Westchester Wednesdays -- Best Brunch
Quote de jour
"Come unto me, all ye that labor in the stomach, and I will restore you."
Motto over door of his first restaurant in 1765.
~M. Boulanger
Dining out is always so much more than about the food. It's about celebrating all the senses. In Westchester Wednesday's.I report on my favorite people, places and things from my neck of the woods:Westchester County, N.Y. Warning: Don't even think of reading this on an empty stomach. I recently enjoyed a delightful Sunday brunch at H20 or Xavier's on-the-Hudson in Yonkers. The restaurant is the latest addition to celebrity chef Peter X. Kelly's Hudson Valley restaurant empire.
H2O sits directly on the restored Victorian pier at the gateway to the Hudson Valley. The waterfront has been gentrified,
and the jewel is the glass-wrapped stand alone restaurant with magnificent views in every direction. The airy space is chic and modern with are no bad tables in "Siberia". Every table is a good one. I do have a beef about the concept of brunch though. To me any meal served in the afternoon is lunch especially if there are no breakfasty foods. Semantics aside, Sunday Brunch at X2O is a prix fixe three course affair with unlimited champagne, all for the bargain price of $38.00. Chef Kelly believes in offering diners value for their dollar and he delivers.
A room with a view and then some...
Restaurant success relies on attention to details. I'm a detail fiend, and for better or worse I notice everything. I'm happy to report everything was shipshape on this dining adventure. The large arrangements of yellow roses were beginning to wilt but nothing else lagged or sagged. It's no surprise that X20 is rated the #1 restaurant in the 2009/10 in Zagat's Hudson Valley Restaurant Guide.
My beautifully presented appetizer of Asian inspired asparagus and shrimp tempura.
.
The complimentary champagne flowed effortlessly as did the near seamless service. The only discernable service gap was between the mains and dessert. A large team tended to our table of four in a professional but not stuffy manner. For a high end restaurant, Chef Kelly and his dream team manages to marry elegance with comfort. I felt at ease at all times and isn't that the point? When will other restaurants understand that servers need to be discreet and not hover? My main course arrived simply but elegantly plated. Cooking fish well is not easy. I'd read iffy reviews about this dish and I'm happy I chose it .
The cod was moist, perfectly cooked and flavorful. The divinely decadent artery-clogging truffled potatoes are what you'd expect from a chef with Irish roots.
I'm a sucker for an attractive ladies room. This one took the cake. This view from the sink area was like being aboard a cruise ship. Every woman gasped at the view when they entered. Apparently the men's room is equally scenic.
I always believe in leaving room for dessert and insist on sharing. This is a warm, gooey chocolate cake made with my fave Bernard Callebaut chocolate served with homemade pistachio ice cream with large chunks of my favorite nut. Ecstatic groans all around.
Classic creme brulee. It could have been silkier in texture but then again I'm feeling nostalgic for Paris these days. Plus I grew up in the culinary capital of Montreal before they used of torches to caramelize the top of creme brulee.
My healthy choice was a flan with fresh fruit. It proved more successful, but for my money it will be chocolate cake next time.
The sweetest thing was a surprise as we were leaving. I couldn't resist peeking through the nautically round window into the immaculate kitchen. Before you could say photo-op, the staff were grinning good naturedly for my camera(through the glass) and then Chef Kelly arrived and beamed at me like the star and Iron Chef winner that he is.
Full confession: I felt so stuffed from the continuous service of scrumptious amuse bouches...coconut shrimp, roast baby lamb, crispy tuna roll and wild mushroom ravioli...I doggy-bagged my cod and strolled the spotless waterfront to burn off some calories.
To learn more about Peter Kelly, his restaurants, recipes or to make reservations go to http://www.xaviers.com
"Come unto me, all ye that labor in the stomach, and I will restore you."
Motto over door of his first restaurant in 1765.
~M. Boulanger
Dining out is always so much more than about the food. It's about celebrating all the senses. In Westchester Wednesday's.I report on my favorite people, places and things from my neck of the woods:Westchester County, N.Y. Warning: Don't even think of reading this on an empty stomach. I recently enjoyed a delightful Sunday brunch at H20 or Xavier's on-the-Hudson in Yonkers. The restaurant is the latest addition to celebrity chef Peter X. Kelly's Hudson Valley restaurant empire.
