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Written by Judie Dweck

Published: 24 June 2019

Created: 24 June 2019

Last Updated: 24 June 2019

Hits: 5771

Smokehouse BurgerWhere shall we eat today? Often, on a Saturday afternoon, after a strenuous ballet class, several mature ballerinas are deciding where to dine. One wanted a salad, typical ballerina fare, one wanted something breakfasty, perhaps smoked salmon and a bagel, one wished to have something with a Mexican flavor, maybe a chicken quesadilla, one wanted dessert, maybe some key lime pie and one could not wait to dig into a juicy burger. Our decision was easy to make, as we made our way to City Limits where an extensive and varied menu awaits. As you enter, note the inviting pastry display, which will certainly whet your appetite. Choose to dine at the bar or in the bright dining room at a booth or a table. They seat 270 guests. As you observe your surroundings, note the oversized City Limits cup and saucer, a staple of the restaurant since its opening 25 years ago.

Make yourself comfortable as you check out the large and varied menu. For the breakfast lover, the choices are many and are served throughout the day. Many egg dishes and omelets are very appealing. A vegetable frittata with potato, spinach, leeks, tomato and feta cheese, a chorizo sausage and egg quesadilla, and a Maryland lump crab and lobster cake benedict are all enticing. House smoked Atlantic salmon with bagel and cream cheese, and corned beef hash are very popular. For me, an orange lemon waffle, crisp and flavorful topped with fresh fruit and real maple syrup is my breakfast choice. This made from scratch waffle just can’t be beat.

I recently shared a wonderful tasting of City Limit’s treasures with Nick Livanos who explained that City Limits, Moderne Barn in Armonk and Molyvos, Ousia, and Oceana in Manhattan form The Livanos Restaurant Group. John Livanos, his dad, emigrated from Greece in 1957 and by 1960 opened his first restaurant. As they celebrate their 25 anniversary of City Limits, the third Livanos generation continues the legacy. Nick, Bill and Corina, John’s children are all involved in the business. Nick’s three children are part of the operations, as well.

Nick Livanos indicated,” We are true to diner characteristics since we serve breakfast all day. Add to this, the high quality restaurant style entrees. We owe our longevity to consistency, quality and diversity in our food. Through the years, we have found that seafood has become more popular. Our house smoked salmon and variety of burgers are favorites of our guests.” If Nick Livanos was dining here he might start with a salad followed by soy chili glazed Atlantic salmon. He might take home a seasonal fruit tart for dessert. He would have loved to share a dining experience at City Limits with Henry Fonda, whom he admired as an actor and a person. With the restaurant bustling at all times, the staff from the family , to the kitchen, to the dining room assure that everything is run efficiently in a warm and friendly manner.

Heading the kitchen is Executive Chef Juan Rodriguez. Born into a large family in El Salvador, he helped his mom in the kitchen. As a young teen, he harvested produce at a local farm. Upon arriving in New York, he worked his way up from prep work to executive chef. His dishes are varied and beautifully presented.

Our tasting started with several small plates and appetizers. Lobster wontons arrived as crisp pillows Chicken Quesadillaof fried won ton skins filled with fresh Maine lobster ready to dip into sweet and sour sauce or soy sauce. Fresno chilies and scallions added a bit of spice to these delightful morsels. Resting on a bed of crisp lettuce leaves, these were a perfect small plate to begin a meal with. House smoked pork provided the filling for nicely spiced quesadillas. Accompanied by sour cream, guacamole and pico de gallo, these flour tortilla “sandwiches” were divine. Topped with the tomato relish, guacamole and sour cream this was a great south of the border treat. Chicken empanadas with a thick corn dough shared the plate with a smooth avocado salsa , a mild red sauce and shredded pickled vegetables. Tuna tostadas arrived as sesame crusted slices of fresh tuna resting on a crisp flat fried wonton shell. Layered with a julienne of vegetables the tuna slices and a squiggle of wasabi soy dressing. This was a light very fresh start to our meal. Other starters waiting to be tried are beef tacos crispy shrimp, chipotle ribs, grilled octopus and a mid east vegetarian sampler.

In the past, I have loved spinach and endive salad with pear dressing, Oriental chicken salad, and roast turkey cobb salad which are among the unique salads offered. The burgers here are Black Angus beef and are juicy and delicious. Try the mushroom and Swiss cheese burger or the City Limits burger with bacon, grilled onion, cheddar cheese and bbq sauce. Sandwiches and wraps are numerous. Some of my favorites are house smoked pulled pork, sirloin steak sandwich and southwestern hanger steak wrap.

