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Inside the former Bulova Watchcase Factory. COURTESY CAPE ADVISORS
Charleston gate. ERIKA HAYES
Dorothy Nigro's photo of "The Nigro Rose Garden" won Best in Show and first place in the Rose Garden Class. DOROTHY NIGRO
As the summer season comes to an end, savoring those last balmy evenings becomes a priority. Arts & Living continues to explore East End restaurants, this week in Hampton Bays, where four chefs shared which menu item is a customer favorite, which is recognized as a signature dish and which the chefs like to cook up for themselves.
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ost Popular: Surf N’ Turf Sliders; appetizer; $14.
Chef’s Favorite: 16-Ounce Grilled Veal Rib Chop; entrée; $32.
Signature: 18-Ounce Rib Eye; entrée; $30.
Chef/owner Chris Cariello said the Surf N’ Turf Slider appetizer cannot be ignored. The dish is made up of two ground filet mignon patties with fresh Maine lobster claw, sliced avocado and smoked Gouda cheese served on a toasted mini brioche roll.
“People are intrigued by the combination,” Mr. Cariello said. “And once they actually taste it, they fall in love with it.”
As his favorite, Mr. Cariello chose the bone-in 16-ounce Grilled Veal Rib Chop, which is wet-rubbed with garlic and fresh herbs and topped with red wine reduction, roasted garlic and served with grilled asparagus and mashed potatoes.
“I love it because I love how the plate looks,” he said. “It’s a beautiful bone-in chop and the wet rub really accents the natural flavor of the veal with the homemade red wine reduction as a perfect complement.”
According to Mr. Cariello, the restaurant’s signature is the 21-day aged 18-ounce Rib Eye.
“We are a steakhouse, so people often come in here looking for a great steak,” he said. “And this is it.”
The USDA prime-certified Angus beef is dry-aged to intensify the flavor, can be made plain, marinated or dry-rubbed, and is served with potatoes, vegetable and a house-made sauce.
“It’s such a flavorful cut,” Mr. Cariello said. “And dry-aging it makes it that much more flavorful.”
Most Popular: “PUPS” Pickup Parties/Lobster Bake; entrée; $29.
Chef’s Favorite: Hamptons Hot Lobster Roll; entrée; $18.
Signature: Seafood Stuffed Flounder; entrée; $19.
According to owner/chef Russ Moran, Brewster’s “PUPS” Lobster Bake is the most popular choice. The lobster bake includes lobster of your choice, half a pound of mussels, half a pound of steamers, four littleneck clams, five medium shrimp, corn on the cob, melted butter and clam broth. It’s all cooked and packed to stay hot for more than two hours in Styrofoam containers, according to Mr. Moran.
“It’s what we’re famous for, some people order two, some people order a few hundred,” he said. “It’s a unique way of packaging that makes it easy to take to the beach, use for parties or keep at share houses.”
Mr. Moran said his personal favorite is the Hamptons Hot Lobster Roll, made with warm lobster meat on a toasted, seeded bun with a side of drawn butter and served with sweet potato fries or french fries.
The Seafood Stuffed Flounder is Brewster’s signature dish, according to Mr. Moran. The fresh local flounder is stuffed with a homemade scallop, shrimp and crabmeat stuffing and served with a choice of two sides—sweet potato fries, avocado corn salsa, baked potato, homemade coleslaw or homemade potato salad.
“People know how fresh it is, they can see it in the case and know we prepared it right there on site,” Mr. Moran said. “I think that entices them a little more.”
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ost Popular: Chocolate Fettucini; appetizer or entrée; $10; $25.
Chef’s Favorite: Tahitian-Style Pork Chops; entrée; $28.
Signature: Indonesian-Style Shrimp Curry; entrée; $28.
Owners and “Cheffes,” Colette and Pam, said they have developed their own spelling of the word ‘chef’ to represent being female professional culinary artists and they use their restaurant and ever-changing menu to display that talent.
As a most popular dish, the cheffes chose the Chocolate Fettucini because those adventurous customers who are willing to try it, love it. The dish features fettucini with 87-percent cocoa, caramelized shallots and shiitake mushrooms. The pasta is tossed with toasted hazelnuts and some homemade sea salt. “The surprise is that it’s savory, not sweet,” Colette said. “It’s a simple, elegant dish with a great combination of texture and flavor but it’s also unique and covers every base.”
Colette said that in 2005, she won the Platinum Chef competition and a trip for two to Tahiti. While there, she and Pam were very much inspired by the food. The Tahitian-Style Pork Chops are boneless, marinated slightly and sautéed. They are then topped with pan drippings and a candied pineapple demi glace, a little sea salt and a touch of cream. The dish is served with mashed potatoes. And according to both Pam and Colette, it melts in your mouth.
“We love it because it transports us back to Tahiti,” Colette said, smiling.
As a signature dish, the pair agreed on the Indonesian-Style Shrimp Curry. The dairy-free dish features white shrimp, a creamy coconut milk sauce with toasted coconut and scallions sprinkled on top. The shrimp is served over jasmine rice.
“Our customers are surprised at how authentic it is because we’re of Irish and German descent,” Colette said. “It’s a little out of character but it’s just delicious.”
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Most Popular: Lobster Roll; entrée; $22.
Chef’s Favorite: Lobster Cakes; entrée; $26.
Signature: Ponzu Tuna; entrée; $30.
Brothers and partners, Paul and Parker Hodges, say their menu features dishes of Thai, Spanish and Japanese influence, which a lot of their customers are surprised about.
Lobster meat, mayo, black pepper, celery and a little lemon make up the Lobster Roll dish. The substantial goods are placed on a toasted ciabatta bun and served with french fries and coleslaw.
“I think it’s the size, everyone comments on it,” Parker said. “Most people can’t even finish it.”
As his personal favorite, Paul chose the Lobster Cakes because he said it’s something you don’t see a lot out here. Two lobster cakes made of lobster and celery are coated in panko bread crumbs and served with saffron aioli, grilled yellow and green squash and a lemon/poppy seed dressing.
“It really goes with the atmosphere here,” he said. “Sitting on the deck, enjoying this light entrée is something a lot of customers love to do.”
As a signature, the brothers chose the Ponzu Tuna, which features seared, big-eye tuna coated in sesame seeds, sliced, and served over a bed of spicy noodles, with wasabi mayo, seaweed salad and tobiko with a ponzu sauce.
“It’s fresh, local and is a great presentation,” Parker said. “Once one person orders it, and it’s carried through the restaurant, everyone wants it.”
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