A Tale of Two Restaurants and One Executive Chef: Traditional Meets Innovation
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It was the best of times and, well actually, continues to be the best of times. When the Executive Chef’s philosophy is “to create food that is simple, straight forward, not over the top, with a harmony of ingredients” and where “eatibility and seasonality” reign, then you know you are in for something great. Chris Vergara, the Executive Chef at not one, but two distinctly wonderful culinary destinations in Westchester is delighted to have accomplished his personal goal of having more than one restaurant before he turned 35. At a very playful 32, creative and talented Chris is proud of Meritage Restaurant opened almost seven years ago in Scarsdale and six month old, Harper’s Bar and Restaurant in Dobbs Ferry.
Chris and much of his staff split their time crossing Ardsley Road. Both restaurants benefit from the cross fertilization of experienced service and original cooking expertise. With frequent 1a.m. visits to Hunts Point Market which Chris describes as “another planet, shopping in the equivalent of two football fields of refrigeration” for seafood for both restaurants, he is able to buy the freshest fish sourced from up and down the eastern seaboard. Chris speaks of his “lapse of sanity” in opening two restaurants but does gain some economies of scale and effort in buying ingredients for both at the same time not only from Hunts Point but also from other vendors who supply
In a world where first comes air and water, and food comes next, Culinary Institute of America trained Chris wants his clients to eat with reckless abandon. He grew up in a family in which his mother and grandmother were excellent cooks. By 13, Chris was making elaborate meals for his pals. Accordingly, he wanted to “create home cooked food that was real, made with love and not pumped out en masse.”
Meritage Restaurant ( meritagerestaurant.net ), like its’ name which comes from a California wine blend, is old world meets new world maintaining the best of the traditional but adding a savory flourish. A longstanding Scarsdale favorite with a caste of regulars, the menu offers fine new American cuisine in a serene setting.
Two outstanding restaurants, one great Executive Chef and all north of the city. Reservations are recommended but walk-ins are welcome.
Meritage Restaurant
1505 Weaver Street
Scarsdale
914 472 8484
http://www.meritagerestaurant.net/
Harper’s Bar and Grill
92 Main Street
Dobbs Ferry
914 693 2506
http://www.harpersonmain.com/
Serafina: A Ray of Sunshine in White Plains
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Serafina has opened in downtown White Plains and is already bustling with diners both inside and out. Those who are familiar with this Italian chain from the city have been eagerly awaiting their arrival in Westchester and are happy to have good, fresh food at reasonable prices in this central locale. Even better, with parking available at the Ritz next door, it’s easy to get in and out.
The interior of the restaurant has been redone in a light palette with sunny, colorful hand-painted murals on the walls to go with the bright yellow Serafina signage. The interior feels spacious and seats 85 diners at large tables and comfy banquettes. Unlike many places in the area, the restaurant has good acoustics, allowing you to hear what your companions are saying across the table. In warm weather, 40 can be accommodated on the sidewalk, under the awning at outdoor tables.
On the night we visited, service was attentive. We were seated promptly and offered wine by the glass or by the 
bottle. The menu proved to include far more than pizza … providing a full selection of appetizers, salads, pizzas, meat and fish entrees and desserts.
Dishes at Serafina include first-rate Italian ingredients such as sushi grade tuna, salmon tartare, imported Parma prosciutto, burrata, homemade pastas, and foccacia, making it difficult to choose what to order from the extensive menu.
A few of the items from the antipasti selection were crostini with mozzarella and prosciutto, burrata with yellow and red cherry tomatoes and filet mignon carpaccio with warm truffle sauce.
Salads can be ordered as an appetizer or as a meal at lunchtime. The “Chopra” salad is mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, corn, asparagus and walnuts in mint/lemon vinaigrette and there’s “Carciofi E Parmigiano, which is sliced baby artichokes with aged parmesan in lemon and extra virgin olive oil. Salads range in price from $8.95 to $16.75.
