Dining Review | Westchester: A Review of Muscoot Tavern, in Somers

Bright red and oddly shaped, the restaurant, positioned at an angle and tucked away from the intersection of Routes 35 and 100 in Somers, has been in business since before 1925. Helmed by a series of owners and called Muscoot Diner, Muscoot Restaurant, Muscoot Inn — and for a short, wayward time, Little Brauhaus — the Scoot, as it is affectionately referred to by local residents, was taken over last year by Ann-Margaret Wagner and Eddie Lubic, owner of Eduardo’s in Mount Kisco.

The two gave the restaurant a face-lift with a new kitchen, fresh paint and repaired air-conditioning. But evocative details remain: terrazzo floors are worn bare by thousands of feet, bowed walls show the effects of time, and the bar looks like the meeting place it has been for countless get-togethers over the years.

A menu of good-value comfort food adds to the neighborhood-meeting-place feel. No one gets dressed up to go the Scoot, and the food is similarly straightforward. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t good — and sometimes very good. Steamed little neck clams in garlic butter broth were plump, sweet emissaries of the sea. A baby spinach salad was just-picked fresh and came with chunks of hard-boiled egg, red onion, terrific croutons, tomato and a vinaigrette that — like all of the Scoot’s sauces and dressings — was house-made. And a New York strip with mushroom sauce was a nice piece of steak cooked just to order and accompanied by garlicky mashed potatoes.

There are items you can get only at the Scoot, like Ann-Margaret’s Famous Fresh Rotisserie Chicken Dinner, half a chicken cooked to crispy but juicy deliciousness with a sweet sauce that married well with the rice pilaf and sautéed spinach sides. The meatballs were huge and garlicky, served with a mound of excellent ricotta over spaghetti, and the tasty clams casino, prepared according to “Eddie’s own recipe,” includes a secret combination of spices. The desserts, which change nightly, are mostly old fashioned and house-made. Though the rice pudding was watery and underdone and the chocolate layer cake was a bit stale, the German chocolate cake, made with just the right amount of shredded coconut and big chunks of pecans, was close to ideal.

Muscoot Tavern gives some nods to contemporary interests. Gluten-free pizza, pasta and buns are available. Whole wheat pasta is on the menu; Captain Lawrence beer, from Westchester’s own microbrewery, is on tap. And when extra virgin olive oil is used on a pizza, it is listed as just “EVOO.” But the approach remains old school. The calamari was served with a solid, basic marinara. The flavorful chicken wings come with classic blue cheese, celery and carrot sticks. And the chicken parmigiano was prepared the traditional way, with plenty of fresh mozzarella and that same marinara over linguine.

There is a popular lineup of thin-crust pizzas baked with fresh herbs. We tried “the Brooklyn,” which was basically a margherita, made with tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella and basil. It was lovely, but the best part of that evening was in simply watching the tables around us. The restaurant has live music on Saturday nights and a local guitarist and singer were playing. Children were happily running around, and their parents were greeting each other across tables. As the waiters deftly wove through the crowd, it was easy to imagine the same scene decades ago. Little has changed at places like Muscoot Tavern, and it is its link to the past — before subdivisions and S.U.V.’s, too-fussy food and “mixologists” — that is the restaurant’s greatest appeal.

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Muscoot Tavern

105 Somerstown Turnpike, (Route 100), Somers

(914) 232-2800

muscoottavern.com

GOOD

THE SPACE An odd-shaped, intriguing space with bowed walls, a low ceiling that opens up in the center and a well-worn floor. Wheelchair accessible.

THE CROWD Casual, relaxed, often families or groups. Waiters are attentive.

THE BAR A cozy, welcoming area along one side of the main room. The wine list is small and mostly house ($7 to $9 a glass; $24 to $75 a bottle), the beers ($4 to $7 a glass) are basic (with a few exceptions, including Westchester’s own Captain Lawrence), but the drinks are big and the bartender is friendly.

THE BILL 14-inch pizzas run $12 to $20; entrees, $14 to $19 or low $20s for the occasional special. Major credit cards accepted.

WHAT WE LIKED Clams casino, chicken wings, steamed clams, fried calamari, baby spinach salad (special); Brooklyn pizza, New York strip, Danish baby back ribs (special), spaghetti with meatballs, rotisserie chicken, chicken parmigiano with linguine, fried lobster tail (special); German chocolate cake (special), lava cake, brownie sundae.

IF YOU GO Open Monday to Thursday, noon to 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, noon to midnight; Sunday, 4 to 10 p.m. Reservations for groups of eight or more only. Free parking on site.

RATINGS Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.

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