Kanopi’s Ethereal Cuisine And Perch Are Reasons To Drive To White Plains New York

I’ve lengthy adopted the culinary profession of Anthony Gonçalves since, as a self-taught chef, he owned a preferred restaurant within the New York suburb of White Plains named Trotters, earlier than being employed as government chef on the Ritz-Carlton Lodge that went up close by. His expertise was evident instantly, proudly primarily based on Iberian traditions, though within the aerie on the forty second and forty third flooring of the resort, his delicacies grew to become extra expansive and a bit self-consciously modernist, primarily based on the fad for extravagant compositions pioneered by chef Ferran Adrià. Gonçalves additionally had an adjunct the place he served tapas in wistful methods.

Now, with a brand new proprietor and a reputation change to the Opus Westchester as of final Might, the previous eating room is all occasion house, with an adjoining hallway that’s now Gonçalves’s most spectacular and private effort but, known as Kanopi, whose altitude (reached by taking two elevators) and wall of home windows permits a panorama that stretches from the Hudson River to the cityscape of Manhattan. As spring comes on, a desk at twilight is sort of stunning.

The house itself, with simply six tables, every oddly blocked from view of one another, used to have a shiny open kitchen on the alternative wall, however Gonçalves says he hated being gawked at and now it’s only a grey wall. The desk settings, with white tablecloths, set with little Jeff Koons-style collectible figurines, glow properly within the smooth lighting. Stemware is of excellent high quality, and numerous dishes are served on numerous china.

Kanopi presents three tasting menus, whose dishes change typically. (Gonçalves says he retains monitor of company’ meals and vows by no means to repeat a dish after they return.) The six-course vegan menu is $145, with $100 wine pairings out there; the five-course “Bem Vindos” menu of blended meals is $145, with wines at $95; the seven-course Chef’s Tasting Voyage is $195, with wines at $125.

Whereas I’ve my reservations about proselytizing vegans, I’m as delighted as any to feast on vegetable displays as delectable as Gonçalves’s, all of them richly flavorful (with out dairy) and texturally refined.

I haven’t the house to do justice in describing all the various dishes from the three menus my social gathering of three loved, so I’ll give attention to these most consultant of the innovation and high quality of elements.

We started with richly creamy cow’s milk cheese, roasted garlic, lardo and anchovies (these final extraordinarily salty) as a high-quality rustic starting squarely within the tapas custom, as was tempura-fried shitake mushrooms, string beans and eggplant with Marcona almond butter and a contact of Catalonian honey mustard. There was extra goat’s cheese with stunning magenta beets, evenly smoked trout roe and yogurt, after which a hamachi ceviche tangy with finger limes and a Meyer lemon-honey French dressing. Ricotta was mixed with black truffles together with São Jorge cheese tortellini in a sprightly, refreshing lemon-dashi cacio e peperendition. A properly chewy risotto obtained its chocolate brown shade from mushrooms.

Completely grilled branzino with a crispy pores and skin got here with candy parsnips, the scent of garlic and an enoki mushroom escabeche. A beef dish was constituted of the deckle (which is the idea of pastrami) sliced away from the loins and possessing an incredible quantity of candy fatty marbling, accompanied by Yukon gold potato, scallions and grilled romaine lettuce.

The desserts have been playful: banana flan and ice cream, chocolate, chestnut, pistachio and black truffles; and a surprisingly tasty foie gras macaron, with tomato and toasted sesame seeds.

The menu says {that a} meal at Kanopi could take two to a few hours, and the latter is way extra probably, and, with many glasses of wine (there’s a specialty cocktail record, too) and a lot meals, it might appear laborious to some. Service is cordial and sommelier Danny Martins may be very educated in regards to the in depth wine record of Portugal’s best bottlings.

I hold my use of the phrase “extraordinary” to a minimal in my reviews, however no different phrase so properly describes the meals that Gonçalves is producing at Kanopi, with each dish impeccably thought via, balanced and offered with creativeness and noteworthy approach.

Though the Michelin Information has little of the credibility it used to, the corporate has lately beneficial just a few Westchester County eating places pretty much as good selections. With the opening of Kanopi, the Information may properly wish to award a star or two this 12 months and recommend a visit to White Plains for anybody excited about meals at this stage.

KANOPI

The Opus Westchester Lodge

1 Renaissance Sq., White Plains, NY

914-761-4242

Kanopi is open for dinner Wed.-Sat. Free valet parking.