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Fat Sal's Bar and Grill is a new restaurant at 265 Tate Ave. in the Village of Buchanan. The restaurant was opened by the owners of Augie's Prime Cut in Mohegan Lake.
Audrey Hochroth, one of the three owners of Fat Sal's, said they wanted to provide a casual restaurant where families could go and not break the bank or where someone could go and watch a football game.
"We're a great place to have a good time," Hochroth, a Cortlandt Manor resident, said. "We want to be the neighborhood place. We wanted something more than casual than Augie's. A place where you can have burgers and wings."
The restaurant opened three weeks ago with a grand opening set for Sunday. The grand opening will see a flat screen TV be raffled off.
Fat Sal's mascot, a cow, wears an Autism Speaks shirt, a cause near to Hochroth's heart.
Hochroth's daughter is severely autistic and the restaurant sells a special steak sauce with proceeds going to the organization.
Through various fundraisers, Hochroth has raised more than $70,000 for Autism Speaks.
"Anything we can do to help," Hochroth said
Fat Sal's, named for Hochroth's husband Sal Barone, offers specialties like meatloaf and a pastrami sandwich.
"No one offers pastrami sandwiches anymore," Hochroth said.
The restaurant is co-owned by Hochroth, Benny Ludiq, an Ossining resident and Matthew Camerino, a Mahopac resident. Both Lajqi and Carduzo work at Augie's.
Hochroth said the reaction from the community has been very positive.
"We have people who've been coming in four days a week," Hochroth said. "On Friday and Saturday, you couldn't even move in here."
Fat Sal's is committed to serving the finest ingredients and Hochroth said the food is never frozen.
"Everything is homemade," Hochroth said.
Hochroth, who used to work as a nurse, said she value the personal relationships she has developed with customers at Augie's.
"They have become my friends," Hochroth said. "I couldn't do it without them."
Running a successful restaurant involves efficiency and consistency.
"The food needs to taste the same everyday," Hochroth said. "You need to keep your customers happy."
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