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WESTCHESTER DINING | NEW ROCHELLE

Southern and Caribbean, Focused on the Seasonal

By EMILY DeNITTO Published: April 9, 2011

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YOU may not enter Alvin & Friends

as one of the pals of the owner, Alvin Clayton, but by the time you leave, youre likely to feel that youve become one.
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Alvin & Friends, which opened in October, pays attention to seasonal ingredients.

Mr. Clayton has opened a gracious, welcoming spot that makes diners feel
comfortable as soon as they enter. The excellent, casual service and personal touches Mr. Clayton is also a painter, and his artwork hangs throughout the place help to create a connection. His face
may even be
vaguely familiar: He has been a model as well, appearing in
the L. L. Bean catalog.

Related
Times Topic:
Westchester Dining
Quick Bite | Brewster: Pies for All Seasons
(April 10, 2011)
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Most surprising is the delightful mix of people you are likely to see at
Alvin & Friends as diverse as the dishes served, most of which are deliciously sophisticated takes on down-home Southern and Caribbean classics.
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Raymond Jackson, the chef, who got his start with Emeril Lagasse in New Orleans and cooked at Blue Smoke
in Manhattan, is adept at taking the familiar and giving it a special twist. Our appetizers included delicate, grease-free and straightforward
fried oysters but also a curry mussel bisque with hits of cilantro and fresh sweet corn kernels that burst with sweetness when I bit them. The Caesar Susan Farley for The New York Times salad
featured wedges of romaine with a delicious Curry mussel bisque. buttermilk-scallion dressing, but fried peas replaced the croutons. And the barbecue shrimp was accompanied by the creamiest of grits and crispy fried sage.
My favorite appetizer was also the best example of Mr. Jacksons multitiered approach: tuna tartare you could cut with a spoon, rubbed with Jamaican-style jerk seasonings and served with wonton chips, ripe avocado slices and a creamy aioli. The mix of flavors and textures was thrilling.
Similarly, the jerk-rubbed duck leg was a delightful combination of tastes: succulent, tender meat accompanied by black-eyed peas, a hearty duck sausage and red watercress that bit through the earthiness of the overall dish. The fried chicken was crispy but juicy,

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Alvin and Friends, Southern and Caribbean Cuisine - NYTimes.com

served with delicious, slow-cooked greens and smoky, decadent macaroni and cheese.
And the fried catfish, offered with braised greens, also came with an adorable circle of sweet cornbread that was a delight in its own right.
Alvin & Friends, which opened in October, pays attention to seasonal
ingredients, and the menu has just been tweaked for spring. An appetizer of jumbo lump crab imperial was replaced by a crab salad with hearts of palm, and a braised lamb shank has become loin of lamb, seasoned just right and cooked to perfection along with grits and a light salad of red onions and black-eyed peas.
Most desserts go beyond the usual. Theres an acceptable bittersweet chocolate cake, but the white-chocolate, red-velvet bread pudding, served with amaretto whipped cream and a blueberry compote, is not something youll find on many other Westchester menus. Coconut
crme brle came with terrific candied ginger, and
the sweet potato cheesecake brought lightness and new flavor to an old standby.
Weekends can get busy, and the service may not be quite as smooth as it is on less demanding weeknights. But the authentic sweetness of Mr. Clayton and his staff comes through nonetheless. Told of my daughters plans for a shopping trip on our first visit, he
remembered not just her face but her sartorial hopes when we returned. They chatted about clothes and hugged when we left.
This had nothing to do with my reviewing the place I use an alias and do not make my identity known. Shes just another one of
Alvins friends. Alvin & Friends 49 Lawton Street New Rochelle (914) 654-6549 alvinandfriendsrestaurant.com DONT MISS THE SPACE Lovely, romantic storefront with comfortable banquettes, soft lighting and beautiful artwork. Wheelchair accessible. THE CROWD Mostly adult, a rare combination of Westchesters ethnically diverse communities. Casual but not sloppy. THE BAR A cozy little spot set off in the back along with a handful of dining tables. Full service. Six decent wines three red and three white are $8 to $12 a glass, $30 to $45 a bottle. THE BILL Entrees: $16.50 to $29. Major credit cards accepted. WHAT WE LIKED Curry mussel bisque, barbecue shrimp, tuna tartare, jumbo lump crab imperial, fried oysters, caramelized salmon, fried catfish, fried chicken, jerk rubbed duck leg, loin of lamb, white-chocolate red-velvet bread pudding, coconut crme brle, sweet potato cheesecake. IF YOU GO Dinner: Wednesday to Saturday, 5:30 to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 5 to 9 p.m. Brunch: Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations recommended, especially on weekends. Metered street parking
and at a nearby municipal lot.

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Alvin and Friends, Southern and Caribbean Cuisine - NYTimes.com

RATINGS Dont Miss, Worth It, O.K., Dont Bother.

A version of this review appeared in print on April 10, 2011, on page WE7 of the New York edition.
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