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Table Manors
By Mimi Thompson
In Larchmont, A Neighborly Feast
Who's afraid of red, yellow and blue? Not Barnett Newman, and not
Bruce Carroll, owner of the Watercolor Cafe in Larchmont. The interior
of the tiny storefront is mostly blue and a creamy yellow, with
Pironi glass wall sconces displaying glowing stripes of red, yellow,
blue and green. The effect is bright and Scandinavian, stylish and
cozy at the same time.
Watercolor Cafe opened almost five years ago and has built up a
loyal clientele, mostly by word of mouth. Lusardi's, another popular
eating spot, opened around the same time, and with such other restaurants
as Encare, Pascal's, Pastore's, Café Fresco, the Larchmont
Oyster House and the new fashion-forward eating spot Lime, there
is a lot of competition for local restaurants. Mr. Carroll has seen
his patrons experiment with the new spots, but they return. Indeed,
during one lunch visit he seemed to know almost everyone in the
room.
The lunch menu offers a light meal or a full-blown feast. We began
with Tomato Bisque ($4.95)-a creamy soup with pieces of mozzarella
and chives sprinkled around the rim of the soup bowl, a nice variation
on the tomato mozzarella salad. We followed Mr. Carroll's lead with
another specialty, the healthy-sized Cobb Salad ($10.95), which
includes apples, tomatoes, avocado, and bacon and gorgonzola. The
predominant flavor in the dressing is balsamic vinegar, and if you
like that (as I do) you'd be very happy. Another luncheon choice
was a Frittata ($8.25) filled with asparagus, tomato and mozzarella
with slices of grapefruit, kiwi and pear, as well as strawberries
and blueberries on the side. That was cooked perfectly, with the
tomatoes tasting like a last bit of summer. There is a cleverly
chosen wine list, too, with good bottles at fair prices. Wines by
the glass range from $6.50 to $6.75 and include good choices such
as a 2000 Peter Zemmer Pinot Grigio, a 1999 Fetzer Merlot and Sea
Ridge Coastal's 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon.
Another
luncheon choice was a Frittata ($8.25) filled with asparagus, tomato
and mozzarella ...that was cooked perfectly.
The dinner menu
has some luncheon items, such as the very good Crispy Angel Hair
Pasta Pancake ($8.95), which is topped with grilled jumbo shrimp
in a basil cream sauce. The selections are wide and varied, including
Calves Liver ($17.95) served with spinach and mashed potatoes, as
well as the Watercolor Vegetable Plate ($15.95), which is a baked
acorn squash stuffed with assorted dried fruit and basmati rice,
surrounded by grilled vegetables, sautéed spinach, gorgonzola-glazed
asparagus and grilled mushrooms. Chef Giovanni Flores does a good
job creating a wide range of choices for the diners. This Thanksgiving,
he'll be demonstrating his art at the Williams-Sonoma store in The
Westchester.
Desserts are tempting and mostly made on the premises. The Brazilian
pavé is a decadent cocktail glass full of crumbled ladyfingers
soaked in crème de cacao with macaroni and cream. The apple
strudel has a nice flaky crust and an interior packed with apples.
Not too sweet, the pastry was a relief after the intensity of the
pave. We'd like to go back and try other desserts, including the
Toll House Pie, which is a house specialty. All desserts are $6.50.
Mr. Carroll, who grew up in North Yonkers and currently lives in
the Scarsdale area, is a musician as well as a restaurateur. Live
jazz, either piano or an ensemble, is now on the schedule four nights
a week at the restaurant. Although Mr. Carroll is a songwriter who
plays the guitar and piano, he has yet to perform in his own room.
The comedian Colin Quinn, formerly of "Saturday Night Live,"
has made an appearance, expanding the cafe's entertainment roster.
The very good Crispy Angel Hair Pasta Pancake
($8.95)... is topped with grilled jumbo shrimp in a basil cream
sauce.
Paintings on silk by Annie Michel, an art teacher at the Prench
School in Larchmont, currently line the walls of the Watercolor
Cafe. Mr. Carroll plans on rotating artists again soon-he likes
to give local artists a chance to exhibit their work.
This is a true
neighborhood spot, more neighborly suburbanite than pickup, with
Mr. Carroll's various artistic interests a part of the mix. Lunch
is busy, with nearby realtors and antiques dealers dropping in for
a meal and the local gossip. Dinnertime has some of the same dropping
in for a drink, as well as others looking for some good food in
a relaxed spot. The staff is welcoming and attentive, whether you
order four courses or, as one lady sitting by herself requested
at lunch: One tomato bisque, hold the mozzarella, and a glass of
water. The water's free, isn't it?
The Watercolor Cafe is at 2094 Boston Post Road. The phone number
is 914-834-2213.
The writer lives in Bedford Corners.
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