Fine Thai in Tuckahoe
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When I told a friend I was going to a new Thai place in Tuckahoe her eyes lit up. “Can we join you,” she asked? She called back to say her son decided to come along and then another couple chimed in. Suddenly our group of three had grown into a party of eight. While Thai food was popular here years ago, it's now often called Asian Fusion - - and when eating at one of the many local Pan Asian spots, you never know if you’ll be eating sushi, Chinese or tempura. However, Aries Fine Thai Cuisine in Tuckahoe is all-Thai – like the Thai food you remember from the good old days.
It wasn’t easy to find Aries – it’s tucked under the bridge near the station in Tuckahoe, and due to a closed street, we parked on the east side of the tracks and traversed the bridge to get there. The restaurant is spacious, featuring huge fish tanks filled with colorful tropical fish. The decor looks retro and the bar is dark for now as Aries has no liquor license. It’s BYOB – but as there’s no corkage fee, it turns out to be a good deal for customers.
The menu is expansive and luckily our large table of eight afforded us the chance to sample a good deal of their selections.
The appetizer list is appetizing indeed. Unable to select which items to order, we practically ordered them all. Notable were the golden curry puffs, which were filled with chicken, potatoes, and onion spiced with curry as well as the crispy Thai calamari, fried rings of calamari served with a spicy mayonnaise dipping sauce. My favorite was the steamed Thai dumplings, which were minced chicken, shallots, and peanuts wrapped in a steamed rice noodle. We also shared the summer rolls, Aries version of crispy Thai “spring rolls” packed with carrots, lettuce, mint, and basil, accompanied by tamarind sauce. Don’t forget the soup. The Tom Ka Kai or coconut soup with chicken, and lemon grass comes in a bowl that is big enough to share and was steamy and flavorful.
No Thai meal is complete without pad Thai, and Aries version comes with a choice of vegetable, pork, chicken, beef or shrimp. These soft noodles, stir fried with egg, bean curd, bean sprouts and peanuts was enough for dinner itself.
Another dish that featured coconut milk was the Massaman curry with chicken, sweet onions and potatoes, served boiling in it own little hot pot. The curry can be made as a mild or as hot as you like – and this one is good comfort food for a cold night.
From the special menu, we opted for the grilled whole fish, served with scallions, ginger, soy, rice and vegetables. If you don’t mind looking at the head and the tail, go for the red snapper, which was moist and tasty. Someone at the table even ordered frogs legs with spicy basil – don’t ask me how it was because frogs are not my thing!
The waiter also insisted that we try the sticky rice pictured here. And as if that wasn’t enough, we sampled two desserts, a fried ice cream with raspberry sauce that was quickly devoured as well as sticky rice with sweet mango, Aries version of rice pudding.
The service was fast and the staff is eager to please. Given the amount of food we consumed, prices seemed very reasonable. Let the waiter
know that you read about them on Scarsdale10583 and they are sure to give you a warm welcome.
Aries Fine Thai Cuisine
90 Yonkers AvenueTuckahoe, NY 10707
www.ariesfinethaicuisine.com
914-771-8200
Prix-Fixe Menu Now Offered at Fig & Olive
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Fig & Olive, Westchester will offer a prix fixe menu during a winter celebration of fine dining. Running from January 16 to February 10, this special culinary experience presents world-class dining at a discounted price. Fig & Olive patrons are invited to enjoy a variety of dishes influenced by the Riviera and Costal regions of France, Italy and Spain. The three-course prix fixe menu is priced at $24.07 for lunch and $35 for dinner, weekdays only. Fig & Olive is located in the Vernon Hills Shopping Center, 696 White Plains Road, Scarsdale, N.Y. Reservations required at 914-725-2900 or www.figandolive.com.
“We are so excited to bring this special menu to our Westchester location, and we look forward to serving new and loyal customers alike,” said Ludo Barras of Fig & Olive. “The menu includes many of our signature dishes – and of course a few surprises!”
The flavorful experience begins with an assortment of plates perfect for sharing. A Crostini Tasting includes a chef’s selection of up to six varieties, including mushroom, truffle, artichoke and parmesan; gorgonzola, onion and cremini; or prosciutto, ricotta, fig, olive and walnuts. Starters also feature Provencal Carrot and Thyme Soup, Beef Carpaccio and Yellow Fin Tuna Carpaccio.
