Remember to check us out at www.westchesterbreakfastclub.com!

Patisserie Salzburg / La Renaissance Patisserie Francaise

April 6:  We start off April with a French double header
in Scarsdale, paying visits to Patisserie Salzburg and La Renaissance Patisserie Francaise.
Scarsdale’s Salzburg is much larger than its counterpart in Rye. It did strike us as interesting
that there are two French cafes in such close proximity, but we went with it. First stop was
Patisserie Salzburg. The offerings in the display cases look delectable, and there’s certainly a lot
of variety. There’s typical French fare like macaroons and chocolate croissants, but there are also
general gourmet shop/deli types of dishes, like salads, latkas, and paninis. Salzburg tries to step
out of the box with items like the duck quesadilla and short rib tea sandwich (but we’re not too
sure how well a short rib would sit with a cup of tea). Sylvia and Jeff each tried a slice of quiche,
but unfortunately found it to be bland and unremarkable. A better choice was the trio of tea
sandwiches that Shelley sampled—for $2.50 each the price was right and the flavors were
delicate, as you’d want in a good tea sandwich. While the chocolate croissant that Sylvia
sampled was fluffy and chock full of chocolate, the red velvet cupcake that Shelley chose was
disappointing; the frosting was not a delicate cream cheese frosting but rather a frosting that
tasted like pure cream cheese, with very little sugar added. The flavor didn’t blend well with the
cake. Probably best to stick to the French pastries at Patisserie Salzburg. It’s location steps away
from the Scarsdale train station makes it a good place to grab a quick cup of coffee and a
croissant before heading into work. By contrast, La Renaissance Patisserie Francaise has much
fewer offerings than Salzburg. It’s also much smaller, giving it a more intimate café feel, the
kind of place where you’d want to huddle over a cup of coffee close to your companion. The
winner at La Renaissance is its French Onion Soup. There’s a sign by the counter saying “Ask us
about our French Onion Soup.” So we asked. And we got a couple of cups. This is, we dare say,
among the best French Onion Soup we’ve had. The onions are soft and sweet, the stock is
surprisingly light for a beef stock; there’s a balanced blend between seasonings; the croutons are
thick, crunch cuts and the whole thing is topped by shredded gruyere cheese (as opposed to the
thick slab of cheese we’re used to when getting a crock of French Onion Soup at other places).
It’s worth a trip to La Renaissance to try this soup alone.

Sala-on-Hudson

April 20:  Those who follow the WBC know that we’ve been disappointed in the past when trying breakfast or brunch at a restaurant that offers a specific cuisine. So it was with our guard up that we headed to Spanish restaurant Sala-on-Hudson in Croton. Sala’s hard to miss if you’re not looking for it; it’s situated in a non-descript strip of stores, sandwiched between a pizza place and a nail salon. But once you step inside, you’re welcomed by the pleasant Spanish ambiance. Sala only started serving brunch in April, so we were among the first to try their dishes. We were quite pleasantly surprised. The brunch menu is varied, offering egg dishes, sandwiches, and traditional tapas plates, all for an average of $10. (The exception is the paella, which is meant for a minimum of two people and is $19 per person.) The dishes we sampled struck the right chord between breakfast and Spanish flavors. Case in point: the bocadillo de huevo con jamon y queso. This is an egg sandwich with Serrano ham and manchego cheese. It’s the right way to put a Spanish spin on a breakfast favorite without making things too fussy. A simple side of mixed greens was a great way to round out the dish. Another winner was the torrijas, thick slices of French toast topped with powdered sugar and an apple compote; this comes served with Pedro Ximenez syrup. The plate we ordered for the table was passed around several times and not a crumb was left at the end. The revuelto de paella was an intriguing and successful offering; it’s chicken paella with scrambled eggs. We’ll definitely return to Sala not only for brunch but also to try the tapas plates for lunch or dinner. Sala is a very welcome addition to spice up dining in the Croton area.

