A Day of Tasting through Montauk & the Hamptons

I was able to spend a lot of time on the east end of Long Island this summer, reminiscing about my childhood and checking out places new and old. Most of the trips involved overnight stays, but there was one where my friend Gail accompanied me for a marathon day of eating and drinking through Montauk and the Hamptons.

The first stop of the day was in Amagansett, at the Clam Bar. Since I can’t eat seafood I was forced to watch while Gail checked out the best of this infamous stop. Everything here comes in fresh from the docks every day and it looks amazing.

She started with the Local Sea Scallops, a ceviche with a lemon-lime marinade she enjoyed. Next was the dish that made them famous – the Lobster Salad Roll. Gail agreed it was worth the hype, as was the Spicy Crab & Sweet Corn and the New England Clam Chowder, before she demonstrated how to eat steamers (see video above).

I was getting hungry watching the food, but there was plenty for me at Montauk’s Navy Beach, where I sipped La Tigressa (vodka, agave syrup, basil and watermelon) and nibbled on the incredible Yuman Ribs with chili and caramel. Gail went for the Local Ceviche plate, made with shrimp, scallops, fluke and octopus, while we both also tasted a fresh and fruity concoction called Marganegra, made with silver tequila, Crème Yvette, raspberries, blackberries and lime.

We had to go a bit further into the town of Montauk to South Edison, where they use fruits and vegetables to make cocktails. The Fresno Chili Martini is made with gin soaked chili peppers and the Pickled Martini uses smoked and pickled onions. There are also drinks made of garlic, asparagus, green beans, cherries and other produce.

The food isn’t only in the drinks at South Edison.  Gail had a tasty Local Baby Lettuce Salad with smoked golden trout and banana vinaigrette and I loved the Chicken and Waffles with honey butter.  It was true comfort food and quite different from anything on the menu at Sole East, where we went next.

This contemporary boutique resort has a bar restaurant with a small, but well thought menu. The drinks are named after the owners kids and are quite creative, especially the Samantha, a wonderful combination of jalapeño-infused Filandia, spiced pineapple and lime. 

As for the food at Sole East, the menu is small and very interesting. I really enjoyed the Parppadelle with Beef Brisket. 

There was no food at the Montauk Brewery, but the beer on tap is produced by three local men who started the company three years ago and now sell it to many east end restaurants. They deliver it using a beach cruiser to help do their part for the environment. Gail Liked the American Style ESP, a cross between pale ale and an IPA.

We left Montauk for Bridgehampton where we had a fantastic Italian feast at Osteria Salina. As full as we were, we tried to taste bites of everything and were glad that we did.

At Osteria Salina, a new addition to the area this year, they start you off with cucumbers marinated in olive oil and a bit of salt. We thought they went well with the drinks, a Prickly Pear Mojito and a Selena Sunrise, made with blood orange juice.

The food just kept coming and every dish was better than the last: Bucatina Con Sarde, with sardines, fennel and pine nuts; Mezza Rigatoni, pasta with eggplant, tomatoes and Buffalo mozzarella; Polpo Eolicno, charred octopus tenticles with fava beans and lemon oil; and Oven Roasted Chicken, in escarole and fagiolini.

The only thing better than the meal at Osteria Salina was the dessert. The homemade cannoli was light as a feather and the Peach Plum Tart was delicious.

It was rather late in the evening when we made it to the last restaurant, Plaza Café. The bartender was waiting for us with a Blueberry Mojito and a Watermelon Margarita, both extremely refreshing.  Gail liked the Fish Tacos, made with Mahi Mahi, and I was impressed with the Grilled Pizza with fig, prosciutto, baby arugula and balsamic syrup.

Needless to say, we didn’t eat for quite a while after this food-filled day. The season in the Hamptons is technically over, but that makes it one of my favorite times to visit. Take advantage of the lower rates and plan a trip out to Eastern Long Island this fall.   The Clam Bar is open until November; Sole East, Plaza Café and Osteria Salina are open year round. The Montauk Brewing Company is still open weekends. As for the rest, it’s never too early to plan for a trip next spring. 

More Tasting Through the Hamptons

New York appears to have been on the receiving end of some of the worst weather this year and my friend Lynn and I felt some of that on day two in the Hamptons, but it didn’t put a damper on the spirits we needed to sample.  

We met Andrea from the Hamptons Visitors Council at the Golden Pear in East Hampton. It was one of four locations for this bakery/deli/coffee shop which seemed to have quite the selection. 

I settled on a blueberry scone and we talked a bit about the Hamptons, which encompass quite an area that includes towns such as East Quogue, Hampton Bay and Sag Harbor. As she said, each hamlet has its own personality and it’s one of the few areas in the world where celebrities often mingle with locals because they consider themselves locals here.

Lynn and I drove around a bit before our lunch at Indian Wells Tavern in Amagansett. I have to admit that I thought it was just a local pub, but I was very impressed with the food and drink selection.

We started with a few cocktails, the first of which was a nut/fruit combination called a Bikini Martini (Malibu Coconut, Absolute Vodka, pineapple juice and grenadine). Then there was the Premium Skinny Margarita (that uses agave nectar instead of sour mix to cut calories) and the Fresca Tina (Grey Goose L’orge Fresca with a splash of cranberry).

The first food item was one of the simplest creative dishes I had seen – Baked Chili. They simply bake their chili topped with cheese in the oven and then top in with sour cream. It was just outrageous and I had to use my self-control to keep from finishing it! 

Next, we had a great Arugula Salad topped with apples and nuts, followed by a tender and flavorful Prime Rib Sandwich with mozzarella cheese and horseradish sauce on a ciabatta roll. There were also some sweet and spicy ribs that were a little smoky.

We were thoroughly stuffed, but the staff (and patrons) all insisted we had to try the Banana Taco with an Almond Mocho, a rich and nutty coffee with amaretto. I’m glad they did because it was worth the extra calories.

It was a good thing I was full before hitting the next stop. Tates Bakery is known throughout the country as both Consumer Reports and Rachael Ray magazines have named their chocolate chip cookies No. 1. They make one million cookies per week (including whole wheat and gluten-free ones), but most people don’t’ know that they also sell plenty of muffins, birthday cakes, cupcakes, fruit pies, ice cream sandwiches and homemade marshmallows – for hot chocolate in the winter and s’mores in the summer.

I had a great visit with Kathleen King, who began her famous bakery by making cookies to sell at her father’s farm stand when she was only 11. I left with some samples and met back up with Lynn.

We spent some time resting at The Maidstone, where we had stayed the night before. There are plenty of comfortable chairs throughout this Swedish-owned hotel and we also got to see some of the Norwegian items they had for sale, such as clogs and beauty products.  It’s definitely a unique place to stay, with only 19 rooms and unusual extras like yoga in the garden, room service and spa treatments.

Our last stop before leaving the Hamptons was the Red|bar Brasserie.  We had a nice chat with Patrick, the bartender who is in his ninth summer working out here. It’s an interesting place, with French music in the background and some tasty homemade potato chips at the bar. He made us a light and crisp Venetian Spritzer (prosecco and aperol) before we tasted the tender Braised Pork Belly with Celery root, that had a bit of sweetness from the pork rind and green apple. Then, we sampled their homemade Foie Gras Terrine, served with brioche toast and fig jam. 

I knew I just touched the surface of the Hamptons on this trip, but before I could come back, I had to head over the pond to spend some time with my favorite spirit, courtesy of Beefeater.