H2O sits directly on the restored Victorian pier at the gateway to the Hudson Valley. The waterfront has been gentrified,
and the jewel is the glass-wrapped stand alone restaurant with magnificent views in every direction. The airy space is chic and modern with are no bad tables in "Siberia". Every table is a good one. I do have a beef about the concept of brunch though. To me any meal served in the afternoon is lunch especially if there are no breakfasty foods. Semantics aside, Sunday Brunch at X2O is a prix fixe three course affair with unlimited champagne, all for the bargain price of $38.00. Chef Kelly believes in offering diners value for their dollar and he delivers.
A room with a view and then some...
Restaurant success relies on attention to details. I'm a detail fiend, and for better or worse I notice everything. I'm happy to report everything was shipshape on this dining adventure. The large arrangements of yellow roses were beginning to wilt but nothing else lagged or sagged. It's no surprise that X20 is rated the #1 restaurant in the 2009/10 in Zagat's Hudson Valley Restaurant Guide.
My beautifully presented appetizer of Asian inspired asparagus and shrimp tempura.
.
The complimentary champagne flowed effortlessly as did the near seamless service. The only discernable service gap was between the mains and dessert. A large team tended to our table of four in a professional but not stuffy manner. For a high end restaurant, Chef Kelly and his dream team manages to marry elegance with comfort. I felt at ease at all times and isn't that the point? When will other restaurants understand that servers need to be discreet and not hover? My main course arrived simply but elegantly plated. Cooking fish well is not easy. I'd read iffy reviews about this dish and I'm happy I chose it .
The cod was moist, perfectly cooked and flavorful. The divinely decadent artery-clogging truffled potatoes are what you'd expect from a chef with Irish roots.
I'm a sucker for an attractive ladies room. This one took the cake. This view from the sink area was like being aboard a cruise ship. Every woman gasped at the view when they entered. Apparently the men's room is equally scenic.
I always believe in leaving room for dessert and insist on sharing. This is a warm, gooey chocolate cake made with my fave Bernard Callebaut chocolate served with homemade pistachio ice cream with large chunks of my favorite nut. Ecstatic groans all around.
Classic creme brulee. It could have been silkier in texture but then again I'm feeling nostalgic for Paris these days. Plus I grew up in the culinary capital of Montreal before they used of torches to caramelize the top of creme brulee.
My healthy choice was a flan with fresh fruit. It proved more successful, but for my money it will be chocolate cake next time.
The sweetest thing was a surprise as we were leaving. I couldn't resist peeking through the nautically round window into the immaculate kitchen. Before you could say photo-op, the staff were grinning good naturedly for my camera(through the glass) and then Chef Kelly arrived and beamed at me like the star and Iron Chef winner that he is.
Full confession: I felt so stuffed from the continuous service of scrumptious amuse bouches...coconut shrimp, roast baby lamb, crispy tuna roll and wild mushroom ravioli...I doggy-bagged my cod and strolled the spotless waterfront to burn off some calories.
To learn more about Peter Kelly, his restaurants, recipes or to make reservations go to http://www.xaviers.com
Posted by Layla Morgan Wilde at 7/1/2009 8:17 AM 
Categories: Food, Westchester County, Westchester Wednesdays, Photography
Tags: Xavier's X2O Best brunch in Westchester
Categories: Food, Westchester County, Westchester Wednesdays, Photography
Tags: Xavier's X2O Best brunch in Westchester
Thanks, it seems like the perfect place to celebrate a birthday coming up.
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Hi Layla, you seem to have had such a great time ! All the pics of the perfectly served food make me hungry.
I too was on a two week driving holiday in the Himalayas and went and enjoyed some Tibetan food in Ladakh and Kashmiri food in Srinagar.
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oh I am with you all the way on this. After Montreal, I have been sorely disappointed in most restaurants in Boston, save for the most expensive.
I had found service in good restaurants in Montreal to be excellent, to the tune of - oh my, I just dropped my...Well, the waiter appeared from nowhere and gave me a new knife before I could even finish speaking.
And yes, the food.
American restaurants have more chains than Montreal.
I do like Cod, and Tempura. Your Cod and Tempura looked absolutely delice.
Champagne. Reminds me to get some imitation one of these days.
I had a great time at the Plaza Brunch a number of years ago, with Mimosas and Contintental.
The view looks exquisite.
When I get that way, I will have to partake.
Thanks for the tour.
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