Moscato, A Must

Moscato, the elegant and quiet, low key Italian restaurant on Scarsdale Avenue brings Italian charm to the village. Moscato opened in September of 2001 and it remains a go-to place for lunch or dinner, providing authentic Italian cuisine. The service was attentive, efficient and welcoming. The moment my two guests and I were seated, the maitre d' and the waiter promptly arrived at our table, pulling out our chairs and unfolding our napkins into our laps.

There was a dish of assorted olives that seemed to be marinated with fennel seeds. They had a little bit of a spicy kick to them, and were quite addictive. Generous portions of bread were replenished by our attentive waiter and in true Italian style, served with olive oil instead of butter. The atmosphere at Moscato draws a more mature crowd, attracted to the quietly cozy and well-decorated restaurant.

Offered the wines and specials by our engaging waiter, one of my guests—a strict vegetarian—was pleasantly surprised with how accommodating Moscato was regarding this issue. They offered to modify certain dishes and specials to add vegetables. 

We began with a Porcini Mushroom Risotto ($21.50) (not on the menu, but ordered by special request). It was truly incredible. The risotto was rich and creamy. The mushrooms, pureed into the dish, exploded with wonderful flavor. My two guests could not stop raving about every detail. "What kind of cheese is in this?" my friend Marc asked enthusiastically. The waiter came over to aid the discussion, "No cheese," he replied. The conversation continued about the different cooking methods of risotto and all the science behind it. It's that kind of engaging attitude that makes Mascoto a standout.

 The Pollo Caprese ($22.50) was a sophisticated take on chicken parmesan. Two chicken breasts lay on top of a bountiful amount of broccoli and covered with sliced tomatoes, basil and fresh mozzarella cheese. The dish was extremely generous and could even have been shared by two diners. No tricks or gimmicks, just fresh, delicious food.

 My vegetarian buddy Alexandra ordered the Gnocchi Piemontese ($22.50) and substituted the gorgonzola for parmesan and changed the sauce to a simple marinara. Everyone's forks gravitated to her plate. The small, creamy and dense potato dumplings were delicious. It was both filling and delightful.

The Milanese con L'Osso ($22.50) was lightly battered with an arugula salad and fontina cheese shreds covering the top. The pork chops were crispy and savory and once again, provided in a very generous portion.

 To conclude the meal we ordered the Tartufo al Gianduia ($8.50) for dessert. A dome of creamy chocolate hazelnut ice cream was covered in a thin chocolate shell with a maraschino cherry in the center. This was accompanied by a raspberry syrup, blackberries and grapes. The ice cream was smooth and delicious. Think Nutella gelato.  It was devoured immediately and was wonderful.

To make our meal even more enjoyable, the maitre d' sent over three glasses of watermelon infused vodka. My friends were fascinated by the drink and asked questions about the infusion process.

At the end of our meal I realized that my dinner at Moscato was not only about the food, albeit, incredibly delicious and filling, but also about the experience. Rarely do I reflect on a meal with friends as being memorable, but this night was different. We spent two hours schmoozing and eating delicious food. Moscato is a special place for a special occasion or just for the treat of eating genuine superb Italian cuisine.

Moscato is located at 874 Scarsdale Avenue.  They are open every day, Sunday-Thursday- Lunch: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM, Dinner: 4:00 PM - 10:30 PM. Friday and Saturday- Lunch 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM, Dinner 4:00 PM – 11:30 PM.

Moscato accepts all major credit cards and travelers checks.

To make a reservation you can call (914) 723-5700.

For more info you can visit their website.