During our tasting, we moved on to a selection of pizza from their custom oven. There is a classic margherita, Bianca, mushroom and truffle and chicken with jalapeno. We opted for the shrimp pie. The nicely crisp crust was topped with mozzarella, mushrooms, olives and a generous sprinkling of shrimp and arugula, a very pleasant choice. We savored the soy glazed chili Atlantic salmon. A medium rare portion of salmon sat atop a combination of bok choy, bean sprouts, mushrooms and carrots. The salmon was garnished with fried taro root. It was a wonderful Asian flavored dish.Top quality steaks, New York Strip and Hanger steaks are offered with a variety of homemade sauces and side dishes.

A carefully selected choices of wines and beer and signature cocktails are awaiting you to accompany your meal.

Glazed SalmonIt would be difficult to leave without sampling some of the tempting baked goods A rich layered chocolate and yellow cake slice embedded with hazelnut crunch, a seasonal strawberry and rhubarb individual tart and a rich and outstanding banana cream pie with a layer of chocolate and a mountain of freshly whipped cream are a few of the possibilities. Chocolate mousse torte, tiramisu, key lime pie French chocolate filled cookies, muffins, scones and artisanal breads fill the showcase. I love to leave with a shopping bag filled with focaccia, raisin walnut bread, carrot muffins and scones and perhaps a few double chocolate chip large cookies and some homemade peanut brittle. If a beverage is your idea of a treat, take a trip to the past and enjoy a New York Egg cream or a City Limits Milkshake with house made ice cream.

Celebration cakes of great beauty and catering services are offered here as well.
City Limits is a place to enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack Perhaps we should call it The Sky’s the Limit. This is not your ordinary diner. The inventive menu offers suggestions for every taste providing comfort foods as well as sophisticated dishes. Enjoy the City Limits experience with family and friends soon.

City Limits Diner
200 Central Avenue
White Plains
914 686 9000

A special note: Part of the Livanos family will be featured on Thursday evening at 9 PM on ABC's Family Food Fight.

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Written by Jamie Robelen

Published: 03 July 2019

Created: 03 July 2019

Last Updated: 04 July 2019

Hits: 3431

Families flocked to the Scarsdale Pool on Tuesday, July 2, for the annual 4th of July fireworks display. Like every year, everyone is welcome to attend, whether or not they are members of the pool. People came early to get good seats; even at six o’clock, the pool area was filling up. In addition to the pool’s snack bar, there was a Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs truck and two ice cream trucks for everyone to enjoy. SVAC provided water to all and there were EMTs to attend to any emergencies. Some of the EMTs present were the recent SHS graduates who’d completed the EMT course for their senior options.

Starting at 7:30pm, the Westchester Band provided wonderful music for all to listen to. They played a wide variety of pieces, from a West Side Story medley to Stevie Wonder’s Sir Duke. As the fireworks drew closer, they played a medley of popular songs from World War II and other patriotic tunes, including Anchors Aweigh and You’re A Grand Old Flag.

The fireworks were beautiful and fascinating to all. The big finish had everyone gasping and applauding. The 2019 Scarsdale Pool fireworks were a great success.

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Written by Judie Dweck

Published: 10 June 2019

Created: 10 June 2019

Last Updated: 10 June 2019

Hits: 7776

When long time restaurants close their doors here in Scarsdale, we are sad but are hopeful that the new ones that replace them will bring us much joy, as well. Such is the case when Mezza Luna closed their doors and Wood & Fire renovated the space on Brook Street and has provided us with an upbeat casual new Italian restaurant where the menu offers a large variety of classic and innovative pizza, pasta entrees and much more.

I had the pleasure of chatting with owner Michael Ferrara who started working in restaurants as a young high school student. He fell in love with this area of work, and worked his way up from bus boy to server and to manager in Westchester, Florida and New York City. He now owns several restaurants including Wood & Fire in Pleasantville and the newly opened Wood & Fire in Scarsdale. With partners Franco and Bobby Carenza and with Chef Pasquale Abbatiello, a culinary school graduate who studied in Italy, you can be assured of a finely tuned operation. “With so many Italian restaurants in the area, we are special because our food and service separate us from the rest. Our food is not typical because we add our modern twist to each dish. We are a hands on operation, and we stay on top of everything, with an owner on the premises at all times. Our wood burning oven uses only natural fuel and no gas. Top quality flour and San Marzano tomatoes assure outstanding pizzas. My favorite part of the business is enjoying the varied customer base that we serve both young and older. “

