Foodstuffs: Manna From The Sea And Refined Berries Delivered

Southampton’s erstwhile waterfront dining spot, The Lobster Inn, will reopen under new ownership, a new management team, and with a new concept. Manna at Lobster Inn (5 Inlet Road West, Southampton, mannarestaurant.com, 631-728-5555) will feature indoor and outdoor seating and a full bar and a lounge area, all with a water view. The brainchild of offshore aquaculture pioneer Donna Lanzetta and Sag Harbor restaurateur Ryunosuke Jesse Matsuoka, (of Sen and K Pasa), the restaurant will feature sustainable seafood courtesy of Executive Chef Thomas Bogia. The restaurant design consultant is Alden Fenwick.

Look for an eclectic menu with seafood as the star. Appetizers will range in price from $9 to $16. Sample appetizers include double infused shrimp scampi and charred Cobb salad. Entrées will range in price from $24 to $32. Expect a lobster roll, sushi, skate, porgy and other finfish and mollusks. The signature dish is trout carbonara, a sexy version of a classic alfredo without pancetta, but rather served with trout roe atop fluffy pasta. There’ll be surf and turf, too, and desserts, such as the brownie waffle ($12), which will be made in-house. The 198-seat restaurant will open by Memorial Day Weekend.

Manna Fish Farms is pioneering to be one of the first U.S. permitted open ocean finfish farms, in federal waters. Utilizing the latest in submersible net pen technology, Manna Fish Farms will build and operate a sustainable commercial fish farm growing finfish and researching IMTA (Integrated Multi Trophic Aquaculture) with macroalgae (kelp) and shellfish (sea scallops, mussels, oysters). The waterfront restaurant’s iconic location will continue to serve as a visual landmark for travelers as they reach the eastern end of Sunrise Highway in Southampton. The property was initially acquired in 2018 in a collaborative purchase with the Town of Southampton, wherein Southampton purchased the marina, the restaurant group purchased the restaurant and the fish farm purchased the land across from the restaurant for fish farming, selling back the development rights on that farmland to Southampton. Additionally, approximately 2 acres were purchased and preserved outright by the Town of Southampton. This purchase was accomplished as an alternative to a 26-unit townhouse development slated for the property.

This Memorial Day, Oishii, the largest indoor vertical strawberry farm, is bringing its coveted Omakase Berries to the East End for the summer season. Hamptonites will now be able to order Omakase Berries through Eli’s for direct delivery or pre-order for pickup at Carissa’s Bakery in East Hampton. Carissa’s will also be offering special Omakase Berry gelato and other grab and go options throughout the season, as available.

Served by renowned chefs in New York, Oishii’s special Japanese strawberry variety is grown pesticide-free in a first-of-its-kind vertical farm located 20 minutes outside of Manhattan in Kearny, New Jersey. Harmoniously marrying nature with technology, Oishii has recreated the elements — rain, air, heat, light, and nourishment — to preserve and embrace nature’s finest for the perfect fruit every time, all year round. Meaning ‘delicious’ in Japanese, Oishii is known for its Omakase Berry, a variety marked by its otherworldly sweetness, creamy texture and aroma. Perfect for a summer soiree, dinner party, wedding party gift, or picnic, Oishii’s berries come in trays ranging from three to 11.

Oishii’s Omakase Berries have been featured on the menus of top New York Michelin-starred restaurants, including Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare, Atomix, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Masa, and Atera and used by famed pastry chef, Dominique Ansel. These special occasion berries will be available for delivery on the East End beginning this Memorial Day and are the perfect hostess gift, picnic accompaniment and party treat ideal for a summer by the shore. For direct delivery through Eli Zabar’s, visit elizabar.com. For more information on scheduling pre-order pickup at Carissa’s visit oishii.com/pickup.

Carissa’s Bakery is located at 221 Pantigo Road in East Hampton.