Saturday, May 31, 2008

Haven (formerly Frodo's)

My advice, in an April review, to the owner of Cafe of Love was to cultivate a clientèle that longs to eat there over the cohort who longs to be there. Stephen, a friend of ours, asked if there are restaurants in Westchester that do what I suggested. The criteria became to find restaurants that have longevity based on their food, pricing, and pleasant atmosphere. Food and atmosphere are subjective, but price and longevity are quantifiable. To qualify for this review a restaurant had to have been in business for three years to demonstrate an ability to consistently draw customers through varying economies and food trends. Further, the most expensive entree on the regular menu could not exceed thirty dollars. The hunt was on.

A family friend recently recommended Haven. We made our reservation and went out tonight to begin proving my thesis that a restaurant can attract a strong customer base, not with a gimmicky no reservations policy and a bar that secretly wants to be a nightclub, but with inspiring food at reasonable prices.

Chrissie and I never bothered to investigate this restaurant when it was Frodo's. The moniker was off putting for us and suggested a theme restaurant to me. It appears, if reports of the food being the same are true, that I would have been incorrect.

The dining room is long and narrow with a bench reaching down the length of one wall. Tables for two are set, but can be brought together to accommodate larger parties. The design scheme blends rustic and upscale to create a very pleasing room. My only complaint is that the tables are too close for this type of dining. When we arrived at six thirty this was not an issue. As our entrees were served and eight o'clock approached, the room was nearly at capacity and proximity was more of a problem. By the time we left, I felt intimately acquainted with the party to my left.

For appetizers, Chrissie ordered the macaroni and cheese and I had mussels. Chrissie's mac and cheese was baked to a nice crust and served with truffle oil. It was a very nice dish and she was able to take a nice portion home to enjoy tomorrow. My mussels were also very generously portioned. The preparation of the day was with corn and bacon. The mussels were perfectly cooked. So far, in both of our opinions, Haven was performing flawlessly. To add to this performance, between courses the kitchen sent out a complimentary taste of their goat cheese dumplings that Chrissie had been deciding between when we ordered.

We were both very hungry last night and we both wanted to see how the chef dealt with meat. Chrissie ordered the rack of lamb. She raved about it, saying it was incredibly tender and juicy, and that the preparation allowed the flavor of the lamb to shine in the dish. Her only comlpaint with her meal was her burnt polenta.

I had the grilled filet. It was less successful than Chrissie's lamb. The meat itself had a very supple mouthfeel, but the char was too thick and black, ruining some bites. Curiously, the chef chose to pre-slice the steak. I think it is because he serves the meat over a frittata and wants to create a sense of presentation. I would have preferred the frittata, which was just ok, on the side and my steak whole so I could cut slices to a thickness of my choice. In his defense, the meat was clearly rested before he cut.

We both got the important sense that this is kitchen that puts out consistent food. I believe the burnt char on my steak is probably as bad as it gets, and considering the meat was still cooked to my order, the mistake wasn't that big a deal.

The desserts on paper weren't as inspiring as the rest of the menu. Chrissie and I had coffee and split a piece of peanut butter pie just to add conclusion to the meal.

High Points-
  • The soup, flatbread pizza, mussels, and ravioli are offered as daily preparations
  • The menu is varied, but not so large to suggest the kitchen has it can't handle
  • Pricing remains reasonable, despite popularity
  • Mussels and meats all cooked perfectly (temp & texture)
Low Points-
  • Tables are too close
  • Chef either didn't notice or sent out a steak with a burnt crust and a burnt side
  • Sides left room for improvement
  • Chrissie's coffee was cold (she was afraid to ask for a new cup for fear of caffeine)
Will we go back? We will definitely go back. Haven perfectly fits the bill of a neighborhood restaurant that strives for excellence in the kitchen. While I believe our main courses, for what they were, could have been a few dollars cheaper, I did not feel cheated in any way. Haven is an excellent counterpoint to the Cafe of Love. I must say that Cafe of Love puts out a menu that is clearly a notch above Haven's, but I left Cafe of Love feeling troubled by their missteps. I left Haven thinking the chef probably had a flare up on the grill and that the waitress let Chrissie's coffee sit too long while she made my espresso. I think the pretensions of the restaurants explains the difference in my attitude.

Next time we go I anticipate trying either the fish or the daily ravioli.

Haven
is located at:
472 Bedford Road
Pleasantville, NY 10570

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

My mouth is watering at the very thought of a goat cheese dumpling! It is great to find a restaurant that does not break the bank yet still delivers on taste. Looking forward to your next post.

Ms. Brenda O'Shea said...

Of all the restaurants so far, I feel like I could consistently enjoy a meal at Haven and not feel cheated by some small missteps. In fact, I think I must plan a visit to haven... goat cheese dumplings...yum!

Anonymous said...

Based solely on your review Brian and I went to Haven last night. We enjoyed the experience tremendously!!!
I had the raspberry and goat cheese dumpling along with a salad for apps and Brian had the crab cake with blueberries and corn. The chef came out to make sure I received my salad and then spent time talking to us. The waiter helped me with my dinner selection which was duck over grilled peaches and curry mashed potatoes. Brian had the filet mignon. Mine was better. For dessert I had the root beer float (they have the root beer made for them!!) and Brian had the peanut butter mousse pie.
The bill was not crazy in the least bit. When I mentioned that I loved the ices tea, the waiter wrote down the name and the website incase I wanted to order some at home. Biran and I may have found a new restaurant that we can go to without going into debt!!

James Groven said...

Cara-

You should give some more specific details about what you two ate and the overall experience. I'm sure people would be interested in an update.