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Nolan Thornton

About Nolan Thornton

Nolan Thorton is a journalist and screenwriter based in New York's Hudson Valley. When not writing, he enjoys creating music in his spare time.

A “Portal to Europe” and Fine Dining at Mentor’s in Chappaqua

February 25, 2023 by Nolan Thornton

PHOTOS BY NOLAN THORNTON

Enjoy Freshness, Creativity–and even some Mom-Inspired Recipes

Mentor’s Mediterranean Steakhouse is a steakhouse like no other. Located right on King St. in Chappaqua, walking through the French doors into Mentor’s is like walking through a portal to Europe. All the normal steakhouse fare is there like the New York sirloin steak and the potatoes au gratin, but Mentor’s also boasts a vibrant seafood and salad menu. The branzino, for instance, is imported from Greece.

“We use the exact same distributors as the top Mediterranean restaurants in Manhattan,” said Mentor’s owner and namesake, Mentor Berisha. As you can imagine, city quality with local convenience has proven to be a great recipe for success.

The grass-fed beef comes from the Piedemonte region of Italy. Steaks from Piedemonte are considered among the best in the world, much like Kobe beef from Japan. Chefs dry-age the already beautiful cuts of meat from 35 to 41 days, ensuring the highest possible level of quality. Domestic cuts like their lamb chops and veal chops come from the heartland, like Nebraska and Colorado. “I’ve been in business with my vendor for 20 years,” said Berisha. Ensuring the highest possible quality product is tantamount for Berisha.

There is no rule for the perfect meal at Mentor’s because the truth is that you really can’t go wrong, but a perfect meal at Mentor’s certainly might contain some of the following:

Mentor’s Mediterranean Chips, Octopus, Caprese Salad, and the Spanakopita Rolls to start. One of the great things about the restaurant is that even the dishes that might seem on the heavier side are light and refreshing. None of the appetizers will ruin your appetite before the main event.

The Cacio e Pepe or the Bucatini each make for wonderful middle courses. The Cacio e Pepe, Mentor’s speciality, is prepared tableside utilizing a gigantic wheel of Romano cheese. The flavor alone is worth the price, but the added bonus of the show makes this item a must for any first timers at Mentor’s.

Like every great steakhouse, Mentor’s has every side dish imaginable. From creamed spinach to truffle fries to brussel sprouts, Berisha made sure that no customer would ever be refused a steakhouse favorite.

And finally, going with a dry-aged NY Sirloin is a can’t-miss for the main course. The only problem with Mentor’s is that you’ll almost certainly be tempted with other options like the Chilean Sea Bass or the Whole Branzino.

When Berisha opened Mentor’s in June, there weren’t really any restaurants trying to do what he had in mind: combine a traditional Mediterranean restaurant with a traditional American steakhouse. “Folks get bored really quickly with the same items on the menu,” said Berisha. He wanted a restaurant where a group of people could go out for dinner and everyone could actually find something that they wanted – not simply settle for the same old dishes. Berisha admitted there were challenges trying to make this new concept work, but at the end of the day everything clearly worked out. “I wanted to bring these folks something different, and I think I’ve achieved it,” said Berisha.

Berisha’s love for seafood and Mediterranean cuisine is in his blood. He was born in Croatia but grew up in Kosovo. “A lot of the dishes came from my mother’s cooking and my grandmother’s cooking,” said Berisha. Growing up, Berisha’s mother had to get to stretch a budget. “She always found the freshest ingredients and seasoned everything beautifully but simply, with salt and pepper and homemade olive oil,” said Berisha. This approach was not only essential, but also forms the core of Mentor’s Steakhouse and the Mediterranean palette in general. Mentor’s food is delicious in large part because the fresh ingredients are allowed to speak for themselves.

Berisha isn’t just passionate about the food; he’s equally enthusiastic about the community. “It’s my privilege to welcome people at the door and to make the Cacio e Pepe tableside when I can,” said Berisha. “I fell in love with Chappaqua. It’s a beautiful, beautiful town.” Berisha appreciates all the love and support he and his staff have received since opening their doors earlier this year and he is eager to pay it forward. “I will be nothing but supportive for everyone in this great town,” Berisha said.

Visit https://mentorssteakhouse.com/

Filed Under: Restaurant Spotlight Tagged With: dining, Food, Mentor Berisha, Mentor's Mediterranean Steakhouse, steakhouse

Old Stone Trattoria’s Recipes for Success & Delicious Dining

November 9, 2022 by Nolan Thornton

Old Stone Trattoria has been a staple of the community for over a decade, thanks in no small part to the hard work of owner Angelo Tradito. If Old Stone’s customers had to have one complaint about him or the restaurant, it’s that his Chappaqua hotspot is only open six days a week! From their specialties Chicken Scarpiello and their homemade Fusilli to the perennial crowd favorite Chicken Parmesan, it can be difficult to keep ingredients on the shelf. That’s fine with Tradito because the fresh ingredients are part of the secret to Old Stone Trattoria’s success. “It’s fresh ingredients and love,” said Tradito. It’s hard to think of a better recipe than that.