For lunch, treat yourself to Grilled Thyme Chicken Paillard; Salmon a la Andalucia; or a new menu addition, the Fig & Olive Painted Hill’s Farm Burger, which highlights the best grass-fed beef, crisp pancetta and pickled onions on a thyme brioche roll.
For a more indulgent dinner entrée, choose from the Fig & Olive Tajne, a free-range chicken marinated with Moroccan spices; Rosemary Lamb Chops; Penne Funghi Tartufo in a white truffle olive oil; or Provence Chicken Paillard. All are prepared with the freshest ingredients and Fig & Olives own signature olive oils.
End your meal by sampling the desserts: a Chocolate Pot De Crème, which has crunchy praline financiers and vanilla cream; or the Dessert “Crostini,” which has amarena cherry, mascarpone and pistachio shortbread with micro-basil.
Fig & Olive is located in the Vernon Hills Shopping Center, 696 White Plains Road, Scarsdale, N.Y.. Lunch: 12pm – 3:30pm. Dinner: 5pm – 10pm (M-TH), 5pm – 11pm (F). Reservations required. For more information, please visit www.figandolive.com or call 914-725-2900.
How Sweet It Is
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At long last, Martine’s has opened on East Parkway in Scarsdale in the former location of Rush Jewelers. This is the second location for the bakery, whose first branch is well known in Tuckahoe. Originally planned for a spring 2011 opening, the much-awaited bakery, coffee and lunch spot finally started serving in December. Residents have given this new spot an enthusiastic welcome – and are lined up to buy breads, cakes and pastries and enjoy coffee or a meal at one of Martine’s bistro tables.
The site has been nicely designed with large windows facing town, attractive display cases and marble countertops. The staff is cheerful, friendly and eager to serve up whatever your sweet tooth desires.
We stopped by for lunch and found a full complement of sandwiches, a choice of two daily soup specials, quiche, potato, 
eggplant and spinach turnovers (bureks) as well as croissants, pain au chocolat, muffins and scones. The long shelves along the wall were lined with freshly baked cakes to take home as well as several varieties of meltaways. We tried the marble pound cake and blueberry coffee cake and both were hits. We were told that the glazed Sicilian orange pound cake is another favorite.
The display cases included an array of butter cookies that can be purchased by the pound as well as donuts, macaroons, Danish and small pastries. There were also cakes and confections including homemade marshmallows.
We asked owner Tal Campana for a menu and she admitted that the menu changes all the time as the bakery constantly experiments, trying new recipes each week – so you’ll have to stop in and see what’s in store. Martine’s also does catering, offering hors d’oeuvres, sandwiches and desserts for luncheons, meetings and parties.
They open at 6:45 am from Monday through Saturday, so you can grab something delectable on your way to the train in the morning, or visit evenings until 7:30 and bring a treat home. Open Sundays as well.
Martine’s Fine Bake Shoppe 
48 East Parkway
Scarsdale
(914) 722-4949
Guess Who's Coming to the Five Corners
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There has been no end of speculation about what’s coming to the Five Corners. After years of deliberation about the development of the site at Palmer Avenue and Heathcote Road, a new 11,000 square foot building is now under construction, with two levels of underground parking.
Throughout the approval process, residents seemed certain that the site would house yet another drug store. The names CVS, Duane Reade and Rite Aid were bandied about by those who were fearful about bringing a large retail chain to the center of Scarsdale.
It turns out we were all fooled … in fact, the space will be occupied by a well-known Scarsdale grocer, one that has been part of the fabric of the community for years. Supersol, now Seasons plans to open in the new building in January, 2013 and will utilize the main floor of the building for a large grocery and café, with the second floor as a kitchen where all of the prepared food will be made.
The main floor will offer kosher meats and poultry, fish, fresh produce, prepared foods, baked goods, a café, and a sushi bar. According to David Gellman, the market will be upscale and top of the line throughout.
Underground parking will be shared with Balducci’s, creating a food destination site for residents of Southern Westchester.
Supersol has recently become Seasons, part of a chain of four kosher markets in Lawrence, Flushing, Manhattan and Scarsdale. Check them out at: http://seasonsny.com/index.html
And for those who don’t want to eat too much -- this just in from Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner:
Weight Watchers is unveiling a newly designed store in Greenburgh with a contemporary, yet welcoming and comfortable environment. The store, located at 433 Tarrytown Road, will be open during regular retail hours, so people can stop in anytime to learn more about Weight Watchers, ask questions, purchase memberships, or simply shop for Weight Watchers products designed to support a healthier lifestyle. Members can also weigh in at their convenience in a way that is more discreet than ever before. This new store is one of 400 being opened across the country this year.
