I KNOW an entree is good when I return to a restaurant and want to order it again. Although my job requires that I try as many offerings as possible, on my second visit to Meritage in Scarsdale, I found myself justifying a reorder.
That pan-roasted chicken couldn’t possibly be as perfectly crispy, as flavorful, as beautifully married with sautéed escarole and mushrooms as it had been the first time around, could it? I needed to check for consistency.
It was. Few tastes are as satisfying as a simple (free-range) chicken dinner, and Meritage’s version is one of the best around. Chris Vergara, the chef and co-owner, isn’t afraid to cook the bird long enough to give its skin a gorgeous glow, but he’s skillful enough to keep it from drying out. I could eat that meal every week.
There are other pleasures to be found at Meritage, a seemingly modest spot in a strip mall. The inside is much prettier and more welcoming than the facade indicates. There is a cool calm to the dining room with soft lighting and comfortable seating.
Mr. Vergara and his co-owner, Jamie Steinthal, the manager, bought what was Il Cigno four years ago and kept the Italian orientation of the menu for a while before changing its name and expanding the repertory. Like its namesake, a high-end wine made from several types of grapes, Meritage now presents a blend of tastes, drawing on a number of New American influences.
House-made pasta is still on the menu, however, and it is worth considering. Goat-cheese-stuffed ravioli were a recent appetizer special, the cheese delicate and sweet, the pasta tender and tasty in a browned butter and aged balsamic vinegar sauce. Tagliatelle Bolognese, presented with a dollop of fresh sheep’s milk ricotta, was another winner. The tagliatelle boscaiola, made with wild mushrooms in a tomato cream sauce, was more subtle but still delicious.
Starters are some of the best choices. The restaurant’s list of “small plates” for sharing include delights like milky, yielding buffalo mozzarella; olive tapenade; and a wonderful recent special of fried purple artichoke hearts. An appetizer of crab and avocado salad layered its ingredients, with chopped tomatoes as a crown and greens sprinkled with olive oil circling the dish.
Mr. Vergara knows how to pan roast. Like the chicken, halibut was perfectly rendered. The duck confit, presented over dressed frisée, was also crisp yet moist. Grilled salmon was cooked exactly to order.
Meritage promises to use mostly organic ingredients from local suppliers, and the food does taste unusually fresh. That makes the disappointments harder. A sweet-pea risotto that wasn’t creamy enough was all the more frustrating because the peas were like little explosions of flavor. A too-dry linguine with clams annoyed — in part because the clams were so sweet and tender.
Service was inconsistent. One night we enjoyed the insights and modulated attention of a real pro; another night we didn’t hear the specials until we asked about them, questions about the food could not be answered, our tapenade was snatched away before we were done, and a bottle of wine was emptied and then left on the table.
But on both nights the meal ended on a delicious note. “Seasonal” tarts were lovely (although it isn’t exactly apple or pear season in Westchester, the two versions I tried). Toasted lemon poundcake with raspberry sorbet was a terrific mix of sweet and tart. And the great biscotti — lemon-vanilla, chocolate-hazelnut and orange-cranberry-pecan — accompanied some of the creamiest cappuccino and richest espresso north of the city.
Meritage Restaurant
1505 Weaver Street
Scarsdale
(914) 472-8484
www.meritagerestaurant.net
VERY GOOD
THE SPACE Comfortable and cool, with subdued lighting and an easy flow. Wheelchair accessible.
THE CROWD Couples, families, groups of friends. Attracts a dedicated group of locals.
THE BAR Nicely divided from the dining room, with TV and room to eat. French, American, Italian and Spanish wines from $32 to $275 a bottle; a rotating dozen are available by the glass, $9 to $17.
THE BILL Dinner entrees, $21 to $32; lunch, $8 to $20. Major credit cards accepted.
WHAT WE LIKE Duck confit, crab and avocado salad, goat cheese ravioli (special), buffalo mozzarella, fried purple artichokes (special), olive tapenade; pan- roasted chicken, tagliatelle Bolognese, pan-roasted halibut; lemon poundcake with raspberry sorbet, fruit tarts, biscotti.
IF YOU GO Dinner: Monday to Thursday, 6 to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 6 to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 5 to 9 p.m. Lunch: Tuesday to Friday, 11:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Reservations recommended on weekends.
Reviewed June 29, 2008
