Worth The Trip: From our Restaurant Archives

From our Restaurant Archives: Worth The Trip: In addition to our local Restaurant Guide and reviews of new restaurants in our area, we have over the years published a series of articles on eateries outside North East Westchester (NOE-WE). Here’s some of the best from our archives:

We Pigged Out at The Cookery and We Liked It 

Okay, so it wasn’t the complete pig out, namely Chef David DiBari’s famous Whole Pig Dinner, which you can get anytime at The Cookery for a party of six with five-day’s notice. But when we saw a Pig Head Dinner for Two on their Spring Hudson Valley Restaurant Week menu, we jumped at it.

DiBari is a Culinary Institute of America graduate. He earned sought after positions at David Bouley’s Danube, Mario Batali’s Babbo and the Eastchester Fish Gourmet. Named Westchester’s Best Chef in 2015 by Westchester Magazine, DiBari has appeared on Good Day New York, WABC’s Neighborhood Eats and CBS’s Toni on NY! And yes, he really can be seen carving whole pigs at the Cookery. Although he was not there to help us with our pig head. Read more.

Irvington’s MP Taverna is Worth the Trip:

If you have never been to chef Michael Psilakis hit “Greek tavern” in Irvington, don’t beat yourself up. It took us six years to get there. But once you’ve read this – it’s on you!

Michael Psilakis may be Westchester’s highest profile chef. Esquire magazine named him Chef of the Year in 2006 for his work on the haute Greek restaurant Anthos in Manhattan. Two years later he received a Michelin Star (one of only two Greek chefs in the world ever to have received the honor). In the same year he was dubbed Chef of the Year by Bon Appétit. Since then he has appeared on The Food Network’s Iron Chef America, BBC America’s No Kitchen Required, The Today Show, and Good Morning America. He was profiled in People magazine and has published two cook books. In 2012, The New York Times gave MP Taverna Irvington a Don’t Miss rating. They called it “Greek food at it’s best.” And lauded the dining room’s brasserie aesthetic that features no “Mediterranean blue anywhere, no fish on ice, no photos of Santorini…” Read more.

Terra of Danbury at Hotel Zero Degrees

During one of the many winter storms and ensuing power outages in 2017, we sought refuge in area hotels and found our way to Hotel Zero Degrees in Danbury, CT. This ultra-swank boutique hotel is one to put on your list when seeking refuge from the next storm. It also ranks on a short list of elite hotels and inns (The Ritz Carlton and Richard Gere’s Bedford Post Inn) to keep in mind for a romantic getaway even when the lights are on at home. We’ll save that for a future article.

For now, we were happy to discover that the hotel’s restaurant, Terra of Danbury, is worth the trip for any foodie looking for hip upscale ambience and good food. While we enjoyed the food, it was the dining room’s Fellini-esque urban chic design that separates it from all but the very best in terms of total dining experience. Everybody should go at least once. Read more.

Worth the Trip: Hudson Farmer and the Fish 

The new Hudson Farmer and the Fish is a super-casual river experience from Chef and farmer Mike Kaphan and fishmonger Ed Taylor of Purdy’s Farmer and the Fish. It’s one that you will want to check out – maybe again and again. But fans of their Purdy’s restaurant should note that this is no special occasion restaurant.

It is situated on the Riverwalk in Sleepy Hollow, overlooking the Hudson and the new Tappan Zee Bridge. The ambience is pure Diners, Drive-ins & Dives with an industrial chic renovation that is upscale rustic. This cozy 45 seat-er offers counter seating for 28 overlooking the river, at the bar or the open galley kitchen where you can chat up kitchen staff. It’s a party scene, a place to hang, nosh, quaff and take in the river scenery. Best, lovers of Purdy’s Farmer and the Fish will recognize the menu. Lots of fresh fish, local produce and Chef Kaphan’s Asian infused take on New England cuisine. Read more.

Bucket List: Red Hat on the River

Red Hat on the River is housed in what was the boiler room of the Lord and Burnham factory. It was built in 1870 overlooking the Hudson River in Irvington. Lord & Burnham manufactured steel framed greenhouses for public conservatories and for the rich and famous. Including the first curvilinear greenhouse of it’s kind in the United States at Jay Gould’s Lyndhurst Mansion in Tarrytown.

The industrial setting of the dining room is unmatched in our explorations around Westchester. Complete with double-height ceilings, near floor-to-ceiling white, wood-framed windows and brick, brick, brick. While the building has maintained it’s vintage factory façade, inside it is hard to imagine the dining room was formerly a boiler room. And not a ballroom of a river town mansion. Yes, Steak Frites and Moules Frites are signature dishes here. But the Red Hat menu is anything but boilerplate French Bistro. Read More. 

Worth The Trip: Saltaire Oyster Bar in Port Chester

Fans of historic preservation will find the ambience of the new Saltaire restaurant worth the trip. It’s setting in a hundred year old grain warehouse along the banks of the Byram River in Port Chester is elegant and contemporary. Pure foodies in the ABC towns will want to motor up for the raw bar and fish happy menu that recently earned Saltaire the New York Times’ highest Excellent rating.

The restaurant is divided into two spacious, fully bricked rooms. The dining room sports a wood paneled cathedral ceiling and original wood windows. Plus high-backed wood banquettes, and four double wagon wheel chandeliers. The tin-ceilinged bar has a contemporary feel and here you can pick your own oysters from the raw bar. And the wine is just a twist away. This is an easy one. Armonk, Bedford & Chappaqua foodies will want to add Saltaire to their bucket list. For the fresh seafood, eminently shareable menu and two great environments. Read more.