605723 Sat Mar 21 20:08:25 -0700 2009 25 82 New York State (exc. New York City) 0 4526465 Italian that just opened this week by the same family that runs Zuppa's in Yonkers and related to Mima's in Irvington, NY. Downside was that it was crowded and we had to wait 35 minutes for our 8pm reservation. Upside was that we got an extra appetizer course for free due to the wait, and the food was as good as Mima's and Zuppa's (albeit less expensive). My 3 companions and I all liked our appetizers (clam pizzete, yummy!) and entrees (really moist striped bass with nice lentil sauce). The staff were much more professional than we expected at a new Westchester restaurant (where service is typically not at the Manhattan-level). In the chaos of the opening week, we were never given bread. Overall, a really tasty restaurant walking distance from the Dobbs Ferry MetroNorth station, and a good addition to the Rivertowns dining scene. Sat Mar 21 20:08:25 -0700 2009 49580 HamTech87 1 4529253 In Re.: Bread. I have found over the past year or so that unless one asks for bread, it is no longer just given out. Some, not all, menus even say that. However thanks for the report, sounds rather good. BTB-Is this where Austin's was located? http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/484318 Mon Mar 23 06:37:36 -0700 2009 4526465 151970 Jon1856 2 4534693 It is. I'm going there tonight. I'll report back . . . Tue Mar 24 15:19:28 -0700 2009 4529253 17803 gordoma 3 4535729 We ate there tonight. I had about 10 minutes before my wife arrived, so I was chatting with the staff. The chef and the manager both came from Zuppa. They are no longer affiliated with them. There is also no relation to Mima, other than the fact that they both cook Italian food very nicely. On to the report. Finally! A decent new place to eat in the rivertowns that doesn't try to rob you for the privilege. It has the feel of an upscale casual Italian bistro. The wine list has 30 bottles, everyone one of which are available by the glass. That is remarkable. It was a pretty diverse selection of mostly italian wines, with a focus on the sub-$50 price points. They serve an 8 oz pour (twice a 'legal' glass) and very reasonable given that it's just under 1/3 of an entire bottle of wine. I tried the Chianti and San Giovese as freebe tastes (pardon spellings), which were both nice, and then we went with Oregon Pinot Noir and a Sicilian red, Nora something or other. None was a blockbuster, but it was all fair for what they were charging and pouring. Now the food. My wife had the sopresetta to start, which was very good. Nicely presented. I had some sort of fresh ricotta on toasted bread drizzled with honey. it was excellent. Each of these apps were small, actually the sopresseta was fine for 2; but they were only around $6 each. For mains, I got the 'crispy' pork osso bucco with polenta and my wife got the cauliflower ravioli. The pork was very good, bordering on very very good and the raviolis were very very good tending toward excellent. They were perfectly done with a hand that showed how not to screw up delicate flavors. Even our 4 year old's pasta with marinara sauce was very good. Also a note on the table bread. It was great. I hate when restaurants give the standard crap (warmed or otherwise), this was high quality stuff. The manager was genuinely friendly, notwithstanding that he wore jeans and sneakers. The waiters looked a bit confused, but they've only been open like 10 days, so I cut them some slack on the service. Things slowed a bit too much when a surprising rush hit around 8pm (it was almost full on a tuesday!). We skipped dessert, but for $85 all in to cover 2 apps, 2 mains, 2 glasses of wine and a kids portion of well executed food in a comfortable surrounding, I was really pleased. These guys just jumped right into the top 10 on the quality to price ratio. This is a welcome addition to the Rivertowns and really all of southern westchester. Tue Mar 24 21:58:28 -0700 2009 4534693 17803 gordoma 4 4540273 I just went to The Cookery last night with my boyfriend. We thought the food was good nothing special. The table bread was a little stale and not served warm. The waiter took about 10 minutes to come over and take our order. It was 6:30PM and there were 2 other tables filled. We started off with the maccheroni e formaggi and the crostino of fresh ricotta drizzled with honey and fresh thyme. The maccheroni e formaggi was salty. Too much salt was added not taking into account that parmegiano reggiano is a salty cheese to begin with. The crostino was very good (the same bread that is served on the table is used),,,,fresh ricotta cheese is delicious. For our entrees we had the cauliflower ravioli (you get 6-7 large ravioli) and radiatore with lamb bolognese. Both entrees are the perfect size...leaves you full not stuffed. We shared the chocolate bread pudding which is served with a scoop of vanilla gelato. This was excellent. Our bill came out to $64 (w/o tip) for a glass of wine, 2 sodas, 2 appetizers, 2 entrees and the dessert. We will give the restaurant time to settle in a little more before we head back to give it a second try. Here's a link to an article about the restaurant along with a copy of the menu: