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Work from Henry Koehler's upcoming artichoke show. BY COURTESY SUSAN MADONIA
The very best way to find out what to order for lunch or dinner is to ask the chef himself, so that is exactly what Arts & Living does every week. This time, five Bridgehampton chefs filled The Press in on the menu items that keep people coming back, which dishes the chefs are most proud of and which have become summer season staples.
Most Popular: Mini Sushi Tacos; appetizer; $15.
Chef’s Favorite: Chipotle Pasta, entrée, $15.
Signature: Carne Asada; entrée; $22.
Agave has been open for only three weeks, but executive chef John David says it has already established a few stand out dishes.
According to Mr. David, customers are loving the fresh yellowfin sushi placed in a hard shell corn taco with diced greens, roasted corn, roasted red peppers and queso fresco, served cold with a side of mango avocado salsa, guacamole and sour cream.
“This time of year, people want a fresh, light, seasonal dish,” Mr. David said. “And people just love sushi.”
The chef said he loves the Chipotle Pasta dish because it is traditional with a contemporary flare. The spiced chicken breast is in a chipotle cream sauce with red peppers, and onions with penne pasta and is topped with cotija cheese.
“It has lots of flavor,” Mr. David said. “Between the rich creaminess and the smoky tones, it will definitely become a house staple.”
A lot of thought was put into the Carne Asada entrée, according to Mr. David. The skirt steak is in a citrus-infused chili marinade and is served with beans, rice, guacamole, salsa verde and soft tortillas.
“The citrus marinade allows for the natural citrus juices to tenderize the meat,” Mr. David explained. “The combination of beefy overtones and lots of citrus flavor holds up really well against the spice of the salsa.”
Most Popular: Mini Meatballs; tapas; $15.
Chef’s Favorite: Lobster and Corn Chowder; appetizer; $12.
Signature: Seafood Paella; entrée; $39/75.
The best way to describe Copa’s menu is “Mediterranean meets the Hamptons,” Executive Chef Dominic Giuliano said. The restaurant offers its customers a choice of tapas-style or traditional entrée-style dining, according to Mr. Giuliano.
The tapas-style Mini Meatballs are flying out of the kitchen, he said.
“They are so simple,” Mr. Giuliano said. “Italian-style little mini meatballs that are so soft and tender, people love them as a snack with a glass of wine.”
The way Mr. Giuliano gushed about the Lobster and Corn Chowder appetizer proved how much he loves it. The lobster is served with local corn, potatoes, smoked bacon and basil. The corn is milked and mixed with cream to create the liquid topping that customers pour over the dish themselves, according to Mr. Giuliano.
“This dish describes summertime in the Hamptons,” he said. “My favorite way to cook is with simplistic elegance. You don’t need too many ingredients to make a good dish.”
Copa’s signature Seafood Paella dish marries lobster, cockles, mussels, shrimp and chorizo, all served on Calasparra saffron rice.
“The paella is made in traditional Spanish style,” Mr. Giuliano said. “Its representative of the most popular, sought-after Spanish dish and that Spanish influence is hard to find in the Hamptons.”
Most Popular: Marinated Hanger Steak Frites; entrée; $24.
Chef’s Favorite: Day Boat Scallops; entrée; $28.
Signature: Smoked Bluefish; appetizer; $13.
Since its beginnings 10 years ago, Almond has featured the ever-popular Marinated Hanger Steak Frites on its menu, according to chef and co-owner Jason Weiner. The hanger steaks are marinated in red wine, shallots and sliced thin.
“That’s it, it is what it is,” Mr. Weiner said. “A very classic, unadulterated, straightforward dish that has always been a favorite since day one.”
Mr. Weiner said the best part about the Day Boat Scallop dish is that the restaurant is utilizing so much local product. The scallops are served with English peas, baby carrots, polenta ravioli, duck prosciutto and fried leek.
“The combination of the fresh Montauk scallops, the buttery, rich polenta ravioli and the crunch of the local veggies all coming together works so well,” Mr. Weiner said.
According to Mr. Weiner, bluefish is generally underutilized and underappreciated but not at Almond. The fish is cured with salt, sugar, dill, onions, peppercorns and then smoked with Applewood chips. The dish is served with crispy potato chips and placed on top of a dill-infused Greek yogurt with a basil oil drizzle.
“The dish speaks to our ethos here,” Mr. Weiner said. “Its made with local, peasant ingredients that need a little TLC and turn out to be just delicious.”
Most Popular: Grilled Swordfish; entrée; $29.95.
Chef’s Favorite: Seared Long Island Duck Breast; entrée; $32.95.
Signature: Artichoke Flatbread; appetizer; $13.95.
Chef and owner Eddy Thretipthuangsin said he puts a lot of thought into creating the proper flavor profiles for all of his dishes and that’s why the Grilled Swordfish is so popular. A sweet mango salsa sits on top of the fish, which is paired with seasoned vegetables and New Orleans inspired border rice.
Mr. Thretipthuangsin said his use of great quality local ingredients makes all the difference.
“It is the perfect light summer dish,” he said. “There are layers of flavor, and it is very refreshing.”
This unique flavor profile appears again in the Seared Long Island Duck Breast, according to Mr. Thretipthuangsin. The duck is made with a five spice marinade that includes, cinnamon, anise, coriander seed, mustard seed and clove. The duck is served with seasoned vegetables and a ginger rice pilaf with soy reduction.
“The jasmine rice provides a nice texture and the duck is rendered to produce a crispy skin,” he explained. “The slow marinade process combined with the aroma of the spices and the ginger soy reduction makes for a very unique and delicious dish.”
A mixture of exotic wild mushrooms, artichoke and Spanish manchego cheese with a white truffle oil drizzle combine to create the Artichoke Flatbread.
Mr. Thretipthuangsin said he wanted to make a dish that people recognize and like but with a completely different and more unique twist.
“The mushrooms represents the earthy flavors and the cheese is nice and mild, not too rich,” he said. “Pair that with the crispy crust of the flatbread and you have a traditional flatbread appetizer.”
Most Popular: Garden Salad; entrée.
Chef’s Favorite: Soft-Shell Crab Saltimboca; entrée.
Signature: Bread & Butter; appetizer.
Those who visit Southfork Kitchen are in for a unique experience, according to executive chef Joe Isidori, who reported that instead of an a la carte menu, the dining room-style consists of a five-course meal at a fixed price of $68.
The simple garden salad is the biggest crowd pleaser, with all of its ingredients coming right from Southfork Kitchen’s own garden, according to Mr. Isidori. The salad contains fennel, cucumbers, pickled onions, cherry tomatoes and various greens that are paired with a strictly organic buttermilk dressing from the Hudson Valley, he said. The salad is topped with sheep’s milk blue cheese as opposed to cow’s milk, according to Mr. Isidori.
“People love it,” he said. “They just go nuts for it because it’s a really bright, fresh, lively salad.”
The chef’s ultimate favorite is the Soft-Shell Crab Saltimboca. Mr. Isidori explained it as a play off a traditional Italian-American veal saltimboca, but featuring crab instead. According to the chef, saltimboca means the presence of something fried with spinach and egg and that’s exactly what diners will find in this dish.
The fried soft-shell crab is served with sous-vide egg, fresh greens and spinach from the garden as well as organic potatoes in a roasted garlic mornay sauce.
“Lately I’ve been re-creating some of my father’s dishes and this is one,” he said. “So it’s a very heartfelt dish for me and it’s great that the customers enjoy it.”
Mr. Isidori said the Bread & Butter became a signature without anyone really deciding it would be. The loaf-style brioche is delivered fresh every morning and toasted to order, according to the chef. He said he makes his own butter with heavy cream from the Hudson Valley and seasons it with local honey from East Hampton. It is then served with smoked paprika and smoked sea salt.
“I wanted to come up with something simple and rustic that would complement the restaurant,” Mr. Isidori said. “This comes to the table automatically and it’s simple, wholesome, fresh and unique.”
Heather Girgenti on Jul 11, 2011