Westchester/Rockland changes: Eric Gabrynowicz leaving North, Peter Kelly selling Freelance/Xaviars

I’m with you!!!

Amen sistah! Ice cream & winecountry - let’s open up that delicious and down-to-earth restaurant that Westchester desperately needs! :slight_smile:

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So, the new owner of Xaviars/Freelance Cafe still doesn’t seem to have a website, but Xaviars has a Groupon running for anyone who might want to try it under the new ownership. Recent Groupon reviews are all 5*.

https://www.groupon.com/deals/xaviars-at-piermont-3

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It seems Chef Peter has a new venture with Bill Murray and Mikhail Baryshnikov - vodka!

http://sloveniavodka.com/bill-murray/

I wouldn’t say a new venture. It came out around 4.5-5 years ago. Late 2012/early 2013 if I remember right. It’s mostly Peter Kelly’s project. He came to one of my bar/restaurant openings and loved my signature cocktails, especially a Gin Quince Old Fashioned. One of my Nouveau Fashioned line of cocktails based on the simplicity of the Old Fashioned. He enjoyed several, then a few days later he met with me so I could taste the vodka. It was quite good and we stocked a case.

Thanks! Glad it’s good. I like Peter Kelly a lot. I’ve met him a few times at Restaurant X.

Westchester Magazine reviewed North in the new edition. They didn’t like it nearly as much as when Eric was there. I know the magazine gets a lot of well-deserved flack because they’re rarely critical, but this time they were, maybe because it had been so good. I haven’t been there since Eric left, mainly because they haven’t done HVRW and I don’t feel like trying it at full price.

I can’t find the article on their website yet but I assume it will be up in the next few days.

With Westchester Magazine the negative review could be because maybe they don’t advertise as much! FWIW I have not liked North in a while, even with Eric there. High prices, mediocre service and food that was not up to par on my last two visits.

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Here’s the article:

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Thanks, MisterBill

Our one special occasion brunch at North was a disgrace. The service was skewed to fawn over regulars, so even though we were the first group to be seated (as a party of three), our server visited us only after extensively greeting 4 other tables. Very young children ran around the downstairs dining room with zero supervision, but since they were the children of regulars, the servers and hostess only smiled and laughed despite the safety issues that were created. While other tables received multiple Mimosa and plain OJ refills, we received one. Our then-15-year old son requested a pasta dish without mushrooms. He was given a plate of completely dry fettuccini with a long, dark hair in it. My fish dish was so salty, it was inedible. The only decent thing we were served was the chocolate chip cookie. I still get upset thinking about the whole experience.

Wow, that sure beats our worst experience there!!! Holy cow! I’ve had the kid run around thing at Village Social, and that annoys me, but when you are laying out that kind of money for a meal, no freaking way!

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Exactly. Never again. I don’t mind paying a higher price for a good-to-great meal, but not for that kind of experience.

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That fawning over regulars is one of the main reasons I am done with them and have been for a while. Obnoxious, rude, and pretentious. The rest of your meal sounds like a nightmare too.

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I’ve been there before and after. We are not regulars and I always thought the service was not up to par. Yes they love their regular customers. After Eric left the music was made significantly louder and the lights dimmer, neither a positive. The food became inconsistent. No reason to return.

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Freelance is still open and xaviars has changed the name to seasons of piermont. The same staff and chefs that worked under Peter kelly remain.

Www.seasonspiermont.com
Www.freelancecafe-Piermont.com

But I assume Peter’s brother is no longer hosting at Freelance?

Thanks for the update, Erica. Have you tried either since the change? Ned Kelly has a flower, gift and special events shop down the street: Ned Kelly & Co.

Couldn’t think of his name!!!