Westchester Eats

Antipasti is a cavernous space with warm tones – - camel, burnt sienna, browns. As you enter the front door and pass the coat check, you’ll notice an immense bar area.  Stools are square and very firm with no back support, although visually great. The bartender would be amazed at the number of steps taken in an evening to be sure! There was only one woman working the bar although she seemed to manage the service despite the crowd. At the end of the bar is a large temperature-controlled couvenet which is well stocked with over 500 bottles of vino from around the world. The Vino Lounge, as they call it, supposedly offers 50 wines by the glass per their marketing yet the menu only shows 16 including sparkling and champagne – - when questioned, it was acknowledged and we were told, “We haven’t figured it out yet.” The wines they do have by the glass tend to be priced in the $9 – $12 range and are of little interest.  The purchase of a bottle can cost you more than you might expect as there are very few mid-priced selections.

To the left and behind glass you’ll notice various salumi hanging and wheels of cheese. The wine cellar is impressively tucked into a wall just off to the side of the bar and is replete with selections from around the globe.

Up a few steps and into the dining room we go with very large backed banquettes which face a plethora of tables.  The same attention to detail and design was not given to the dining room. Tables are bare with no cloth or even kraft paper thus leaving no protection between your utensils and the bare tabletop.  Hopefully each table is individually wiped down with a fresh and well-cleaned cloth. If you look across the dining room, you will notice many tables – - they didn’t waste an inch of room here to maximize seating capacity.  The chairs, however are pretty (again with the square leather, but with a back of course). Look up?  Hmmmm – -  the ceiling looks like something out of a doctor’s office, which is a definite eyesore. It consists of an office drop ceiling with inserted high-hat lighting.  The kicker is there are many chandeliers which do not match the contemporary decor whatsoever and look like they were found in nonna’s basement. The dining room, when full is extremly noisy. There is nothing to absorb the sound. Not sure what they were thinking.

The menu offers a structure of antipasti (cold and hot) then standard Italian fare for main-course dishes. The regular dishes can be had anywhere. The roasted beet salad is delicious and lightly dressed. Stuffed peppers are spicy little numbers with a crumb filling.  The heat of the pepper overwhelms the filling, however. Stay away from the rice balls.  The outside presents well, but the inside is gummy and flavorless.

Cheeses do not disappoint. Antipasti serves many interesting cheese selections from many places, not just Italy. The star on the menu is the burrata.  Burrata is a cheese that has an approximate shelf life of 48 hours.  It is wrapped in leaves.  When the leaves are green and fresh looking, the indication is that the cheese is still fresh.  Burrata, which originates from the Puglia region of Italy, consists of a “purse” made of buffalo milk mozzarella in which shreds of fresh mozzarella are placed and topped with a fresh helping of panna (heavy cream). Fantastic!  This can serve about four nicely and runs $24. Other cheeses are the blues which do not disappoint.  Then of course, you can have your dry aged hard cheeses such as parmigiano reggiano. Each cheese arrives with a little flag identifying it by name and place of origin.  You get the picture.

Next, order a mixture of interesting cured meats. The speck and bresaola are delicious as is the more fatty lardo. The salumeria plates would benefit from the “flag” identifiers given the cheese plates.

Service at Antipasti is quite attentive.  The only criticism on service at one seating was they continually would swap out utensils and forget to replace them when delivering the next course. Smiles abound from the likes of Eduardo who can converse with you in English, his native Spanish, and to my delight we shared conversation in Italian.

In addition to the meats, cheeses, and other standard Italian restaurant fare, there is a raw bar complete with fresh oysters, shrimp and crab legs.

My recommendation: Stay in the front bar area and sit at the bar or a two-top with stools, enjoy the beautiful front of house space and simply dine your way through interesting meats and cheeses and complement your meal with a glass of wine.

Reservations are  highly recommended (call or reserve via Open Table) You will need to take advantage of their valet parking which is free and offered daily from 5:30 on.

Antipasti Wine & Antipasto Bar

1 North Broadway

White Plains, NY 10601

914-949-3500

www.antipastiny.com

A sliver of a shop, located on Main Street in Tarrytown is Mint.  Opened by a Moroccan transplant named Hassan, this delicious find stocks many exotic products.  Incredible cheeses from around the world, a selection of interesting Belgian brews and many unusual sundries.

Hassan stands behind his very crowded counter slicing generous pieces of cheese and salumi and in essence “feeds you.” Try the aged pecorino with truffle or the creamy basil fromage.  Want to blow your mind? Have the French Triple Creme cheese.

