The East End sees many promising restaurants arrive for Memorial Day and go after Labor Day, but a new European-inspired hot spot in Southampton Village has plans to stay long after the summer season ends.
Stepping inside Maison Vivienne, guests are greeted by 20-foot cathedral ceilings with wooden beams from the 17th century, a color-changing portrait of Diana Ross, and a cozy fireplace that defies the typical summer restaurant feel, yet somehow works so beautifully inside the Saint-Tropez themed dining room.
“Provence meets the Hamptons” is what owner Svitlana Flom called the new restaurant, which serves a brunch, lunch and dinner menu inspired by the south of France, but curated with ingredients sourced locally.
“We created this beautiful Provence menu, but the ingredients come from the Hamptons,” she explained. “We work with local farmers and producers for the freshest and best ingredients.”
The menu features decadent dishes like Moka French toast, yellowfin tuna tartare, caviar and crab cocktail and Long Island duck magret, all crafted by Michelin-star executive chef Wolfgang Ban.
“French food is famous for things like the sauces, and so it is a little bit on the heavier side,” Ms. Flom said. “Our menu is not. It’s very summery and light.”
Ms. Flom dove into the food world five years ago when she started her blog, “Art de Fête,” where she posts step-by-step recipes and tips for curating the perfect dinner party. The restaurateur always dreamed of opening a restaurant in New York City, where she lives, but jumped on the opportunity to take over the space that housed Kozu Hamptons, a sister restaurant of 75 Main, just last summer.
“In March we got the lease and we just jumped on it,” Ms. Flom recalled. “We only had three months to put it together, and this is what we were able to accomplish.”
Maison Vivienne features more than dining—the space is also an inn with nine rooms, which Ms. Flom said are perfect for hosting a wedding party or similar events that require guest housing.
Through the end of September, the space will also host a pop-up boutique featuring clothing and jewelry by designers from across the globe.
“In the evening we’ll host little fashion shows here,” Ms. Flom said. “The owner of the boutique will hire models, and the model will walk along the tables and invite guests to stop by and check out the boutique.”
Between authentic dishes, couches in the dining room, the Brazilian band playing on the terrace, and even the colorful accents of the waitstaff, Ms. Flom considered a comfortable and inviting ambiance a top priority when visualizing Maison Vivienne.
“I was always very big on ambiance,” she explained. “I think we have a lot of personal touches, too, including things of my own. We have my husband’s conference table, my personal books, the couch from my husband’s office, plants from my apartment in the city … we wanted to create something very interesting and beautiful for Southampton, space-wise and decor-wise.”
Ms. Flom has big plans for the restaurant and inn come the fall season, which she refers to as a “package deal.”
“The potential here is tremendous,” she said, adding that during the off season, she plans to host culinary events with chefs and food bloggers.
While Maison Vivienne will be open year-round in Southampton, the entrepreneur still has her eyes set on expanding the restaurant farther west.
“We are still looking for a space in the city as well to continue to build the brand out of Maison Vivienne,” she said. “We aren’t stopping in Southampton.”
Maison Vivienne is located at 136 Main Street in Southampton. The restaurant is open for brunch on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m., for lunch on Thursday and Friday from noon to 5 p.m., and for dinner Monday through Thursday and Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to midnight. Call 631-500-9276 or visit maisonvivi.com for more information.
27east on Aug 7, 2018