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Remember to check us out at www.westchesterbreakfastclub.com

New City Diner, Cortland Manor

Thornwood Coach Diner

City Limits Diner, White Plains

King Street Restaurant & Bar, Chappaqua

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Eldorado Diner 3

The Bayou

Nov. 25: The fried pickles at The Bayou were extraordinary. And…did we mention that the fried pickles were extraordinary? Unfortunately The Bayou proved to be one of those establishments that tries to get people in with a brunch menu when really they should stick to lunch and dinner and drinks. At our Sunday brunch, what struck us first was the unusually long wait time for the four of us to get our meals considering the restaurant had only a handful of other patrons. When the meals for two of us arrived, it was still another 5 minutes until the meals for the other two arrived. The quality of the meals didn’t help matters. The omelettes were flat and flavorless, the beignets were also flavorless; the sweet potato pancakes were too mushy and had none of the nice crisp that you’d associated with potato pancakes. The eggs benedict were a bit overcooked. Those fried pickles would bring us back for a different meal, but not a return visit for brunch.

The 411 on the Bayou.

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River City Grille, Irvington

Oct. 7 : Superfriends Jeff and Antonia head to this Irvington establishment for brunch. River City Grille has a diner feel to it, but more upscale, as reflected in the higher prices. But, for a special brunch, we recommend the quiche and the monstrous breakfast bowl, which serves up eggs, chorizo, salsa served over black beans and rice. May be a bit heavy for a first meal of the day, but if your stomach can take it, it’s worth the experience. The 411 on River City Grille.

Sunset Cove, Tarrytown

Oct. 21: A birthday is a special occasion, and deserves a special meal. For this, we turned to Sunset Cove. We’ve long talked about trying the brunch buffet, but we knew it had to be for an actual occasion and not just any ol’ Sunday. We were not disappointed. For $27.50 you can get all the brunch food you want, from any kind of eggs, sweets like French toast and pastries, meats like sausage and bacon, lox, bagels, meats, pasta, desserts. And let’s not forget the mimosas. Get a group, make a reservation, and arrive with an empty stomach. (Note: Our visit was pre-Sandy, so we all hope that Sunset Cove didn’t sustain too much damage.) The 411 on Sunset Cove.

Eldorado Diner 1, Elmford

Oct. 28: Eldorado Diner 1 is in Elmsford. It’s not to be confused with Eldorado Diner West in Tarrytown, or the Eldorado Diner on Central Avenue near Scarsdale. Before the big storm hit Sylvia and Jeff fueled up their stomachs at this old family favorite. It serves up basic diner food, nothing that particularly wows, but if you want hearty food that’s a bang for your buck, then head on over.

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Remember to check us out at www.westchesterbreakfastclub.com!

Eileen’s Country Kitchen

Sept. 3: We celebrate Labor Day by heading to Yonkers for a little taste of Ireland in Westchester. Eileen’s Country Kitchen serves standard diner fare in a cozy Irish themed space. And yes, you can get an Irish Breakfast. You can also get an Irish Breakfast in omelette form, which is exactly what Sylvia did. The omelette contained plenty of Irish sausage and black and white pudding. Reid, meanwhile, discovered that Irish bacon doesn’t look like the bacon we’re used to, instead looks much like ham. Eileen’s also serves a solid basic Western omelette. Oh, and we’re still talking about the basket of delicious soda bread, which was generously refilled every time we emptied it (which was often throughout the course of this meal).

The 411 on Eileen’s Country Kitchen.

Encore Bistro

Sept. 16: Sylvia runs. A lot. And she therefore needs a hearty breakfast to keep her refueled after burning so many calories. Fortunately Encore Bistro in Larchmont provided just the sustenance she needed after a Sunday morning race. Enter one delectable, delightfully oversized croque madame and a side of garlic sausage. Sylvia raved about the perfectly cooked egg (with just enough yolk), the irresistible melted cheese, and the solid slice of ham. But she was a little green with envy too after snagging a taste of her friend’s Salade de Roquette (it has lobster in it—’nuff said). The full WBC will have to pay a visit to Encore Bistro for a relaxing Sunday brunch in a lovely town.

The 411 on Encore Bistro.

