Turkish Cuisine Westchester in White Plains

Inspired by the sun and mild temperatures, Hubby and I gathered our fleeces, and headed over to Sunset Cove in Tarrytown to watch the sun set lazily behind the mountains. Life seemed to stop and take a back seat...

But our stomachs didn't.

Another one of Hubby's clippings- this time from the Westchester Magazine-, we visited the Turkish Cuisine Westchester in White Plains. Not knowing what to expect- I find that most Turkish food, just like any ethnic food, is altered to the local tastes- I was pleasantly surprised.

It reminded me of the earlier version of Ali Baba on 33rd Street- only on a much smaller scale. There are about six tables (seating 2-4 at each) in the back, and a take-out counter space with 4-5 stools for solo eaters. This is not a place for elaborate dining- for that, you may head over to Mamaroneck to Turkish Meze, the same owners as this joint.

The menu is diverse- no side dishes- and the kitchen is flexible if you crave for anything that may not be on the menu. For me, it was the "ayran"- a savory yogurt drink that goes fancily with traditional Turkish meat dishes. I loved my Skewered Ground Meat (complemented by a side of green chili sauce- also on request) that was served with a heaping salad and rice (made in bay leaf broth). Hubby opted for the Grilled Lamb Chops- unfortunately, they were out- and then chose to have Meatballs. Turkish Cuisine does not have a liquor license, but they welcome if you decide to bring any with you. Both dishes were delicious, and the serving sizes were just-right.

There is so much on the menu that I'd like to sample, so I'll be going back for some more.

Turkish Cuisine Westchester
116 Mamaroneck Ave
White Plains, NY 10601
(914) 683 6111
Mon to Wed 11 am–9 pm
Thurs to Sat 11:30 am–3 am
Sun 11:30 am–9 pm

Emma's Ale House

Last Sunday, on our way back from house-hunting, we made a turn onto Gedney Way to stop by Emma's Ale House, a new bar/restaurant in White Plains. Hubby had read about in the NYTimes, clipped the review and strategically placed it by the Tassimo for my reading pleasure.

Familiar with the watering holes in White Plains, I had mixed feelings going into the place- one time, when we had stopped by the Black Bear for a quick wings & beer during the football season, I had felt terribly "old" in my long-sleeved shirt and jeans. Looking around at the females who were in their "Sunday best"- faces fully made-up in revealing slinky (flimsy?) shirts-, I felt like I was as pristine as a nun. Thank goodness, Hubby never said a word, or he was perhaps enjoying the 'company' around us that he did not even notice my discomfort!!

From the moment you walk into Emma's, you're surrounded in dark & rich mahogany colors of old-school bars. To the left of the entrance, there's a large dining room- and on that Sunday, there were plenty of families dining with their little ones. We chose to stay to the right- a rather spacious area- where a long bar welcomed us. Hubby instantly commented on the beers on tap- happy to see the Captain's Reserve Imperial IPA from the local brewery, Captain Lawrence. We recognized the bartender- he was transferred from the Black Bear who share the same owners.

As we were watching the NCAA game on the flat-screen, I surveyed the clientele- a group of what seemed to be golf/sailing buddies with their wives, several young(er) couples enjoying the homemade chips on the bar, a few singletons, and groups of men and women cheering for their favorite college team...

Food was quite decent and prices reasonable- especially loved the soft pretzel sticks that preceded our dinner. Later, when I looked up their website, I noticed that Emma's is a Certified Green Restaurant by the Green Restaurant Association. Good news.

Making our way out of Emma's, I made a mental-note to come back.

Emma's Ale House
68 Gedney Way
White Plains, New York 10605
Phone: 914-683-EMMA
Fax: 914-683-6627
View Map & Directions

Watching the Sun Go Down...

"The light gradually forsook the deep water, as well as the deeper air, and the gloaming came to the fishes as well as to us, ..."

- Thoreau

Some things stay with us forever- and with me, the love of watching the sun set over the horizon has remained as one of the purest joys of summer. The simplicity of the experience is the same across the board whether it is sitting in my grandmother's white-washed porch, sinking into a chaise-lounge, cold marble under the feet, with the constant clicking of G&T's and the sweet sound of olive trees whispering against the glorious view of the sun dipping into the cold, salty Aegean sea, or it is bouncing gently on the Pacific waters, skimming the surface in a lean catamaran, with MaiTai's in hands, Jimmy Buffett in the background...

