Small Bites

Has anyone else noticed that there have been quite a few new burger joints opening around here. I don’t know if you saw my story about in Sunday’s Journal News, “The Burger’s Big Comeback,”— if not you can click here —but I found five places that opened in the last year. One of them was Cheeburger, Cheeburger in White Plains, where if you eat “The Pounder,” your photo gets put on the wall. Take a look at the size of that burger (these photos are by Journal News photographer Tania Savayan):

 

 

Can you imagine what you’d look like eating a burger that big? Here’s something to jumpstart your imagination:

 

 

So picture you in this photo—and then picture it hanging on the wall at Cheeburger, Cheeburger, so the whole world could see it! Nice, right? Does anyone know of any other places where they take pictures of you, just for eating so much? I’d be curious to know.

By the way for all of you Liz Johnson fans out there, I hear today (Wednesday) is her first day back at the office from maternity leave. Now, I don’t have to tell you how hard that first day back can be. So, if you’d like to drop her a welcome back comment, feel free to do so at the end of this post. And also, let me know about those food photo places.

In the meantime, here’s the link to my story again. If you love a good burger, you don’t want to miss it. And here’s the info on Cheeburger, Cheeburger.   Enjoy!

 

 

 

I’m a wimp in the winter, one of those people who is always looking for a warm-up of some kind. Some people find theirs in hot chocolate, but I love a good hearty soup. My favorite, favorite, favorite of all time is Ladle of Love’s chicken dumpling. It’s hearty without being overly rich and makes me feel like I’m getting all of my vegetables in one bite. Plus, those chicken dumplings are delicious. Take a look:

Ladle’s owner Leslie Lampert told me on a recent interview about her soup that this one was born out of her love for chicken pot pie. She says it’s basically chicken pot pie, but thinned down. Anyway, I love it in the winter. Come to the think of it, I love it in the summer, too. Fortunately, it’s on the menu at Ladle of Love in Mount Kisco, all year round.

Want to learn more about this soup, or find out about other great soups nearby? Take a look at this article, which ran in The Journal News recently: http://www.LoHud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012301180046

And here’s where to go to try Ladle’s amazing chicken dumpling: Ladle of Love, 11B South Moger Ave., Mount Kisco; 914-242-9661; ladleoflove.com

My friend, Jeanne, went to 143 Park Bistro in Bronxville yesterday. It’s just a week old! Here’s what she has to say about it:

 

“The former Village Cafe in Bronxville is now the sleekly redesigned Park 143 Bistro. And yes, you’ll be drawn in by the decor before you even sit down and order a drink (and oh what a cocktail list there is…more about that in a minute)

What you notice first: The Zebra print banquettes with red leather piping which lines the main dining room. There are also gorgeous silver-edged mirrors and shades of blue which mix with rows of box shade sconces.For a table with real privacy and panache ask for the elevated chef’s table in the back with its recessed seating and lipstick red stools. Very cool.

Enough about the decor, you say, what about the food? The restaurant, which incidentally just opened a week ago, is just as impressive. My friend and I sampled the soup to start: A very light, very fresh tomato soup and an uber-tasty mushroom truffle. (FYI: The smell of the truffle oil is enough to get you swooning and spooning).

My friend tried the Arugula salad with roasted beets, goat cheese, shallot vinaigrette and candied pecans. A nice mixture that again, felt like the right amount: not too big and not too small.”

“Craving the taste of summer, I opted for the lobster roll with drawn butter, chive, lemon and frisee. it didn’t disappoint though I did feel like it was a lot of bun.

For dessert, our server Chris “twisted our arm” for what he called “the showstopper: Chocolate chip cookie dough binded with a little cream cheese, served with waffle cookies and a caramel drizzle. if you want the grown up version of childhood, this is it.”

 

“Owner Wayne Chessler, the former general manager of Harry’s of Hartsdale and Underhill’s Crossing Restaurant, told me I have to come back for dinner. The pride of the restaurant, he says, is the small plates menu meant for sampling and sharing. Among the favorites so far: the gourmet crepes including duck confit, truffle Hollandaise; sweet shrimp, pesto, mango cucumber salsa; and wild mushroom, chive, creme fraiche and pecorino cheese. And oh yeah, about those cocktails: how about a Park Chipolte Margarita (mezel, chipolte syrup, fresh lime and zest) or a Park Peach Bellini with champagne and peach puree.

I’ll be back.”

Park 143 Bistro is open 7 days a week; 143 Parkway Road. Bronxville; 914-337-5100. www.park143.com

 

 

 

 

It’s just a great day for soup, you know? Still, chicken noodle just doesn’t do it for me. I like soups that are rare, interesting, and often, one-of-a-kind. That’s what I found recent at Mimi’s Plate in Tappan. I went in on a chilly day and Mimi Platas, the owner, had a pot of spinach coconut soup. She purees spinach, adds coconut milk, and lots of Indian spice to create this unique dish. And if you grab a bowl on a day like today, it’s a perfect winter warm-up.

