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Inside the former Bulova Watchcase Factory. COURTESY CAPE ADVISORS
Food is pleasure. Pleasure is food. With that in mind, Arts & Living has taken it upon itself to see to it that Hamptonites have the information they need to get their fill of both.
This week, two new restaurants revealed which dishes provide their guests with the most pleasure, which best complement the menu and which please the chef’s own flavor preferences.
N
orth Sea
283-9742
pellegrinospizzabar.com
Most Popular: Seared Calamari; appetizer; $10.
Signature: Brick Oven Margherita Pie; entrée; $11.
Chef’s Favorite: Braised Octopus; entrée; $26.
Husband and wife duo Brian and Pam Blackburn are new to the East End restaurant scene. But they said that since their grand opening in early May, they have been enjoying their run so far.
Already, the couple has noticed that the Seared Calamari has captured customers’ palates. The calamari is marinated in garlic and olive oil, seared in a cast-iron pan and served with arugula and a lemon olive oil dressing, which sets it apart from the traditional fried calamari dish, according to Mr. Blackburn.
“It is one of our biggest sellers because it is different,” he said. “Sometimes people order two to a plate.”
The signature dish was a “no brainer” for Mr. Blackburn. The Brick Oven Margherita Pie defines Pellegrino’s.
“It’s something I’ve worked really hard on to get it just right,” he said. “We lived in Los Angeles for a number of years and out there, there are limited pizza options so I decided to start making my own and after some time, I came up with one of the best crusts I’ve ever tasted. That recipe actually sparked the idea to open this restaurant.”
The pie is topped with house-made mozzarella and fresh tomato and basil. An old-school process, known as the traditional maple-style, is used to make the dough.
“Crispy on the edges, slightly charred and soft towards the middle,” Mr. Blackburn described. “Delicious.”
As his own favorite, the chef chose the Braised Octopus—made with a choice of white wine or red sauce—and served with rigatoni.
“There is something specific about the flavor of the dish,” Mr. Blackburn said. “The octopus starts off at around four pounds and comes out around two pounds because of all the liquid that empties into the sauce while it cooks. That liquid leaves a really nice briny, sea flavor and the octopus is tender like butter.”
N
oyac
725-3400
bellandanchor.com
Most Popular: Pan-Roasted Local Tilefish; entrée; $31.
Signature: Lobster Thermidor; entrée $45.
Chef’s Favorite: Cioppino; entrée; $35.
For executive chef Sam McCleland, flavor is everything. And according to him, Bell & Anchor’s diners have certainly noticed the flavor in the restaurant’s most popular dish, the Pan-Roasted Local Tilefish. The fresh, local white fish is served with a Moroccan spiced quinoa, braised leeks and ginger oil.
“It’s very summery,” Mr. McCleland said. “Fresh, light and flavorful.”
The Lobster Thermidor won praise as the signature dish because, according to Mr. McCleland, it is what the restaurant stands for.
The lobster meat is steamed and a mustard, cognac and Gruyere cheese mixture is stuffed back into the body. The dish is served with fingerling potatoes and arugula.
“We wanted to build a fish house that did lobsters,” Mr. McCleland said. “And the way we’re doing it, is very creative.”
The chef described his favorite dish, the Cioppino, as a fish stew. Made with tilefish, shrimp, mussels, calamari, red chilies and a smoked tomato broth.“The flavors are wonderful,” he said. “People tell me it is a hearty portion and that it’s just a great dish.”
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