http://lizjohnson.lohudblogs.com/2009/03/22/first-look-the-cookery/#more-5666 Thu Mar 26 09:12:21 -0700 2009 4535729 273531 bellafoodie 1 4562009 A group of 6 went today for a birthday lunch outing, and were very favorably impressed - personally, I thought the food and service was better than Mima's, which I think is a little pricey for what it is. The Cookery seems closer to what Mima's was supposed to be - a more casual, family friendly, lower priced alternative to Zuppa (which, by the way, does have wonderful food!). We decided to share a variety of small plates: the easter pie (more of a quiche, very good), maccherroni e formaggi (upscale mac and cheese that was a favorite of the birthday girl), organic lettuces with a quince dressing, fresh mozzarella and toasted rustic bread, ricotta crostini (delicious!), grilled scamorza cheese (a little gluey, probably the least successful item of the group), pork au plancha (meltingly tender), mussels and calamari salad, and the cauliflower ravioli (a huge hit). 6 cappuchinos and a chocolate bread pudding with vanilla bean ice cream. Everyone was pleasantly full, not overstuffed - and the bill with tax came to $102, which we considered to be a bargain! Definitely a place we'll go back to. I've heard that it's been crowded in the evenings, but we were the only ones there for lunch. Hopefully others will discover it for lunch as well. Thu Apr 02 14:02:30 -0700 2009 4526465 186017 Retrokitch 1 4568384 I LOVE THIS FOOD!!! They've barely been open for 3 weeks, so I'll cut them slack on the service; it's growing pains. The chef, host and servers are all friendly and knowledgeable, they're just figuring out their flow. The creamy polenta with homemade sausage, cauliflower ravioli, osso buco, shortribs, chicken, macaroni & cheese are all amazing. Salads are so flavorful; not heavy, but not too dainty & precious either. The Bolognese is fantastic, but you must know that it is lamb or you probably won't like it. I don't like soup, but everyone is raving about the escarole & bean soup. This is one of my favorite restaurants in Westchester. I'd love it if it was in Manhattan too. The prices are super affordable, though they might just be low to get us all hooked (I am!) The desserts are uniformly disappointing, but I think they usually are at most restaurants. I haven't been impressed with the wines either, but the beers are fantastic. These are gracious, knowledgeable and professional people running a really good restaurant. They'll work out the kinks - even if they don't, I will keep going. It's that good. Sat Apr 04 20:27:07 -0700 2009 4526465 200555 newroof 1 4606655 We went last night for dinner and LOVED it! The table bread is thinly sliced crusty rustic bread served with delicious garlic and herb infused olive oil for dipping. For appetizers we had the crostino with ricotta and honey, which was really delicious, and the calamari, mussels and arugula salad, which was very good, but nothing special. For mains we had the radiatore with lamb bolognese, which was excellent, and a fabulous special of whole (yet fileted) branzino stuffed with leeks and served with a side of crispy, salty roasted new potatoes. We shared a ricotta cheesecake for dessert, which was ok, actually a warm ricotta pudding rather than a cake, and we had reasonably priced double espressos. We also had a good bottle of wine from their reasonably priced wine list. The hostess (who is the chef's girlfriend) could not have been more pleasant and inviting, the service was fine, and the atmosphere is nice--I considered it NYC Soho-ish. We are looking forward to returning! Sat Apr 18 07:47:30 -0700 2009 4526465 14216 Marge 1 4606945 We went last night also. We really liked the menu and the vibe. But the noise level was cacophonous. We could not hear each other across the table - and this was with a few empty tables in the restaurant. The clam pizette appetizer was excellent. There were some glitches in the service - but overall we liked it enough to want to return. Sat Apr 18 10:28:29 -0700 2009 4526465 150204 demifast 1 4706702 I want to like this place, but they have some real problems with noise and logistics. Went there last night with some friends and it was deafening. It's an acoustics issue, because the place nearly emptied at one point and it was still insanely loud. Any issues with the service have been fixed. We had a pleasant waiter, knowledgeable about the food and very attentive. Perhaps they've overdone it, because several manager types hovered, there appeared to be a 1:1 waiter/busboy to table ratio, and they were constantly knocking into each other and into seated diners. I got smacked in the back twice and people seemed to be dropping things and knocking over furniture with some frequency. Very reasonable prices and high quality ingredients, but please, please, will someone tell the chef to go easy on the salt and truffle oil. The ricotta crostini appetizer is a step from greatness. The delicate ricotta clashed with the earthiness of the truffle oil and they could have used a better honey -- maybe fennel instead of what tasted like clover. Gorgeous rocket salad with gorgonzola and kumquat reduction was perfect. Osso Bucco was bland but the pasta, particularly