When you first sit down, you are greeted by a basket of warm bread and a delicious tomato and olive oil dip. There is an excellent assortment of additional appetizers as well, such as the Black Truffle Burra. The only thing to keep in mind is to not fill up before the entrees! Old Stone is famous for their pizza, but their entrees are not to be overlooked. The Penne Ala Old Stone is an excellent choice for patrons of all ages. Kids love the creamy pink sauce that’s reminiscent of a vodka sauce, and the parents love the pancetta and mushrooms that really sends it over the edge.

All the recipes were handed down from Tradito’s parents, who ran a restaurant themselves where Tradito served as head chef for many years. Good food runs deep in the family. They immigrated to the United States from Italy when Tradito was five and have honored their roots ever since. Old Stone’s food is prepared in a traditional Sicilian style. Their Chicken Parmesan and their Eggplant Parmesan, for instance, eschew the typical breadcrumb method for a lighter egg wash and flour treatment. That might be part of the reason why they go through four pounds of eggplant a week according to Traditio. Speaking of vegetables, a side order of the Broccoli Rabe is an absolute must! And if you want more, the Broccoli Rabe and Sausage Pasta is an incredible choice for an entree.

Not only does Old Stone have great food, they have a great staff as well. Every employee works hard to make sure you have a wonderful meal. This all comes back to passion that Tradito displays. “I love getting to know the customer and I love the customer getting to know us,” he said. Tradito knows many customers on a first name basis, including Bill Clinton, who can be spotted picking up takeout from Old Stone Trattoria just like every other Chappaqua resident. But Old Stone Trattoria doesn’t care who you are. You’ll still be greeted with a warm smile and great food no matter what. “When I step inside, it’s like I’m home,” said Tradito. It shows. When you eat at Old Stone Trattoria, you’re in Tradito’s house, tasting his food that was passed down from his parents. You’re one of the family.

The history of Old Stone Trattoria reads like a movie script. Tradito had lived in Chappaqua for years before opening up Old Stone, but had since moved away. One day, he was paying a visit to his old stomping grounds when he stumbled upon a vacant building that just spoke to him. As luck would have it, the realtor was hanging a for lease sign just as Tradito was making his way over to get a better look, and the rest was history. Old Stone celebrated its 12-year anniversary in September, and there are no signs of slowing down.

Old Stone Trattoria is open for dine-in and takeout services from Tuesday through Sunday at 425 King Street in Chappaqua. If dining in, it is recommended to make a reservation.

Visit oldstonetrattoria.com

Filed Under: Holidays with our Sponsors, Sponsor News! Tagged With: Angelo Tradito, Italian Restaurant, Old Stone Trattoria, Pizza

Pleasantville Rocks this Summer

June 1, 2022 by Nolan Thornton

On Saturday, July 9, thousands will gather in Parkway Field for “New York’s backyard jam,” the 16th Annual Pleasantville Music Festival, presented by Northwell Health. The day promises to be full of great music, great food and drinks, a beer and wine garden, activities to keep the kids happy, and will even be carbon-neutral to ensure sustainability. The lineup includes alt-rockers X Ambassadors, folk rockers 10,000 Maniacs featuring Mary Ramsey, the blues, funk, and soul act Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, singer-songwriter Paula Cole, and many others. This is truly a day that will be loved by all.

The universality of the Pleasantville Music Festival is no mistake. “When it comes to choosing who we go after, we really try to vary the artists based upon their music style and also the demographics of the audience. Our audience is diverse in terms of age and tastes, so I try to check off as many different boxes as I can,” said Bruce Figler, executive director of the festival. The fans are always put first, and the lineup is always new and exciting. Many of the acts like X Ambassadors and 10,000 Maniacs featuring Mary Ramsey are making their debut appearances at the festival. This is also by design. “We try to avoid booking acts multiple times. Years ago, we would repeat the occasional artist, but we found that our audience prefers that we keep it fresh,” said Figler.

You won’t just get the big names you hear on the radio, either. The festival is always showcasing great new talent that you’ve probably never heard of. “When it comes to lesser known artists, we keep our ears open. We weed through the hundreds and hundreds of artist submissions sent to the Festival every year. 

