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The Best Kid Friendly Dining Option in Westchester

/ WestchesterWineGuy / 2 Comments

Having two children under 5, I have found that my list of restaurant options in Westchester has significantly dwindled. To go out to a nice restaurant with the whole family is just not worth it as it tends to frustrate just about all involved…from the kids, to my wife and I, to other diners and possibly even the staff. I guess that’s why places like Applebee’s and Chili’s are so popular. But if you are not into the whole chain restaurant scene but still want to enjoy a quality meal out with the family in a judgement free zone, then I have found the place for you… The Quaker Hill Tavern.

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Located in Chappaqua, but close to Mount Kisco, this family owned, traditional style tavern really has it all. Plenty of craft and standard beers on tap, with rotating seasonal brews and the freedom to taste a few before deciding on your pint of choice. A simple menu that offers a plethora of options for adults, kids, meat lovers, vegans, hedonistic food mongers or those looking to keep it healthy. The wine list is small, but this is not a place to go for a great glass or bottle of wine. However they have enough completely decent by the glass options in red and white to keep everyone happy.

Upon our first venture to QHT I knew it was going to be great for the kids right from the get go. Just as we were being seated the waitress bought over a booster seat for my son. And I don’t mean one of those wood high chairs or the brown plastic generic booster seats. I’m talking about the same kind of booster seat he had at home that strapped on to the chair! With him feeling comfortable, the rest of the experience that night was a pleasure. Obviously I am not the only one who feels this way as on any given night you will find kids running around this loud and boisterous pub stopping by table to table to say hi, allowing the adults to maybe indulge in an extra pint 😉

The food is really solid across the board and I have yet to have anything I didn’t like. The burgers rank up there with the best in the county, and the wings are dynamite as well. My wife swears by the turkey burger and my buddy can’t go 2 weeks without his QHT buffalo chicken sandwich fix. Lastly, the service is everything you would hope for when bringing the family out to dine. Erin, the manager, and the entire staff are super accommodating and completely understand that the adults are looking to enjoy a meal out where the kids can be a little loud and loose. And after a few drinks, the adults start getting the same way. So if you desire a nice quiet meal at a local bar, don’t come here as it gets a little hairy. But if you are looking for some tasty eats, delicious beer on tap and an ultra family friendly environment then you definitely want to check Quaker Hill Tavern out….I’ll probably see you there!

Cheers,

What To Do in Westchester for Valentine’s Day?

/ WestchesterWineGuy / Leave a comment

Sorry for the long hiatus between posts guys, but I’m back! Seems the insanity of the holidays is just wearing off and I finally had some time to put pen to paper…figuratively of course. I will do another post on some of the fantastic wines that are out there right now, as I have had the opportunity to sample some great juice as of late. But I thought with Valentine’s Day around the corner, some ideas on what is happening around town may be more appropriate for now.

So…if you are looking for a spot to rekindle the sparks of love that night the no brainer move is Crabtree’s Kittle House. This rustic and charming venue really has it all. A creative and well thought out four course Valentine’s Day tasting menu for $75 a person, a 70,000 bottle wine list (Leo the Somm will happily help you select something in line with your palate and budget) and an ambiance that screams romance. Plus, if you really feel like getting a little loopy you can stay overnight in one of their rooms as it is an Inn as well, and the rates are very affordable!

For the Richard Gere fans out there, you may want to check out his fancy new spot The Farmhouse at Bedford Post. This place has romance written all over it, and the food is really quite excellent. They are doing a four course prix fixe for $95 which includes a risotto course offering a choice of wild mushroom minestra with truffle pesto, fagotelli pasta with grated truffle, or a lobster risotto with shaved truffle….can you say decadence?!

Mima Vinoteca in Irvington has been getting lots of great press as of late, and for good reason. A classic combination of a quaint atmosphere, traditional Italian fare with a modern twist and an accessible wine list makes this a local favorite for the river town dwellers. Their three course Valentine’s Day prix fixe is a reasonable $68 and features lots of culinary creativity and selections appropriate for all including a venison dish with cranberry wild rice in a port wine lingonberry reduction…nice!!

Looking to keep it low key and fun? Then head over to The TapHouse in Tuckahoe! With an overall updated menu (the Grilled Cheese & Pork, Muenster, Caramelized Onion, Jalapeno on Texas Toast is off the hook!) and a Valentine’s Day special menu including Fresh Gnocchi, Shrimp, & Lobster with Tomato, Basil in a Lobster Bisque Sauce this will be a hot spot this Friday night for sure. Of course the vast selection of brews on tap always impresses as well as the ever evolving and extensive wine list.

Lastly, you can forget about going out at all and just create a romantic dinner at home. Sometimes just a quiet night around the fire with a homemade meal and a nice bottle of your favorite red wine is the best way to enjoy a cozy Valentine’s Day.

Cheers!

A Hopping Good Beer Pairing Dinner at The TapHouse Featuring Lagunitas!

/ WestchesterWineGuy / Leave a comment

If you’ve ever dined at the TapHouse in Tuckahoe, you know that the food is generally very good with flashes of brilliance. Well if you take all of those flashes of brilliance and offer them in one meal the end result ends up being one of their beer pairing dinners. This installment featured the brews of Lagunitas, a California craft brewery that is not afraid to get aggressive with their hops! Those that have had the pleasure of sampling their well known IPA know exactly what I mean.

For the first couple of pairings they served the Lagunitas Czech Pils which was the least hoppy beer of the night. First they paired it up with a sushi grade tuna wrapped around crabmeat roulade with a caramel soy sauce. The pairing worked pretty well but they immediately followed it up with a blood orange and hamachi ceviche that paired perfectly. The citrus zest in the dish brought out all the coriander and bright acidity in the beer, almost to a point of it feeling effervescent. Great way to start out the meal.

The MC for the night was Mark Sljukic from Lagunitas who was kind of a cross between Sam Adams and The Big Lebowski. He was super passionate about the brew and while he came across as a bit of a stoner, he was a salt of the earth kinda guy who knew his craft, and represented Lagunitas, very well. The next few pairings featured some seriously hoppy brews including their popular IPA, the Hop Stoopid (named for the ridiculous, or stupid, amount of hops used in the brew) and the Maximus which was like their Double IPA. The Hop Stoopid went a little over the top on the hops and didn’t maintain the balance whereas the sweet, malty character in the Maximus smoothed out the hops as to not leave you with that bitter beer face.

For these selections, Chef Kevin went right to the meats serving a spiced pork belly in a lo mein noodle bowl with the IPA, braised veal cheeks over a spiced waffle with vanilla parsnip puree and caramelized oninon syrup with the Hop Stoopid and a smoked lamb loin in a lacquer sauce with the Maximus. All pairings worked out well, with the latter being my personal favorite. However, I feel like the food was really the star of this event as by the third beer I could see some of the people at my table getting a little overhopped. But they didn’t stop there…

The desert course was maybe my favorite pairing of the night as they matched up a chocolate marquise (like a very rich chocolate mousse) and espresso ice cream with the Soco Stout. Both were dark, rich and creamy and really worked lovely together…amazingly even the stout had some noticeable hops but not as aggressive as the previous three brews.

So the moral of the story is this…if you like a hoppy brew, than Lagunitas beers are definitely something to look out for. If you like to eat some creative and really delicious dishes served by an excellent staff in a lovely restaurant setting, than the TapHouse beer dinners are not to be missed! And if you only like to pair your meals with wine, then check out some of my other posts as this would all be a complete waste of time 😉

Salud!