Celebrating mom and Cinco de Mayo
"Life doesn't come with a manual, it comes with a mother." — Unknown
Cheers to moms everywhere and, since it's also Cinco de Mayo, cheers to margaritas, tacos and seeing friends again.
Hopefully you're going out somewhere to celebrate. Maybe you'll even consider a women-owned restaurant. It might not be something you'd consciously think of — this has long been an industry ruled by men — but times, they are a changing and I'm happy to report on 17 female-fronted spots.
It should be noted that my story was a sampling and there are many more woman-owned spots than what I included, among them Telly's Taverna in Port Chester, Sam's of Gedney Way in White Plains (which Karen Herrero runs with her husband Peter), Dorry's Diner in White Plains and Roost in Sparkill, overseen by co-owner Maria Santini. And, of course, there are also lots of bakeries and coffee shops including Red Barn in Irvington, Baked by Susan in Croton, Mimi's Coffee House in Mount Kisco, Aunt Mia's in Tappan and Caked Up Cafe in New City.
Coffee shops, in fact, are some of the best places to celebrate Mother's Day. You don't need a reservation. You don't have to spend a lot of money. And you get a great cup of coffee.
How do your holiday plans line up with the masses? According to a new survey by the National Restaurant Association, 27% of consumers plan to eat out at a restaurant for Mother's Day with 18% ordering takeout or delivery.
In other specifics:
46% are looking for special Mother’s Day menus
44% are hoping for a free add-in for mom, such as a special cocktail, dessert, flowers, or chocolates
41% want a Mother’s Day discount
Lunch and dinner are the most popular meals to take Mom to with 48% planning to go out for lunch, 45% opting for dinner, 30% meeting for brunch, and 21% planning on breakfast. I, for one, am doing a combination: Dinner with a beloved aunt, cousin and my daughter and her boyfriend Saturday night (I'm going to Philly!) and brunch Sunday at my daughter's involving (most likely) bagels and fruit.
Notable Bites
(Things I ate—and loved — this week)
Frozen strawberry margarita at Cantina Taco & Tequila Bar in White Plains. This place is pure fun, no matter the day, with killer margaritas in a host of flavors and lots of taco options including the ever-popular birria.
Beef tacos at The Taco Project in Pleasantville. Everything here is consistently good.
Porterhouse for two at Averna Italian Steakhouse in Rye. Can't say enough about how much I loved this place — and how much I loved my steak which came sizzling on a plate (and presented on a table that was wheeled out by our waiter). I wanted medium; my friend wanted rare and they literally "cooked" it in front of us on the sizzling plate to perfection.
Carrot cake — and a mini peach cake — from Charlotte's Home Kitchen in Sparkill. I've written about home baker Charlotte Boyle before, but she's since branched out to include more varieties of cakes, all of which can be customized to be gluten-free or vegan and all of which include veggies from her garden. Follow her social media — she's usually at farmers markets in Westchester and Rockland — but you can also order from her direct.
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Jeanne Muchnick covers food and dining. Click here for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram @lohud_food or via the lohudfood newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Cheers to mom -- and to Cinco de Mayo
