New Comfort Emphasizes Organic, Free-Range, Antibiotic and Hormone-Free

Neil Baim and Roger Caro, friends since they were 13 years old, have opened Comfort Restaurant in Hastings-on-Hudson in the space previously occupied by Comfort Lounge. 

Although Baim and Caro have prior restaurant experience, this is their first ownership venture. They were classmates at Great Neck North High School on Long Island but lost touch 14 years ago and didn't reconnect until a year-and-a-half ago when they found each other on Facebook and learned they had a common interest in the restaurant industry.  

The emphasis at Comfort, Biam says, is on healthy comfort food—including organic produce, free-range poultry, and antibiotic and hormone-free meat. 

The restaurant, which was closed for four months during the changeover in ownership, has been repainted red and more tables have been added increasing the seating capacity to 60.

A new menu has been introduced by chef Michael Ballew, the previous restaurant's sous chef, with only Asian chicken and daily vegan soup carried over from the former menu. Asian Chicken was the restaurant's most popular dish dating back to the days when Comfort was a prepared food, takeout business across the street from its present location. 

"Asian chicken is now prepared with wheat-free tamari instead of the wheat-based soy used in the previous recipe," says Baim, "making it gluten-free." It is priced at $18. 

Other entrees include marinated herb chicken with mashed potatoes ($16), black-sesame encrusted tuna made with sushi-grade Ahi (yellowfin) tuna ($22) and vegetarian dishes. 

Gluten-free Pasta Puttenesca (a main course), other gluten-free pastas and gluten-free options, although not listed on the menu, are available to customers on request. Gluten-free beer is also offered.

Starters include "Mac and Cheese" made with racquet cheese. “The racquets hold sauce better than standard elbow mararoni,” Baim points out. 

Other appetizers are Mussels Provencal with wine, tomatoes, garlic, crispy bacon and onions ($12), grilled Portobello with goat cheese and a balsamic reduction ($8), and vegetarian, beef, chicken and tuna tacos ($10 to $14). A bevy of salads, priced from $6 to $9, includes Caesar and beet mesclun with red onion, goat cheese and orange hazelnut vinaigrette.

The desserts are homemade and include gluten-free flourless chocolate torte, apple crisp and carrot cake. 

Wine is offered by the bottle or the "quartino" (a large glass of wine) priced at about one-third the cost for the same wine bottled. 

Baim, Caro and Ballew had pursued careers in other industries before setting their sights on food-related careers. Baim graduated from George Washington University where he was a business and economics major. He worked as a financial advisor on Wall Street for 14 years before changing careers to work as a bartender, server and manager at Gradisca, a restaurant in the West Village, for four and one-half years; he left in December 2010. 

Caro owned a company called Twin-Tex in New York City's garment center that sold imported and domestic fabrics throughout the country. He gravitated to the restaurant industry nine years ago and worked at several restaurants including La Provençal in Mamaroneck. He was at Tarry Lodge in Port Chester when he and Baim connected vis Facebook. Texas-born Bellew was a sound engineer for music industry performers including John Mayer and Beyonce.

Comfort Lounge ceased operating on Thanksgiving Day in 1910; Comfort opened in March, 2011. 

Comfort Restaurant is open Monday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. It is closed on Sunday. Catering service is offered and takeout is available. 583 Warburton Ave., Hastings-on-Hudson, NY. 914-231-7711. www.comfortrestaurant.net