Katzenberg's is Back
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Katzenberg's, a Scarsdale favorite, has returned to their original digs in the Golden Horseshoe -- and it's like they never left ... only better. The seating and tables are spiffed up and the massive salad bar is said to have 50 choices of veggies, cheeses, beans, eggs, olives, seeds and even popcorn to be added to your green salad.
According to their website, this incarnation of Katzenberg's is brought to you by the original owner Marc Katzenberg who has teamed up with his brother-in-law Steven Kranz to reinvent in the brand, with their first opening in Scarsdale. All the food at the restaurant is homemade, including the chicken matzo ball soup and hand cut fries.
The menu is extensive. First there's salad, small for $8.50 with four toppings and one protein, 
or large for $10.50 with five toppings and 2 proteins. What are proteins? The list includes, grilled chicken, ham, roast beef, pepperoni, turkey, crispy bacon and salami. After you select your toppings, which are too numerous to list, toss it with your choice of one 16 salad dressings.
But there's more than salad. Start out with soup or tasty snacks like knishes, mac and cheese bites or hummus on grilled pita. If you stop by before 10:30 am they are offering breakfast sandwiches, bagels and fresh squeezed orange juice as well as six varieties of omelets that come with home fries and buttered toast. If you like your omelet encased in a wrap, you can do that too for just .50 more.
Also on the menu are hot panini sandwiches on ciabatta bread with creative names like Hot Auntie Rae Rae that includes grilled Cajun chicken, jalapeno, tomatoes, pepper jack cheese and chipotle cream sauce or the Stevey K with oven roasted turkey, roast beef, sliced ham, American cheese, lettuce tomato and Dijon mayo.
There are also 10 choices of wraps, one with pan seared yellow fin tuna and avocado chipotle sauce and another called BLT chicken salad with lettuce and tomatoes.
Just like you can formulate your own salad, you can create your own sandwich too by selecting your bread, cheese, dressing and favorite meat, salmon, egg or what have you. Did I forget to mention the burgers? Quite an array of those as well as a Hebrew National Hot Dog bar for those who miss Nathans.
Sure to be a family hangout, Katzenberg's is offering a kids menu with peanut butter and jelly or marshmallow fluff, grilled cheese, or a hot dog for just $4.50.
All these ways to indulge may leave you longing for the previous tenant ... Andy's Pure Food and the famed three-day juice cleanse!
But put thoughts of your diet aside and welcome Katzenberg's back to Scarsdale on Wilmot Road in the Golden Horseshoe Shopping Center. There's something for everyone.
Hours
Monday – Friday 8 am to 6 pm
Saturday 9 am to 7 pm
Sunday 10 am – 4 pm
914-725-3220
Delivery available for orders of $20 or more.
Visit their website, www.katzenbergrocks.com
Check them out on facebook here.
Hearty Fare Nearby
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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I don't know about you, but when I see Christmas lights ablaze at a restaurant in February, I wonder ... were they simply too lazy to take them down or is the food so mediocre that the chef hopes to attract diners with kitsch?
So when friends suggested we meet for dinner on a recent Friday night at the Italian place with the lights near Lord and Taylor on the White Plains Post Road I had several reasons to be skeptical. In addition to the holiday adornments I remembered eating at that same location years ago and shivering over my meal in a glassed-in porch that ran along the Post Road side of the restaurant. And though I frequent Lord and Taylor far too often, I couldn't even remember the name of the restaurant– was it Valbella, Malfetano or what?
I kept my doubts to myself and told my husband we were headed to Tutta Bella and was surprised to find the parking lot so packed that a valet was on duty. Inside the place was abuzz – or should I say loud – with a lively crowd of folks who had somehow discovered the place before it was on our radar. Plus, the glassed in porch had now been converted to a room and the temp was toasty.
We were warmly greeted by the maître d' who quickly offered us a glass of wine from their extensive list.
While I sipped my Pinot Grigio and perused the menu, I couldn't help munching on too many bread sticks from the ample basket. Since the acoustics prevented me from hearing too much of the conversation at our big round table I gave the menu a good read and was happy to find Italian classics like chicken parmigiana, chicken scarpariello, vitello martini and shrimp scampi to please my husband as well as linguine in clam sauce, vitello saltimbocca (veal scaloppini with prosciutto on a bed of spinach sautéed with white wine and herbs) as well as several cuts of steak, rack of lamb and even lobster to please everyone else. There were also quite a few specials, among them a branzino with clams served in a light tomato sauce, that proved to be fresh and delicious.
