In another sign that the economy is on an upswing, new restaurants are opening every week in our area. This week we noticed bright yellow awnings on Central Avenue, where Rustico closed earlier this summer. We stopped in to investigate and were pleasantly surprised to see that the interior has undergone a total transformation and is now open for business.
Rustico has now been renamed Za’Za’ and will be managed by Alessandro Calemme, an Italian native and former music producer whose family has been in the restaurant business in Naples and Milan for two generations. He is partnering with Nello Tizzano who ran Rustico for 17 years. Calemme brings both his musical and culinary skills to the enterprise –and has come up with an innovative menu and invited musicians to play acoustic guitar, jazz, blues and pop on Wednesday through Friday nights.
The restaurant now houses a floor to ceiling wood burning pizza oven and the menu lists seventeen variations of pizza and calzone including a seafood pizza with mussels, clams and shrimp, the “Donna Regina” with tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil, artichoke hears, mushrooms, olives and parma prosciutto, and an original margherita. The crusts are made with Caputo Pizza Flour from Italy and Calemme is importing his mozzarella and San Marzano tomatoes as well.
The menu features a wide array of antipasti, salads and pastas. Entrees will change daily and be shown on the restaurant blackboard. On the day we visited, specials included pasta with eggplant and mozzarella, Tagliata Di Manzo, branzino and thinly sliced filet mignon. From Sunday through Wednesday, Za’Za’ is offering their special tasting menu, “L’abbuffata" which includes unlimited servings of antipasti, pizza and main courses for just $30 per person.
The restaurant is also open for lunch and panini and wraps will be served.
If you try Za’Za’, please tell us how it was in the comments sections below:
Za’Za’
751 Central Park Avenue
Scarsdale, New York 10583
(914) 472-4005
Open Seven Days a Week for Lunch and Dinner
Scarsdale residents cheered when they saw Michaels reopen last week, and many marched in expecting to once again order their favorite mozzarella (mozzi) or turkey sandwich. But they were surprised to find much more than a sandwich and cheese shop. Greeted with a free sample of fresh watermelon-strawberry juice, customers quickly realized new tastes were in store.
And if you're impressed with lunch, wait until you see what Korn has in mind for dinner. Every day Good-life will prepare fresh, "homemade" dinners, that you can pick up, heat up and serve. According to Korn, "these will look like real meals on your dinner table, not fussy food on a plate you'd find at a restaurant." His menu shows French roasted chicken in a red wine sauce, pan roasted halibut, and wild mushroom lasagna to name a few. However, the menu will change everyday and dinners are reasonably priced from $12-$16, which is far less than you would spend on a take-out meal. Good-life is offering a mobile program to make ordering easy from your phone. If you text "goodlife" to 51684, you will be sent a text message every morning letting you know what's for dinner. From your phone you can order and pay for your meal and pick it up when you get off the train in Scarsdale.
There’s a great new treat available at 58 Garth Road. After several years of planning and research, former IT Manager Greg Sribhud has followed his passion and his taste buds and opened a beautifully-designed new frozen yogurt store in the former site of Enjou Chocolate. Why frozen yogurt? Sribhud shared that in his former life at the hedge fund he spent as much as $500 per month eating frozen yogurt and realized that he could go into the business and do it better.
The sleek store features beautiful colored glass walls, shiny white floors, and colorful lighting and Sribhud designed the space himself. When asked what differentiates Go Greenberry from the nearby competition Greg had a quick answer. He offers novel flavors and toppings, and an interesting variety, all at the competitive price of just 49 cents an ounce. Go Greenberry is also eco-friendly with spoons made from cornstarch and biodegradable cups.
Several months ago we reported that Enrico’s Bakery of Scarsdale was moving a few doors down to the former home of Hartsdale Farms. Folks at the bakery let us know that their new location would be larger, include sidewalk tables and also sell smoked fish. Smoked fish? Though the bakery does sell kosher goods, it was puzzling how Italians from the Bronx would get into the business of selling lox and whitefish!
Well the mystery is now solved. Enrico’s of Hartsdale is now installed in their new, expansive home at 214 East Hartsdale. They have joined forces with an old friend. 
The bakery line has been expanded and there are a greater variety of cakes and pastries as well as custom made birthday cakes, doughnuts, homemade rolls and bagels on the way. I tasted their freshly baked raisin challah and had a hard time resisting seconds. Enricos is also selling Italian ices, flavored granitas and hot and iced coffee and tea.
If you thought you couldn’t get good barbeque north of Texas, you’re in for a surprise. The former owners of the Barbeque Rib House in Mt. Vernon have moved north and are now located at 10 North Central Avenue in the space previously occupied by the Japanese bakery. Don’t be fooled by the lack of décor at the Prime Bar-B-Que Grill – these folks know what it takes to make good barbeque. The storefront includes a counter and several tables. With no waiters, you simply order and eat-in or take out.