Brazen Fox

Sept. 23: Sometimes you need to go a pub, even for breakfast. The WBC decided to continue its brunch pub crawl of Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains at Brazen Fox (we already paid a visit to neighboring Ron Black’s in March). What we got actually turned out to be better than your average bar food. Shelley enjoyed a very generous, fluffy omelette, which came served with toast and home fries. She also loved the pancakes that Andrew got, even if he was a little lukewarm about them. Sylvia kept it healthy with a hearty bowl of oatmeal and an egg. The food was served promptly and at reasonable prices. Plus we got to catch the beginning of that week’s early afternoon Jets game. If you want to pair brunch with football in a laidback atmosphere, then Brazen Fox is the place for you.

The 411 on Brazen Fox.

Bagels and More

Sept 30: We wound down the month with a return to simplicity. Shelley and Jeff paid a visit to Bagels and More in Hartsdale where they enjoyed…well, bagels and more. The horseradish cream cheese that this neighborhood bagel shop/deli offers is a pick-me-up addition to any average toasted bagel. And some of the bagel offerings here are far from average. In addition to your basic plain, poppy, and pumpernickel bagels, you can throw a pesto bagel or a sundried tomato bagel into the mix. The prices are great, and Bagels and More is a perfect place to stop for a simple weekend meal or to grab a bagel on your way to the train station.

The 411 on Bagels &  More.

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Remember to check us out at www.westchesterbreakfastclub.com!

Fountain Diner, Hartsdale

But we soon settled in for some basic diner fare: plenty of omelettes, sausage, and egg sandwiches were enjoyed. Everything was your basic diner-quality food at reasonable diner prices. Nothing with a wow factor, but you don’t usually go into a diner expecting to be wowed anyway. The several televisions in the diner were bonuses, since we got to enjoy some Olympic action with our eggs over easy. The 411 on Fountain Diner.

Rue des Crepes, Harrison

However, what we didn’t enjoy were the plate sharing charges, for both sharing a crepe from the prix fixe brunch menu (at an already pricey $17.50), but also for sharing a couple of dessert crepes. The other thing that disappointed us was that the savory crepes featured on the prix fixe brunch menu were not available a la carte. However, if you pop to the front of the restaurant and get some crepes to go, you can get any crepe you want. Rue Des Crepes is a cute establishment, but we think it’s a better bargain to get your crepes to enjoy at home. The 411 on Rue des Crepes.

City Limits, White Plains

Sylvia ranks the City Egg Sandwich as one of the best sandwiches in the county, and Shelley gives high points to the wonderful citrus balance in the orange lemon waffles. There was also plenty of crispy, flavorful bacon for everyone. And since City Limits is known for its bakery, the WBC had to try dessert. We were on a lemon kick, and weren’t disappointed. The lemon pound cake is a tried and true favorite, and the lemon layer cake was moist, creamy, and cheerfully yellow. City Limits remains a great Westchester family favorite. The 411 on City Limits.

Chat American Grill, Scarsdale

However, the overall consensus was that the breakfast dishes were a bit overpriced. The lunch items on the brunch menu, however, were more reasonably priced and equally delicious. Shelley gave a thumbs up to the turkey/brie Panini. Although it was a little too warm for us to dine outside, the large patio at Chat looks like a wonderful place to enjoy a meal on a more moderate day. (Like the crisp evenings we’ll get in fall!) The 411 on Chat American Grill.

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Because of the heat, the WBC has been a little lazy about our breakfasting, and made it to only two places during the month of July: Terra Rustica in Briarcliff and Strawberry Place in Nyack. (Yes, yes, we know Nyack isn’t in Westchester. But a visit to our western neighbors was in order.)

Remember to check us out at www.westchesterbreakfastclub.com!

July 7, 2012:  This was our second visit to Terra Rustica, but this was justified by the fact that our first visit was over two years ago. We were very pleased with our breakfast the first time around, so it was definitely time to stop in again and see if history would repeat itself. Well, it did, and we left once again satisfied with our breakfasts from Terra Rustica. They offer a very economical breakfast special, and you can select from a rather varied menu that has everything from basic eggs and pancakes to fritattas—even a calamari frittata for the daring breakfasters among us. Alas, the WBC is just not that daring, so we stuck to a few basics which were done very well. Terra Rustica provides classic breakfast food at good prices in an atmosphere that’s more pleasant than a diner. (But as Shelley pointed out, they have got to do something about the music selection.) And we did get real maple syrup, but for an extra charge.

