Dining Out visits Race Lane in East Hampton

East Hampton may be simply a summer destination for many residents and entrepreneurs. But Jay and Rowaida Plumeri were looking for a more permanent arrangement when they scouted potential sites for a restaurant in the area 18 months ago.

After eight years of owning the Manhattan-based 41 Greenwich, Mr. and Mrs. Plumeri chose to completely commit to the East Hampton restaurant scene when they opened Race Lane in early June. The site was at one time the home of the Laundry, which operated for 26 years on Race Lane.

“We decided to make some changes,” Mr. Plumeri said. “We couldn’t go to the suburbs, it wasn’t really our thing. We didn’t want to do the out-East thing and the New York City thing. We wanted a full move.”

Mr. Plumeri was familiar with the Laundry’s impact on the region, having developed a friendship and business relationship with Bill Bonbrest, the son of the original Laundry owner.

“I knew the area well enough and I was familiar with the space,” said Mr. Plumeri, who visited the site numerous times in the 1990s.

The Lodge replaced the Laundry for two years before closing up shop in early March. Within weeks of purchasing the property from Lodge owner Michael Gluckman, Mr. Plumeri said he expanded Race Lane’s outside dining area 13 feet while doubling the size of the full-service outdoor bar to complement the indoor bar that greets visitors just inside the main door.

Changes also included glass walls that can be opened during warm days to allow customers to move freely from inside to the patio. The garden, which will provide vegetables on-site, also includes newly planted trees that separate the outdoor dining area from the surrounding houses.

Race Lane kept the seating areas that surround the indoor brick fireplace. Natural light is also filtered through the row of skylights installed after the Lodge was sold.

Chef Alvaro Machado came to Race Lane from the Plumeris’ Manhattan restaurant. The chef-ownership tandem teamed to craft seafood-accented menu which features baked salmon priced at $26, $21-dollar linguini and cockles and seared sea scallops for $27.

The lobster salad, $29, is also a house favorite, said Mr. Plumeri, who touted his burger-and-fries combination as a house specialty dating to his time at the speakeasy-style 41 Greenwich. Race Lane also features non-seafood entrées like grilled veal chop for $39 and 16-ounce strip steak with fries for $34.

Patrons can treat themselves to a $30 three-course prix fixe dinner that is offered daily. The special includes a choice of soup, salad or crab cake, along with an entrée and either cheesecake or warm brownie sundae for dessert.

“I’m a big fan of meat, more than seafood,” Mr. Plumeri said. “At the end of the day, people still want a good burger. If you want to create a menu and vibe that lets people feel comfortable, your hamburger will still be your first or second most popular meal.”

After catering to the summer crowd upon its opening, Race Lane now is trying to establish a foothold with the area’s full-time residents and become a spot that attracts regulars by staying open seven days a week.

For customers who haven’t been to the establishment in years, the first thing they might notice is the Laundry’s hallmark brick décor has been replaced by straw-colored walls. Behind the indoor bar is a dark blue cushioned settee for those who want to grab a drink but prefer not to sit on a stool.

Quieter days average 40 customers from Monday to Wednesday, Mr. Plumeri said, noting that the number usually hits triple-digits for the weekend. He added Sunday’s crowd is boosted by the weekly roast duck dinner offerings.

Other meat offerings include a 9-ounce filet mignon for $37 and a macaroni and cheese dish that is served with bacon for $17.

“It’s an atmosphere that’s nice and friendly and I think that will develop a base for year-round,” he said. “You really find your base after Labor Day and we’ll try and cultivate it. The goal is to stick with it.”

Mr. and Mrs. Plumeri wanted to move out of the city to raise their 4-year-old son, which prompted them to look at locations in the East End. To help run the restaurant, Mrs. Plumeri even left a job in a high-profile position running the wholesale operations for fashion-world powerhouse Bottega Veneta.

Before settling on Race Lane, Mr. Plumeri said he did some covert observations before deciding the place was right for his family. For one thing, 
he would watch customers enter and leave a local deli to see if they stayed long. This kind of fact-finding excursion and conversations with local residents led to a new home and a new career trajectory.

“It’s a great place to be and a great place for our son,” he said. “We just want to make a home of it.”