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VALERIE GORDON
An elderly maple tree that provides housing and food for squirrels and woodpeckers. LISA DAFFY
Arts & Living is visiting an array of restaurants from Westhampton to Montauk each week to find out which menu items just can’t be missed. This week, Westhampton Beach chefs filled us in on the dish reigning as most popular on the menu, the dish they themselves are the most proud of and which dish really makes a statement to diners.
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ost Popular: Soft Shell Crabs; entrée; market price.
Chef’s Favorite: Bronzini Whole Fish; entrée; market price.
Signature: Grilled Veal Montenegrina; entrée; $38.
According to chef and owner Bejto Bracovic, people call ahead to ask about the availability of the soft shell crabs. Fresh from the Chesapeake Bay, the crabs are covered in flour and sautéed with extra virgin olive oil, garlic and white wine. The three crabs in each portion are topped with herbs and butter and are served with a side of fresh vegetables.
“I think it is something about they way they are prepared,” Mr. Bracovic said. “They are very crispy without being fried.”
The chef chose the Bronzini Whole Fish special as his personal favorite because it isn’t a common dish in the Hamptons. The fish is grilled with lemon, garlic, white wine, sea salt and extra virgin olive oil and then baked to cook through. Diners have their choice of fresh vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli or grilled zucchini as a side.
“It’s a very sweet tasting fish, that’s why people like it,” Mr. Bracovic said.
Thin, grilled slices of natured veal serve as Casa Basso’s signature menu item because it has been on the menu for at least 15 years, according to Mr. Bracovic.
“I grew up eating it,” he said smiling.
Served over mesclun lettuce with sun-dried tomatoes, Gorgonzola cheese and melted mozzarella, the veal is grilled with extra virgin olive oil.
The chef said the most important aspect of this dish is that the veal is natured, meaning it is milk-fed.
“The meat is all white and much more tender,” he said. “It’s much better tasting than grass-fed veal.”
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ost Popular: Almond Crusted Flounder; entrée; $30.
Chef’s Favorite: Local Blackfish; entrée; $30.
Signature: Basil Crusted Swordfish; entrée; $32.
Owner and chef Starr Boggs said the Almond Crusted Flounder is the most popular menu item because if it wasn’t on the menu, there would probably be a revolt.
The flounder or fluke filet is covered in a light, crushed almond and panko bread crumb mixture and then sautéed. The fish is paired with a lemon beurre blanc sauce, a caramelized rum-glazed banana and a sweet potato purée.
“The textures of the dish are appealing,” Mr. Boggs said. “The crispy, nutty crust, the smooth, sweet banana; all the flavors are friendly in the mouth.”
Mr. Boggs said the chefs at Starr Boggs love working with underutilized seafood such as blackfish, a local fish that is low in mercury, making it a healthy option. The blackfish is oven roasted with garlic butter and served with a shellfish garnish and either polenta or a grits soufflé. According to Mr. Boggs, the firm texture of the blackfish lends itself well to a shrimp or lobster garnish.
“We like to let the food show for itself,” he explained. “Our fish is always fresh and prepared to not mask the natural flavors with too many other ingredients.”
Mr. Boggs said he feels like the real signature of Starr Boggs is all of the restaurant’s pristine seafood, but representing that group is the roasted swordfish with seafood paella. The Basil Crusted Swordfish is served with orzo paella, chorizo, shrimp, mussels, peas and green beans and is topped with a roasted tomato. The fish is cut thick and roasted at a high temperature to keep it moist and the basil dressing on top seals in that moisture, according to Mr. Boggs.
“It’s consistently good,” he said. “Really, we just love food here and that shows in all of our dishes.”
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ost Popular: Crispy Skin Atlantic Salmon; entrée; $26.
Chef’s Favorite: Chicken Milanese; entrée; $18.
Signature: Watermelon And Beefsteak Tomato Salad; entrée; $12.
The Crispy Skin Atlantic Salmon weighs in as most popular because it’s both healthy and delicious, according to chef Marc A. Melillo. The salmon is seared in olive oil until it’s almost like bacon, the chef said. It’s presented with a mustard seed vinaigrette, fire-roasted peppers, lemon potato purée and a fresh herb salad.
“The refreshing tastes are very pronounced,” Mr. Melillo said. “The dish has simple ingredients and a simple presentation but an explosion of flavor.”
Mr. Melillo said he loves the Chicken Milanese because it’s his kind of dish. The crispy chicken cutlet is served with a tri-colored salad made up of tomato, radicchio, frisée, basil leaf, red onion and shaved Parmesan.
“It’s a traditional Italian dish that fits summer,” Mr. Melillo said.
The unique flavor combination of the Watermelon And Beefsteak Tomato Salad is what makes it special, according to Mr. Melillo. The salad is made of up of goat cheese, sherry vinaigrette, cilantro, chunks of watermelon and both yellow and red beefsteak tomatoes.
“It’s a refreshing, summertime dish because of the cooling effect it has on the palate from the watermelon and cilantro,” he said.
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ost Popular: Grilled Mako Shark; entrée; $32.
Chef’s Favorite: Spinach And Ricotta Ravioli; entrée; $22.
Signature: Filet Mignon; entrée; $34.
This year is Pietro Bottero’s second season as The Patio’s chef and he said he’s introduced a lot of his own flavor to the menu.
Coming in as the most popular dish, he said, is the Grilled Mako Shark, which is seasoned, grilled and served with grilled asparagus, and tomatoes marinated in basil and balsamic. The shark is topped with a basil, honey, Dijon mustard and canola oil sauce, which gives volume to the dish, according to Mr. Bottero.
“The freshness and seasonality of the ingredients is what makes it good,” he said. “People love fish on the grill during the summer season.”
A dish Mr. Bottero said he’s always been proud of is his pasta, which is made in-house. The raviolis are stuffed with spinach, lemon zest, nutmeg and ricotta cheese and are topped with a slow-cooked, simple tomato basil sauce.
“I’m a huge fresh pasta fan, it’s a classic dish, ” Mr. Bottero said. “And everyone likes it.”
The 8-ounce, grass-fed beef filet, seared in a cast-iron skillet to the customer’s desired temperature cannot be ignored as the signature menu item, according to Mr. Bottero. The steak is served with Yukon gold potatoes, sautéed baby spinach and a green peppercorn sauce made with shallots, beef stock, brandy and a classic French reduced heavy cream sauce.
“We always sell a lot of steaks,” he said. “Everyone loves a filet mignon.”
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ost Popular: Lobster Pot Pie; entrée; $24.
Chef’s Favorite: Beer Battered Pretzel Crusted Chicken Breast; entrée; $22.
Signature: Marinated Filet Mignon Tidbits; appetizer; $12.95.
Chef Chris Brawley said he makes his own lobster stock by boiling white wine, half and half, water and heavy cream for approximately two hours. He said he then adds carrots, potatoes and lots of lobster meat. But varying from traditional pot pies, Jonesey’s places the essential pot pie pastry puff on top of the large bowl of pot pie filling, as opposed to using it to enclose the filling.
“People like it because it’s different,” Mr. Brawley said. “They come back in for it over and over again.”
While thinking about some new potential chicken specials while watching television, Mr. Brawley said he was inspired by a pretzel commercial to make the Beer Battered Pretzel Crusted Chicken Breast.
Mr. Brawley said he fries the chicken in a Guinness beer batter and uses crushed, sourdough pretzels to cover the chicken. A honey Dijon and sour cream drizzle finishes off the dish, which is served with house-mashed potatoes and the fresh in-season vegetable.
“People responded really well,” Mr. Brawley said. “It’s unique but it all came together.”
Filet mignon chunks marinated in a soy sauce, sugar and barbecue sauce blended and served with a heavy cream and Gorgonzola sauce and a balsamic glaze drizzle make up Jonesey’s signature appetizer.
“They’re grilled bite-size pieces of delicious steak,” Mr. Brawley said. “Everyone loves to snack on them before their entrées come.”
Heather Girgenti on Jul 18, 2011