July 15, 2012:  Imagine our surprise to discover that Strawberry Place over the bridge in Nyack offers more than just strawberries. For one thing, at this glorious place the real maple syrup is free. That’s right. Real. Maple. Syrup. FOR FREE! It went well with Jeff’s Lazy Hazy Challah French Toast (so appropriately named for a broiling Sunday morning). Sylvia’s American Flag French Toast, left, while colorful, had any underlying griddle flavor that, while distracting, wasn’t bad enough to stop her from cleaning her plate. And unfortunately the bacon that Reid sampled didn’t impress. That said, we enjoyed Strawberry Place for what it’s trying to do and would give it a second chance to pass muster.

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June 23, 2012: The heat left the WBC dropping like flies, so it was up to just Sylvia and Reid to head over to Cooked & Co. on Garth Rd. in Scarsdale. There aren’t too many breakfast offerings, but Sylvia’s breakfasty frittata and Reid’s lunchy chicken/mozzarella/onion compote sandwich proved solid choices in this cozy, charming, casual gourmet eatery. But, not everything was coming up roses this morning. Who doesn’t love Nutella, right? Well, the WBC doesn’t love Nutella when an entire jar is crammed into a single muffin. Cooked & Co. has a good idea for a crowd pleaser, but Sylvia and Reid agree that even Nutella is susceptible to the phrase “too much of a good thing.”

June 30, 2012: We were once again melting and, with the exception of Reid, not very hungry, so the WBC journeyed over to the Black Cow in Pleasantville. Here we enjoyed some simple pastries and beverages for breakfast, although only Jeff sampled the Cow’s coffee. Shelley and Reid both enjoyed hearty cinnamon muffins, which were more a cross between a cake and a muffin. Bonus points for the pomegranate green tea. (Ever wonder if green tea can be red? Well, add some pomegranate and it can.)  The prices were reasonable and the setting was comfortable. The Black Cow has brought to Pleasantville a perfect neighborhood coffee shop that provides a quainter alternative to a certain big-name chain coffee shop on the other side of the train station.

See you in August!

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May 6, 2012: We pay a visit to Emma’s Ale House in White Plains. With several dog owners in the group, we loved the dog-theme of the decor at Emma’s. Things were off to a good start with the free plate of mini cinnamon buns that Emma’s provides to brunch diners. The quiche of the day that Shelley tried was delicious, far better than your average quiche, serving up cheddar, scallions, and peppers, it would be a vegetarian’s delight. The other high point was the pizza that Sylvia tried. Yes, she strayed from breakfast, but it was worth it. What’s brunch without a Bloody Mary? Well, in addition to the standard drink Emma’s also offers a jalapeno Bloody Mary, which comes complete with a strip of bacon (instead of a celery stick). This drink gave Jeff a kick start to his morning. Unfortunately, we were a bit disappointed by the chicken apple sausage, which was bland in flavor, and while Reid savored his root beer float for dessert, the rest of the group was underwhelmed by the desserts we sampled (the apple tart and the creme brulee). The staff was very friendly and the dog theme ran all the way to the ties worn by our servers. Overall Emma’s provided a hearty brunch in a friendly atmosphere (and who doesn’t love free cinnamon buns?), although we wouldn’t add dessert the next time.

May 19, 2012: The ladies of the WBC head to Larchmont for a civilized Parisian brunch at Auray Gourmet. (And yes, we do love that it rhymes.)  We were immediately impressed by the very friendly staff, not to mention the mouthwatering assortment of French pastries displayed at the front counter. The hardest part of this meal was deciding what to order. Sylvia went the French route and sampled a crepe, while Shelley tried to be healthy with a Skinny Bee Omelette (an egg white omelette). Sylvia gave high points to the delicious flavor combination of her Montagnolo Crepe, a crepe with “Cambonzolo, a blue brie cheese imported from Germany and sliced apples, drizzled with balsamic glaze.” Shelley’s Skinny Bee fit the healthy bill, but she couldn’t help spending the entire meal wishing she had gotten a crepe instead. Fortunately there was still time to throw calorie counting out the window with a post-brunch visit to nearby Bread & Cocoa. Inside this charming French-themed cafe was a delectable display of French pastries and breads. The aroma wafting from the cafe alone would be enough to lure in any passerby. The pain au chocolat and lemon pound cake did not disappoint. Larchmont, the WBC will definitely be back.