As summer approaches, and the warm weather is here, guests are delighted to enjoy the lovely outdoor patio as well as the indoor facility. Avail yourself of the private parking lot or street parking and walk up a few steps into the cheerful Wood & Fire. A friendly bar is in front and as you enter the dining area, take note of the outstanding Italian imported wood burning pizza oven. Informal and comfortable aptly describe the dining area with its wood topped tables and red metal chairs. On the dark wood walls is the logo Wood & Fire Restaurant, Catering, Bar, Neapolitan Style Pizza. Contemporary lighting on the wood slat ceiling and a stone floor complete the setting. This room leads to the lovely outdoor patio. The restaurant seats about 130 guests. During a recent weekday lunch, it was evident that this new dining option is gaining popularity quickly. Many tables were filled with very happy guests enjoying excellent service. At a table for 12, all dishes appeared to arrive promptly, quite a feat. Diners varied from business groups to families and all seemed to be having a good time.

There are 15 varieties of pizza listed on the menu with an additional choice of many toppings such as olives, meatballs, sausage and spinach. The pies are 12 inches and the combinations of ingredients are unique. The wood burning oven helps to make these pies exceptional we loved the charred vegetable pie, a colorful choice. Here eggplant, zucchini, roasted peppers, San Marzano tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella gave a garden of flavor to the pie. Also worthy of a try is the prosciutto and arugula pie. Here, whole leaves of baby arugula and thinly sliced prosciutto rested on the wonderful crust. Fresh mozzarella, a touch of San Marzano tomato sauce, extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of finely shredded parmigiana reggiano completed this fine pie. Other appealing possibilities are Wood & Fire Pie with burrata, marinated tomatoes basil and fresh garlic and The Prince Street with a Sicilian crust, crispy pepperoni, San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella and shaved parmigiana. Even the presentation was unique. A contemporary variation of the metal pizza stand, arrived as a wood block with the restaurant logo with the tray of pizza on top.

For starters, many lovely salads are offered. Beet and Brussels, calamari and lobster, steak and avocado salad and a Scarsdale salad with greens, fruits and nuts all sounded and looked appealing . Judging from an adjoining table each salad was quite hearty in size and beautifully presented.

We chose to start our tasting with selections from the piattini section of the menu. Wood fired mussels were outstanding. The large PEI mussels were swimming in a white wine herb and cream infused sauce. A squeeze of lemon juice and the result was ideal. The delicate sauce was a perfect accompaniment for the very fresh mussels, which added flavor without overpowering the dish. Sicilian rice balls , a classic, were well prepared. The rice, beef ragu, mozzarella and pea filling surrounded by a crunchy crust and accompanied by a dish of San Marzano tomato sauce for dipping was so good. It was difficult eating just one. Future meals will definitely start with charred octopus, fritto misto, prosciutto bread or burrata and eggplant caprese.

The many pasta selections include popular favorites as well as innovative combinations. We decided upon a classic of pappardelle Bolognese. At Wood & Fire, a slow roasted Angus beef ragu enveloped the delicate ribbons of pappardelle. Fresh basil, parmigiana and mascarpone enriched this delicious classic. I look forward to sampling spaghetti, pesto and shrimp with pine nuts, string beans, shrimp and toasted breadcrumbs, gnocchi Toscana with Italian sausage ragu, and linguini nero with mussels, shrimp, calamari and salmon in a spicy sauce. Wood & Fire classic lasagna, meatballs and spaghetti and ravioli al forno with vodka sauce are calling my name, as well.

Large plates at dinner span choices of eggplant parm, chicken saltimbocca, chicken scarpariello, and chicken parm for 2. Veal in several forms, steak, short rib, branzino and salmon are offered, as well. We enjoyed jumbo lemon shrimp. This large platter contained truly jumbo shrimp, tail off, breaded and prepared francese style, surrounded by a lemon white wine sauce. Roasted baby carrots and slices of grilled zucchini enhanced this plate for a light and excellent entrée.

If you have saved room for dessert, choose from Italian cheesecake, tiramisu, zeppole, Nutella pizza or cannoli, to name just a few of the choices. Enjoyed Wood & Fire’s rendition of crème brulee. Traditional crème brulee is always a nice way to end a meal. Infuse it with espresso and this smooth creamy pudding with its crackling crunchy topping is a perfect conclusion to your meal.

Original cocktails, sangria, wine and beer are plentiful at the front bar as well as the patio bar. There are also many cocktails with intriguing names.

Friendly, upbeat and happy describe Wood & Fire in Scarsdale. Tempt your taste buds there soon.

Wood & Fire
118 Brook Street
Scarsdale
914 722 4854