To start most of us opted for a salad – mista, endive (with radicchio, walnuts and gorgonzola) red and golden beet, cesare and the Tutta Bella with mixed greens, pear, blue cheese in walnut vinaigrette.) There was a caprese with fresh mozzarella as well as an extensive list of hot and cold antipasto.
While we waited to be served the waiters poured and poured far too much wine, so much so that the end of dinner is not too clear in my memory. I will however recommend the Sicilian red to you – hard to resist even for someone who says she doesn't drink red wine!
All six of us were pleased with our entrees and enjoyed the ambiance and the service. If you're looking for solid cooking near home I recommend that you brave the lights and give Tutta Bella a try. I'll look for you there.
Tutta Bella
754 White Plains Road
Scarsdale NY 10583
914-725-0566
http://tuttabellatrattoria.com/
On another chilly Saturday night we did a last minute search on Open Table for a table for four. We felt fortunate to find availability at An American Bistro, now in Tuckahoe across from the Crestwood Train Station. We had been to their original location years ago but somehow forgotten about it. Turns out, many of you had not! Though we were late, the hostess was very accommodating and sat us at a nice table in their busy front room. The menu was extensive and ranged from fish, chicken, and duck to pasta and even spanakopita for the vegetarians in the party. At our table we started with the butternut squash soup – which was thick and flavorful. For my entrée, I tried the rigatoni with sausage, shrimp, and beans and had a hard time leaving some of the very large portion on the plate. Others had the herb roasted chicken with garlic clover, black beans, new potatoes in red wine sauce, the steak sandwich on garlic break with caramelized onions and shoestring potatoes, and the veal and shitake mushroom meatloaf with mashed potatoes. The grilled salmon with three-grain pilaf, roasted mushrooms, grilled asparagus, and a compote of roasted eggplant, peppers, and pine nuts is also highly recommended.
Everyone left happy. Prices were reasonable – with main courses, including a salad around $20.00. All round it was better than home-cooked fare at an accessible nearby location.
An American Bistro
296 Columbus Avenue
Tuckahoe, NY 10707
914-793-0807
http://www.anamericanbistro.com
Winter Fare in the Rivertowns
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Chilly temps call for hearty fare -- and we found two great options this weekend for winter dining in the Rivertowns. At Juniper in Hastings on Hudson, the chefs were hard at work in an open kitchen creating home cooked meals – only better. Chef and owner Alex Sze was moving quickly over the oven and did an impressive job of serving dinner to a roomful of customers in a very timely manner. Similar to dinner at home, the meal is served in seatings, and we arrived at 8:15 for the second one of the night.
Though the restaurant has been open since 2009, they don't have a liquor license so it's BYOB, which keeps the cost of dinner down and also allows you to choose your favorite wine.
Juniper offers a regular menu of popular appetizers and entrees along with a full array of daily specials. We were hard pressed to settle on our appetizers as there were many good options.
Especially delicious was the daily bruschetta, with ricotta, blood oranges, grilled fennel and shaved celery. Also good was the endive watercress salad with Asian pears, blue cheese, candied walnuts, and radishes in a ginger dressing. And yet another twist on a pre-dinner salad was the Caesar with kale, soft-boiled egg, parmesan, boquerones (sardines) and crispy bread tuile.
The choice of entrees leaned toward the meaty side, so I wouldn't recommend Juniper to vegetarians. But for those who enjoy a good cut of 
beef, pork, duck or beef, there are some savory options. We heard that the brisket burger was not to be missed – and ended up ordering two, even though it meant passing on some other very appealing entrees. The burger was large, juicy, tender and tasty, and arrived with gruyere, a roasted tomato, grilled onions, bibb lettuce, and mustard aioli – a delectable indulgence. Though I resolved to eat only half the burger, I found myself downing the entire patty. Also on the menu on Saturday were braised veal cheeks with cannellini beans, pearl onions, tomatoes and rosemary, a roasted duck breast, and pork served with savoy cabbage, pancetta, pearl onions and apples. Juniper also offers a whole roast chicken for two with truffle potato parsnip gratin and a fish of the day with potatoes, mushrooms, leeks, bacon, sun choke veloute and hazelnut oil. One of my companions had the tilefish and said it was great. The special menu also featured a roast pig's head for two with cheddar cheese grits, coleslaw and buttermilk biscuits. We didn't have the guts to go for it, but some brave medical students at the next table said it was out of this world.
