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Thrifty Fare The cost of living in America is on the rise. The dollar is getting weaker, gas is getting more expensive, and this is only the beginning. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. White Plains has a few hidden treasures when it comes to inexpensive culinary delights. So here are a few places to try out where the most expensive part of the meal may be the drive over. More will come in the weeks to follow. If fresh pasta is what you crave then head on down to Brooklyn’s Famous located at 51 Court St. in the heart of downtown White Plains. All of the pasta is fresh and homemade but that fact is not reflected in the price. Build your own dish with a choice of pastas ranging from penne and rigatoni to wild mushroom ravioli or gnocchi. Add in your choice of sauce and extras like fresh mozzarella, sundried tomatoes, meatballs, shrimp, and more. Pasta dishes start at $7.95. The rest of the menu is also priced well for the frugal diner and everything here delivers. Brooklyn’s also happens to be a great place to bring the kids; the atmosphere is fun and inviting and owner Vikki is a ray of sunshine who always does everything possible to make sure you enjoy your meal. For the sushi lover in you, look no further than Season’s Japanese Bistro for some great lunch specials. The sushi & sashimi combo comes with 4 pieces of sushi, 7 pieces of sashimi and a California roll all for $13.95. If raw fare doesn’t do it for you Season’s also offers a good selection of teriyaki and tempura dishes all priced between $7.95 and $9.95 (all lunch specials include soup and salad as well). The food is fresh, the atmosphere is relaxed and this is also a quite enough restaurant to have a small business meeting in. Tighe’s Tavern is a small bar and restaurant located next to the post office on Martine Avenue. The mood is mellow and inviting and the décor gives you a little taste of the Irish countryside with lovely pictures adorning the walls. The prices here are absolutely great. The most expensive item on the lunch menu is only $11.95 (Tavern Sampler: fried shrimp, mozzarella sticks, buffalo bites, and chicken fingers) but don’t let that fool you. The quality of the food is right up there with other restaurants that charge much, much more. The grilled chicken sandwich with Montreal seasoning for $7.95 is a real crowd pleaser (comes w/ff and slaw). If you’re in the mood for a sandwich then mosey on down to the Fair Deal Café where great sandwiches are expertly crafted by the friendly employees. Fair Deal offers up all of your traditional deli fare but takes things a step further; offering great hot specials daily and a full menu in the café in the back. For a great meal try the half chicken special (1/2 a chicken served with 2 sides of your choice for only $6.95). Fair Deal is located at 253 Mamaroneck Ave just a few blocks from downtown. P.S., this place makes a great sandwich. For more tips on where to eat without emptying your pockets check back next week for four more restaurants that are light on the wallet and heavy on quality. Restaurants: Spring '08 by Seth Benerofe Spring has Sprung for the budding bar and restaurant scene in White Plains. The past few months have brought an influx of new venues to drink and dine in, not to mention a much needed facelift for some old favorites. We’ll start first with Elements; located at 161 Mamaroneck Avenue in the heart of what could be considered the White Plains “watering hole district”. If location is key then this place should do very well. In addition to being surrounded by many of White Plains’ most prominent bars and taverns, Elements also has an ace up its sleeve. This will be the first bar in White Plains to offer a rooftop dining experience. The main bar/restaurant is absolutely beautiful. Deep brown woods are complimented by wonderful mosaic pieces on the back-bar. A diverse selection of beers and spirits puts this bar on the same level with its Mamaroneck Ave counterparts. But the big surprise here is the food. Chef Rick Krebs really knows what he is doing. The menu is still in its early phase but even with the limited selection it’s not hard to find something enjoyable for any palate (the sweet chili wings are excellent). Black Bear Saloon has undergone some major surgery. The bar went through a major renovation in the month of March and the results are worth mentioning. You name it, they’ve replaced it. New floors, walls, ceilings, taps and beer lines are just a few of the changes made throughout this transformation. The new Black Bear boasts 15 plasma TV’s around the bar as well as 6 in booth plasmas. And if TV is not for you the grab a beer and boogie on the dance floor every Tuesday through Saturday night with Black Bear’s in house DJ. If fondue is what you crave then