Meet the Chef: Anthony Labriola of Caffe Regatta

Caffe Regatta chef/owner Anthony Labriola grew up in the Bronx where he attended St. Raymond's High School and began working part-time in pizzerias when he was 14. He earned a bachelor of science from the St. John’s University’s Peter J. Tobin College of Business and decided to pursue a career in the restaurant industry.

Labriola enrolled at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. He the joined Manhattan's Four Seasons, which was named by Town & Country magazine as its "Favorite Restaurant in the World," following his graduation from the culinary school.

Next, he worked at three of Manhattan's best restaurants under highly esteemed chefs:

• Chef David Burke at Park Avenue Café. Burke was the first non-Frenchman ever to win France's highest cooking honor, the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France Association medal

• Chef Gray Kunz at Lespinasse in the St. Regis Hotel. Kunz was the winner of the James Beard Foundation award for Best Chef in New York City in 1995

• Television celebrity chef Wayne Nish at March. Nish was a co-founder of March at Sutton Place in New York City and is a cookbook author

Seeking to broaden his cooking range, Labriola travelled to Italy in 1995 to work for renowned chef Valentino Mercatile at the San Domenico in Emilio-Romagna, which is widely recognized as one of Italy's finest restaurants. Fifteen months later, he returned to America and opened the 40-seat Cafe Lure in Manhattan's Soho district.

Five years later, he bought a building on Wolf's Lane in Pelham. He  devoted five months to converting its beauty parlor and neighboring vacant store into a bistro-type restaurant and on April 2, 2001, opened Caffee Regatta with 65 seats and a stylish, eight-stool marble-and-wood bar built by his father, Al. 

The opening-day menu included many dishes Labriola had cooked before in New York City and Italy.

"After we opened and I got to know the customers, I realized  a few adjustments would be needed in the menu," Labriola said. "Tuna foie gras had been a big hit in New York, but was hardly ever ordered and we dropped it from the menu. On the other hand, a one-pound lobster served with a heap of spaghetti and lots of tomato sauce made in lobster shells to bestow flavor was in great demand from the first day."

A dish on the original menu that has stood the test of time is tuna tartare.

"I think, in the beginning, we were the only place in Westchester County where you could order it and for sure the only one in Pelham," Labriola said.

Labriola said some of the most popular dishes currently served at Caffe Regatta are:

• Shrimp and vegetable rolls (appetizer). Served with ginger-carrot sauce

• Mussels Brodetto (appetizer). Includes peppers, potato, chorizo and sausage in sun-dried pesto

• Pan sauteed swordfish. Accompanied by lobster fried rice and sugar snap peas. Introduced in the summer of 2010.

• Crab-crusted Atlantic cod. Served with mushroom and parsnip ragout and roasted new potato. Introduced this summer

• Veal Milanese. Comes with tomato, baby arugula, and artichoke salad. Introduced this summer

• Crown Burger. Served with caramelized onion, Vermont cheddar cheese, applewood smoked bacon, French fries and onion rings

Labriola said one of the best selling desserts at Caffe Regatta are a newly introduced double-chocolate brownie, served with caramelized banana and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Another favorite is a warm caramelized white-chocolate bread pudding with pistachio nuts and brioche bread.

At brunch, the most ordered dish is Lobster Benedict with tarragon hollandaise sauce.

A $30 three-course, prix fixe menu is available from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday. On Tuesday evenings, patrons can bring their own wine bottles and no corkage fee applies. Wednesday nights, guests can take advantage of the $1-oyster, $1-clam and $5-beer special offer all night.

Labriola named the restaurant after a favorite interest of his – watching boat races and especially in Venice, Italy.

Labriola and his wife, Monique; son, Anthony, Jr.;  son, Michael; and daughter, Adriana, live in Pelham Manor.

Caffe Regatta Oyster Bar & Grill is located at 133 Wolf's Lane, Pelham, NY. It is open for lunch and dinner on Tuesday through Saturday, for dinner on Tuesday through Sunday, and for brunch from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. 914-738-8686.