Don Coqui, White Plains

The food was good, not great, but this place will certainly give Sofrito serious competition.  We left knowing we'd go back and that the lively, bustling vibe would make it a fun spot.

We started with empanadas, a staple for us.  We thought the filling was good and the mango sauce had a great taste!  The food flavors were all good, but the pork was dry.  I really enjoyed the steak mofongo, especially since it was juicy.  The steak was perfectly cooked.  The meal ended with a shot of their Coquito, a welcomed treat with any meal!

We've since returned for their great weekend drink happy hour deals.  The mojitos are flavorful and varied.  I personally felt the coconut was too creamy, but it is coconut.  Consistency is not their strong suit and even when ordering the same drink there is a bit of a variety.

Overall, the service was great, the food had really good flavor and the drinks were tasty....a nice addition to Mamaroneck Avenue!

Don Coqui 

White Plains, NY

Lola's Mexican Kitchen hits White Plains

The long awaited first visit to Lola's..

I have been desperate for a good food place to have equally good drinks.  I know, that seems odd, but there is so much good (tasty treats that are fantastic) food in Westchester that I've felt this is a void of a place where I can both love my food and drink.  The cocktail art should not be limited, it should thrive!

16 ounce Magarita 

As far as Mexican food is concerned, there are a few hit or miss places; or places that have good food or drink, but both is tough.  (Before you go crazy, bartaco is far from the Hudson for a quick weeknight place.)  So, I am on the hunt for a tasty margarita that comes with equally good food.  This search brings us to Lola's. 

The hostess was nice, as was the waiter.  Honestly, the bartender seemed disinterested with his job...certainly not the cocktail artist that one could hope for, but (if you can overlook the overly soda-ed drinks) it was mediocre. Honestly, watching him butcher the beverages was like torture. 

The food arrived hot, which is a huge step up from the Havana Central chain experience. For starters, the empanadas were fine. Certainly not the best I ever had, but they were presented nicely and hot upon arrival. As far as the main meal is concerned, the rice lacked flavor, but the beans rated pretty well. With the addition of tons of hot sauce, the taste was fine. The presentation of food was clean. We had the brisket chimichanga, carnitas burrito, and fried plaintains. Overall the food was fine, but only fine. It was not so much better than Guadalajara to drag myself west versus north (and they will light my lime on fire). The atmosphere is nice, somewhat understated. You can hear yourself think and see what's going on. (So if you're going and expecting Lolita Cocina, this is not it.) On the bright side, the waiter was attentive and nice. I will continue to hold out hope that with time and feedback, they will improve.

Burrito with rice and black beans

www.lolaswhiteplains.com
White Plains, NY

Quick Bites - Brazen Fox and Pour Mt. Kisco

Quick Bites (and Drinks)

Brazen Fox – Although a large part of the reason I was there were the mai tais, the food is pretty decent. We started with the Korean BBQ Tacos. Neither of us had ever had them and we did enjoy them thoroughly. Granted, there was a terribly long wait for them. The manager did come by and apologize, which was nice. Chris had the Chipotle Chicken wrap and I had the Buffalo Chicken wrap. They were tasty. They have many weekday specials and are worth the look.

Pour, Mt. Kisco – So, we stopped in for a quick nightcap. After a few glasses of well-chosen wine, James treated us to a taste of the Greenhook Ginsmiths Beach Plum gin. This stuff is absolutely fantastic. As I have said so many times before, do not get scared by the menu, just let them know what types of mainstream things you like and James will find what you want. I suggest getting a plum Collins, as I know I will when I return.

Westchester Burger Company, June 29, 2012

Just the five of us…

So, we went to the Westchester Burger Company in White Plains. This place is good for a group, including those that include kids. The tables are pretty spacious and comfortably sat five. The plate that greeted me had ketchup on it, which did not make me happy, but I never used that plate so I could overlook it.

Chris had a Captain Lawrence Freshchester and I had Strawberry-Basil Lemonade (with vodka). My drink was very tasty and refreshing. It could have used a bit more lemon flavor in my opinion, but it was very good and showed me not to be afraid of basil in drinks. There were no complaints concerning the sodas (and that is actually impressive since fountain soda can taste less than great).

For meals, the chicken nuggets were enjoyed by the youngest. Two people had the Graziella Burger and like them fine. The presentation of the French fries was cute (in a little metal fryer basket). Chris had the Hangover and said his egg was well-cooked. The onion rings were a nice complement to the food and the sauce had a nice spice. I had the Southwestern. It was very good, especially for a turkey burger. I have found that some places have a tough time seasoning without over-seasoning and they did a really good job.

Our waiter was attentive without being overly present. The support staff did well to clear plates, etc… If you are looking for a good, social place to eat regular burger faire – this could be a place for you. It is a chain restaurant with locations in Mt. Kisco, Rye and White Plains. They also have an extensive shake and dessert menu that we did not partake in.

Overall, the food was better than expected and the service was good. The ketchup in the plate certainly gave me pause, but everything else was very clean. The bathroom is a must see, well the sink area is a must see...

www.westchesterburger.com

White Plains, NY

Mulberry Street - June 22, 2012

So, a run of the mill experience…

Mulberry Street has a beautiful sign and has really added an aesthetic to the corner, but the appearance might be the strongest thing brought to the table here.

Okay, maybe that was harsh – the mozzarella and tomato was pretty good. It could certainly use some balsamic vinegar and fresh mozzarella, but it was fine. The wait staff was excellent and the hostess did a fantastic job at table management. The drinks were fine and if I were looking for a quick drink and (maybe) a snack, this would be great.

However, since we were hoping for good to great pizza in a local-ish area, this place fell short. The pizza was on par (or below) with my local pizzeria (big shout-out to Capri that rarely disappoints and provides a great bang for the buck). Throwing some jalapeño-esque peppers on a pizza with sweet sausage doesn’t make for hot and sweet – it makes for okay. I think additional mozzarella would helped the ricotta balance. The pasta was tasty, but seemed as though spaghetti was being passed off as bucatini (no center hole). Plus, onions are not a substitute for flavor.

If you are in the area and are just looking for a quick something, it can be an option (but there are many quick eats options all along Mamaroneck). If you are looking for something very special, keep looking. The food was average and one of the biggest pluses was the “family” style potential portions. Again, nice atmosphere (even though it got loud) and the wait staff were polite and attentive. The food is clearly playing to the family crowd by trying to please all, but in my opinion it can use an improvement.

I had high hopes and we shall see what happens here. In the meantime check out their happy hour, weekdays from 5pm to 8pm, which offers some great specials at the bar - $3 Beers, $4 Wines & $5 Mixed Drinks.

www.mulberrystreetwp.com/home

White Plains, NY