Westchester Breakfast Club

:a_Top:

 

 

 

 

964  McLean Ave.

Yonkers NY 10704 (Map)

(914) 776-2001

 

 

The WBC goes to Ireland…ok, ok, we went to Yonkers, to Eileen’s Country Kitchen to be exact. Did we get a little luck of the Irish?

 

Attendees: :jump_to_Sylvia:, :jump_to_Reid:, :jump_to_Shelley:, Jeff

:a_Sylvia:

Eileen’s Country Kitchen is a quaint little eatery located in a part of Yonkers I didn’t even know existed.  Truth be told, I do not frequent Yonkers too much, and when I do, it’s usually areas closer to the Hudson River.  I know it is the largest city in Westchester, but I was a little surprised to discover how large it actually is.

I had the Irish Omelette, which was kind of like the Irish breakfast, but in omelette form.  With that I had the homefries and white toast along with some coffee.

The omelette was pretty good.  In it were diced up Irish sausage, black and white pudding, and I think Irish ham (could have also been Irish bacon); I’m not entirely sure now because there is no menu to reference online.  The potatoes were okay, and the toast was very nicely toasted.  I kept digging into the basket of bread they refilled us up with that had the Irish Soda bread that I really liked. Portion wise, the omelette was perfect; price wise, it was excellent (compared to some other Irish breakfasts we have “enjoyed” in years past).

Eileen’s is definitely a nice family place where you can linger a little.  Judging by the amount of small children that were in the place, I’d say they’re child friendly.

The czar says:  I like it.  I like the food and all the choices available.  I like the homeyness.  I just wish it were closer.  At least I know where to get a hearty Irish breakfast when the mood strikes now!  Maybe I’ll have to pay a visit the next time I’m in Yonkers…for the Yonkers Half Marathon!  I could use some blood pudding after a 13.1 mile run through town.

:back_to_Top:

 

:a_Reid:

The Case: Eileen’s Country Kitchen v. The Westchester Breakfast Club

The Venue: McLean Avenue in Yonkers

The Facts: I’m not a huge fan of the traditional Irish Breakfast (I’ve never been a pudding man), so I decided to go with something more American:  French toast, Irish bacon, and a half Canadian grapefruit.  Of course, by “Canadian,” I mean I actually got the whole grapefruit.  The bacon surprised me.  Frankly, I expected it to be like regular bacon, just called “Irish” to fit the surroundings.   However, it was more like strips of full-on ham, much more thick and chewy than thin and crispy.  The French toast was perfectly fine, though I don’t remember anything special about it.  Finally, the grapefruit was, you know, a grapefruit.  I appreciated them giving me the whole thing though; it was a little bit on the small side, and I think that I would have felt a little cheated with only half of it.  The whole thing was more than sufficient to satisfy my need for sour/bitter.

The Verdict:  A perfectly acceptable breakfast, though I’m unlikely to schelp all the way to Woodlawn for it unless I’ve got some other reason to be there.

:back_to_Top:

 

:a_Shelley:

Stepping into Eileen’s Country Kitchen, I felt a bit like I was stepping into a small family restaurant somewhere in Ireland. Have I ever been to Ireland, you ask? Nope. But this what I imagine. But because I’ve always  found a full Irish breakfast to be too heavy for me, I opted this morning for a basic Western omelette. It was basic, and good.

What I really want to talk about is the desserts we had afterwards. Yes. Desserts. First I took us right across the street from Eileen’s to Anna Artuso’s Pastry shop. Everything looked and smelled so good, it was hard to make a decision. In the end, I opted for a basic sugar cookie, because I was trying to not be too decadant. The sugar cookie was well balanced between buttery and sweet and crumbled nicely with every bite.

But this wasn’t enough for this dessert-lover. As Sylvia and Jeff were driving me home, I began to wish I had gotten a cupcake instead of the cookie. Don’t get me  wrong, the cookie was delicious. It’s just that I found myself really wanting something cakey. So, as we approached Ardsley near the Saw Mill, I barked from the back seat of the car that we should stop at the Riviera Bakehouse. I’ve had cupcakes from Riviera before and their cupcakes have that perfect balance between cake and frosting; the proportion between the two is just rigou don’t, so that you don’t wind up with a handful of frosting left after you’ve eaten the cake (as has happened to me anytime I try a Magnolia cupcake, for instance). This day I chose a carrot cupcake, and it did not disappoint. The cake was moist, there were just enough carrots and nuts, and the cream cheese frosting on top was creamy and smooth. Also, want a hamburger cake? Well, you can get one from Riviera. The bakery is quite known for its selection of colorful, whimsical (and delicious!) cakes.

:back_to_Top: