The owners of Zuppa Restaurant & Lounge have opened Guapo Cocina Mexicana (10 Warburton Ave, Yonkers 914-920-5900; guaporestaurant.com), a 60-seat Mexican restaurant serving dishes such as chilaquiles (stewed tortillas filled with steak, chicken, or eggs); steak with cactus and onions; 12 varieties of tacos ($3 per, $8 for three); and chiles rellenos. Most main dishes range from $8 to $19. Order a spicy pink sangria, made with air-dried guajillo peppers. Guapo is open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner // Jason Holmberg, formerly sous chef at Picholine in Manhattan, has replaced Derek Townsend as executive chef at Park 143 Bistro (143 Parkway Rd, Bronxville 914-337-5100; 143parkbistro.com). The menu—featuring mostly New American, primarily small-plate dishes—will feature six new entrées, including a roasted pork chop with onion purée and cherry sauce, and several new small-plate options. There will be a fish of the day special as well // Tibor Kogler, previously head chef at Tavern at the Gunks in Ellenville, New York (named a Best New Restaurant 2011 by Hudson Valley Magazine), is today executive chef at New American restaurant and live music lounge 12 Grapes (12 N Division St, Peekskill 914-737-6624; 12grapes.com). Among Chef Kogler’s dishes: pork tenderloin with red-wine-poached plums and pan-seared rainbow trout. For dessert: pear tarte Tatin. The Hungarian-born chef formerly had worked in the kitchens of Anthos, Flor de Sol, and Telepan, all in Manhattan, and at MP Taverna in Roslyn, Long Island // Forrest Pasternack is the new executive chef at Morello Bistro (253 Greenwich Ave, Greenwich, CT 203-661-3443; morellobistro.com), replacing Mark Medina-Rios. Pasternack was last executive chef at Terra Restaurant (also in Greenwich). His additions to the menu of modern Italian cuisine include chanterelle mushroom risotto, halibut roasted in foil, and roasted Black Mission fig salad with Gorgonzola // Chef/Owner Jill Rose of French-Mediterranean restaurant Chiboust Bistro & Bakery (14 Main St, Tarrytown 914-703-6550; chiboust.com) has expanded her menu to include thin-crust pizzas such as country bacon, egg, Parmesan, and spinach; pear, jambon de Bayonne, and Gorgonzola; and wild mushroom, fontina, and caramelized garlic. The pies come in individual and 14-inch sizes, and cost from $10 to $24 // New owners have bought The NY Firehouse Grille (50 Welcher Ave, Peekskill 914-788-0808; nyfhg.com), a sports bar and wing joint open for more than 40 years. New on the menu: Asian lettuce wraps, Irish nachos, fish tacos, penne vodka, and dozens of additional chicken wing flavors. The restaurant is open every day for lunch and dinner // Owner Fernando Cabral of Caravela (53 N Broadway, Tarrytown 914-631-1863; caravelatarrytown.com) is celebrating the 26th anniversary of his Portuguese restaurant with a three-course, $26 dinner Sunday through Friday. Paella Valencia, veal stew, and filet of sole oreganata are among the nine entrée choices // Red Barn Pizza (158 S Central Ave, Hartsdale) has closed; Vietnamese restaurant Saigonese is planned for the space // Bollywood Bistro (68 Wheeler Ave, Pleasantville), open since 2006, has closed.
R5 Restaurant Openings, Closings, Kitchen Changes, and Food Events in Westchester County, NY: December 2012
