Changes at Antipasti: Celeb Chef Rick Laakkonen Gone; New (Cheaper) Lunch Menu
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- November
- 28
Celebrity chef Rick Laakonen is no longer at the helm of Antipasti, the hip Italian restaurant in White Plains. Taking his place is Robert Ribant, who comes to Westchester from Michael’s, the famous power-lunch restaurant in Manhattan. (This bodes well for the White Plains lunch scene!)
Owner Mark Mazzotta told me that with the new chef, the restaurant has a new dinner menu with more traditional entrees. Antipasti had been closed for lunch, but will re-open Dec. 3 with an affordable menu of pizzette, pastas and panini. Antipasti’s more innovative dishes will still be available, but as specials. The antipasti bar and the lounge menu are also still available.
“We still want to be unique and innovative and cutting edge, but our patrosn are asking for more traditional stuff,” he told me. So now, dishes such as veal saltimbocca and chicken scarpiello are the norm — but, Mazzotta says, “with a creative, modern approach.” For example, the veal saltimbocca comes with broken spaghetti, cicerchie beans and wild rice. “It’s like a fancy way of doing Rice-A-Roni,” says Mazzotta.
Chef Ribant started his career in Detroit and came to New York in 1993. He worked at the River Cafe in Brooklyn (as did Laakonen); the Hudson River Club; Windows on the World and Russian Firebird. He was executive chef at Michael’s for almost 10 years.
The 411 on Antipasti. (This listing will show these updates in a few hours.) I have a call in to Laakkonen to see where he’s headed.
The new dinner menu, after the jump.
APPETIZERS
Barley Soup – Swiss chard, cannellini beans and Grana Padano cheese 8-
Cheese Tortellini – Goat cheese, chicken, goat filled tortellini in brodetto with arugula 10-
Fritto Misto – Crispy calamari, filet of sole, celery with saffron-tomato aioli 19-
Ragu of Grilled Polpo & Clams – Cannellini beans, saffron grattoni in tomato-lemon thyme broth 16-
Chilean Sea Bass – Spiedini of sea bass with roasted fennel, 12 year balsamic vinegar 19-
INSALATA
Insalata Della Casa – Herb vinaigrette 9-
Caesar Salad – Hearts of romaine, garlic croutons, shaved Grana Padano 10-
Tre–Colore Salad – Arugula, cicoria, radicchio, hard cooked egg, warm prosciutto dressing 12-
Insalata Caprese – Vine ripe tomatoes, house made mozzarella drizzled with Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil 14-
Chopped Salad – Baby Field greens, asparagus, radish, bell peppers, red onion, gorgonzola with herb vinaigrette dressing 11-
Salad Compliments -8
Grilled Chicken Breast
Grilled Jumbo Shrimp
Grilled Calamari
PRIMI
Rigatoni Pomodoro – Artichoke, olives, arugula, smoked mozzarella in a light tomato broth 16-
Parpardelle Bolognese – Meat and tomato ragù, pork, veal and fennel sausage 21-
Ravioli of Short Rib – Ricotta, spinach, porcini mushroom and tomato 17-
Fusilli Col Bucco – Clams, leeks, potatoes and pancetta 17-
Spaghetti – Sunday style ragù with meatballs, sausage and braciole 19-
Perciatelle alla Amatriciana – Guanciale, onion and tomato 17-
Lasagna – Roasted tomato, ricotta, mozzarella with fresh basil 18-
Whole Wheat Tagliatelle – Speck, radicchio trevisano, Piave di Vecchio emulsion,
Truffle oil drizzle 19-
Garganelli – Hot fennel sausage, broccoli rabe, roasted tomato, prosciutto brodo 19-
Add meatballs, sausage and braciole to any pasta 9-
PIZZETTA 15-
Margherita D.O.P – San Marzano tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, shaved Reggiano, fresh basil
Quattro Stagioni – Zucchini, portobello mushrooms, artichoke, olives
Parma – Prosciutto di Parma, caramelized onion, roasted garlic, local goat cheese, rosemary
Pesto – Arugula/basil pesto, sautéed mushrooms, Marsala wine, fresh ricotta & minced tomato
PIATTO DEL GIORNO
Lunedí
Brasato of Beef –Carrots, leeks, celery, portobello mushroom 25-
Martedí
Lamb Chop – Creamy polenta brussel sprouts, celery root, lamb jus 27-
Mercoledí
Risotto – Braised boneless beef short rib, rucola, radicchio, gorgonzola 26-
Giovedí
Chicken Cacciatore – Free range chicken,
mushroom, onions, peppers, plum tomato 22-
Venerdí
Scampi – Gulf shrimp, zucchini, tomato over
whole wheat spaghetti 29-
Sabato
Osso Buco Milanese –
Saffron Risotto 34-
SECONDI
Veal Saltimbocca – Spinach, cicerchie beans, wild
red rice, broken spaghetti, mushrooms, Marsala wine 29-
Zuppa di Pesce –shrimp, scallops, mussels,
clams, calamari with saffron fregola and tomato 34-
Grilled Branzino alla Livornese – Roast Savoy, cabbage,
romanesco cauliflower, capers, olives, celery, tomato 26-
Roast Chicken – Spinach, crespelle, with
prosciutto cotto and crucolo cheese, tomato jus 22-
Chicken Scarpariello – luganica sausage,
peppers, potatoes, tomato, and escarole 23-
Pesce Acqua Pazzo – Fresh market fish in
brodetto with cherry tomato, zucchini, fagioli,
winter squash & orzo pasta P/A
New York Strip Steak – Zucchini, crispy
potato bed, pesto Genovese 35-
CONTORNI
Italian Style Fries – Dusted with
Sicilian Incanestrato 6-
Cucuzza – Snake squash, plum tomato,
potato, mozzarella, egg 7-
Charred Broccoli – Broccoli fritta,
roasted garlic 7-
Pizzicchi – Porcini, pancetta, Fava beans 9-







(4.62 out of 5)
(4.21 out of 5)








As far I’m concerned Antipasti is done. They are trying to save a dead animal. I guess the new GM is bringing in acquaintances from the city. Lunch will never do well in that area. They turned off so many people with poor service so-so food and expensive menu in the beginning. there is no way the place will turn around. Its a shame – great concept, beautiful place. Maybe the ownership should have opened up 4 pizza shops with the $6 million they invested into that place because they have no idea how to run anything other than that.
Ricks back in the city at Americas first formal restaurant. Rumor has it that Chef Rick laakkonen is working behind the scene to revamp The Original Delmonico’s Restaurant, A place more suited for Chef Laakonens culinary expertize. I heard the compnay is siting on a 50 million dollar investment given by wealthy texas investors to launch the brand nationally and worldwide. In my book Chef Laakonen Will take this place to another level. News will come about feb 1, 2009.
“PETER G” seems to have an awful lot of knowledge than your average restaurant goer folks…suffice it to say, let’s not so easily just believe all that we read here…
The FACT is that Antipasti is one of the most innovative cutting edge, and refreshing establishments to have hit the scene in a long time. Re-inventing, refreshing, updating a restaurant’s concept or marketing practice is NOT trying to “save a dead animal,” it’s a smart survival skill in any economy.
The Westchester County restaurant-going public would be better served with more honest and truly-intentioned comments instead of the ignorant rubbish spewing out as above….
The fact is, it does our economy NO GOOD to have a beautiful restaurant fail.
By the way Petey, Antipasti in White Plains has an excellent staff with world-class service and the food is absolutley delicious!
To deliberately try and sink a restaurant….quoting and speculating about investment dollars etc out of some personal vendetta or some rediculous reason is BEYOND childish … at best.