An event for foodies is coming to the Ridge Hill Shopping Center in Yonkers on March 31, 2016 from 6pm to 9pm.  The Taste of Ridge Hill will feature a “sip and a taste” from 6 different restaurants at the Center.  Participating restaurants will be Angelo’s, Havana Central, Lefteris Gyro, 5 Napkins, Texas de Brazil and Elevation Burger plus a wine tasting.

There will be complimentary valet parking and tickets must be purchased in advance. 21 and older only for this event.

For more information and tickets:

http://www.ridgehill.com/event/taste-of-ridge-hill/2145469833/

A full parking lot is usually an indication that a restaurant is popular. After driving by Village Social in Mt.Kisco, I had to stop in and investigate for myself. I decided a Tuesday evening would be a perfect time have dinner there. Upon entering the eatery on Main Street I immediately noticed the modern-rustic decor featuring wood floors, ship lap siding, brick walls, exposed metal trusses, and soft lighting provided by Edison bulbs. The barroom features plenty of seating and a large semi oval shaped bar with a polished concrete counter.
Once I was seated I started to review the menu at noticed the variety of interesting dishes. Village Social is called an American Bar and Kitchen but Master Chef Mogan Anthony takes great pride in using an array of spices based on his background (he is from Malayasia) and his culinary training. He seems to vary the menu and experiments with new ingredients and dishes. A lot of time and preparation goes into the development of each dish before it makes the menu. There are many specialty items and the menu changes twice a year (Fall and Spring). There is a variety of small plate dishes and I was advised by the staff to try a few.

Some amazing selections include Salty pretzel tuna with Kimchee aioli and scallions.

Salty Pretzel Tuna

Corn milk Polenta bites with freeze dried corn and brown butter honey, Milk and Honey Risotto fritters with                             Prosciutto de Parma and basil salt and Poached Shrimp Piri-Piri

Risotto Fritters

with Malaysian ground crili.

All of these small plate dishes were fantastic and had an explosion of flavor from the creative paring of spices and ingredients. The culinary creativity is quite apparent and the presentation of each dish was pleasing to the eye.

For a main course I chose the Shrimp and Quinoa bowl with mussles, calamari and roasted tomatoes. It was cooked and served in a chicken broth and wine stock and was light and flavorful while enhancing the taste of the seafood.

Shrimp and Quinoa Bowl

Another superb dish was the Steak and Egg Entree with scallions, sesame seeds, chili condiment and steamed Japanese rice. The use of a fried egg was different and we would see this again in another item we would sample.

Steak and Egg with Japanese Rice

There is an array of wood oven fired pizza for all tastes. This is not your usual old school pizzeria style pizza. I sampled the Sunnyside Egg Pizza with San Marzano tomatoes, prosciutto and truffle oil. The wood fired oven really makes a difference in the finish to the overall taste, and how it makes the crust light and cripsy. So good! I brought the rest home.
Upon enjoying all the creative and unique dishes, I could not leave Village Social without a taste of their home made desserts. The Royal Chocolate Truffle Pie was a work of art and tasted as good as it looked. It is enrobed in a pretzel crust with peanut butter custard, 100% cacao nibs a sprinkling of popcorn on the side. This mouth watering dessert was as good as it gets.

Royal Chocolate Truffle Pie

Village Social is a special restaurant with dishes I have not found in other dining establishments. Chef Mogan Anthony and Chefs de Cuisine  Mauricio Nunez and Daniel Yacashin are quite innovative and seasoned at what they do. Service was friendly and efficient.

With Chefs Mogan Anthony and Mauricio Nunez

Village Social is a place for all. The separate bar room was filled with singles and some couples and the main dining room was a mix of couples, families, and groups of friends. A full restaurant on a Tuesday evening is certainly a sign that Village Social is a hit. There will be outside seating returning April 1st for lunch and then fully opens in May . There is also Happy Hour from 4-6pm with $5 wine and beer selections as well and certain appetizers.  A new location will be opening in Rye this summer.  Don’t miss the fun!

Village Social Kitchen and Bar
251 Main Street Mt. Kisco NY 914-341-6260
villagesocialkb.com

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Outstanding Hudson River views are just part of the reason for dining at Pier 701 in Piermont. I recently dined at Pier 701 on a beautiful clear evening and was seated in a dining room with panoramic views of the Hudson River and the twinkling lights of Westchester in the distance. The menu is American-Mediterranean with a wide selection of fresh seafood.
I wanted to begin the evening with a special cocktail and my helpful and friendly waitress, Karissa suggested the “Pearmont-tini“. A fresh fruity pear drink which combines Absolut Pear Vodka, pear schnapps, and pear nectar. A unique and fun way to kick off the evening. There are other interesting drinks on the bar menu as well.

Starters: I began my meal with the lobster salad, a lovely ensemble of Mache lettuce, avocado, onion, fennel and mango in a citrus vinaigrette. This appetizer was light and refreshing with its smooth and citrusy dressing.

