The Westchester dining landscape continues to shift with news of more closings and a rebrand. Details follow.
As always, if you have a restaurant tip, send info to JRMuchnick@gannett.com.
La Botte Ristorante in White Plains is now South River Bar and Restaurant
La Botte, in downtown White Plains for about seven years, has rebranded to South River Bar and Restaurant. The newly revamped restaurant, which opened Oct. 15, has undergone a few cosmetic changes (think new lighting, a paint job and an Instagram wall) along with a new menu.
What had been Italian-leaning, with a diner-like menu that included a wide range of options, is now smaller with a focus on Modern American Mediterranean influenced cuisine. Diners can expect a raw bar with East Coast oysters,
hamachi crudo and crab and charred avocado, a section devoted to cheese and charcuterie, sourdough pizzettes and a host of appetizers. The appetizer portion, in fact, is longer than the entrées with options such as mushroom arancini, pickled beets, roasted carrots, a meze plate, Nona's meatballs, grilled shrimp and mussels.
Entrées include roasted half chicken, seared scallops, whole grilled branzino, lamb chops, ricotta gnocchi and more. They've also revised their cocktails to include more inventive drinks such as the Banana Bread Old Fashioned (with Great Jones bourbon, banana bread syrup, bitters, smoked) and a Wild Bunch (with Hudson NY whiskey, amaro Nonino, rosemary, pineapples, lemon and bitter). There's no Happy Hour for now (La Botte had been known for theirs) but that may change in the future. Brunch is also coming. For now, they're open daily from noon to 10 p.m. The restaurant group, which retains some of the same ownership as La Botte, also plans a new restaurant opening later this year in Greenwich, Conn. 14 Martine Ave., 914-461-2950, southriverwhiteplains.com.
Emilio Ristorante, Harrison
After 47 years, this business, started by Emilio and Lidia Brasesco in 1979 and later carried on by their son, Sergio, is closing. The last day is Nov. 22.
The announcement was made on Instagram on Oct. 16, saying, "It's time to start a new journey and that is to spend time with my family."
The restaurant, in a charming, century-old Colonial-style white house complete with a front porch and its own parking lot, has long been known for "la cucina Italiana" and gracious hospitality. Sergio Brasesco wrote about his devoted staff being the stars of the show along with his appreciation for customers, who, over four decades have shared so many milestones, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, engagements and births. "May your pasta bowls and wine glass always be full," he wrote on Instagram, signing how he's been filled with "memories and love." 1 Colonial Pl., 914-835-3100, emilioristorante.com.
Ibiza Kitchen, Chappaqua
Will Ibiza come back? For now, the phone is disconnected, there's brown paper on the walls and the signage outside reads "We are currently closed due to circumstances beyond our control." Repeated attempts to reach management were unsuccessful.
The Spanish restaurant opened in 2018 and was popular for its Mediterranean tapas, seafood, and paella. It also attracted dining regulars former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. 76 King St.
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Jeanne Muchnick covers food and dining. Click here for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram @jeannemuchnick or via the lohudfood newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Shifts in Westchester's dining scene include a rebrand and 2 closures