You may have wanted to pop in just to buy a boule or baguette but once your taste buds have been opened by the treats he gives you, your shopping bag will be more incredibly full than you anticipated.

At the back of the shop is a counter replete with interesting platters of which they will incorporate into a wrap.  Rotisserie chickens slow cook in front of you with incredible spiced aromas.  Try the salad of wheat berries, too – - it doesn’t disappoint. If octopus and squid are your things, this salad is a customer favorite.

While waiting to place an order, I was given an over-the-top serving of hot chocolate made with Valhrona, one of the world’s best mixed in a heavy cream under the heat of the espresso machine.

Recently I had Mint do a beautiful meat and cheese platter for a business meeting.  Not only was the presentation beautiful, Hassan even lent the platter and trusted that it would be returned in good condition. It was.

Mint is charming and quite a resource. Keep it up, Hassan!

Mint Premium Foods

18 Main Street

Tarrytown, NY  10591

914-703-6511

Located on the corner of Campwoods Road and Stone Avenue in Ossining, is a cute homey restaurant called Wobble Cafe.

This charming out-of-the way from regular traffic destination is child-friendly.  It is the perfect place to bring little ones who may have a difficult time sitting through breakfast at the table.  Send them off to the play area where they can draw, go through board books, play with toys, etc.  There are colored drawings on the walls by children of the food they see in the restaurant.  The place is very cozy like being in someone’s kitchen – - soft yellow walls toward the front, and very non-restaurant lighting fixtures.  You may see a quilt or two about.

Now, if you’re not one for children playing around you during breakfast, go somewhere else.  However, they are quite cute to watch and because they are so busy enjoying themselves, really not “out of control.”

Wobble opened in 2005 by married owners Rich Foshay and Beylka Krupp.  Word has it that the restaurant was named after their cat.

Menu options have something for everyone.  Bring your veggie friends, too!  There are crepe offerings such as grilled chicken or a grilled-apple compote. Yum!  They offer just a couple of salads but you can mix it up by requesting that your salad be made “chef” with the addition of turkey, cheese and ham; or you can request that grilled chicken or tenders be added. Go for something different and try the blueberry vinaigrette – - a nice balance of sweet and tang.

The panini press is slammin’ here, too.  There are several offerings.  Try the Reuben panini which had nice grill marks along the untraditional hoagie-esque roll. This sandwich is generously packed with delicious pastrami, a melt of Swiss cheese and just the right amount of thousand island dressing to balance. The size of the sandwich dares you to eat more than half – - it is enormous. The fries were the crunchy coated kind and not made on-site.  Though, not too shabby with a light dousing of malt vinegar.

Move over Rachel Ray – - Wobble has “sammies” too! There are hamburgers which can be made veggie with a portobello replacement.  In addition, PBJ can be made with a cashew butter with a nice addition of sliced apples or bananas to complement.

This review primarily covers tastings during the brunch seating.  However, you can go for breakfast or even lunch and find even more interesting items on those menus.

The only real criticism is the lack of a smiling waitstaff.  Coffee refills do flow though but a smile goes a long way. In addition, the woman clearing tables removed plates from dining companions while others were still eating creating a sense of pressure for those still enjoying a meal.

Also know that they do not have a license to offer wine. However, they are more than happy that you bring your own and are gracious enough to not charge for corkage.

Check out this place.  Alone? Sit at the counter and sip a cup of “Joe” and read the paper.

Before leaving you can take a little Wobble home for a late-night fix with their spicy homemade mango salsa or pickled jalapenos – - another yum on both counts.

One thing to watch for – - check their website or call first.  A couple of visits found myself arriving at a restaurant that was closed for a party or about to close for one. That’s a good sign though – - Ossining has a little treasure tucked within it.

Wobble Cafe

21 Campwoods Road

Ossining, NY 10562

914-762-3459

• Tuesday/Wednesday 7 – 4
• Thursday 7 – 6 Dinner 6 – 9
• Friday 7 – 5 Dinner 5 – 9
• Saturday 8 – 5 Dinner 5 – 9
• Sunday 8 – 4

WobbleCafe.com

In the wee hours of Friday morning (January 16th), a fire broke out in the kitchen of Briarcliff’s Guadalajara restaurant.

We recently reviewed the restaurant (see below).  It is a shame that the restaurant which was undergoing renovations fell victim to an electrical fire.  Thankfully, the tenants in the upstairs apartments were able to escape without injury.

No word yet on rebuilding plans.