More choices have been added to enjoy the sunset against the lush Hudson River. This weekend, hubby and I explored the new Yonkers waterfront, and ended up at Whiskey Rio. There is plenty of seating outside- from small tables to cushioned sofas. The bar is set right by the entrance- and a small section of it remains on the sidewalk (too bad all four stools were occupied while we were there). The bartender and the prices are very nice and friendly- during ballgames, beer is $3, instead of the usual $5. Not too shabby... In terms of food, if you get the munchies, there's an outdoor grill where a young guy makes burgers and hotdogs. Plenty of people were helping themselves to the grill.

Personally, I loved the feeling of sitting outdoors, enjoying the combination of the sun and water, and good conversation with hubby- reminded me a little of bit of how Battery Park used to be before it got crowded with high-rises.

Will we go back? Yes! Next time, I might even think about heading to Pierview Restaurant right next door to the bar...

In Search of a Decent Pie

Friday nights are ours; it's our date night. Hubby and I order a pie, grab a Netflix movie, sit back and relax... At times, we change our routine and venture out to outside venues to enjoy our pizza (and sometimes, the pizza turns out to be an "Eastchester" at Piper's Kilt or an order of extra-hot wings at Candlelight Inn, but that's another story...) and lately, we've been dare-devilish!

So, I've hit the guides- Zagat's, Westchester Magazine, New York Times reviews- to locate a cozy pizza spot that delivers thin (and dry- we later learn!) crust, good sauce (not too-sweet or too-salty), tasty cheese (no, rubber is not acceptable), and for toppings, hubby's favorite pepperoni crisp but not dried and/or burnt. Not too much to ask, you'd think, right? Oh, well...

For home delivery, we reached out to our neighborhood joint, the Venetian Delight Pizza off Central Park Avenue. They've been quite consistent with the quality of their ingredients but often times, either the pepperoni is undercooked, or the crust soggy, or the pie suffers from a mishap of shape shifting on route to our home. We've accepted it for the convenience. With that said, the very last time, as it turned out to be, we paid $17.00 for a small pie with half-pepperoni, half-plain small pie, hubby and I rioted! We couldn't help but wonder if the pie was being imported from our favorite Brooklyn spot, Grimaldi's... No mas!

So, we decided to try out "Red Barn Pizza" located in a cute Dutch colonial off Central Park Avenue. Hubby insisted that we "test-drive" it with a slice first, and then commit to a full pie. So, we stopped off on our way from the train station home on a rainy Friday night. The "pizza guys" were very nice- even offered some garlic knots along with our slices. Hoping that this would be the answer to our search, we dug into our slices. And, that's where the fairy tale ended. The sauce was too sweet, the garlic in the sauce too crunchy, and I'll just stop here and say that we headed to Sherwood’s for some ribs.

The next time, we turned to Muzzarella, a small spot on Hartsdale Avenue. We've never been inside the place (my gourmand friend warns that their experience of dining-in was not pleasant) but we pass by it frequently enough to add to our repertoire. We called in for a small plain pie. It arrived cold. So, I had to turn the oven on, wait for it to warm up, and then put the pie in, and 30 minutes later, we were finally eating. The whole process took such a long time that I chalked this experience off- our visions were blurred, stomachs yearning for some food, I think we would've eaten anything at this point. So, we smartened up! The next time, we placed our order and turned our oven at the same time. The crust was thin, not soggy, the sauce flavored, and the cheese tasted quite like, ummm, cheese. We liked it, but did not love it.

We then headed to a stand-alone pizzeria on Brook St., Mezzaluna. Its name reminded me of an amazing Italian restaurant in Istanbul that I used to frequent with my friends when I was in college. Having some similar expectations, we landed at Mezzaluna on a busy Friday evening. We were seated promptly in its tiny, little dining room, a little bit in the way of the wait staff. Our pizza was ok, not really distinctive. Quite frankly, I cannot remember any part of it that stood out in memory or on my tongue; yes, the crust was thin, the sauce decent, but nothing really called us to visit this place again. Perhaps, my expectations were set higher just based on my association with the restaurant that I loved, in any case, I wouldn't encourage or discourage anyone from trying this place out.

Exhausted by our search, I wanted to give Totonno's in Yonkers a try. The radio jingle reminds us that "only God creates better pizza" so I asked hubby to get off Bronxville so we can get there fast! Off Tuckahoe road, we drove up the hill on which Totonno's is perched inside the Ramada Inn. Before I go on further, I need to admit that I have this preconceived aversion to hotel restaurants. No matter what the reviewers say, or how good a restaurant can be (and, indeed there are many AMAZING restaurants housed in hotels across the globe, so I apologize if I offend any), there's something gimmick-y about hotel restaurants that I cannot even explain.