There will be a Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Friday, December 16th at 9 AM.
Three Newcomers to Try
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Always on the prowl for new tastes, we tried these three recent entries on the Westchester restaurant scene and thought all had something good to offer: Nemea on the Boston Post Road is owned by the same family who run the ever-popular Nikos Taverna on Central Avenue. While Nikos is casual, Nemea serves a similar menu in a more formal atmosphere. The restaurant has been elegantly appointed, and the soft lighting and spacious layout make for a more gracious presentation.
However, lovers of traditional Greek tavern food will not be disappointed as all the standards are available. We sampled the tzatziki, hummus, dolmadakia (stuffed grape leaves) and the spanakopita to start. While we waited for our entrees, we shared the “Elliniki” salad with feta, Kalamata olives and cucumbers as well as the kidney bean salad. . For dinner, some had grilled shrimp and others ordered whole grilled branzino, - which was deboned by the waiters tableside. Accompanied by sautéed spinach and spanakorizo, the Greek’s answer to risotto, the fish was moist, and tasty. We couldn’t resist the baklava for dessert, and it was well worth the extra calories.
Nemea
599 East Boston Post Road
Mamaroneck, NY
914-698-6600
Tucked underneath City Center, you could easily miss Pranzi as you enter the maze-like, multi-level parking lot. Though the space is tight, the location is convenient for moviegoers and the menu is far more ambitious then the setting suggests. The night we visited a noisy crowd was at the adjacent table, making it difficult to converse. But once they left, things improved.
The chef hails from Polpo in Greenwich, a place where food is taken seriously– and his expertise is clear when your food arrives. For starters I had the Zuppetta Di Vongole, steamed baby clams in a flavorful Chardonnay seafood broth. We also ordered the fresh burrata, a special on the night we visited. For those looking for lighter fare, Pranzi offers 15 types of individual pizza, and the crispy crust was delicious on the Pizze de Parma that we shared. There is a full selection of pastas … including rigatoni with sauteed eggplant, tomato and ricotta salata, fusilli Della Nonna, pasta baked with sausage, mini meatballs, mozzarella and tomato sauce and black linguini with seafood. For entrees there’s veal scallopini, chicken scarpariello, rack of lamb and salmon with limoncello sauce to name a few. And if you don’t like what you see, ask for what you like. The chef is very accommodating.
Pranzi
8 City Center
White Plains, NY
914-328-4000
www.pranzirestaurant.com
And for those who want a quick bite at a reasonable price, stop in at Hash-O-Nash on Mamaroneck Avenue in Mamaroneck for flavorful Middle Eastern specialties. This menu doesn’t take sides in political conflict, featuring foods from Jordan, Lebanon, Greece and Israel. You’ll find matza ball soup, kreplach, stuffed cabbage and flanken next to Lebanese salad, moussaka and couscous.
They’re short on ambience but long on flavor and the large menu is sure to please with a big array of cold appetizers including Halloumi cheese drizzled with olive oil, baba gahanoue, --roasted eggplant, tahini, garlic and lemon and muhammara, a pureed smoked red pepper dip with roasted walnuts and pomegranante molasses. The tabouleh, packed with fresh parsley, tomato and lemon was a winner. On the hot appetizer menu there’s falafel, Lebanese sausage stuffed with ground lamb and pine nuts and spinach fatyer, which is chopped spinach and onion in a pastry cell -- to name a few. Prices for these appetizers range from just $6 to $10. For lunch or dinner there are ample portions of lamb, beef, chicken, salmon, tuna or shrimp shish kabobs, plus rack of lamb, shawarma and gyros. We also ordered the grilled eggplant and zucchini, which was cooked with care by a vegetable lover. Again, prices for their well-seasoned and generously sized entrees are not bad, starting at $16 for the main course.
Service was friendly and informed. Hash-O-Nash means grillin-n-chillin in Jordanian and you can chill there seven days a week, from 11 am – 10 pm or order take-out to enjoy at home.
Hash-O-Nash
441 Mamaroneck Avenue
Mamaroneck, NY 10543
914-630-7310
www.hashonash.com
Tried anywhere new lately? Tell us about it in the comments section below.
