WHEN Brian MacMenamin, the chef and owner of MacMenamin's Grill & ChefWorks, welcomed his first guests here in 2002, he impressed us with his vision. Back then, the path to the upstairs dining room had to be negotiated through patches of ground-floor construction, but the final plans, which, in addition to the restaurant, called for a cooking school, catering kitchen and bakery, were vivid even then.
The restaurant occupies a vast industrial space, once a plastics factory. The designers wisely chose to work with the building's old arches, columns, brick and maple, as well as with pipes and ducts snaking along high ceilings. It is a cool place.
A popular bar has sky and rooftop views and displays bumper jars of fresh oranges and mango steeping in vodka, ready to be shaken or stirred into cocktails that are more like ''Sex and the City'' than suburbia.
A remarkable addition to the roomy dining area is an enclosed service station. It screens the entry and conceals table appointments, coffee machines and billing paraphernalia. Although Mr. MacMenamin spends part of his time at his other restaurant, the Larchmont Avenue Oyster House, the dining room runs smoothly as does the kitchen, which produces first-rate fare.
Oysters and clams are running characteristically lean right now, but many other starters will more than please. The calamari packed in cashews, greens on the side, with a tangy orange sauce went beautifully with the sweetness of the nuts. Two chunky crab cakes set among leaves of baby spinach, with a subtly tart rémoulade sauce added another dimension of flavor.
Thick cuts of grilled portobello mushrooms touched with pesto buttressed a center of white beans and creamy goat cheese. Goat cheese also came with red and golden roasted beets in a classic salad sprinkled with sherry vinaigrette. An overly crisp quesadilla was filled with savory chopped chicken, but black bean salsa softened it nicely.
So often treated as an afterthought between appetizers and desserts, entrees here were prepared with great care: prime meats and fish were timed perfectly. ''From the Grill'' came satin-fleshed porterhouse steak (for one or two) and tender New York sirloin. Sauces and vegetables could be a mix-and-match affair. MacMenamin's own steak sauce and bearnaise sauce were two of about halfa -dozen, each arriving in a tiny tub. Mashed and baked potatoes, creamed spinach, sautéed green beans and other tasty ''sides'' were available as well.
The kitchen might have trimmed big chops better from an herbed rack of lamb, but the juicy meat drew no complaints. Lamb shank osso buco could not have been better; much of the sauce's dripping succulence was captured by creamy polenta -- a delectable combination.
Imbued with pesto, a topping of crunchy, delicate crumbs screened a thick fillet of sea bass from the flame. A sauce made of orange, lemon and lemon grass cut the richness of wild Scottish salmon, with jasmine rice rounding out this Asian-inspired dish.
Desserts were remarkable for their minimal sweetness and deep, often fruity, flavor. Particularly outstanding was Key lime crème brûlée, a splendid match of citrus and ultra light custard. Or go with a pocket of flaky puff pastry called pithiviers, which held slices of soft apple; or with green apple napoleon; or mango tart, a dainty cylinder of glazed fruit and custard atop a wafer of cake the size of a silver dollar.
Even nonchocolate lovers will succumb to warm chocolate truffle tart with smooth white chocolate ice cream.
Adventurous palates might try pepper poached pineapple, an assembly of thin sheets of pineapple, velvety cheesecake, strawberry sorbet and a small scattering of peppercorns.
A moderately priced wine list has some decent choices for under $50. A broad price range of dishes on a menu that offers sandwiches and pizza as well as full entrees make MacMenamin's restaurant friendly to all comers.
MacMenamin's Grill & ChefWorks
115 Cedar Street, New Rochelle.
(914)632-4900.
VERY GOOD
Atmosphere -- Handsome and lofty dining room (noisy at peak moments) and separate bar fill the second floor of a reclaimed old plastics factory building. Elevator. Valet parking. Snappy service.
Recommended dishes -- Cashew-crusted calamari, chicken quesadilla, crab cakes, roasted beets with goat cheese salad, porterhouse steak (for one or two), sirloin steak, lamb shank osso buco, rack of lamb, wild Scottish salmon, pesto-crusted sea bass, chocolate truffle tart, apple pithiviers, green apple napoleon, Key lime crème brûlée.
Prices -- Lunch, $18, fixed price. Dinner, entrees, $18 to $35. Buffet brunch, $30.
Credit cards -- Major cards accepted.
Hours -- Lunch, Mondays through Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dinner, Mondays through Thursdays, 4 to 10 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 5 to 11 p.m., Sundays 4 to 9 p.m. Brunch, Sundays, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Reservations -- Accepted.
Wheelchair access -- Elevator.
The Ratings -- Excellent. Very good. Good. Satisfactory. Poor. Ratings reflect the reviewer's reaction primarily to food, with ambience and service taken into consideration. Menu listings and prices are subject to change.
Review published: May 23, 2004
