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. 

Sip and Taste From Montauk to the Hamptons Wine Trail

It was a cloudy and cool morning, but it was nice to wake up to the sounds of the ocean from my condo at the Surf Club in Montauk. I threw some sweats on and took a walk to town, stopping at the Continental Deli for a fresh piece of guavaberry bread and some coffee.

After getting a bit of work done, I drove to Wolffer Estate Winery in Sagaponack. I wanted to see the place and taste their wines, but I also wanted to hear about the newly formed Hamptons Wine Trail.

My daughter Sam met me for a day and we sat down with Winemaker Roman Roth to talk about the nearly five years it took for him – along with the Long Island Wine Council – to have this declared a wine region. He explained how the richer soil than the North Folk holds the water better, making for more elegant wines here.

Wolffer grows 50 acres of grapes on the 170 acre Hampton estate. Roth grows a selection of varietals by being honest about what works in this region. I was impressed with the just bottled 2011 Rosé Wine, a combination of merlot (54%), chardonnay (21%), pinot noir (9%), cabernet sauvignon (8%) and cabernet franc (8%).  It had a light lemon flavor with a bit of minerality, making it a good food friendly summer wine.  

At a higher price point, the 2008 Caya Cabernet Franc (with 15% merlot) has a nose full of fruit thanks very careful hand picking, sorting and cleaning. Behind the fruit is a bit of white and green pepper, as well as some licorice.

We took a walk through the downstairs library, barrel and tank rooms at Wolffer before driving to downtown East Hampton for some fresh mozzarella Paninis at Golden Pear. We needed some sustenance before hitting the next winery, Channing Daughters in Bridgehampton.

Alice Dubin was waiting for us at Channing Daughters and started by telling us about the wineries passion for rosés. They make eight unique ones here as well as a few “oranges.” Under that category I tried the 2011 Ramoto, which got its orange color from skin fermented pinot grigio. It spent eight months in oak – long enough to pick up some extra flavor, but not too long to be on the vanilla side. I could taste the baked apples and dried apricots within what was almost a dry rose.

Also impressive at Channing Daughters was the 2008 Clones, made from 10 clones of Chardonnay grown on Long Island, and the 2008 Channing Daughters Sculpture Garden, a distinct blend of 95% Merlot from the oldest vineyard of its kind on the South Fork and 5% Blaufrankisch.

Another interesting thing I learned about Channing Daughters was that they love to teach about wine and offer a series of tasting seminars so that their customers are more aware about what they are drinking.

The final stop of the day was at a winery I had previously tasted. Duck Walk is a fairly well-known Long Island winery on the North Fork. The location there was twice the size of this one, yet size does not always matter.

Just like at the other two wineries on the Hamptons Wine Trail, Duck Walk used their Water Mill location for specific wines, producing 20 wines at this plant. The other difference is in the visitors the winery gets. I was in agreement with the explanation that people who come to this location are here for the Hamptons experience and happen to discover wine here, while those who go to the North Fork have usually traveled there for the wine experience.

Many of the wines at Duck Walk are light and white, which happens to be my favorite kind. We started with the Southampton White, a non-vintage blend of Cayuga and chardonnay that was filled with grapefruit and similar to Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio.

The 2009 Chardonnay Reserve was very buttery and a little oaky, but not at all smoky, retaining the lightness after eight months in oak.

On the red side, the 2008 Pinot Meunier, a grape that Duck Walk is the only producer on the east coast to make on its own, was a ripe red cherry that I really enjoyed. The 2010 Blueberry Port is just wonderful and must be tasted, as is the 2008 Ice Wine Vidal Blanc, not at all overly sweet, but overflowing with peach and tropical flavors.

Sam and I drove back to the Surf Club to get ready for the Montauk Mixer at South Edison, just down the road from where we were staying. It was nice to meet some of the local business owners and here about the Montauk Music Festival, party boats leaving from the area and the renovation of Navy Beach. We also tasted some interesting food, like the waffles and chicken, but had to save our appetite for a big dinner at Gurney’sInn & Spa.

I think Gurney’s was on Long Island even before I arrived as an 11 year old from the Bronx. Its each location is ideal for a getaway or a meal and the new deck overlooking the beach is a nice add on. Unfortunately, it was a cool night so we didn’t want to spend much time outside, but instead took a window seat.

We started with cocktails and I ordered a Black Cherry Cosmo, with Van Gough Black Cherry Vodka, a splash of triple sec and white cranberry juice. It was very good and went well with the vegetable puree soup. Sam had crab cakes that she said were flavorful.

Both our main courses were excellent. For me it was Goat Cheese Ravioli, with spinach and sundried tomatoes in a truffle cream sauce. Sam had the Bouillabaisse and it was filled to the brim with fresh seafood.

We were both pretty full, but managed to enjoy a few bites of the Montauk Mudd Pie and Gurney’s Cheesecake before heading back to the Surf Club. There was one more Long Island day to come as I began to make my way west. 

Back East for More Hamptons and Montauk

The best thing about my gig writing twice weekly for Hamptons Magazine is the opportunity to go explore this area I spent a good part of my teenage years in. Of course, many things have changed since that time, but some things will forever remain the same.

I was on my own for day one so I decided to take a ride all the way to “The End.” Montauk is the end of Long Island, the approx. 100 mile piece of land where the sound is to the north and the ocean is to the south. At the Montauk Light House the island comes to a peak and it’s quite the sight.

