JT Straw's Bar & Grill in Port Chester

[anonymouse1935]

I got a flyer in the mail today for this place at 435 N. Main Street in Port Chester that says it has "Wood-Fired Brick Oven Pizza -- Authentic Neopolitan [sic] Pizza Done Right!"

Has anyone tried it?

biga290 Jul 14, 2009 04:30PM

[anonymouse1935]

I 'think' I copied over this original post correctly?

At any rate, on Valentine's Day, the place was empty, which was nice for me. And it's a dive, which I like.

No, I love it. Right down the road from posh nosh Nessa and uber posh nosh Tarry Lodge sits JT Straw's, hearkening back to the day when small plates were just a gleam in an opportunistic chef's eye.

The setting is dark, very dark. The pool table sits in the dining room, and the bar takes up most of the restaurant.

The wings -- perhaps not the biggest nor the best in Westchester, as the menu declares -- i.e., the Thai Grill wings were sticky sweet and yummy.

The burger was declared good and the Thai chicken sliders were also good.

The house salad was very good, full of pepper and olives and tomatoes and lots of gorgonzola. I will try the pizza next time.

The drink, although not in a haute couture six ounce martini glass but rather the old fashioned four ouncer (at $6.75, it also wasn't $12.), was well mixed. Service couldn't have been nicer.

At one point, they even had classic rock on the XM radio. Imagine that?

More recommended, even over the food, is the atmosphere. Quick, before Port Chester shuts it down with its non-patronage, get to JT Straw's Bar and Grill.

[adamclyde]

It's funny. On my weekly Saturday Kneaded Bread run just over a week ago, I passed by the place and thought it was strange I hadn't noticed the place before, but it looked like it had been there for 50 years. But I couldn't imagine I had missed a place that said it had a wood fired oven. So is the place new or old?

I can't wait to try out the pizza. Thanks for the report.

[anonymouse1935]

You're welcome.

I don't know -- I got the impression from biga290's post that it was new, but judging from the interior, it doesn't appear so. Perhaps the addition of a brick oven was new last July.

[byramgirl]

It's been there for a little less than 10 years and has changed name and ownership once during that time.

[adamclyde]

have they always had (or offered) pizza from a wood fired brick oven? Is it worth trying?

[toppom]

Yes...try the pizza!! Authentic wood fired oven. I met the owner on my first visit...couldn't be nicer...and he told me that he had the same oven used by Mario Batali at the Tarry Lodge! However, there is NO pompous attitude at J.T. Straw's! Great pizza, beer and pool. I only wish that they had a few more micro-brews on tap. Other than that....run to try the pizza!