Needless to say, dinner was rich and we couldn't handle dessert – but when I go back I would love to try a few from their heavenly suggestions. I was sorry to pass on the bread pudding with chocolate sauce, vanilla ice cream and caramelized bananas and the hazelnut brown butter cake with shortbread, banana sorbet, crème fraise and chocolate flake. Next time ......
So – if you're looking for some serious cooking nearby, I suggest you give Juniper a call to see if they can fit you in. You'll probably find that they are offering more imaginative selections on the night you go. If you do try it, please send us a full report on your meal.
Juniper
575 Warburton Avenue
Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706
914.478.2542
http://www.juniperhastings.com/index.html
JuniperHastings@gmail.com
Buoyed by dinner at Juniper on Saturday we set out for Italian Kitchen on Saw Mill River Road in Ardsley for an early dinner on Sunday night. What a find! The space, occupied by Giuseppe's since 1968, has been redesigned into two warm, inviting dining rooms where both couples and kids will feel comfortable. The restaurant is run by Edgemont native and celebrity chef Shea Gallante who trained at the CIA in Hyde Park, interned at Pino Luongo and rose to Chef to Cuisine at Bouley.
There's a nice list of red and white Italian wines sold by the glass or the bottle to accompany the fare that is more rustic than haute. The brown paper menu features an appealing array of antipasto, appetizers, grilled pizzas, pastas and "secondi" and I wished I could order one of each. After pulling out our flashlight app to study the menu in the dimly lit room, we decided to start by sharing a grilled pizza bread with tomato, basil, parmigiano and garlic. The other pizza, topped by robiola fresca, speck and arugula and was also tempting. From the antipasti menu of roasted vegetables and olives, we ordered the fried cauliflower and pecorino salad, and we would love to have 
that recipe to recreate it at home. There are eight pastas on the menu, and most are available in half and full portions. I went for the Siamese Ravioli, which were scored down the center and filled with squash on one side and marscapone cheese on the other. My husband had the Papardelle with Bolognese Bianco (white Bolognese sauce) and though he planned to take half of it home, it quickly disappeared. Our dining companion opted for the filet of black sea bass with celery root, leeks, white bean and Alfonso olive sauce, another great dish.
For dessert, we all plunged our spoons into a single serving of buttermilk panna cotta covered with tart blackberry compote, a sweet, light and refreshing end to our dinner.
Though the restaurant only opened this summer, service is courteous but efficient and we were surprised when the meal arrived in time to have us home by nine in time for Downton Abbey.
We've heard it's hard to get a table on Friday and Saturday nights – but we were welcomed at 6 pm on Sunday and you can also give them a try for brunch or lunch on Wednesdays through Sundays. To make it easy, they take reservations on Open Table.
Italian Kitchen
698 Saw Mill River Road Ardsley
(914) 693-5400
http://www.ik-ny.com/
For reservations: http://www.ik-ny.com/reservations/
For those who think you need to drive to Manhattan to find sophisticated cuisine, think again. We are fortunate to have these two great chefs on call for us just off the Saw Mill Parkway.
Valentine's Day Dinner and Gift Ideas
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Valentine's Day is Thursday February 14 –so now's the time to buy a gift and plan your Valentine's Day dinner. We reached out to several local restaurants and retailers, and here are Scarsdale10583's recommendations for Valentine's Day dinner, gifts and treats. Enjoy!
Celebrate Valentine's Day at Fig & Olive Westchester and enjoy a romantic escape in Provence. Executive Chef Pascal Lorange will serve dinner for $45 per person. The meal will start with a choice of Northeast Italian mushroom and truffle soup or salmon carpaccio followed by either roasted rack of lamb or Mediterranean branzino. Pastry Chef Andrew LeStourgeon will then present dessert crostinis and chocolate pot de crème for dessert. Email valentinesday@figandolive.com for a chance to win a complimentary dinner for two. To discover the full menu, click here. To make reservation please call : 914.725.2900 ext 1. The regular menu is also available. Fig & Olive Westchester, 696 White Plains Road, Scarsdale, 914.725.2900
Zachys: 
Flowers...check!
