Winston restaurant located in Mt. Kisco, New York launched in late September 2014 and is already making its mark on the restaurant scene with Executive Chef Michael Williams as the talent in the kitchen, and General Manager Paul Neagu, as the creative force behind the restaurant’s impressive wine list and specialty cocktails. The ambience is lively, the service is attentive, and the cuisine is well worth the drive to Mt. Kisco, New York.
We had dinner at the 81-seat restaurant in late October 2014 one month after the restaurant’s opening, and what makes Winston unique is that it offers guests three distinct dining options: the first floor bar offers more casual dining with guests able to select from the bar menu or the complete menu, the second floor offers fine dining service, and the third floor has a rooftop bar overlooking Mt. Kisco where guests can enjoy the full menu to complement the views.
Winston Restaurant
Designed by the award-winning firm Grandberg & Associates Architects, the restaurant is architecturally interesting with exposed steel beams and metal railings, wood floors, and brick walls accented with wall sconces and lined with attractive photographs and artwork. Oil burning candles in clear round balls cast a soft glow on tables double dressed with pristine linens and charger plates with a large W in the center.
Winston Restaurant – Upstairs Dining
General Manager Paul Neagu has created an impressive wine program of wines ranging in price by the bottle from $39 to $489, a Library Wine List where guests have the opportunity to enjoy rarer wines by the bottle ranging in price from $79 to $2,429, and also offers a diverse selection of Wines By the Glass for those who wish to experience different wines to pair with their courses, or for couples who part company when it comes to red versus white wine.
Inviting Bar
Cocktailians will appreciate that in addition to the standard liquors and liqueurs offered at the bar, there are also many small-batch artisanal spirits offering the opportunity to try something different, as well as an inspired specialty cocktail menu.
Winston Restaurant Dining
We began our evening partaking of the view from the roof-top bar where we enjoyed glasses of champagne to stimulate our appetites before having dinner on the second floor. The roof-top bar area has 8 stools, high top tables and chairs, and comfortable outdoor sofas to gather and converse with friends over wine or cocktails.
Arugula Salad
The menu is divided into categories of Greens, Starters, and Entrees, and we explored all three categories. From the Greens section, we had the Kale and Arugula Salad with tomatoes, onions, glazed walnuts, feta, and aged balsamic dressing, and the Classic Caesar Salad with shaved Reggiano, brioche garlic crouton, and lemon Caesar dressing.
Caesar Salad
For starters, we had the Salmon Tartar, which was studded with dill, chives, and crispy shallots, and garnished with Gaufrette potatoes, sliced cucumbers, and frisee tossed with lemon shallot dressing, and accompanied by sliced grilled bread.
Salmon Tartar
We also had the Pan Seared Crab Cake, which was another winner, presented as two golden crown crab cakes nestled on a quenelle of watermelon guacamole, with dots of chipotle sauce on the plate to impart another layer of flavor to this tasty course.
Pan Seared Crab Cake
Entrees are a mix of meat, poultry, fish, and vegetarian. We opted for the Moroccan Duck Breast with orange, honey, spices, potato gratin, mushroom medley, and duck jus, and the Halibut with black quinoa, zucchini, and nuts.
Moroccan Duck Breast
We went separate ways on our wine selection, to pair with the duck we had the Cotes Du Rhone Blend, Domaine Patrice Magni 2011 which was aromatic with earthy, spicy notes, dark fruit on the nose and palate with hints of chocolate and soft tannins that was perfect with the beautifully prepared duck redolent with its exotic spices of coriander and cumin.
The halibut was gorgeous, tender, moist and flaky presented with a crispy skin garnished with micro-greens on a bed of black quinoa studded with diced zucchini and nuts, and paired with a glass of Gruner Veltliner, Gobelsburger, Kamptal, Austria 2013, which proved to be an admirable companion with its fresh apple and mineral notes on the nose, with slight pepper and fruit on the palate, and clean finish.
Halibut
Portions are ample and beautifully presented to visually stimulate the eyes and then deliver the goods on the palate. Every chef has his favorite spices and Chef Michael Williams, an American citizen born in Korea, who spent his youth living and traveling in Asia before moving to the United States to attend college, brings a rich medley of spices to the restaurant’s culinary palette.
Chef Michael Williams
A memorable meal must begin with an amazing appetizer or starter and must finish with an equally impressive dessert. Chef Michael Williams is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York (now known as the International Culinary Center), and while he has a Pastry Chef who creates the desserts, it is a team effort in the development of ideas.
The dessert menu was lovely and inspired, and we had the Warm Pumpkin Tart, which was a delicious pumpkin custard in a flaky almond crust topped with cinnamon ice cream with caramel sauce drizzled on the plate that heralded the autumn season.
Warm Pumpkin Tart
We also had the Rice Pudding, which was a chai tea rice pudding with a creamy layer of milk and honey panna cotta with a light and crispy cinnamon meringue presented in an asymmetrical glass bowl set on a triangle of banana leaf on a white plate. The accompanying dessert wine was a Semillon, Cerones 2011, Sauterne, which was lovely with its light sweetness and ended our dining experience at Winston on a high note.
Rice Pudding
Winston serves Dinner Tuesday through Thursday from 5:00 pm until 10:00 pm, Friday and Saturday from 5:00 pm until 11:00 pm, and Sunday from 5:00 pm until 9:00 pm. Winston’s also has Happy Hour Tuesday through Thursday from 5:00 pm until 6:30 pm where General Manager Paul Neagu has created an interesting program of wines by the glass and specialty cocktails. The restaurant is closed on Monday.
Mt. Kisco is located 36 miles from Manhattan and 23 miles from Greenwich, Connecticut, with ample parking in the rear of the building. For guests arriving by train, the restaurant is a short walk from the Metro North train station.
Visit their website www.WinstonRestaurant.com or call 1-914-244-9780 for additional information or reservations.
Read the Chefs’ Recipes section for an interview with Chef Michael Williams who shares a delicious taste of the restaurant with his recipe for Karaage Chicken.
Winston Restaurant
130 East Main Street
Mt. Kisco, New York 10549
United States
Telephone: +1-914-244-9780
Email: info@winstonrestaurant.com
Website: www.WinstonRestaurant.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/WinstonDining
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