There’s a long list of pastas – all said to be homemade. I ordered the La Paglia and Fieno Del Sud, which was very thin pasta with tomato, basil, parmesan and a touch of cream. The serving was big enough for two and was so tasty that I polished it off myself. Also on the pasta menu are pasta “crepes” with spinach and ricotta cheese in a light tomato basil sauce, a pasta trio with raviolo, gnocchi and spaghetti, pappardelle with pesto sauce, pine nuts, string beans and potatoes …. and the list goes on.
For entrees, we tried the salmon, filet of bass and the Veal Milanese, and all were delicious. For vegetarians, there’s a spaghetti squash entrée that comes with mixed vegetable, pine nuts and tomato sauce – pictured here. Entrees are $15 - $28.
And we haven’t even gotten to their famous thin crust pizzas, which according to the menu are prepared in a
“specially constructed oven in order to ensure a moisture-free and crispy Pizza dough.” You can have the pizza almost anyway you can imagine from the classic Margherita with tomato, mozzarella and basil, or Formaggi d’Italia with mozzarella, fontina, aged parmesan and gorgonzola, to more imaginative gourmet pizzas including Tonno, with sushi grade tuna over robiola sauce or Al Salmone with mozzarella, Norwegian smoked salmon and dill. Priced from $9.75 - $24.00 these pizzas are a meal in themselves.
Serafina clearly knows the formula for success and is a welcome addition to the restaurant scene in downtown White Plains. With first-rate fare, good service and reasonable prices, they are sure to draw crowds to Main Street.
Serafina
199 Main Street (Corner of Main and Court Streets)
White Plains
914-288-9300
Click here to visit their website
Weekdays: 11:30 am to 10:30 pm
Weekends: 11:30 am to 11:30 pm
Brunch Menu: Saturday and Sunday 11:30 am to 4:00 pm
Johnny Rockets Takes Off
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- Written by: Adrienne Fishman
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Johnny Rockets, the famed home of the original hamburger, opened in Scarsdale on Tuesday, May 31. This new hotspot is located on the site of the former Friendly’s and though it’s been open less than a week there is already a line out the door. The décor is 1950’s soda shop, with a long counter, cozy booths and neon signs.
The menu offers casual fare, including wings, hot dogs, burgers, salads, sandwiches, milkshakes and much more. For dessert, Johnny Rockets serves over 10 different flavors of Last Licks ice cream, a local favorite. While all the options are mouthwatering, the restaurant is best known for its burgers and deluxe milkshakes. There are pages of burger and shake variations -- some of the most appetizing include the Smoke House burger with cheddar cheese, bacon and bbq ranch sauce or the Houston which is a spicy burger with jalapenos, pepper jack cheese, lettuce and tomato. The shakes look like meals in themselves… there’s the Butterfinger shake, oreo cookies and cream, and a chocolate banana milkshake. The menu also shows the number of calories next to each item, which may give weight conscious customers cause for pause.
The crowd has already discovered the kid’s menu and booths were crammed with children enjoying chicken 
tenders, grilled cheese, mini hamburgers and hot dogs and kids-sized shakes. All kids entrees are only $6.49. You can’t beat that.
However, Johnny Rockets is not only known for the food. What makes the restaurant unique is its skilled staff. Waiters and waitresses are trained to perform dance routines to classics such as Stayin’ Alive and Respect. The restaurant also has an “all-American feel” because of its juke boxes, soda pop and root bear floats. Customers can sit on stools at the counter or at tables, where colored balloons are hung up to brighten the mood. Burger prices range from an affordable $7.99 to $9.99. Desserts are also reasonably priced from $3.89 to $5.89. Johnny Rockets has it all -- with quality meals, a kid-friendly environment, economic pricing and a menu sure to please everyone.
Johnny Rockets
777 White Plains Road
Scarsdale, NY 10583
914-723-3303
Open: Sunday-Thursday 8 am – 9 pmFriday and Saturday 8 am – 10 pm
Delivery available from 11AM-closing time
Villa Roma Opens on Depot Place
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There’s a newcomer to Depot Place …. All’ Antica is gone and in its place you’ll find Villa Roma Pizzeria and Restaurant. Outside you’ll see a new sign but the interior of the space is largely unchanged. We spoke to James P. Junior, pictured here, who reports that they have been open about a month and reception from the community has been great. Many students have already discovered the new spot and their parents are sure to follow suit.