Card...check!
Chocolate...check!
Bubbly...GO to Zachys!
From Rosé Champagne, to the finest wines from around the world, Zachys is stocked and ready to help you find that perfect bottle of Bubbly or wine for this Valentine's Day! Here are three stellar bottles of Rosé Champagne that are perfect for this Valentine's Day. They will be sure to impress your special someone.
Zachys Wine and Liquor, 16 East Parkway, Scarsdale, NY 10583 914.874.8000
Introducing Taiim Cellar's Middle Eastern take on Valentine's Day! A flavorful evening of food, wine, and romance. Join us during Valentine's Week for our special wine pairings dinner menu, available Tuesday, February 12th through Saturday, February 16th after 6:00 p.m. Price: $70 per person excluding tax & gratuity.
Toast your Valentines with a Pomegranate Kir Royale cocktail. Then begin your meal with truffled hummus with truffled whitefish caviar paired with Clos de Gat Rouge (Judean Hills, Israel). Next there's Middle Eastern beet salad with falafel and pine nuts paired with Galil Chardonnay (Upper Galilee, Israel). Next up is a Mediterranean cheese platter with Middle Eastern jams paired with Galil Shiraz (Upper Galilee, Israel). And for dessert, enjoy Middle Eastern infused chocolate truffles paired with liquid baklava.
Taiim Cellar, Middle Eastern Wine Bar, 11 Boniface Circle, Scarsdale, NY, 914-723-6900, Reservations accepted.
Pamela Robbins: Valentines Day signifies a day of love, but love is not the result of one days work nor is it only felt for one day. It is everlasting. Each day we find something new to love and share with you.
Photo 1 (Heart): Clockwise from Top center: Pedro Garcia Swarovski and metallic leather sandal $495, Givenchy blue leather wallet $605, Jacqui Aiche & Julieri (On Wallet) assorted diamond and rose gold necklaces $1,100-$3,200, Strenesse blue and white ombre scarf $380, slim leg jean in distressed blue denim $320, Pedro Garcia grey suede sandal $460, 3.1 Phillip Lim Orange leather clutch $595, green sweatshirt $120, Pedro Garcia pink leather sandal $470, Moschino orange cardigan $545, Castaner grey and white espadrille $210, Strenesse pink snake print scarf $340, Cacharel flower print cotton shirt $350, Vince white linen pant $225, Alberta Ferretti Snakeskin and Leather sandal $785, Strenesse metallic pink scarf $230
Photo 2 (Love): Assorted Pedro Garcia sandals with Swarovski crystals $395- $520, Ellen Arthur
peacock pearl and ovidized silver strand $520. All available at Pamela Robbins, 10 Chase Road, Scarsdale, (914) 472-9033
Imagine Candy: For all those hit by cupid's arrow, Imagine Candy has a wonderful selection of Valentine heart boxes filled with scrumptious chocolates. And for those young at heart, looking for the perfect gift to celebrate friends and family...You'll find delicious chocolate bars decorated with red hearts, nut-free Valentine lollipops, gift baskets, Love Bears, amazing caramels and oh so special chocolate Lips. Don't forget those Belgian chocolate pretzel platters and cuddly stuffed animals and pillows covered in 
conversation hearts. Raw, organic and gluten and dairy free chocolates ensures that you can find sweet and personalized gifts for everyone you love. Call for details: 914.723.7887. Imagine Candy located at 22 Harwood Court in Scarsdale Village.
Massage Envy: A Valentine gift for the body from the heart. Share the love with special Valentine's Day Gift Packages at Massage Envy Spa on Central Park Avenue in Scarsdale. Choose from exclusive Gift Memberships and Gift Packages featuring a romantic Couples Massage, or a stress relieving Massage and Facial Combo, or a 60-minute Massage Session enhanced with our new Sugar Foot Scrub. Just call (914) 422-ENVY (3689) for more information or visit us at 365 Central Park Avenue, Scarsdale near California Pizza Kitchen.
