Foodnotes

Scarsdale’s own Cooked and Co. made it into the NY Times this month in an article called “Sinful Ways to Start the Day.” Author Alice Gabriel was taken with the Nutella Banana Crunch Muffin, which she called “A sizable molten core of Nutella, and lofty summit strewed with streusel and hazelnuts.” If you want to know more about the muffin click here to read what we published about it on Scarsdale10583 this summer.

But don’t bother to try and recreate it yourself, because lucky locals can stop by Cooked and Co. on Garth Road for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner to go.

For breakfast they bake a delicious array of creative muffins, and serve frittatas, breakfast wraps and oatmeal. Meet a friend for lunch and enjoy pizzas, soups, sandwiches or their salad bar at one of their tables by the window– and while you are there, pick out something fresh to take home for dinner – turkey meatballs, roasted fall vegetables, and chicken martini were just a few of the selections available this week.

Cooked and Co., 128 Garth Road, Scarsdale, (914) 205-3939

City Limits has reopened after a major renovation. The 50’s style diner is back and better, with a completely redesigned interior that’s reminiscent of the past but cleaner, brighter and modern. The restaurant includes an expanded bar in the front as well as a bakery that sells fresh breads and colorful cakes and farm fresh produce. The menu has been updated as well -- small plates include Greek and Chinese selections like keftedes (Greek meatballs) with tzaziki and lobster wontons – and there’s a Middle Eastern vegetarian sample plate as well as Mexican offerings including nachos and quesadillas. There’s a dizzying range of choices including sandwiches, ten different burgers, wraps, salads, pizzas, pastas and entrees like roast turkey with cranberry sauce, stuffing and giblet gravy. Can the kitchen do all of this well? We can’t say, but the turkey and brie sandwich on raisin walnut bread with arugula, tomato, honey Dijon mustard and field greens was yummy – and the two halves proved to be enough for lunch and dinner that night.

Loyal customers seem pleased that City Limits is back. The parking lot was full the day we visited and a traffic man was attempting to manage the chaos.

City Limits, 200 Central Avenue, White Plains, NY (914) 686-9000

On Sunday at the Newcomers Picnic in Chase Park in Scarsdale, we chatted with Zamir, owner of the Taiim Falafel Shack in Hastings-on-Hudson. He is busy with construction on Boniface Circle in Scarsdale Village where they are renovating the former site of Vaccaros Shoe Repair where he will operate a wine bar as soon as they can open. On Sunday, Zamir was offering samples of their famous spiced hummus including masabacha, fresh basil, spicy red pepper and fava bean. He explained that customers at the Scarsdale location will enjoy a wide selection of wines accompanied by falafel, dips and other Middle Eastern specialties. Can’t wait! For now, try them in Hastings-on-Hudson at 598 Warburton Avenue – (914) 478-0006.