Bon Anniversaire: La Panetière

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Opened in 1985 by Jacques Loupiac, La Panetière is celebrating its 31^st Anniversary this year. The French restaurant has been serving Rye, New York, from a handsome house built in the 1800’s for thirty-one years, and their reputation for modern French cuisine remains stalwart.

 Entering La Panetière is like arriving at a retreat in Provence, complete with foliage clinging to the face of the 19^th century home, the charming colorful Provençal décor filled with folklore, and a delicious twist on classic French cuisine. The restaurant is intimate and romantic, cozy like a lovely cottage; however, the food is refined and elegant while the team is knowledgeable about the dishes and wine. There is a focus on the highest quality seasonal ingredients and authenticity inspired by the southeastern region of France.

To commemorate the anniversary, Loupiac and his team put together a veritable birthday party including a special six-course prix fixe dinner with a wine pairing option and an accordionist playing tableside. La Panetière regularly offers both a lunch and dinner prix fixe, but this menu was especially created and presented between August 2^nd and 4^th to celebrate its anniversary.

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The first course comprised of a ring of thinly sliced scallops dancing around a bite of briny sturgeon caviar in a pleasant pool of bittersweet grapefruit aspic. Fresh tomatoes and cleansing celery dotted the scallop carpaccio completing the fresh and clean flavors.

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A petit Hudson Valley foie gras flan was the second course of the special anniversary menu. It was both savory and creamy, complex without pretension. The flan was light as air grounded in earthy simmered mushrooms.

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The sizzling casserole of Maine lobster achieved a lovely balance, with raw almonds adding crunch and bite to the buttery succulence of the lobster tail peeled from its shell at the table. The green beans remained fresh and lively, bringing even more brightness to the aromatic third course.

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Veal filet mignon medallions rounded off the savory courses combining fragrances and malleable textures. The meat was tender and buttery, the curry was like a soft hum, and the vegetables were soft but not lost in the hearty quinoa.

The fifth course, a sweet course, piled summer fresh cherries in Greek Yogurt with a tingling mimosa jelly and Kirshwasser cappuccino. The summery dessert was refreshing, light, and not too sweet, but it was also decadent and layered with unexpected flavors.  

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To end, a caranoix cake, a mix of pecan nougat and caramel with nutella mousse, appealed to luxury. The expertly layered chocolaty dessert was decadent but not too heavy or overwhelming despite a variety of textures.

La Panetière offers an escape to the south of France in the middle of Rye using delectable food, superb service, and a warm atmosphere, all reminiscent of Provence. Here’s to more years of excellence! Joyeux Anniversaire!

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8.16.16

HONESTY is the policy: Rosemary and Vine

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When asked about Rye, New York, Tania Rahal, the co-owner of Rosemary and Vine, revealed that the people are honest and straightforward. She mentioned that they are direct and generous at the same time, not afraid to compassionately share their opinions.

The Rosemary and Vine restaurant fits right in. Transparency is very important to the restaurant’s team and mission. Wholesome, fresh, seasonal, organic, and local ingredients are key to the vegetarian Mediterranean-inspired menu. The open kitchen is also paramount to the concept of the table service eatery, allowing guests to see food preparation and indirectly involving them in the process. With that, Rosemary and Vine’s food tastes honest.  Including a mix of family recipes and dishes cultivated by Consulting Chef Erica Wides, summer is on the menu.

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Honesty begins with the starters, a blend of classic and fresh. Start with a cooling and textured gazpacho blanco, complete with a vibrant soft green color, a result of luscious cucumber, grapes, and deep roasted almonds.  Try a smoky babaganoush topped with sweet-tart pomegranate seeds that add a crunch to the sinful eggplant spread. The homemade hummus, a family recipe, is bright and smooth, earthy and meaty, perfect with crisp pita points. An avocado crostini is complex and hums with tangy feta, sweet peas, a layered charmoula, and moments of mint. 

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Rosemary and Vine’s summer flatbreads exude color and bright flavors that combine to be satiating and familiar. The Sarah similar to, but steps above, run-of-the-mill pizza, the Ella smooth with thick ricotta, spicy baby arugula, but accompanied by a crunch from buttery roasted pine nuts, the Yasmine with lemon notes and creamy hummus and fatoush greens. Each one demonstrates discernable fresh seasonal ingredients.

Owners Berj Yeretzian and Tania Rahal

Salads come in all colors, too— textured with lentils or quinoa; colored with cucumbers, tomatoes, or kale; made fresh with sumac dressing or apple cider vinaigrette. 

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Entrees are an amalgamation of a vegetarian paradise and Mediterranean flare that is far from intimidating, but still includes the aromas and flavors of another world. The saffron- scented Moroccan tagine attracts regulars because of its robust warm spices with hints of sweetness supported by delicate butternut squash and zucchini and hearty chickpeas served on couscous.  A truffled summer garden fettuccini is perfect for the scalding summer temperatures, as it remains fresh with earthy grilled asparagus and fatty pine nuts, while the radicchio adds a bitterness balanced by the bursting sweet summer corn. The thick flakes of Sartori Parmesan binds the pasta dish together; its salt brings out the sensuous truffle butter. Other entrees include Turkish braised eggplant ragout, family recipe falafel, five-cheese mushroom lasagna, potato kibbeh, and a Provençal frittata.

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No summer meal is complete without dessert. Abborio rice pudding is laced with spicy cinnamon, bourbon vanilla beans, and the distinct flavor of almond milk, just sweet enough, while the dark chocolate pudding speaks to mature decadence.  The warm chocolate cake is a dessert in between, still luxurious with cocoa powder and 70% dark Valrhona chocolate, but made playful with sweetened strawberries and light whipped cream.

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The restaurant offers a mission-based curated beverage list, including sustainable, small batch production Mediterranean wines; delicate and refined wine cocktails; select draft and bottled beers; coffee by Coffee Labs, a small-batch, local independent roaster in Tarrytown, NY; hot chocolate by Valrhona; and organic teas by Serendipitea.

Rosemary and Vine came together through the vision of owners Berj Yeretzian and Tania Rahal, to bring a taste of their native home to their new home in Rye, New York, culminating in a beer and wine bar offering delicious Mediterranean, vegetarian fare. The eatery has transformed through the sincerity of its clientele, but its constant has remained: honest food.

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7.19.16

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