Taiim Cellar Opens in Scarsdale
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When a survey of Scarsdale residents on Scarsdale10583 showed that you wanted more places to eat downtown, Scarsdale Chamber of Commerce President Carolyn Stevens made it her business to seek out restauranteurs who might want to come to the Village. She headed over to her favorite falafel shop in Hastings and asked owner Zamir Iosepovici to take a look at our town. Born in Israel and a lawyer by trade, Iosepovici opened his famed falafel shop in Hastings in 2010 and after a visit to Scarsdale planned a second venture that would be more upscale and sophisticated but offer some of the same great fare.
Now two years later, Taiim Cellar has opened in the space formerly occupied by Vaccaros Shoes and is off to a great start. Zamir and his partners did a wonderful job of building out the space into an inviting and warm wine bar with decorative touches from the Middle East. If you remember the rabbit's warren of shelves and shoes at Vaccaros, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the transformation.
The scene is lit with Moroccan lanterns, the bar features the Middle Eastern arch and there's seating on comfy Turkish ottomans. There's even a mellow Middle 
Eastern soundtrack playing and you can sip a Middle Eastern infused cocktail, specially formulated by a mixologist for Taiim Cellar. With names like "Arabian Night Moves" including Arak Razzouk, lemon juice, lime syrup and coriander and a "Forty Thieves Sour" with whiskey, simple syrup, lime juice and bitters, it will be tough to decide which one to try first.
Every dish on the menu hails from the Middle East and is either made at Taiim Cellar or sourced from carefully selected purveyors. The twelve varieties of hummus are cooked fresh daily, and so far, the most popular choices are the classic, basil, and truffle oil though I can't wait to try the preserved lemon, spiced cilantro and Masabacha (an Israeli hummus with lemon-spiked tahini and whole chickpeas)
Hummus selections are accompanied by Arabian pita – and Taiim also stocks fresh-baked ciabatta for sandwiches and to be served with the tempting array of salads and sides. The all-vegetarian menu features falafel, chopped Israeli salad, tabbluleh, quinoa, beet salad and more.
Another option is the cheese platter of Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean cheeses shown here. On the cheese list are Labneh, a strained yogurt cheese from Lebanon, goat and sheep's milk Halloumi, Mahon, a cow's milk cheese from Mallorca and Fioretto di Sardegna, sheep's milk cheese from Sardinia. The attractive cheese platter comes with fig jam, rose petal jam, Greek olive oil, whole figs and almonds and walnuts. What fun to meet a friend for a glass of wine from Taiim's extensive collection and munch on Middle Eastern cheeses.
There are heartier meal selections as well and Taiim offers ten innovative sandwiches accompanied by Israeli chopped salad. Here are descriptions of just a few on the list:
The Falafel: Falafel with classic hummus, tomatoes, cucumbers, pickles, turnips and tahini
The Cauliflower: Roasted cauliflower with classic hummus and simmered tomatoes, red peppers, onions and garlic.
The Butternut Squash: Roasted butter squash, Fioretto di Sardegna and fig jam
For dessert or a snack there's baklava and cardamon tea. What else could you ask for?
Taiim Cellar is foremost a wine bar that offers an extensive array of red, white, sparking and dessert wines by the glass and some novel selections of Israeli, Italian, Greek and even Moroccan wines by the bottle. Oenophiles will have a field day sampling the international collection of wines – and for those who like the hard stuff, the bar stocks a full array of top-shelf liquors.
All this is on the menu at very reasonable prices and you can easily have a meal at Taiim Cellar for under $20. Sandwiches are priced at $12 - $13, salads from $6- $9 and a cheese platter with a choice of three cheeses is just $15. Wines by the glass range in price from $8 - $12 and you'd be hard pressed to find food at these prices in an equally elegant setting.
Taiim Cellar is open for lunch, dinner, snacks, dessert or an aperitif from Tuesday through Sunday. Hours are below. Visit soon, before everyone else discovers this great find.
Bet-eh-avon! (Enjoy your food in Hebrew)
Taiim Cellar
Middle Eastern Wine Bar
11 Boniface Circle
Scarsdale, NY
914-723-6900
http://taiimcellar.com/
Open:
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 11:30 am – 10 pm
Friday and Saturday from 11:30 am to midnight
Sunday from 1:30 – 5 pm
Closed on Mondays
