Ooh La La ... Look Who's Coming to Town

In just a few months you won’t have to drive more than ten minutes south on the Post Road to enjoy the finest cuisine of the south of France.

Two Scarsdale residents are pleased to announce the opening a new branch of their New York restaurant group in Scarsdale. Yoram Shemesh and Ed Somekh are now in the process of renovating the former location of Smith and Hawken in the Lord and Taylor shopping center and are planning a major new destination, with seating for 135 indoors and another 50 on the terrace outside. The interiors will be similar to the photos shown here, and the spacious layout and high ceilings should provide a very comfortable setting.

Those who are familiar with Fig and Olive in the meatpacking district, on East 52nd Street and Lexington Avenue at 62nd Street will cheer the restaurant’s first foray into the suburbs. The menu is centered on artisanal extra virgin olive oils, paired with imported Mediterranean ingredients from the south of France, Italy and Spain.

The restaurant will include a 25-foot bar, a large communal table for 16 as well as regularly-sized tables where you can enjoy lunch and dinner seven days a week and a special Sunday brunch. My favorite item on the menu is the selection of crostini, which are small open-face sandwiches which come with manchego and fig spread, shrimp and avocado, and mushroom artichoke and truffle parmesan to name a few. We also enjoy the Jamon Iberico which is Iberian ham that is served with manchego cheese, olives and pan con tomate.

Among Fig and Olive’s most popular salads are the Provence Vegetable Chicken Salad, that features free-range rotisserie chicken marinated in Herbs de Provence, lemon and garlic. Also in the salad are grilled zucchini eggplant, tomato, asparagus, red onion, avocado, arugula, parmesan, and pine nuts – all tossed in a dressing of Picholine olive oil and 18 year balsamic vinegar.

And there's more...

For entrees, they offer thyme chicken paillard, grilled branzino, rosemary lamb chops and the Fig and Olive Mediterranean Tasting which includes grilled chicken, lamb and shrimp skewers and too many other ingredients to list. You’ll also find a Penne Funghi Tartufo, which is pasta with truffle oil.

Desserts are all made in house by the Fig and Olive Pastry Chef whose specialties include warm caramelized apple tart, chocolat pot de crème and dessert crostini.

The owners are extending a special welcome to readers of Scarsdale10583 and invite you to be on the list for one of their opening parties in January. To add your name to the guest list, email scarsdale@figandolive.com -- and if you can’t wait to try Fig and Olive here, visit one of their locations in New York in the interim. Check them out at www.figandolive.com.