We check out leads. We visit music venues,” said Figler. The Pleasantville Music Festival, like a great radio station, gives you what you want, but they also show you something new. Figler also put an emphasis on the community in this process, saying, “we are particularly interested in bands who either are local or have local roots,’ and added, “what makes the selection process so difficult is the sheer amount of really good talent that’s out there.”

Figler knows a thing or two about music. When he isn’t working on the festival, he is a weekend DJ at 107.1 the Peak, the festival’s radio sponsor. It was Figler who first partnered them up almost 20 years ago, when he first started working for the station. Back in those days, he was just a “nonessential player” at the festival. He would introduce bands as one of the DJs from the sponsoring station and sit backstage and enjoy the music. All that changed in 2015 when there was a change of management for the festival, and Figler was asked to be the new musical director. They retooled the festival somewhat, moving away from their more folk oriented routes, and booking bands like the alt-rockers The Gin Blossoms. That year proved to be a big success, and earned a profit for Pleasantville.

The executive director stepped down the following year, and Figler was asked if he would take on the job. “My immediate reaction was, ‘No, I don’t need that in my life’. And my wife said the same thing,” said Figler. The festival had also grown since he had become involved with it.“There are so many moving parts,” said Figler. But he went on to realize,“I had a staff that knew exactly what they were doing.” And with the help of that incredible staff, Figler has guided the festival to new heights over the last several years.

Figler and his staff have faced their set of challenges, the pandemic certainly being one of them. “We had 2020 underway, but we had to pull the plug on it,” said Figler. But after all this time, The Pleasantville Music Festival is coming racing back. “Live music is a wonderful thing, and people have missed it over the last couple of years,” said Figler. Anticipation is already high. Every year before the lineup is announced, the festival does a presale for three or four months and sells a couple hundred tickets. This year their presale lasted three weeks and sold over 700 tickets. “The proof is in the pudding,” said Figler. 

The gates open for the festival on Saturday, July, 2022, at 11 a.m. Performances begin at noon and end at 9 p.m. There will be three stages, the main stage, the party stage, and the chill tent stage. 

X Ambassadors will headline the main stage, Paula Cole will headline the chill tent stage, and rock duo Illiterate Light will headline the party stage. The finals of the Battle of the Bands, presented by Lagond Music, will also take place as part of the festival that day, at Lagond Music in Elmsford. It’s a world-class experience and you don’t even have to leave Pleasantville.

Filed Under: Gotta Have Arts

Gifted Communications Pro, Humorist & Playwright Larry Eckerle Sets his Sights on Broadway with The Sake of Appearances

June 1, 2022 by Nolan Thornton

Photo by Mona-Marie Kuceluk

Larry Eckerle is many things: a father, a husband, a communications whiz, and a playwright to boot. “I’ve always had a dream of writing for the stage,” said Eckerle. He mostly writes comedies. “I think humor is a great way to disarm people and maybe engage them. Right now, that matters.”

He began his career in advertising and marketing, but his comedic sensibilities always shined through. “Humor would creep into my corporate work, and depending on the client, it was either a great fit or an uncomfortable one,” said Eckerle. “It wasn’t that they were terrible places to work; I just often felt terribly out of place working there.”

So Larry started Zero Gravity Group in 2002. His focus was helping employees connect to their company mission and find more value in what they do day to day. “I used many tactics I learned in corporate advertising, marketing, as guiding principles for the employee engagement work I do,” said Eckerle.

Eckerle and his wife have three sons, one of whom recently produced a film that won top honors at the 2022 South by Southwest film festival. “I draw a lot of strength and inspiration from my family,” said Eckerle. His wife Andrea is a renowned speech-language pathologist. “Communication runs through the entire family,” said Eckerle.

He took a chance a few years back and reached out to his hero and fellow Bronx native, playwright Neil Simon. To Eckerle’s shock, Simon responded, and they corresponded for a while, with Simon giving Eckerle the encouragement he needed to chase his playwriting dream. Then came a chance encounter with Broadway and film producer Julian Schlossberg. Julian helped Larry develop his play, The Sake of Appearances (about two ghosts trapped in an old, historic tavern in New York City, and a brand new employee who can see them). Julian even arranged a table read with several well known Broadway actors.

“It was one of the most unnerving, yet surprisingly comfortable experiences of my life,” said Eckerle. He was mesmerized and humbled as the veteran actors performed his dialogue and laughed at the lines he had written. The play was gaining steady momentum until March of 2020, when Broadway, like everything else, closed its doors.

But Eckerle persevered. He submitted other plays he’d written to national playwriting festivals, winning Semi-Finalist recognition in the Ashland Play Festival and Garry Marshall New Works Festival; and his one-act comedy, Gary Goodman’s Goodbye, was produced by the Brewster Theater Company last September. All in all, not a bad year.

