Young chef takes a chance at 1 North Steakhouse

A young chef with an impressive resume has opened his first restaurant on North Road by the Shinnecock Canal in Hampton Bays.

Just 25 years old, East End native Chris Cariello is the chef and owner of 1 North Steakhouse. And though he’s worked in local restaurants for more than a decade, and holds two culinary degrees from Johnson & Wales University, Mr. Cariello said in a recent interview that he’s often questioned about his choice to open a restaurant at such a young age—and in such a challenging economy.

But Mr. Cariello says the answer is simple: he’s willing to take a chance.

“Take a chance when you’re young,” he said, “because you have the rest of your life to figure it out.”

His confidence and desire to own his own eatery stem from growing up in a family that has run a variety of businesses for more than 40 years, he said, including Cilantro’s Restaurant in Patchogue, Panorama Glass & Mirror in Hampton Bays, and Island View Properties in East Quogue.

“The entrepreneurial spirit runs deep,” he said with a laugh.

Mr. Cariello started out in the restaurant business washing dishes at Villa Paul Restaurant in Hampton Bays when he was just 14. He then worked at Oakland’s Restaurant, also in Hampton Bays, for five years.

He began his official culinary studies at 16, when he attended the BOCES culinary arts program. He went on to attend Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he earned both an associate’s degree in culinary arts and a bachelor’s degree in food service entrepreneurship.

Upon graduation from Johnson & Wales in 2006, he worked in a number of acclaimed restaurants in Providence, including McCormick & Schmick’s at the Biltmore Hotel.

Mr. Cariello returned in 2007 to the East End, where he began teaching private cooking lessons and ultimately worked at Loaves & Fishes Cooking School in East Hampton. He became director of the cooking program and maintained a private catering and chef business on the side.

But after two and a half years at Loaves & Fishes, Mr. Cariello decided he wanted to open his own place. And when he had the opportunity to rent the property on North Road, he took the chance.

The building, right off Montauk Highway on the east side of the canal, includes a bar area and two light-filled dining rooms. A large stone fireplace separates the rooms, which together seat nearly 100.

Mr. Cariello said the restaurant is indeed a steakhouse, but his background as a teacher prompted him to include all types of cuisines into the menu. As a result, he said, many dishes have Asian, Italian, Greek or Brazilian influences.

The restaurant’s soups include crab and brie bisque, $7, and cream of wild mushroom with fresh local shiitake, oyster, and cremini mushrooms, $8. Salads range from grilled head of romaine with garlic croutons and homemade Caesar dressing, $7, to baby greens with lobster, avocado, pink grapefruit and brown sugar bacon, $12.

Other salads include arugula with sliced pears, candied walnuts, warm blue cheese croutons and raspberry vinaigrette, $8, and baby spinach salad with crispy pancetta and a sour cherry vinaigrette, $9.

Starters range from pan fried oysters with a sauvignon blanc beurre blanc, $8, to a trio of sliders: petite filet slider with caramelized shallots and garlic aioli, ahi tuna steak slider with wakame and wasabi soy drizzle, and marinated portabella mushroom slider with melted mozzarella, $14.

Other starters include local littleneck clams sautéed with garlic, tomatoes and basil in white wine, $9; seared peppered beef tenderloin served on elephant garlic chips with horseradish aioli, $10; and bacon wrapped local sea scallops with a spicy apricot glaze, served over corn and avocado salsa, $10.

All steaks are USDA Prime, and served with a diner’s choice of potato, vegetable and sauce. Steaks may be ordered marinated or dry rubbed. They include a 12-ounce sirloin strip steak, $26; 21-day-aged 18-ounce rib eye, $28; 24-ounce porterhouse, $29; and 10-ounce filet mignon, $30.

Potato side dishes include seasoned oven roasted, roasted garlic mashed, and steak fries, while sauces include wild mushroom demi glace, au poivre, and bearnaise. Vegetables include creamed spinach, roasted asparagus and sautéed local vegetables.

Entrées range from triple prime beef burger served with choice of cheese, bacon, and black and tan beer battered onion rings, $12, to sautéed shrimp and prosciutto, with golden raisins and a Pernod cream sauce served over herbed couscous, $26. Other entrées include thinly sliced chicken breast, sautéed with sun dried tomatoes in a pesto cream sauce, served over capellini, $18, and salmon roasted on a cedar plank served over a lentil sauté with a balsamic reduction, $22. Mr. Cariello pointed out pan seared duck breast with a blueberry port wine reduction, served with asparagus and couscous, $26, and pan seared sea bass served with a roasted tomato, fresh basil and white wine sauce over mashed potatoes, $30, as customer favorites.

Desserts include tiramisu, $6; semi dark chocolate mousse with mocha whipped cream, $6; crème brulée, $6; and cider poached pears, $7.

The restaurant’s lunch menu features nearly identical soups and salads, but includes more burgers and sandwiches, including the spicy Cajun steak sandwich with cherry peppers, onions and Cajun rub, $7; triple prime beef burger, $8; marinated hanger steak sandwich, $8; grilled chicken sandwich topped with roasted peppers, fresh mozzarella and pesto, $8; bacon cheeseburger with a choice of American, cheddar, or blue cheese, $9; and grilled tuna steak sandwich with seasonal salad and a soy wasabi drizzle, $10. “Snacks” include steak fries, $4; black and tan battered onion rings, $4; and lobster mac ’n’ cheese, $8.

The restaurant’s liquor license is pending.