Sicilian sliders-- flavorful meatballs on tiny slider rolls. Moist, with a nice sauce, and extra on the side for dipping.
*Chickpea fries-- my boyfriend loves chickpeas, so he loved these; they come with a tangy feta dipping sauce. If you're into chickpeas, a must-try.
*Bruschetta-- tomatoes and the usual fixings piled high on crisp, chewy bread
*Panini-- the bread (from Sullivan St. Bakery) is fabulous. The panini are a little thicker than the very thin ones at 'ino-- not a criticism, just an observation. The texture of the bread is amazing with beautiful grill marks, and the fillings generous and tasty. We got the prosciutto, mozzarella, tomato, and pesto, just wonderful. Chicken also got rave reviews.
*Nutella panino for dessert-- this is their "only" dessert (as the waiter said) so far, but they need to talk this up a little more, because it, too, was just perfect. The same bread used for the savory panini, stuffed with nutella, grilled, wow.
We loved, loved, loved the food. Prices of apps do not surpass $10; panini $11. There are comfy chairs. If you're a messy eater like me, the low tables present a challenge. There are quiet corners and noisier larger tables, so choose your seat depending on what you're looking for. HIGHLY recommended!!!!
Garrison, NY 10524
(845) 424-3254
Tavern At Highlands Country Club
Category: American (New)
We started with an order of wings, meaty and tangy (not too hot). As I mentioned in my last review, they have an excellent beer selection. For entrees, we shared two sandwiches: the pulled pork grilled cheese and the rib eye. The pulled pork sandwich was good, though I would have liked more sauce and cheese, but the real winner was the steak sandwich. Cooked perfectly to medium, the steak was extremely tender and topped with a mild horseradish sauce and sandwiched between two buttered slices of hearty toasted bread. The fries that accompany the fries are seasoned well and cooked to a beautiful golden color.
For dessert, we shared a pound cake parfait that came in a tall glass-- layers of pound cake, ice cream, and homemade nut (can't remember what nut) brittle. The moist pound cake soaked up the ice cream and the sticky and crunchy brittle provided a perfect foil in terms of texture.
I really like this place and its commitment to featuring the bounty of the area in its cuisine.
Note: If a wedding is taking place, seating is very limited.
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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1/19/2009
First to Review
The Tavern at Highlands Country Club reaps the benefits of local farms, proudly listing on the menu the nearby sources of their ingredients. I have definitely become more conscious of where my food comes from, so Tavern seemed right up my alley.
Located within a country club, I imagine that during the warmer months, the Tavern is bustling with golfers and their families. But on a freezing winter afternoon, the Tavern was peaceful. We opted for a table in the ballroom, which is off the main dining room. The main dining room is even tinier than it looks in the photo on the website. The ballroom, which is bright and airy, provided a scenic view of the snowy grounds, which I'm sure are gorgeous in the summer months, but we loved sitting by the crackling fire in the stone hearth.
We ordered beer off their extensive, mostly NY state, beer list, while we decided what to order. The gentleman who served us was full of suggestions, which we gladly accepted. I knew straightaway that I wanted the burger, and C ordered the turkey pot pie.
Both were excellent. Check out the picture of the presentation of my burger. The giant burger was served with a sheen of Cheddar, atop a brioche bun (the burger was so juicy it could have used a firmer roll, but I can't complain because I love brioche), with beautiful onion slices, pickles, and greens resting atop the top half of the bun. (Now that I think of it, no tomato was served with the burger, which makes sense given that tomatoes are not in season. It was not missed.) The fries were doused heavily in salt, pepper, and rosemary-- delicious.
C's potpie was also gorgeous in presentation. Served in a small ceramic baking pan, it was topped with a golden square of flaky puff pastry about 2 inches high. Inside were moist, tender strips of turkey, along with brussels sprouts and other veggies. We agreed it was the perfect cold weather meal.
For dessert, we pondered the options for a few minutes. When pressed for details about the brown butter bourbon waffle, our server informed us it was his favorite. We agreed on it, and I ordered hot chocolate too. I was so happy we went for the waffle and not the brownie sundae-- the waffle was incredible. The waffle itself was made with browned butter and simply melted in our mouths. It was topped with crushed pecans and a scoop of Ronnybrook vanilla ice cream, and served alongside it was a tiny pitcher of bourbon-maple syrup sauce. Oh. my. god. Not to mention the hot chocolate, which was the richest, most decadent hot chocolate I've tasted in a long time-- richer than Jacques Torres. It was crowned with thick, billowy whipped cream.
I'm reserving a star to award on a future visit, because I know I will be back. It's only about 25 minutes from mid Westchester, and well worth the drive for us. If you are a city dweller, I would wait for the warmer weather and make a day of it-- Garrison and environs are just picturesque once everything blooms.
Note: They will be participating in Hudson Valley Restaurant Week!
I was WRONG! DeCicco's has an enviable selection of local and hard to find microbrews, including, to my complete delight, Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence, which I have been futilely searching for since I visited Cooperstown last fall. That alone was worth the trip there. We also picked up beer from Blue Point and Southern Tier. The prices reflect that many of these beers are hard to find, but the selection is really astounding.
