At the former home of Zachys: First look at One Rare Italian Steakhouse

One could argue there's something in the building's bones at 16 E. Parkway in Scarsdale. What had long been one family-owned business — Zachys Wine & Liquor, Inc. was there 78 years before moving to Port Chester last year — is now another.

One Rare Italian Steakhouse, an upscale 120-plus-seat space with white tablecloths, gold lights on each table, a hexagon gold-flecked 3D tile wall, and a striking bar, opens Jan. 27. It's run by longtime restaurateur Harry Sinanaj and his nephews Gen Nikqui, the restaurant's general manager, and Admir Alibasic, the chef. All three cut their chops, so to speak, at Ben & Jack's Steakhouse in Manhattan, which Sinanaj has owned since 2005.

Sinanaj, who's worked in various capacities at a host of restaurants in New York City since he came to this country from Albania in 1983 (and later owned a second Ben & Jack's), has long had his eye on Westchester, as it's where he lives. So, when he heard the internationally known Zachys was moving out, he and his family immediately checked out the space.

"Why not bring a New York City style steakhouse to Westchester?" said Nikqui. "And what better town than Scarsdale?"

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New lease on life

They took over the lease last July and, with the help of Scarsdale residents Heidi and Michael Kahn, the husband and wife visionaries behind New York's Kahn Architecture & Design, created the kind of open space they wanted: a mixture of old and new. That means a variety of materials were used to create distinct zones that flow together within One Rare’s 10,000 square foot space such as an industrial metal and limestone bar, wood grain ceiling baffles which mimic a pergola and the aforementioned gold tile accents and textured fabric panels in the formal dining area.

"When you first walk in it's like an old steakhouse," said Sinanaj. "But as you move towards the back, it gets a little more modern.

"We didn't want lots of darks woods that you'd find in a typical steakhouse. This is much brighter."

Indeed, Zachys' large store, once full of shelves of wines and other liquors, has been transformed. It's now an airy space with a 20-seat bar on the left, and pristinely set tables against a backdrop of blue upholstered chairs on the right. Behind the bar is a large cushioned baquette that seats up to 10 underneath a skylight with a view of a raised tile wall across the dining room.

They also took full advantage of Zachys' well-known arched windows in the front, which bring in light and add an excitement factor from the street.

What had been the Zachys wine room is still a wine room, with traditional woods, displays of fine wines and a table set in the middle for private dining. The Presidential Suite, as it's now called, fits up to eight. The old Zachys offices, however, are another story. They are now a private dining area, with seating for up to 50, featuring bright modern lighting and a glassed-in wine vault. It's appropriately called The Glass Room.

More than steak

The food is just as well thought out as the design. Chef Alibasic, who's worked in kitchens since he was 17, said he wanted to keep elements from an old school steakhouse but add the kinds of twists and plays that go with an Italian cuisine theme. So, while steak is certainly front and center — meats are dry aged past 30 days — they're not the only focus.

"Normally, in a traditional steakhouse, appetizers are 95% seafood based," said Alibasic. "Here, we've mixed it up and have items like Wagyu sliders, roasted artichoke with goat cheese, mac and cheese and mozzarella with tomatoes and a cherry pepper sauce."

The family is all about the details. Tuna is sushi-grade and Sinanaj is big on talking about "the breed and the feed," which means paying attention to everything they buy, from analyzing the marbling and tenderness of the meat to the color of the fat, to the vein, color and bloodline of the fish. "We have to know where everything comes from," he said.

Alibasic expects his chataeubriand for two and the porterhouse, which diners can order for up to four, to be popular, along with his corned creme brulee, tuna tartare and housemade pastas such as buccatini cacio e pepe and linguini frutta di mare with lobster, clams and shrimp.

Just as important, stressed Sinanaj, is the service, starting from the moment a customer walks through the door. "We pride ourselves on making diners feel special," he said.

Another point of pride — and again, maybe this is in the building's bones — is the wine list, which Alibasic has carefully curated to go with the food. Diners can expect a variety of wines from around the world, with an emphasis on lesser known varieties such as cabernets from California, Super Tuscans from Italy, Bordeaux and Petite Syrahs. Also not found everywhere: A kiwi cocktail on the restaurant's drinks list.

If you go

Address: 16 East Parkway, Scarsdale, 914-330-8488, oneraresteakhouse.com

Hours: Dinner only to start; with the kitchen open 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday and Sunday; to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Good to know: Lunch and Happy Hour are to come.

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: Old Zachys site in Scarsdale NY is now One Rare Italian Steakhouse