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SOMERS, N.Y. — Local legend has it the small red and white building that stands on the northwest corner of Route 100 and Route 35 was originally a hangout in the 1920s for fishermen who came up from the city. Since, then it has been through many incarnations.
Its latest is thanks to Ann-Margaret Wagner and Eddie Lubic, owner of Italian restaurant Eduardo’s in Mount Kisco, who bought the historic building from chef Reka Souwapawong in May, gave it an extensive renovation and renamed it the Muscoot Tavern.
Muscoot's menu, which had been Italian only, is now comprised of traditional tavern food at budget-friendly prices, with some Italian choices mixed in.
“It’s all my recipes. No matter who’s cooking back there, it will be consistent,” said Lubic, whose father opened Pizza Village in Mount Kisco in 1969. Lubic Jr. took over the spot in the 1980s, renaming it Eduardo's.
“It’s just a well-rounded menu. It has something for everyone,” he said, like the smoky brisket burger he created and the thin crust clam pizza.
Co-owner Wagner, who has a background in restaurant management, has her own menu contributions: gluten-free items and healthier options like the Portobello burger and the salmon burger.
Before retooling the menu, the Mahopac couple, who have a 5-year-old daughter together, had to perform a long overdue renovation: they tore up the floor, installed a new kitchen, re-painted the interior and exterior, fixed the foundation, gutted the bathrooms, extended the ceilings and turned an office into a small, private dining area.
As one necessary repair after another came to light, the true magnitude of the job became clear – “It kind of snowballed,” said Wagner.
The building's extensive wear and tear makes sense, given that it is thought to be one of the oldest buildings in Westchester. It may have also been moved from Muscoot Farm property at one point, Wagner said.
Originally the Muscoot Diner in the 1920s, it was bought by Lottie Burke and renamed the Muscoot Restaurant in the 1960s, then became a German restaurant called The Little Brauhaus, then back to the Muscoot Restaurant under Burke's daughter until the late 1990s when it was bought again and became the Muscoot Inn.
Wagner and Lubic opened their doors on July 10, and are looking forward to holding a festive grand opening event sometime within the next few weeks.
When it comes to a restaurant’s grand opening, “You only get one chance to do it right," Wagner said. “We want to make sure we do it right the first time.”
Comments (4)
I look forward to trying this new Tavern next time we are in the area.
My husband and I eat out frequently but we keep returning to Eduardo's as the food is consistently good! It is a great casual neighborhood place and we have probably tried a majority of the items on the menu and have never been disappointed. Also, their house salad dressing is delicious; not the usual bland vinaigrette.
The new muscoot is a hit!
I don’t know how the old place stayed in business. I guess the health inspector had never eaten there; otherwise it would have been shutdown long ago. The one time I did eat there before it was luckily taken over, was a scary experience. Sticking to the floors making my way to the table should have been my first warning. Then the tables, which did not look like they had been cleaned, ever, we even stickier. The staff was friendly, but the décor was something out of a scary movie, with cobwebs everywhere and dust for days. I ordered their “famous” stuffed shrimp, which arrived on a plate that was caked in grease and utensils that look like they came of out the TO BE CLEANED pile of silverware. By the time the entrée actually arrived, I was already losing my appetite. The shrimp was floating in some yellow and white sauce (assuming it was cream based) and was mixed with breadcrumbs. I don’t know what I was eating, but it didn’t taste like shrimp. After finishing half of it, I had enough and promptly asked for the check to leave.
The new owners have done a wonderful job of cleaning up the place and bringing life back to what was a dying restaurant. I laugh at the old “regulars” of the old place who have nothing good to say about the new. Everything is better including an outstanding menu of good “Bar” food. I have been there a couple times since they have opened and have not been disappointed once. I am a foodie and have eaten at some of the best restaurants in NYC and Westchester, this place is up there on my list. Personally, I think they have the best burger in Westchester and an outstanding Clam pizza… My guess is the old “regulars” are use to crappy food and don’t know how to appreciate good food. Check this place out, you won’t be disappointed.
We live close and will be excited to try it. Hopefully the have some great micro-brews on tap. We need a good beer-n-burger joint close by.
As a regular at the former Muscoot Inn and having dined at the new Muscoot Tavern, all I can say is the food has gone down hill considerably. My wife and I ate there several weeks ago and had one of the worst dining experiences in our lives. The food was terrible. The only good things about the new place is that the much needed facelift is a success and the service was good.