Lobster Salad

Another appetizer selection was the Baked Brie in a filo dough with fig chutney.

Baked Brie in filo dough

The presentation of this dish was interesting and was served with mixed greens over a balsamic reduction drizzle. I was told this delicious. The last appetizer at our table was a fried artichoke salad which I sampled. It was a lovely balance of spices and crispy texture. It was quite good.
Main course: For my entree I chose the pan seared Chatham Cod with butternut risotto in a butternut coulis. The fish was very fresh and the side dish that was served with the cod really displayed the talents of the chef.

Another choice was the braised drunken beef short ribs.

Short ribs

The ribs were braised in Guinness Beer and served with grits and asparagus and was quite tasty. The other selection at our table was the Mediterranean Bouillabaisse, an excellent rendition of the classic seafood dish served in a large pot with clams, mussels, shrimp and cod in a tomato saffron broth with croutons. I tasted this dish and really enjoyed how the mellow tasting broth complimented the fresh seafood.

Bouillabaisse

Dessert: All the desserts are homemade. Our table shared a few, starting with the Oreo Cheesecake, New York Style with a oreo crust and fudge topping

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It was a nice presentation and a tasty twist on cheesecake. The next treat was the apple and cranberry crepes, a fun combination of carmalized apples and vanilla pastry cream wrapped in a soft crepe. Yum! The last dessert was a was the Citrus Tifle. The dish was served in a mason jar filled with orange cake filled with honeyed citrus fruit, lemon curd, blood orange sorbet and fresh whipped cream. This was my favorite and a great way to end the meal.
Chef Owner Denis Whitton changes the menu every season using the freshest produce and ingredients. When the warm weather returns Pier 701 takes advantage of its location by opening its outdoor deck for alfresco dining, and there is even a tiki bar to keep the fun going all summer long. In addition sand has been brought in and place between the deck and the edge of the river to give you that true waterfront experience.  I cannot wait until warm weather !   Lunch and Sunday Brunch also served.

Pier 701
701 Piermont Ave Piermont NY phone: 845-848-2550
http://www.pier701ny.com

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Start your St Patrick’s celebration with something a little unique. You can toast the Irish and St Patrick with a glass of green Robibero Sangria ! Robibero  Family Winery is located in the Hudson Valley wine county in New Paltz, New York. The event takes place this weekend March 12th and 13th at the Winery. Every glass of the green sangria purchased will enter you into the “pot of gold” to win a Wine tasting and tour for a party of 10.
There will be wine and craft beer available and live music as well both days.
After the winery you can explore the area around New Paltz where there are great shops and plenty of restaurants in which to dine.
For more information:
Robibero Winery
714 Albany Post Road New Paltz, New York
854-255-9463
www. http://robiberofamilyvineyards.com
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A wonderful play has debuted at the Ridgefield Theatre Barn in Ridgefield Ct. “Educating Rita” is based on the 1983 film starring Michael Caine and Julie Waters.
The story is about Rita, a young working class married woman from Liverpool England who feels that there is more to life than her job as a hairdresser and her husband who pressures her to have a baby and start a family. Deep down Rita is seeking more to her existence and decides to enroll in a local college and is assigned Professor Frank Bryant as her tutor in English Literature. Rita is young, full of energy and excited to learn and change her life for the better. She perceives the well educated to be better off in life and happy. Frank however is quite the opposite, and though he is well educated, he hates teaching, drinks way too much and laments his life, his failed marriage and his lost ambition of being a great poet. He shutters himself away in his office with his books and his scotch.
Despite their differences , Rita provides a spark in his life. Her youth and her energy revive the Professor though briefly. Throughout the play we see Rita slowly evolve from the uneducated hairdresser to a young woman expanding her understanding of literature and at the same time experiencing enormous personal growth. There are many levels to the story as the audience watches the two very separate tracks each of the players follow. Indeed, though it is Rita who was transformed by her reluctant teacher, in the end it is she who becomes his inspiration in life.

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The performance stars Lynette Victoria as Rita who is both charming and brilliant in bringing the character to life. There was never a moment during the play that I thought I was watching actors, but one feels you are actually following the lives of real people. Nick Kaye brings his skills to the character of Frank and provides the audience with a wonderful performance that stays with you after the house lights come up. Considering this play has a cast of only two, the performers should be congratulated for maintaining the interest of the audience for over two hours.

Direction by Brian DeToma is first rate as he really brings the story and characters to life. The rest of the creative team Timothy Hubenthal (Set design), Mark Hankia (lighting) Panni Layton and Paulette Layton (Producers), have worked together to create an intimate setting that makes the audience feel that you are actually in the Professor’s office with Rita and Frank. An excellent evening.
The show plays through March 19th, so please do not miss this performance. Tickets are $24 each and $20 for students, seniors and veterans.   Seating is cabaret style at round and rectangular tables.  Grab your friends and enjoy a great night out at the theater.
Ridgefield Theater Barn
37 Halpin Lane Ridgefield Ct
http://www.ridgefieldtheaterbarn.org
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