May 27, 2012: The gang spends this lazy Sunday morning at Roasted Peppers in Mamaroneck. Initially we were wary when we saw that many of the items on the brunch menu had, well, peppers as a main ingredient. Would this be another restaurant that simply slaps a bunch of meals together, throws in some eggs, and calls it brunch? Thankfully, no. Roasted Peppers pleasantly surprised us with many meals, including the blueberry-cream cheese stuffed French toast which is among the best we’ve sampled over the course of the past 2 years. And, it comes with real (!) maple syrup; that always earns bonus points in our breakfast book. Reid went out on a limb and tried the lobster mac, which turned out to be a refined and well-blended  pasta dish that will stick to your ribs for the rest of the day. And let’s not forget the coffee. The coffee smelled delicious, with a warm vanilla aroma that made even the non coffee drinkers of the WBC take notice. We appreciated the extra touches put forth by Roasted Peppers including a generous complimentary platter of muffins and pastries and a rice pudding on the house (because our first choice dessert, flan, wasn’t yet available). Roasted Peppers has renewed our hope that restaurants can do brunch right.

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That’s how the Westchester Breakfast Club came to be.

From left front, Andrew Louie of Queens, Sylvia Louie of Ossining, Reid Aronson of Briarcliff, Shelley Gazes of Briarcliff and back row, Jeffrey Louie of Elmsford and Patrick Gallagher of Ossining pose for a photo at Half Moon in Dobbs Ferry April 17, 2011.  ( Carucha L. Meuse / The Journal News )

The founding members of the WBC (Sylvia Louie, Jeffrey Louie, Andrew Louie, Reid Aronson, Shelley Gazes, and Patrick Gallagher) all grew up in Westchester, and we know how easy it is to fall into a bit of a restaurant rut, particularly when it comes to the first meal of the day. You tend to go to the place nearest to you and just grab a standard meal, whether it’s a bagel with cream cheese, an egg and cheese sandwich, or a muffin. But Westchester has so much more to offer for morning meals and we won’t rest until we’ve sampled it all. We try both breakfast and brunch at all types of places, from a pancake breakfast at a local farm to a very formal brunch in an elegant restaurant, a cafe to a local diner, even a Moroccan brunch. And yes, we’ve gone to IHOP.

All told, in the last two and a half years we’ve tried breakfast or brunch at about 70 different establishments through Westchester, as well as at some restaurants in Manhattan (because after all, every Westchester resident heads to NYC for dining at least sometimes). And we’re still going strong. Sometimes life gets in the way of our breakfast plans, and in recent months we’ve lost a member to the great north, but at least once a month the remaining WBCers gather for breakfast or brunch. We each write reviews in our own unique voices, and just try to give our honest, no-frills assessment of our meals. With a dash of humor thrown in.

Starting this month, we’ll be sharing a recap of our meals here on Small Bites. Look for our posts and photos the first Friday of each month – and sometimes more often if we can swing it. We’ll also link back to our own blog, www.westchesterbreakfastclub.com, where you can see the individual opinions of all the members of the club. We welcome your comments and suggestions, and above all, hope you’ll consider us a source when making your own breakfast choices. Especially when it comes to maple syrup.

We hope that you’ll enjoy our blog, and maybe we’ll help you discover your new favorite breakfast spot!

Visit our blog: www.westchesterbreakfastclub.com
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As a founder of the Westchester Breakfast Club, we’d expect that. But she rises even earlier than her fellow members, and if she had things her way, they’d be out sampling eggs, bacon, waffles and pancakes at 8 a.m. sharp.

