Xaviar's in Yonkers

[hscottk]

Has anyone heard the status of a 'new' Xaviar's in Yonkers to replace the Garrison location?

We were married in Garrison in 10/01, and are looking forward to the 'grand reopening.'

The Piermont location is another option, but we were hoping to check out the new spot this summer. We had heard rumor of a July date.

Any truth to this?

[beachcove]

Grrr... tried to post a link to a story, couldn't make it work.

Anyway, go to www.northjersey.com, and type in "xaviar" in the search box in the upper left hand corner. The writer doesn't seem to have been told any inside info, but the story does mention the possibility of a new restaurant opening in "his hometown, Yonkers..."

I'd love to hear about your experience at the Garrison restaurant - I've only been to the one in Piermont.

[Fat Guy]

Here's that link:

http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=e...UVFeXk2MzgwODM4

[beachcove]

Thanks, FG!

[hscottk]

I'd love to hear about your experience at the Garrison restaurant - I've only been to the one in Piermont.

I've only eaten at the Garrison Xaviar's twice: once on my wedding day (we were married there) and once on our first anniversary.

I have only positive things to say about the catering they provided for the wedding. I have been to a great many weddings, but have never eaten food that was anywhere near as inventive and well thought out as they served that day. And the service was among the best I've ever had, from start to finish. Let me provide two examples:

-One of the suggested entrees was a pacific red snapper in a filo-like covering. We were intrigued by the dish, but had a difficult time picturing it, and were somewhat hesitant. Now Xaviar's, being a restaurant, does not normally do tastings. But they did not hesitate to invite us to one of their other properties (Restaurant X) to sample the dish, which we later found out was prepared only for us. We were served a complete dinner, and were not charged.

-Our wedding was somewhat small (100 people), and we only had 2 or 3 vegetarians. It wasn't until several months after the wedding that I had chance to chat with one of them. Not only did she find her entree to be fantastic, but she was blown away by the starter of wild mushroom ravioli. I was somewhat taken aback because the rest of us had been served lobster ravioli. Unbenonst to me, the chef had created a separate vegetarian starter (as opposed to throwing some vegetables on a plate like at most places). Classy, to say the least.

And every detail of the festivities was handled with the utmost precision, right down to the staff closing the doors between the main dining room and the side room so as to allow my ushers and I to enjoy havana cigars while not disturbing those inside.

Now to the anniversary dinner. Since the wedding fell on a Saturday, our first anniversary was on a Sunday, which allowed us to sample their brunch. Many of the details are hazy, being that it was more than 7 months ago, but I remember enjoying it very much, while still finding it not quite up to their usual standard. Perhaps this had more to do with the fact that no single dish really 'stood out,' which was a departure from our prior experiences. Though a year previous, I have more detailed memories of the food at the wedding than at the brunch.

If anyone is interested in seeing pictures of the Garrison location, or want a menu listing from the wedding, I'll be more than happy to post it.

[beachcove]

Hscottk,

Thanks so much for that detailed report.

If you have a chance to post the photos and wedding menu, I'd really love to see them.

Our 15th (yowza!) anniversary will be coming up, and these really sound like the kind of people who can do a party the right way!

Thanks again.

[gaf]

Second Best --- Xaviar’s at Piermont

The truth of the high-end restaurant biz is that it is not so hard to create a good quality restaurant. A clever chef, able decorator, and well-trained servers should do the trick. Creating a remarkable restaurant that soars and that captures the imagination of diners is another matter. I recently shared a fine meal at Peter X. Kelly’s Xaviar’s, the well-regarded restaurant in Piermont (on the west side of the Hudson across the Tappen Zee Bridge on the Palisades).

Xaviar’s is considered by some to be the second best restaurant in north suburban New York (Piermont is in Rockland county right across the Hudson River from Westchester County), following Blue Hill at Stone Barns. This is not exactly being the second best restaurant in Bakersfield or Toledo. I had eaten at Stone Barns shortly previously, and then at Xaviar’s, and the comparison is not fair. Xaviar’s would surely be the best restaurant in Bakersfield or Toledo. It was good – two stars (of four) good, but not poetic. This need to adjudicate quality is at the heart of the critic’s task. Few restaurants stink (certainly Xaviar’s doesn’t) and even fewer are transcendent.

The word that comes to mind in describing Xaviar’s is pleasant – in truth, not a bad word: a pleasant evening out is to be hoped. The room is not luxe, but comfortable (one can easily judge from the restrooms). The staff is friendly and competent, even if one doesn’t have the feeling of being in the hands of professionals, and the menu is engaging.

If one doesn’t select the chef’s tasting menu (we didn’t), one chooses from a four course menu for Seventy Dollars. At restaurants of this class, one begins with an amuse: grilled mackerel on a kimchee crepe with a miso sauce. Bravo. I was impressed that chef de cuisine Kathleen Egan engaged with kimchee. Although this (mild) heat was not characteristic of the evening, it was an amuse that woke up one’s mouth.

The first course, Seared Maine Diver Scallops with Braised Fennel and Hibiscus Glaze, was a nice starter. Perhaps the glaze was slightly sweet and the scallops were good but not astonishing. Still, the fennel added a surprising and pleasing spicy note. Fundamentally it was a straight-forward dish (i.e., had I the inspiration I could have prepared it), but it was a happy start.

This was followed by the seafood course for which I selected Spaghetti Chittarra with Jumbo Lump Crabmeat, Green Onions, and Toasted Bread Crumbs. While the crabmeat was generous and sweet, I found the dish somewhat bland. Too quiet for a restaurant with aspirations. It was less subtle than muted. My companion’s Macadamia Nut Crusted Ahi Tuna with a Cucumber/Seaweed Salad was well-cooked with a lovely tart salad. Not an elaborate dish, but a very satisfying one.

Third course was a brined and oven roasted Hudson Valley Chicken with mushroom wild rice and organic baby carrots. The sauce was an overly thick Madeira/morel sauce. The chicken was nicely moist, although I wished that the skin that was served had been crisp. The wild rice was not distinctive, and the carrots, although fine, could not compete with those of Blue Hill’s farm.

For dessert, I chose the Hot Cherry Souffle with Cherry Sauce and Lemon Sorbet. This was an excellent close. Presented as a soufflé should be, each bite was infused with cherry essence. With the exception of the amuse, it was the highpoint of the meal. The sorbet was a pleasing accompaniment.

Xaviar’s at Piermont is a worthy restaurant. Whether it is second-best in the suburbs north of New York City I cannot say, but it would be in that mid-range of nice Manhattan restaurants. Sadly on this lovely Friday night in September, the restaurant was startlingly underbooked. We were not alone, but the number of filled tables could be counted on one hand. Perhaps Xaviar’s day has passed or perhaps good is simply not good enough in the burg of Piermont.

Xaviar’s

506 Piermont Avenue

Piermont, New York

845-359-7007

http://www.xaviars.com/xaviars/index.html

Vealcheeks

[Sneakeater]

It's interesting to compare gaf's review of Xavier's with his review of Saul in Brooklyn.

Considering that other review -- of a restaurant with which I'm familiar -- together with this one, I can see exactly what Xavier's must be like (and can also see that the prejudices which have kept me from trying it, despite the good notices I've heard, may well be right).

Edited September 22, 2008 by Sneakeater (log)