Though it was too early for pizza when we stopped by, there was a nice selection of pies in the case that looked tempting. The menu shows they offer the traditional margherita as well as buffalo chicken, white pizza, baked ziti, portobello and melanzana. Small 14” pies start at $10.95, the large 16” is $12.95 and the Sicilian is $13.95 with additional charges for toppings.
But Villa Roma offers more than pizza. Their menu includes appetizers such as mozzarella and zucchini sticks and mussels marinara, a full range of salads, entrees and pasta dinners.
On the entrée menu there’s chicken parm, chicken francese, sausage and peppers, shrimp scampi and a whole lot more. Prices for entrees 
range from $11.95 to $16.95. Pastas include Penne a la Vodka, Penne Primavera and Caviatelli with broccoli rabe and sausage. There are also heroes, calzone and stuffed pizza.
We can’t vouch for the cuisine as we haven’t tasted it yet. But if you go, send in your report in the comments section below.
Welcome Villa Roma to the Dale!
Villa Roma
8 Depot Place
Scarsdale, NY 10583
914-472-4848
Open: Monday-Friday 11 am – 10 pm
Saturday 12 noon – 10 pm
Sunday 12 noon – 8 pm
Catering and delivery available
Food and Film in Pleasantville
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When looking for a quick bite before or after a film at the Jacob Burns in Pleasantville, sometimes less is more. That’s why we were taken with a relatively new wine bar near the train station, where in addition to an extensive choice of vintages, you’ll find some delectable small plates. The spot has an interesting story behind it. Owner Paul Paljevic is the proprietor of the Euro Spa Salon and Spa next door, and when the antique store vacated the adjoining property, he saw an opportunity for his first foray into food.
He had the interior of the space redone to resemble a European cave – lined in stone the high arched ceiling looks like it might have been relocated from Rome. The softly lit restaurant has comfy couches upfront, a long bar and tables in the main dining room and a back room as well. Bouchon is rumored to get really busy late at night as they stay open until 1 am and it looks like an inviting place to hang out.
We visited Buchon Wine Bar Café earlier one evening and beat the crowd. We started by reading a long list of wines from California, France, 
Italy, Argentina, Chile and New Zealand which are offered by the glass and by the bottle. We selected a good red and a rose.
To eat, there were platters of charcuterie, artisanal cheeses and olives, plus panini and salads. If you come with a group, you can share tiered plates of fresh cut prosciutto, soppresatta and salami accompanied by a fresh array of cheese. The food is purchased on Arthur Avenue and from an artisanal cheese supplier in Manhattan. For those who want more, there’s a full selection of panini and salads as well as dessert.
Bouchon Wine Bar Cafe
10 Marble Avenue
Pleasantville, NY 10570
914-769-4040
Open Monday through Saturday from 5 pm to 1 am
And speaking of Pleasantville, to mark their 10-year anniversary the Jacob Burns Film Center will present a 24-hour movie marathon starting on Saturday, June 18 at 11:00 pm and ending on Sunday, June 19 at 11:00 pm. The wild and crazy film event is sure to be a day full of fun and surprises. The program is a secret but will include previews of four new films, great foreign cinema, fantastic screwball comedies, eye-opening documentaries, sensational shorts, classic animation and rarities. Clues to the films will be posted on the film center’s website beginning June 1. Anyone who stays the whole 24 hours will be rewarded for the accomplishment. And there is free coffee for all who purchase a ticket!
Make history at the Jacob Burns Film Center, 364 Manville Road (at Washington Avenue) in Pleasantville, NY, 10570. The Film Center is conveniently located across the street from the Metro-North station in Pleasantville, off of the Harlem line train from Grand Central Station. Tickets for the event are $40 for JBFC members and $60 for nonmembers and can be purchased at www.burnsfilmcenter.org. For more information call 914.773.7663.
