Solmar ... Seafood for the Soul
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We arrived at Solmar with nine hungry diners and high expectations as we had heard good things about this Brazilian and Portuguese restaurant across the street from the Tarrytown Music Hall. The owner, Carlos Mendonca greeted us warmly and seated us at long table in the front window of this airy, pleasant site. Out to celebrate our friends’ recent relocation to Tarrytown, we brought our own champagne and the restaurant agreed to open it and serve it for a modest corkage fee. But there is not need to BYOB as they have a full bar.
With our large party we were able to taste many of the offerings on the menu and everyone cleaned their plates. Shrimp, clams and mussels as well as pork and sausage featured prominently and there was an interesting mix of both Brazilian and Portuguese fare.
To begin the meal we started with “Steamed Clams Bulhao Pato” which were clams in the shell, steamed in white wine, garlic, cilantro and
Another delicious entrée was the sardines – which are marinated in olive oil and garlic, grilled whole and served with roast pepper, baked potato and zucchini.
Still more fish was available – there was grilled salmon in a white wine and mango sauce as well as "Penne a Cachaca" with shrimp and scallops. Cachaca is Brazilian sugar can rum and in this dish the sauce is a rum reduction.
There’s plenty available for meat eaters too, including Porco Alentejano, pork stew with little neck clams, Frango Solmar … chicken breast
Proprietor Carolos Mendonca is a native of Rio de Janeiro and has always worked in the restaurant business. Starting out as a waiter, he served and saved to build his own place. Sol Mar opened its door on St. Patrick's Day in 2008 is now three years old.
Solmar’s attentive service, flavorful dishes and fresh ingredients all add up to a memorable dining experience. If you’re in the mood for a new taste, Solmar is a short drive away – and well worth the trip. Reservations are recommended!
Solmar
12 West Main Street
Tarrytown, New York
914-333-0151
http://www.solmartarrytown.com/
Exotic Flavors in a Local Setting
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If you’re looking to escape the kitchen after cooking your Passover or Easter feast, here’s a place to try that may be off your radar but is actually very close by. Mughal Palace is just a short ride from Scarsdale, up the Bronx River Parkway to Valhalla and they serve excellent northern and southern Indian fare. Native chefs have been cooking there for seven years and the same team also owns Rani Mahal on Mamaroneck Avenue in Mamaroneck. Whether you want to eat there, or take out you’ll find a friendly staff and a diverse menu that includes the usual favorites plus many new dishes to try.
While you’re waiting for your food to arrive ask about their extensive list of beers, wines or order a drink from the full bar.
On a recent visit our large group was hungry and we had the opportunity to taste many of their offerings.
We started out with samosas filled with a spicy mixture of potatoes and green peas. Also recommended is the masala dosa, a paper thin
We followed the appetizers with aloo gobi, which is cauliflower, potato and tomatoes cooked in a light sauce as well as sag paneer, homemade cheese cubes in spiced spinach.
Divided on how we liked our chicken, half of the group opted for the chicken tikka masala, a tandoori roasted chicken in a rich, creamy tomato sauce. The others chose murgh tikka; chicken breast marinated in yogurt, ginger, and fresh ground spices and cooked in the clay oven,
To soak up the sauce we ordered nan, an unleavened Indian bread baked in the tandoori oven. Ample servings of rice came with the dinner.
Don’t leave without trying the nan or poori, a hot puffed whole wheat bread and remember to order some chutney and raita, a chilled yogurt and cucumber mixture to accompany your meal and temper the spicy flavors you’ll find in your dinner.
Mughal Palace was given an “excellent” rating by Zagat and we concur. Give them a try and let us know what you liked so we can order it at
Mughal Palace
16 BroadwayValhalla
New York 10595
(914) 997-6090
Hours:
11:30 am – 2:30 pm and 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm dail
Pictured at top: Samosas, Pakoras and Chutney
Open and Opening Soon in Scarsdale
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More good options for Scarsdale diners this week. We visited the new Haiku that opened today, St. Patrick’s Day in the Vernon Place Shopping Center in Scarsdale, directly across the street from the new Fig and Olive.
The restaurant is smaller than the Haiku in White Plains, but equally as attractive. We caught a glimpse of the metallic blue tile, attractive fixtures and neatly lit sushi bar. The drinking bar in the front also looks like it will be a fun place to hang out any night of the week and they have their liquor license.
On the menu are Haiku’s specialty rolls including the Out of Control Roll with spicy tuna, salmon and 
avocado on the inside surrounded by eel and scallions on the outside and the Thunder Roll with lobster salad and shrimp tempura wrapped in soybean seaweed. There’s also a complete menu of cooked appetizers and entrees plus a nice selection for soups and salads. Lunch specials served with an entrée, with soup, salad, and rice are offered for as little as $7.95. It’s a deal.
The restaurant is open from 11:30 am to 12 midnight seven days a week and also offers take out and delivery.
In the works, is a new Johnny Rockets, planned to open in May on the site of the former Friendly’s at 777 White Plains Road.
Johnny Rockets is an international chain that provides food, fun and friendliness reminiscent of feel-good Americana. The new Johnny Rockets will offer juicy hamburgers, classic sandwiches, healthy salads and hand-dipped shakes and malts. The all-American design will include jukeboxes and authentic décor and the restaurant will welcome families.
They plan to be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and will also have a 20-seat private party room available.
The new owner, Daniel Weisse, grew up in Edgemont and heads a group who is responsible for bringing Johnny Rockets to Westchester. He is very excited to join the local business community.