Well. Back to Totonno's. The atmosphere. There was an older gentleman at a keyboard playing and singing along to some golden oldies. This reminded me of "gazino"s (a restaurant/ entertainment venue, usually outdoors) that my grandparents used to take me as a child- one would go to the "gazino" for the entertainment- usually a popular singer, entertainer- and food was always secondary, or even tertiary to the opportunity of spending an evening with a company of friends and family. The clientele at Totonno's also reminded me of New Year's Eve's that I spent with my family as a child- ladies in outfits adorned by paillets, men in jackets, kids in their best dresses. Only, this time, it was hubby and I who were the youngest of the bunch. We ducked into a window spot overlooking at the lights of Yonkers. Was that the infamous seminary we saw? We couldn't tell. Back to the pizza. We got a plain pie. The crust was thin but soggy. Fresh mozzarella. Some basil leaves. Decent sauce. We ate. Apologized to God on behalf of the commercial jingles. We left. The older folks were polka dancing. We're never going back. Not unless we're taking our great-grandchildren...

The following Friday, we headed back to our dependable, what-you-see-is-what-you-get place, Pizza & Brew. Always with long lines, it has two locations: one in Scarsdale, another in Greenburgh off of Saw Mill River Road. We've never had a bad experience at this restaurant, but I would not claim that its pizza was one of the best that I've ever had. Although, at this rate, it was looking pretty good! With decent pies, it's the fast-food version of a restaurant experience. Fresh ingredients. Thin-nish crust, gooey cheese, and decent pepperoni. It's a nice fall-back location. And you always get what you expect.

I am inclined to classify A'Mangiare in the same category as Pizza & Brew but only with much better pizza. And perhaps, the best sauce out of all the ones we've tried. There's a number A'Mangiare's in the area: Bronxville, Pleasantville, Elmsford, and White Plains. We went to the movies at the Saw Mill movie complex so the Elmsford location was the closest. It's on Main Avenue (which is the same as Route 119), with ample parking in the back. Nice atmosphere. Thin crust- definitely very crispy. Not too-sweet, nor too-salty sauce. The same sauce is also used in the mini-pizzas in their baskets. Definitely worth a try. The pepperonis were spicy and crisp- not overwhelming the pie. Another perk- they have Captain Lawrence Brewery Company Ale on tap. Nice to sample local ale with good pizza. We left the place all happy and full. We'll see them- maybe at another location- soon!

In our search of a decent pie, we also sampled the deep dish at Pizzeria Uno's, both at its Yonkers and White Plains locations. Another what-you-see-is-what-you-get place, only at times, the results can be inconsistent. We've sent back pizzas for either being undercooked or overcooked. The inconsistency, especially to hubby, is a big drawback. The bar scene and the beers on tap are a plus.

There are more pizzerias that we sampled: Planet Pizza- way too-doughy, very like Domino's; although, much better red sauce. Sal's in Mamaroneck, a great slice joint with long lines.

Our quest is not completed, perhaps it never will. Unless we find our Grimaldi's or John's or Lombardi's here in Westchester...

Girls Who Love to Treat, Lunch and Dine

It's complete Winter Wonderland outside! For some reason, I did not get enough sleep last night, but unexpectedly, and to my surprise, woke up with such gusto, just in time to drop hubby off at the 7:30 train.

Driving on all four-wheels, we passed by sleepy passengers waiting for various BeeLine buses along the main road. I have to tell you, there is something in the air, I could not stop smiling all the way to and from the train station. In honor of my mood, hubby got a luxurious drop-off spot, to everyone's envy, without getting a single flake in his hair. He was smiling, too!

Having the entire week off to myself, I called my girlfriends with whom I had not really had the chance to spend one-on-one time lately, and put lunch dates on our calendars. In preparation to my pampered week, I headed over to my favorite hair salon in Westchester, Salon Topaz in Dobbs Ferry, and submitted my hair to Lisa's creative shears. This was my second visit to this lovely place, and I left triumphant once again!

My first lunch spot was the New Leaf Cafe in Fort Tyron Park, in what's now called "Hudson Heights," (previously known as "Washington Heights" to those of us locals who knew the area before the real estate brokers capitalized on its gorgeous views of the Hudson River) a gentrifying neighborhood of professional moms and dads who work in nearby colleges and hospitals. The cafe is by the 190th Street stop on the A-train as you enter the park. It's a spacious cafe- with clean lines and tasteful minimal decoration.