But, she says, “the earliest I can get everyone together is 9:30. On weekends, it’s kind of tough.”

From left front, Andrew Louie of Queens, Sylvia Louie of Ossining, Reid Aronson of Briarcliff, Shelley Gazes of Briarcliff and back row, Jeffrey Louie of Elmsford and Patrick Gallagher of Ossining pose for a photo at Half Moon in Dobbs Ferry April 17, 2011. ( Carucha L. Meuse / The Journal News )

Somehow, they’ve soldiered through, eating breakfast at more than 50 Westchester restaurants in about a year and three months, and chronicling them all on their blog, westchesterbreakfastclub.com. The club consists of Sylvia and her two brothers, Andrew Louie and Jeffrey Louie, and their friends, Shelley Gazes, Patrick Gallagher and Reid Aaronson. (Sorry, membership is not open to the public. But you’re welcome to comment, and make recommendations on the blog.)

Here’s how it works: Louie and whichever of the other members can attend visit a place, and then each writes a short review, all in the same blog post. At the end, Sylvia Louie writes a one-sentence wrap-up that summarizes the takeaway. It always starts with “The czar says …”

“We look for a variety of foods,” says Louie. “And we each individually have different takes. I look for something exciting — fresh ingredients, good quality food and cooked well.”

More, and their top five pics, after the jump.

Her brother, Jeffrey, looks for good potatoes and coffee, and her other brother, Andrew, tends toward poached eggs. Aaronson is after more of a “holistic totality of the breakfast experience,” he says. And Gazes, who admits to being “somewhat less adventurous,” gravitates toward the classic scrambled eggs, potatoes, toast combo.

“I could, at this point, give a pretty solid rundown of which places have the kind of scrambled eggs I prefer (well cooked and firmer, like at Le Provencal Bistro in Mamaroneck) and which places prepare the eggs not to my liking (loose and runny, like at Juniper in Hastings),”?she writes in an email. “But I’ll mix things up with an omelette (like the delicious one I had at Stanz) or a breakfast burrito. And, every once in awhile, I’ll go the New York breakfast route and get a bagel-lox platter (like I got at Terra Rustica in Briarcliff, our first visit to Flying Pig in Mount Kisco, and most recently at Half Moon in Dobbs Ferry). I guess my breakfast choices could be summed up as classic. I’m looking for a good, hearty, well-prepared classic breakfast.”

And Gallagher says he’s really just after basic breakfast food “competently cooked,” but he does have one steadfast rule.

“I will never order pancakes if a restaurant doesn’t have real maple syrup,” he says. “Every restaurant with pancakes on their menu should offer real maple syrup. My mission in life is to make that a reality.”

As for Sylvia Louie??She’s the adventurous one.

For example, on their trip to Karumba Cafe in White Plains, Louie ordered mangu — mashed plantains — with a scrambled egg, fried salami, fried cheese and a side of maduros, which are fried sweet plantains. At Sam’s of Gedney Way in White Plains, she got the breakfast pizza. (She liked both.)

On all the blog posts, you’ll see both sweet and savory dishes — plenty of French toast, plenty of eggs — and even though the club sometimes goes to brunch rather than breakfast, they generally try to stick with “breakfast-y dishes on the menu,” says Louie.

Their first meeting was by chance. On her brother Andrew’s wedding day, she and Jeffrey decided to have breakfast with Gallagher and Gazes at the Wobble Cafe in Ossining.

“We decided it was very nice, and we’d make it a weekly event,” says Louie. They invited Reid and Andrew to join, and formed a club. (All of the members went to Briarcliff High School, though they became friends after graduation.) “Now it’s a means for us to get together once a week. Even with email and the Internet, it’s hard to catch up on things, and we all love breakfast.”

And if you read their posts, you see who loves what kind of breakfast. Louie may be a morning person and an adventurous person, but waffles? Not her favorite.

“Pancakes definitely,” she says. “French toast occasionally. I’m not a big waffle person.”

5 favorites of the?Westchester Breakfast Club

Stanz Cafe

Wobble Cafe

Le Provencal Bistro

The Black Cat Cafe

The Cookery

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