the cauliflower ravioli, was excellent. If they could bring the noise level down we definitely would go back, but as it is, it's a really unpleasant ambience. Fri May 22 10:02:23 -0700 2009 4526465 156611 TeddyTD 2 4709202 We went again last night, and again, loved our dinner. My favorite is the ricotta crostini, I think the flavors blend wonderfully. We also had the clam pizette, which was great, the lamb bolognese (again) and the short ribs, which were very good, and leftovers of which re-emerged in this morning's frittata. We had no problems with the noise. I agree that they seem to have too many bussers and/or servers working--there were an awful lot of people walking around looking to take dishes away, however the service was fine for us. Looking forward to returning, there are many items on the appetizer menu which interest me! Sat May 23 12:14:26 -0700 2009 4706702 14216 Marge 1 4707084 Finally went to The Cookery last weekend and I was extremely impressed. A wonderful menu with many simple, tasty options. So many things on the menu looked great that we had to make some difficult decisions. Everything we had (crostino w/ ricotta, cauliflower raviolo, braised short ribs, etc.) was delicious. The service was a little choppy, but nothing to ruin our meal. Only small complaint I had is the quality of the wine glasses. Not to sound like a snob, but I just don't enjoy drinking wine out of little "pizzaria" wine glasses. That's more a pet peeve of mine than a complaint though as this place is more casual, with prices to match. Fri May 22 12:13:41 -0700 2009 4526465 235582 wpfoodie 1 4854721 Ate at the Cookery on Saturday night and it was a disasterous experience! We arrived 7:30 and was told it would be a 40 minute wait. The 40 minutes turned into 1 hour 45 minutes and we did not get our main course until 10:10 (over two hours after we arrived). At one point the waiter told us the food was being plated and it was not until 15 minutes later did we receive the dishes. The resaturant was busy and very loud. The Front Man Michael O’Neill's excuse was that no one is geting up from the tables so he can't seat us (basically tough luck). No offer of complementary drinks or anything. By the time the dinner came it was so late that we lost interest in the food. They only take reservations for 5 or more and we had a party of 4. After dinner I saw Chef DiBariI and he listened to my complaining and he said that he hoped that we give him another try. I wish them luck but in the long run they will have to provide better customer service to get people to come back! Mon Jul 13 14:00:01 -0700 2009 4526465 1093364 dseife 2 4854839 We were at The Cookery last Saturday night also, but we knew they would be crowded because they told us they were all booked up when we called the day before. We got there at 5:30 (the first arrivals) and by 6 the place was pretty cowded. When we left at 7 they were turning people away. Love the food and The Cookery is affordable. But the noise! Agree with other posters that the noise level is deafening. You couldn't even be heard talking across a table for two. Will continue to eat at the Cookery, but plan on arriving unfashionably early, not going on a Saturday night or trying lunch which may be quieter. Not the place to go if you want to catch up with friends,but the food is wonderful . Mon Jul 13 14:32:05 -0700 2009 4854721 39502 adelaideoz 3 4868674 I went Wednesday night to The Cookery and it was the best meal I ate in Westchester in 20 years. Every dish was imaginative and well thought out. The chef sent out assorted dishes that combined savory and sweet, soft and crunchy. The best dishes were simplistic and honest, just like the best dishes in Italy. The dish I speak of most was a farmers market field green[don't recall the name] that he roasted and served with toasted breadcrumbs and garlic on top, no molecular gastronomy, just delicious. Other dishes I tried were pork cheeks, clam pizzette[only ok],grilled beef tongue, ravioli, a pasta special, chicken 'al mattone', strawberry soup with ricotta. The noise...well I understand they realize that this type of noise works for the LES but does not work for the Westchester diner. Personally I liked it, it felt alive with real energy. I wish them luck, Westchester needs a restaurant like the rest of the country enjoys. Also, if you go to dinner in suburbia on the weekend to a popular new place, didn't you realize that other people MIGHT have the same idea? Yogi Berra said it right, 'nobody goes to that restaurant anymore because it's too crowded'! Fri Jul 17 17:18:17 -0700 2009 4854839 239374 a81 4 4869661 I agree, I like the liveliness. We ate there again last night. For appetizers we had perhaps the best mozzarella we've ever had, and the breseola (excellent). Then our favorite lamb ragu, and the pasta with white clams. For dessert we shared a fried dough stuffed with nutella and bananas with cinnamon ice cream. Love this restaurant! Sat Jul 18 07:26:15 -0700 2009 4868674 14216 Marge 5 4870558 Ate there on Tuesday night and had that same dessert. very good indeed. The pasta with clams: Phenominal. The radiatore bolognese was equally impressive. The salad with bing cherrys and arugula was to die for. The noise