look no further than The Melting Pot on Mamaroneck Avenue. A great place for a date. The cozy section labeled “lover’s lane” is an intimate setting for budding relationships to flower. And with a number of private dining areas the layout is also ideal for business meetings. The Melting Pot is sure to be an entertaining experience, don you chef’s hat and let the cooking begin. Korova Milk Bar, a popular Alphabet Cityrestaurant/bar was recently sold and has moved to White Plains. Co-owners Domonic Trentadue, Todd Shenk, and Alex Fatouros think that the “A Clockwork Orange” themed bar will fit quite well within the White Plains night-life scene. The bar, located at 213 E Post Road specializes in molokos (milk based drinks) that are sure to tantalize your taste buds. The Moloko Nanny Shaker (frangelico, kahlua, dark crème de cacao, and ice cream) sounds heavenly. In addition to molokos, the bar offers a diverse selection of spirits and beers as well as flavored margaritas from slushy machines that line the back-bar. If you’re not in a drinking mood Korova also has a dining area serving everything from burgers to pan roasted rainbow trout with zucchini stuffing. Truth be told this place is worth checking out for the décor alone. If you’re a Stanley Kubrick fan then you need to go to Korova Milk Bar. P.S. the drinks are not spiked with drugs as they are in the movie. Most local residents know and love A’mangiare located at 359 Mamaroneck Ave. What many people do not know is that they have changed the name to Iannelli’s and have made some major changes to the restaurant as well. It’s still the same food, same owners, and same staff but there is a new addition that many people will be very glad to hear about. Iannelli’s now has a second floor that very shortly will open as a rooftop dining area. Construction is in the final phases and it looks great. White Plains is excited about this one. There are already some great Italian restaurants in White Plains but variety is the spice of life which is why both Antipasti and La Bocca have been welcomed to our fine city with open arms. Antipasti, located at 1 N Broadway (formerly the home of Papa Razzi) is a 300 seat Milanese style restaurant which boasts over 100 wines by the glass and over 500 wines by the bottle. The real attraction here is certainly the food. With Chef Rick Laakkonen (formerly of NYC’s Tao) at the helm guests can rest assured that the food is expertly prepared and well balanced. House-made mozzarella and an antipasti bar with all the trimmings add to the attraction of this new addition to White Plains. The look and feel of this restaurant is definitely Manhattan all the way. La Bocca is the third restaurant of chef/restaurateur Tony Spiritoso(he also owns Spiritoso’s in Yonkers and La Tavola Calda in Mamaroneck). La Bocca literally translates to “the mouth of truth” which is fitting because your mouth will truly be happy here. Tony imports almost all of his ingredients from Italy. This translates phenomenally well on his plates. Dishes are reminiscent of authentic Italian cuisine to the point where one might think they were actually in Italy. The restaurant décor helps too. The interior could literally be from Italy, you really get a sense of the culture when you dine at La Bocca. The final two restaurants that are new to White Plains come to us from the brand new Ritz-Carlton in the heart of downtown White Plains. BLT Steak(Bistro Laurent Tourondel not bacon, lettuce, tomato) is the sixth iteration of this critically acclaimed restaurant from chef/restaurateur Laurent Tourondel. Located at street level in the Ritz-Carlton, this is where White Plains bigwigs will be having their power lunches. The food here is top notch, simply said, you will not find a better steak in the area. The bar area leaves a little to be desired due to poor design(a large wall directly behind the bar stools is a little off-putting) but this is a small price to pay for such wonderful cuisine. The main dining area is open and comfortable with views of the fountains in renaissance square. Forty-two stories above BLT you will find the aptly named 42. Chef/restaurateur Anthony Goncalves has brought us a chic, opulent, Manhattanesque happening like no other place in White Plains. Stellar panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline and Long Island sound are sure to impress patrons as much as the nouveaux American cuisine. Just be sure to bring a big wallet, this is not your local Denny’s we’re talking about here. Penny-pinchers be warned, if you are going out to dinner at 42, you will spend a lot of money. While the food is definitely worth the price tag, the service still needs some tweaking. Your advertisment could be here.
Contact: Seth Benerofe, Media Marketing 914-428-0930 Phone
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