WPCNR AT THE NORTH END. By John F. Bailey. August 26, 2007: White Plains has a new meeting and greeting place with an atmosphere and eclectic mix of food and ambience where you can really relax in a quiet warm place with people you know who treat you like family. You also never know who’ll you’ll see walk in. It’s The North End, operated not by a national chain but folks you’ve known for a long time, the Cantatores.

Frank, of course was the first builder to invest in White Plains, actually starting the Renaissance when he created Clayton Park – before White Plains was the place to be. Frank has since expanded his horizons nationally, while continuing to invest in creative housing projects in his home city.

His latest creative project is his renovation of the former Sweetwater’s, reinventing it as something completely different,  The North End – a café with a gourmet mix of creative dishes, a place uniquely conducive to conversation and relaxation. Frank and his father often are on hand in the sophisticated wooded bar area. The high arched ceilings and gray and red walls absorb conversation and evoke the intimate sophisticated settings of the  restaurants of Coral Gables in Miami.

The place feels small, but your tables are separated by good distances. It is divided into a pavilion and separate alcoves much like a Nautilus shell. The place has arched stucco walls, creating at once vistas and privacy.  Potted palms provide a tropical Key West feel,  and soften the glitz and offer an engaging electricity that encourages you to linger long after your meal is done.

The bar has that South Beach feel to it without the crush, an adult kind of bar and the warm wood paneling of the bar encourages reflection, introspection and candor. If Rick’s Café Americain were to land in White Plains it would be called The North End. All Frank has to do is don a white sportcoat and a carnation and you’ll be transported back to the famous movie Casablanca.

Sal Cantatore, Franks’ father stopped by the place and said he designed and landscaped the exterior of the place and other members of the family created the interior. Franks’ sister-in-law is general manager. And the family was holding court at a table in the corner as we were leaving.

This reporter’s Prince Edward Island Mussels  in rosemary sauce was tasty embellishing the little beauties and not overwealming the delicacy of these fruits of the sea. My swordfish was flaky and tender. My companion’s ribs and filet mignons and pasta were excellent. The cappuchino stalwart. You might also try the eggplant dish, North White Plains High Rise that soars off the plate like The Ritz.

 It was also fun seeing city personalities walk in and persons you know running the place and welcoming you. The North End is unlike any other place in White Plains – it’s a local place – the first to open in a long time.

And here’s another advantage: there’s free parking. Find out more about The North End by visiting their website, www.northendwp.com. Or give Frank a call at 686-5337.