 

I know it may not look so appetizing from this photo, but it’s really good. She adds Batsmati rice, so it’s extra hearty. Add some bread and a salad, and that’s all you’ll need for dinner. Incidentally, Mimi’s is a great place to pick up a take-out meal. She has fresh-made everything from sandwiches to chicken tenders to cheddar scones.

Want to visit Mimi’s Plate? You’ll find it at 33 Old Tappan Rd., Tappan; 845-359-6464. Or, see what she has cooking, visit: www.mimisplate.com

So, has anyone been to Taste in Buchanan yet? Ok, yet may not be fair—the restaurant did open last July. Still, it has taken a lot of people a while to try it just because it’s so hard to get a table on the weekend. That’s what we hear anyway. I did manage to get a table on a recent weekday night—Thursday night, Ladies Night, when the drinks are half-price. That was a nice surprise. And the food was terrific!

The decor is kind of funky. Take a look at these curtains…

 

 

 

But there are a lot of wines to choose from. On Wednesdays, the owners prepare a special wine list and offer bottles at half-price!

 

 

 

But most importantly, the food is really good. The menu is New American “with global influences,” and you can see the chef’s creativity just by a quick look at the menu. I opted for the chicken, which came with this sweet potato puree with vanilla that tasted more like a dessert than a vegetable!

 

Colorful isn’t it??? My husband had the salmon, which was great, too. So definitely give Taste a try. Just maybe not on a weekend.

 

Taste, 265 Tate Ave., Buchanan; 914-930-7866. The website is still under construction, but here’s where to look for it: tasteontate.com

 

 

There are plenty of reason to love Restaurant North in Armonk. There’s the farm-fresh cooking that makes eating seasonally a joy, even in the depth of winter. There’s the ultra-contemporary cuisine and the undertstated decor. It’s sunny during the day and romantic at night. But my most recent favorite reason to visit the restaurant is—no surprise for the people who know me—dessert. Or, in other words: the chocolate chip cookie skillet.

My friend and I stopped by for the pre-fixe lunch the other day (three courses for $25!), and I ended with the cookie skillet, which you can see above. It’s as simple as it sounds: basically a thick chocolate chip cookie cake baked in a skillet with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Sometimes good doesn’t have to be complicated. It certainly doesn’t here.

For more on Restaurant North, click here. 

So, I know my family has been waiting for months for Five Guys to finally open in the Town Center. On January 10, they did. The fast-casual restaurant, known for its juicy burgers and fresh-cut fries, is a bit more cheerful in this location, than say in its White Plains sister, though the offerings are all the same.

We stopped in yesterday with the kids and you could barely get a table! The burgers and fries were as terrific as ever, and the staff could not have been more welcoming. They have someone to greet you at the door and say a special good-bye as you leave. I love it. But in my opinion, there are two small downsides to Five Guys: 1.) you have to wait on two lines. As if we even had time to wait on one, right? You head to the register, where you order and pay. Then you wait on a whole other line for food. In the Cortlandt Manor location, expect a lot of congestion—people are crazy about this place—so the waits can be long. Downside Number Two: No shakes. Call me crazy, but when I want a burger, I often want a shake to go with it. No such luck here.

But as for the burgers, well, they’re hard to beat!

Here’s a look inside incase you haven’t been yet:

 

 

And I loved these new agey soda machines…

 

Isn’t it cool?

Anyway if you’re interested in visiting yourself, here’s the info:

3121 E. Main St., Mohegan Lake. Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. fiveguys.com

Sorry for the delay on posts recently. Looks like Liz Johnson won’t be back until the beginning of February, so I’m going to continue on linking you to great restaurant news and other fun foodie stuff.

My first thought for this week—it’s Sunday right now, but this certainly pertains to Monday, too—is COFFEE. Lots of it. Most restaurants aren’t open on Mondays anyway (though if you are looking for some places to go tonight try Fig & Olive in Scarsdale, Taste in Buchanan, or Birdsall in Peekskill), so this is when I like to kick back at a cafe and my favorite is Black Cow in Croton-on-Hudson. Though, they do have a Black Cow sister in Pleasantville.

The Black Cow is everything a cafe should be: laidback, easygoing, casual. You’re almost guaranteed to run into someone from the neighborhood if you go. I love it. Here’s a recent photo:

 

You can see the old-time coffe roaster (I believe) and all of the community postings on the wall.

 

But most importantly on a Monday morning is the coffee—and the coffee here is strong! I stop in for a cup now and then, but more often than not, I stop in to pick up a few pounds of coffee. And they have plenty. Take a look:

 

 

See all of those bins, they’re full of different types of coffee from various parts of the world. Personally, I like the Black Cow blend (though the cafe could do a better job of stocking it, often it’s out!) and I buy two pounds when they have it because they tend to run out a lot.

Recently, I bought a ground pound of the Mingus Java, which is “half Colombian Supremo French roasted, half Panama full City roasted beans.” And if you don’t know what that means, I’ll sum it up: It tastes really good.

Do you have a favorite cafe in your neighborhood? What is it? I’d be curious to try it. In the meantime, if you want to give mine a try, here’s the info:

Black Cow Coffee Company, 51 Maple St., Croton-on-Hudson; 914-271-7544; blackcow.com

and here’s info on the newish Black Cow in Pleasantville.