 As COVID hopefully wanes, Eckerle is optimistic about his play, The Sake of Appearances, getting produced. Through his rollercoaster ride of trying to get his work on stage, Eckerle has crossed paths with many wonderfully generous people including Neil Simon, Elaine May and Woody Allen. Eckerle remembered asking May her suggestions for overcoming writer’s block.  She gave great advice for every writer: “You just keep going. It’s the process.  The ideas will come. Just keep writing.”  

That’s exactly what Eckerle plans to do.

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: Larry Eckerle, playwright, The Sake of Appearances

Benvenuto! At Tesoro D’Italia, Expect an ‘Old School Attention to Detail’

April 8, 2022 by Nolan Thornton

PHOTOS BY Donna Mueller

Enjoy Tesoro D’Italia for their New Event Options and a Fine Dining Experience Anytime!

Tesoro D’Italia is quickly becoming one of Pleasantville’s go-to spots for a date-night, private event, family dinner, and everything in between. Located at 160 Marble Avenue, the Italian restaurant caters to Pleasantville and the surrounding area. The space is quite large, but it’s inviting too. Inside, the decor is familiar: authentic, yet fresh. Bottles of wine line the walls of their private event room. It’s a space you want to enjoy an Italian meal in!

“My menu is mostly classic Italian northern cuisine, with a little bit of southern,” said owner and proprietor Peter Lucaj. The menu ranges from kid-friendly dishes like Penne Alla Vodka to more refined options like Chicken Ripieno, which is stuffed with asparagus, mozzarella, and fontina cheese. “My restaurant is like three restaurants in one,” said Lucaj. It certainly is. Tesoro D’Italia has just about every Italian entree you’ve heard of, plus some you haven’t.

As with all great restaurants, sometimes it can be difficult to decide what to eat. Luckily, Lucaj has us covered. Their signature dish is the Pappardelle Tesoro, which he highly recommends. The pasta dish is made with their homemade meat sauce, fresh tomatoes, basil, and mushrooms, with light cream.

If you’re craving chicken, you can’t go wrong with Chicken Della Nonna, an intriguing dish of pan-seared chicken topped with prosciutto, broccoli rabe, and mozzarella cheese in a pesto cream sauce topped with two jumbo shrimp. The dish is named after Lucaj’s grandmother.

Not only does Tesoro D’Italia feature an extensive menu, they are proud to offer a weekly rotating-specials menu. Lucaj is adamant that the specials not just include an appetizer, entree, and a desert, but one of each type of appetizer and entree, i.e. a pasta special and a seafood special.. A friendly staff are always more than happy to assist with ordering from the many choices on the menu.

Discover its Jewel of a Private Wine Cellar

The multitude of options aren’t limited to the food. “I have over 350 different wines by the bottle,” Lucaj said. The gem of Tesoro’s collection is a jaw-dropping $1,600 Schrader Cellars wine out of Napa. But you don’t have to break the bank at Tesoro either. Bottles of wine start at $30.

Tesoro’s private dining room also happens to be a private wine cellar. Lined with thousands of bottles, the room is the perfect place for events of up to 25 people. Tesoro also has a semi-private area that can accommodate up to 150 people. With all the different private spaces, you would think there’s no room for the main dining room, but you would be underestimating Tesoro D’Italia’s building. “I love this place,” said Lucaj. It’s almost like it was purposely built to host his business.

Most people who host events at Tesoro opt for house wine, but Peter will work with you if you want to upgrade. There are many different event packages available. The private wine cellar space even comes equipped with a flatscreen TV on the wall for corporate events. In fact, events are part of the DNA of Tesoro. Lucaj worked hard to ensure his restaurant is the perfect place to host a part of any size. 

Lucaj and his entire team at Tesoro work hard. Tesoro D’Italia cares about their customers, and it shows. “As soon as a customer walks in the door, we do everything we can to make them feel at home,” said Lucaj. “If just one person leaves my restaurant before I get a chance to ask them personally how their meal is, something is wrong.” It’s that kind of old-school attention to detail that makes Tesoro D’Italia the truly special place that it is. While great for events, it’s also perfect for a date-night, or a family meal. “I always tell my customers, don’t come without the kids,” said Lucaj.

Whatever your occasion is, Tesoro D’Italia can make it special. Start off with the Antipasto Platter and finish off with the Pappardelle Tesoro for your main, if you’re going for dinner, and enjoy some wine from their remarkable collection. It’s a perfect night or day out, no matter the occasion. Visit tesoroditaliany.com 

Filed Under: Words & Wisdoms From Our Sponsors Tagged With: #NationalSchoolWalkout, Event Venue, Italian Restaurant, Old School Attention, Old World Charm, Pleasantville, Tesoro Di italia

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