was awesome. crowded and lively is good...you can concentrate on the food and drink in front of you! next time I hope they have the pea shoot salad, they had sold out. Sat Jul 18 15:35:38 -0700 2009 4869661 23270 cubanat 1 4913877 I dined there recently,and was happy to enjoy good greenmarket driven Italian food prepared by a talented chef in this neck of the woods.The menu is ambitious,the wine list well priced.My Guess is that they took over a relatively inexpensive space as was/is-not an ideal room;noisy,not much parking,and please lose the tv sets...but the chef is talented,and maybe it'll be a good stepping stone for him,hopefully remaining in lower Westchester which is starved for dining options like this. Mon Aug 03 12:52:54 -0700 2009 4526465 1093395 geendatz 2 4914386 #1...if your dining at the bar and the tv's are on the food network it's great. leave 'em be #2 The chef has done enough stepping around (his resume is long). this joint is fantastic as it is! Mon Aug 03 15:29:36 -0700 2009 4913877 23270 cubanat 3 5038558 We ate in the bar but they had on college football, not the food network, which is fine with me and even better for my DH, I wasn't there to watch TV. The place is noisy so I wouldn't recommend it for a romantic night out but if you looking for very good inventive food in a relaxed setting, this is the place. We enjoyed everything from the grilled pizzette with mission figs/prosciutto and fontina and the escarole soup to the entrees of cauliflower ravioli and the hanger steak to the chocolate bread pudding for dessert. It's a wonderful unpretentious place with friendly attentive service. Thu Sep 17 19:59:04 -0700 2009 4914386 92092 GIOny 1 5062761 I finally made it to the Cookery and I have to concur with all the raves. At this price point, it's pretty special for Westchester. My complaints are very few. One has to do with the stony reception we faced when we entered. A large party was just clearing up so we were basically ignored for 5 minutes as we stood in the entryway waiting for a host. The guy who finally did seat us (who clearly saw us but continued talking to someone as we stood there) did not endear me to the restaurant AT ALL, so it was a pretty terrible first impression. But we forgave once our extremely lovely waiter took over. We tried some of the dishes recommended by CHs on this thread, including the ricotta crostino with honey (amazing) and the cauliflower ravioli with cripsy breadcrumbs on top (loved the textures and flavors of this). We also tried the porchetta, an appetizer, very thinly sliced pork belly served with matchstick slices of red pear (more up my bf's alley than mine, but interesting), and the ziti with guanciale and lentils, which was hearty and rustic. A+ for the pasta dishes, and priced so reasonably (around $13 each), they are really such a great value. The wine pour, as mentioned in one of the reviews I read, is really equivalent to 2 glasses of wine, so that was another plus. As the waiter recommended, the sauvignon blanc went well with the ravioli. The valrhona chocolate bread pudding was the only dish I wasn't crazy about other than the porchetta, and that's because I really dislike molten chocolate cake and all its incarnations and think it's a real cop out dessert. Call it what you will, but this was molten chocolate cake-- fine, but boring. My fault for not properly translating the menu description. I wish we had gone for the fried dough with nutella. Oh well, next time! A great spot to have in Westchester!! It was sooo crowded, which is nice to see! We liked the noise level. Lively, but not deafening. Sun Sep 27 18:30:04 -0700 2009 4526465 28696 i_eat_a_lot_of_ice_cream 2 5182960 Went back last night-- it was jammed! We ate at the bar since we didn't feel like waiting 45 min for a table... it was fun, though we started getting jostled a little as the crowd swelled. I tried the lamb bolognese, which was incredible. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the pasta fritta. We loved the cinnamon ice cream but thought the banana stuffed inside the fried dough was a little overkill. Sun Nov 15 08:07:09 -0800 2009 5062761 28696 i_eat_a_lot_of_ice_cream 1 5185725 I went for the first time on Thursday night and it was packed. It was noisy, but not oppressive. I started with the goat cheese gnocchi and it was so good, told my BF, "you're not getting any of this." I had the crispy pork osso bucco and found it to be a little disappointing. My BF also said the pasta fritta wasn't anything to write home about. But when I asked if they could do a cheese plate for dessert, I was presented with an over-the-top selection of cheeses accompanied by a delicious grilled flat bread. Good selection, good prices. Will definitely try it again. Mon Nov 16 10:22:15 -0800 2009 4526465 43132 byramgirl 2 5186208 Goat cheese gnocchi??!!! How did I miss that? Wow. Mon Nov 16 12:57:04 -0800 2009 5185725 28696 i_eat_a_lot_of_ice_cream 3 5186554 It was a special appetizer in a brown butter sauce. Very special. Mon Nov 16 14:39:38 -0800 2009 5186208 43132 byramgirl 4 5186684 I think I would have fainted! I love goat cheese. Goat cheese gnocchi? I'm drooling. Mon Nov 16 15:15:50 -0800 2009 5186554 28696 i_eat_a_lot_of_ice_cream