Join the Family at La Scarbitta in Mamaroneck
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We heard that a new Italian restaurant opened in Mamaroneck and headed over to Halstead Avenue, across the street from the train station, to give it a try. We were surprised to see that the restaurant was located in the space once occupied by Bar Vivace. The setting is pleasant, with high ceilings, a long bar, a stone oven and large glass doors which open to the street. There are both front and a back dining rooms, giving La Scarbitta the ability to accommodate more diners that you would assume at first glance.
Though it was late the place was hopping. Our waiter offered us grilled Tuscan bread with olive oil and garlic to stave off hunger pangs while we ordered. The extensive bar offered a good variety of wines by the bottle and by the glass and the menu is small but had many appealing options.
From the antipasto list we chose an arugula salad with grated parmesan cheese and proscuito as well as Caprese Buffalo mozzarella.
Both arrived surprisingly fast and the ingredients were fresh and flavorful. Other antipasto options were an antipasto Italiano made of fresh meats and cheeses, an Antipasto Verde of vegetables, melon and prosciutto and mussels in white wine or marinara sauce.
For Primi Piatti there are an array of pastas including gnocchi with ricotta in Bolognese sauce, farfalle al pesto, ravioli with ricotta and spinach, fettucini with mushrooms and prosciutto, pasta Amatriciana, triangolini --- triangle shaped ravioli-- with porcini mushrooms and truffles and linguine with clams. We ordered the ravioli – which were clearly freshly made – and a special called “Shrimp alla Rosa” which was a tasty combination of large shrimp with cherry tomatoes and vodka served over pasta.
The menu also features meat or “carne” selections and fish. From the carne, there’s Veal Saltimbocca, a veal chop, mixed grill, several chicken dishes and a porterhouse steak. My husband ordered the Pollo alla Scarbitta, which was Mamaroneck’s version of chicken martini and it was rich, buttery and delicious. We all tried to dip our forks into his plate.
For fish, there’s branzino, grilled calamari and Pesca Spada Alla Messinese, which is swordfish sautéed in garlic, cherry tomatoes, capers and olives. On the night we visited they also had a trout special with marinara sauce or with lemon and white wine sauce.
After dinner, we spoke to the owners and were surprised to learn that chef Rosa is from the Spadaro family who owns Spadaro’s in New Rochelle. She recently left the family business to break out on her own and is cooking and managing the operation with help from her husband Angelo. Once we made the connection with Spadaro, we realized why the food was so good. Rosa told us that she only offered the best from Spadaro’s extensive menu.
Rosa has been cooking since she was 12 years old and moved to the United States from Puglia with her family at age 17. Her family sold fish in Italy so she has a good nose for fresh fish and purchases only the best for her restaurant daily. She is passionate about her new venture and is now working on adding more items for vegetarians to the menu and looking forward to spring when asparagus and zucchini flowers will be available. As soon as the weather warms up, La Scarbitta will be opening their front doors and serving lunch and dinner outside.
Rosa told us that customers come in as strangers but leave as part of the family ….so go join them for a meal soon!
La Scarbitta
215 Halstead Avenue
Mamaroneck, New York
914-777-1667
Open for dinner from 5 – 10 pm nightly
Sushi As It Should Be
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Hajime has been serving authentic Japanese sushi in Harrison since 1996 but we just discovered this gem last weekend. Located on Halstead Avenue the façade has little to distinguish it from other Japanese restaurants in town. But once you take a seat at the long sushi bar you’ll quickly realize that their fresh, high quality sushi puts Hajime in a league of its own.
Chef Sam Takahashi has been serving sushi since he was a young boy. He hails from Osaka were his father had a sushi restaurant. After training there he moved to the United States in March, 1985 to work at Cho Cho Son in Thornwood. Now Sam can be found behind the sushi bar at Hajime serving sushi to local customers who appreciate the excellent Japanese fare. Sam estimates that 45% of his clients are Japanese -- a testament to the reliability of the cuisine.
When you visit Hajime you may want to order the “Omakase” or chef’s menu and let Sam design a meal for you. Just let him 
know your likes and dislikes and he’ll custom design a memorable meal for you.
He often begins with tuna tartare, black cod in miso paste or an asparagus salad. On the chilly night we visited, one of our appetizers was warm broiled eel. Takahashi has an eye for the best fish and serves tuna from as far away as Spain and Ecuador, yellow tail, mackerel, squid, octopus and scallops from Japan, and fluke, striped bass and tilefish from local sources in season. He boasts that he is the only restaurant in Westchester served by his very choosy supplier, assuring that you’ll be served tasty, fresh fish that is cut minutes before you eat it.
If you sit at the bar it’s highly entertaining to watch Sam and his sous chef craft dinner for up to 50 guests in a flash. We ordered cold beers and Saki and sat back and admired Sam’s quick hands. Moving rapidly between his knives, large hunks of fish and his rice warmer, he makes beautiful platters of colorful sushi and tamago appear like magic. The results are simply delectable.
Hajime also offers a full menu of hot dishes such as chicken or salmon teriyaki, shrimp and vegetable tempura and udon, though Sam reports that 85% of customers come in for the sushi.
Venture to Hajime in Harrison for lunch and dinner soon. Reservations are recommended for Friday and Saturday nights.
Hajime
267 Halstead Avenue
Harrison, New York 10538
(914) 777-1543
Lunch: Tuesday – Saturday 12-2:30
Dinner: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday 5:30 – 10:00
Friday, Saturday 5:30 – 11:00