My friend started with French Onion soup- looked less cheesier than its counterparts- while I sipped my Côtes du Rhône wine by the glass. My entrée arrived promptly- Mediterranean Salad with lemon-parsley grilled chicken and goat cheese. The dish was composed of simple and distinct flavors that blended in nicely with the rest of the plate. I am always afraid of the overpowering prowess of the goat cheese- but not here, not in this salad. (I think I might be able to replicate the grill chicken's flavor using a marinade like Emeril's Lemon Rosemary Gaaahlic at home) My girlfriend got the Crabcake Sandwich which was accompanied by architecturally designed potato chips and red cabbage cole slaw. She loved it and we both licked our plates clean!

The portions were not too big or small- just the right size that allowed us to venture into the land of desserts. And I'm glad we did! I usually have a weakness for warm tarts and tartelets filled with pecans and walnuts, and that's what the daily special was! Bingo for the tummy! My warm walnut tartelet arrived with a scoop of dulce de leche ice cream craftfully placed in a tulle of pastry. I was in heaven! My friend ordered the three-flavor ice cream and happily indulged in it. I was equally happy with our waiter who noticed that this was an occasion for two girls having lunch & talk, so he left us respectfully alone, only coming in to fill our glasses with ice water.

The same day, I met with another girlfriend for mani and pedis in Union Square. We went to my local fave spot, Jeniette, that I've been frequenting since about 1999 when I worked in the neighborhood. Jenny was not there; nonetheless, we had great service and lovely time getting pampered. And at a decent Manhattan price! From there, we headed over to Filene's Basement where I bought myself a pair of cashmere-lined dark brown leather gloves at a bargain price. The day was getting better!

Starved at this point, we went to the nearby unassuming but always crowded Spice and indulged in delicious Thai food. My girlfriend got my absolutely fave Drunk Man Noodles- spicy broad rice noodles, eggs, sweet basil, chili with chicken, shrimp & squid, and I got the Japanese Eggplant with Sweet Basil- sauteed eggplant with garlic, basil & chili sauce with chicken. We also indulged in Mango Martinis and Malbecs. Tummies absolutely full, we headed over to the Coffee Shop for caipirinhas and facetime. We got our end of the bargain AND a nice viewing of the total lunar eclipse. What a treat and a half!

My next lunch spot was a stone throw's away from home, at the Red Hat in Irvington. I had not been to it since it moved from its Main Street location to the waterfront in a converted warehouse. Oh- I have to mention, I went into the nearby One, thinking that it was the Red Hat, and found myself swiftly out the door when I did not see Red Hat's trademark lady in the red hat logo! By the way, my very food-savvy friend swears by One, and recommends it highly for those special occasion dinners. I also noticed that they have my fave appetizer: Caramelized Vidalia Onion and Goat Cheese Tart with peppered walnuts, roasted figs, acacia dressed baby lettuces on their lunch & dinner menu- perhaps, the next destination?

In any case, going back to Red Hat, the ladies welcomed us at the front door. There was a tad bit of confusion as to which one would take our coats, but alas, the coats off our arms, we headed upstairs to the dining room. What commanding views of the Hudson! We took our seats at a corner red banquette and started off with mini sourdough breads and glasses of iced water. The lunch menu looked simply divine- I could've had everything on it!

Upon my friend's recommendation (she'd been here a number of times), I ordered the Classic Salad Nicoise with seared yellowfin tuna, fingerlings, haricots verts, tomato, hard cooked egg, and lemon vinaigrette. I am often disappointed in the heaviness of such an intently light dish, and Red Hat did not disappoint me. The tuna was perfectly quickly seared, the lettuce lightly flavored with the lemon vinaigrette, and the haricot verts crisp to the bite. Again, I was in food heaven. My girlfriend was craving for something "egg-y" so she ordered the Warm Wild Mushroom Salad with toasted pine nuts, fried farm egg, shoestrings, and pinenut vinaigrette. De-lish! Both my girlfriend and I got lost in our food and conversation, we did not even notice that we spent about 2.5 hours- and not a single waiter bothered us! Now, that's a complete treat!

So, today's plan was to head over to Columbus Bakery in UWS with another girlfriend and indulge in their infamous tuna salad- a mix of tuna fish, green apples, cranberries in what they insist is yogurt, but I'd like to differ & think that it's more mayo-based. We used to have it at least once a week when I worked in the WFC 2. And I was thinking of, afterwards, heading over to Levain Bakery for their to-die-for chocolate chip walnut cookie...

Alas, mother nature is asking me to take a culinary break. So, as I am sipping my Mastro Lorenzo Crema that my Tassimo so diligently produces, I cannot help but think about what I will be having for lunch... I wonder if the roads to the Whole Foods will be cleaned by lunchtime to get fresh sushi... Hmmm...