On top of that, there seems to be a guy whose sole job is to man the beer section, offering tips and tastes. And on top of THAT, they offer various size growlers (which I saw here for the first time-- basically jugs that you fill and refill with beer from taps) and a number of beers on tap with which to fill those growlers.
If you cringe at your college days when Natty Ice was the beer of choice (huh? what? not me!) and appreciate quality beer, DeCicco's is worth a trip for sure.
New York, NY 10017
(212) 753-0030
Karaoke DUET 48
Category: Karaoke
Neighborhood: Midtown East
You have the option of starting a tab in the room or ordering drinks at the bar on separate tabs, which is a GENIUS way to avoid disputes over who drank what at the end of the night.
Complaints: the room was a little hot. It's sort of in the middle of nowhere. Also, the sound was not fantastic.... or maybe we just have bad voices.
New York, NY 10022
(212) 888-7403
Cornerstone Tavern
Category: Sports Bars
Neighborhood: Midtown East
1) Happy hour specials
2) Yankees playoff game on tv to keep C happy
3) East midtown
...and Cornerstone was a PERFECT choice. They have $4 drafts/bottles (including Blue Point Toasted Lager on tap, which was great) and $4 well drinks all afternoon and early evening, until 7. They have about 20 TVs and each and every one, to C's delight, was tuned to the Yankees game. When we were done with our drinks, we walked for about 30 seconds and arrived at our destination (Duet 48 for karaoke!).
This place is clean, not too loud or annoying, and staffed with extremely friendly folks. The waiter was great about getting our drink orders in before 7 to lock in the HH prices. If you are looking for a place to watch the playoffs (or any sports event) in this area, I highly recommend it!
Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510
(914) 941-3100
Yama Fuji Sushi
Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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6/28/2007
Usually I'm the decision maker when it comes to food, but my boyfriend loves sushi so for his birthday I humored him (after trying to convince him to go somewhere else for 10 minutes). I was immediately turned off by the duct tape holding together the booth, so they lose a star for that right away. I hate when restaurants duct tape things. And it's a nice place otherwise! Fix the damn booth.
Anyway, I'm not a sushi-phile, but they have a ton of choices on the menu. We ordered a spicy tuna special roll to start with, and it was so absolutely melt in your mouth delicious that I wished we'd only ordered sushi, especially because the teriyaki entrees were pretty boring and bland (but I guess that's what we get for ordering teriyaki). Dessert was mochi covered ice cream discs, which were light and sweet.
Oh, and we had the equivalent of 4 beers for only $14, though I thought the Kirin tasted like Bud. I hate Bud almost as much as duct tape. I'd go back, but just for sushi. A lot of it. And beer.
Edited 7/07: OK, after another experience, their sushi definitely gets 4 stars and once they fix the duct taped booth I will change the rating to reflect my change of heart. The special rolls are soooo good and make me realize that up until now I've never had truly quality sushi. Thanks to Yama Fuji, I am now experiencing cravings for a food for which I didn't know cravings existed.
I have to credit Taliaferro for almost single-handedly increasing my vegetable consumption from that of a picky child who eats only corn (I jest, sort of) to me claiming, last night, that I could be a vegetarian if for some reason I needed to... except for beef. I love the challenge of cooking seasonally with their offerings for the week, and they give you a push in the right directions with their newsletter, which lists recipes for some of the more unusual offerings each week.
Mt Kisco, NY 10549
(914) 244-9711
NEO World Bistro and Sushi Bar
Category: Asian Fusion
Preparing for a shopping expedition in Mt. Kisco, I armed myself with the addresses of several eateries so as not to be stranded in the throes of starvation. (Experience has taught me well.) I was thrilled to see a recent Excellent rating for NEO, a new Asian Fusion (mostly Japanese) spot in Mt. Kisco. The regular menu looked a little pricey, but when we saw the lunch deal, we pounced!
For $7.95, you receive a bowl of edamame for snacking, a salad with ginger dressing, and TWO sushi rolls (6 pieces) of your choice. ($10.95 will get you the same thing, except THREE rolls!) We were extremely impressed with the quality of the sushi-- my sister got "fake" sushi (cucumber and avocado roll-- very refreshing-- and chicken tempura roll-- with delicately fried panko battered chicken) and I got "real" sushi (spicy salmon and spicy tuna, both great!). It's basic, barebones sushi without any fancy garnishes or sauces, but for $7.95 (!!!) it is an EXCELLENT value.
I would definitely return to try their more ambitious dinner menu. In the meantime, I highly recommend it for the lunch special (Mon-Sat). It's in a strange location-- you actually can't see it from Moger, as it's around the back. The inside is sleek and the gentleman waiting on us was a saint!
Date

Still not crazy about their desserts-- the pasta fritta would be great on its own with the cinnamon ice cream, minus the filling of too sweet banana and chocolate.
Pretty much all of Westchester county is chomping at the bit to eat here, so expect at least a 45 minute wait on a Saturday. We ate at the bar, which suited us fine, except for the clowns waving $50 bills at the bartender over our shoulders.