Unfortunately, the day was a bit gloomy, but I decided to venture out to the lighthouse and walk on the beach anyway. It had been too many years since I’d been at this spot. I walked the rocky path down to the beach and watched the waves for a while. I have to say that’s one of the things I have missed in the Midwest, not being able to stroll on the beach.

My one bedroom duplex at the Surf Club was just perfect for me. It lacked the frills of a five star resort, but made up for it with a perfect location on the beach. I had a small patio that was just yards from ocean, a bedroom with an ocean view window (there’s nothing like falling asleep to the sound of quiet and waves) and a short walk into downtown Montauk, a quiet beach town.

Dinner was set up at Andrra, a brand new restaurant in East Hampton that overlooks Three Mile Harbor. From what I could see it would be the perfect spot for a sunset on a day that wasn’t so cloudy. I met with their public relations rep, Lindsey, who had already managed to get to this place a few times and loved everything she had.

One of the restaurants partners, Rich Silver, explained that Andrra is Albanian for “the dream.” The other owners are Sami Krasniqi and Noti Krasniqi. Sami is also the restaurant’s executive chef and he makes pita from mom’s recipe (served with parsley garlic butter).

The lounge and restaurant are both upscale, but have a contemporary décor that is very relaxing. The menu is Mediterranean. As with many restaurants on eastern Long Island the menu was mostly seafood, but I still had quite a few options.

I started with a delicious salad of baby red and yellow beets, with tomato and cucumber in yogurt vinaigrette. Lindsey had the Toskan BBQ Shrimp. She raved about them, trying to explain how they are both spicy and sweet at the same time.

For a main course, she had the lamb chops, served with an edamame roasted garlic puree and was thrilled with the choice. I went for the Pappardelle with Braised Beef Barolo. It was a wine braised beef shoulder with root vegetables and shaved parmesan, mixed with the long thick noodles. The combination was excellent and I wished I had someplace to take it home to for leftovers. We also enjoyed flavorful sides of spinach and asparagus.

We were pretty full, but took a while to digest so we could try some dessert. The Key Lime Pie and Warm Flourless Chocolate Cake were definitely worth the wait. Both were fresh and fortunately not too heavy.

I called it a night fairly early as I had a big day ahead of me. It was time to check out the newly designated Hamptons Wine Trail, mingle with some of the locals at South Edison Restaurant, and visit one of the island’s most famous places – Gurney’s Inn and Spa. 

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. 

Hitting the Hamptons

As a teenager growing up on Eastern Long Island, I spent my share of time in the Hamptons. I even did the summer weekends as a young adult for a while. As the years went by, I wasn’t out there as much as I’d like, so when the opportunity came up to write for Hamptons Magazine on a weekly basis this summer, I figured it was a great excuse to get back in the habit of going out there.

Trip number one was with my friend Lynn. Wordhampton, a public relations firm that specializes on Long Island, set up an incredible schedule that would allow us to taste my way around the east end for three days. I don’t suggest a non-professional attempt this. Instead, make plans to visit these places (all great) when you have a chance to spend more time at them.

Stop one was at Little Red in Southampton and we were scheduled for a full lunch.  This is a cute little place in town, just off the water. They serve lots of seafood and Paninis, as well as salads and main dishes.  We sipped a few good cocktails, such as the Silver Tulip and the Southampton Sour, and enjoyed some salads, my favorite of which was the Roasted Beet, with Roquefort and goat cheeses in a port wine reduction.

When our “grilled cheese” arrived, we weren’t sure what it was, but we soon learned that the slow roasted duck, braised cabbage, Dijon and brie on sourdough was as good as it tasted. We finished up with some bites of two perfect desserts – Vanilla Cream Caramel and a Toasted Pecan & Honey Tart.

We left Southampton for East Hampton and checked into The Maidstone.  This beautiful old mansion had rooms in all directions with Norwegian touches (it's own by a Swedish company). I especially loved our “Out of Africa” room, modeled after the book written by Danish author Karen Blixen.  It truly looked like it was in the middle of an African safari, but had modern touches (like an IPod docking station and Wi-Fi).

After we changed, it was off to restaurant two, Muse on the Harbor in Sag Harbor. The place is brand new and they’ve got quite a bit to offer for their first season. We walked into to the sounds of Long Island’s own Billy Joel singing “Only the Good Die Young.” The décor was modern, bright and comfy. The bar is large and complete – they even make their own infused vodkas, as well as some unusual offerings (try the Basil Raspberry Beret).

We had some yummy Apple Smoked Pulled Pork and then were blown away by the day’s vegetarian special (chef/owner Matt Guiffrida has a vegetarian dish each night).  It was a Mushroom Parmigiana, a cutlet made from mushrooms that was breaded, pan-fried, covered in marinara sauce and mozzarella and served with a salad made from arugula, artichokes and gigante beans.

As much as we wanted to finish that dish, it was time to head off to Almond in Bridgehampton. The atmosphere there was totally different, with the restaurant on the main road and much more classic, complete with Nat King Cole playing in the background.

We sat at the bar and took a taste of “Fire in the Hole,” a drink made with jalapeño puree that was much too spicy for me, but a favorite of many customers. The Ruby Kiss was a bit milder and fruitier, with Ruby Red Absolute, grapefruit juice, lime, cranberry juice, St. Germain and a bit of simple syrup. We also tasted three incredible dishes – Brussels Sprouts Two Ways, La Gran Mac & Cheese (with black truffle and lots of cheese) and Goat Cheese Ravioli.

We got a bit lost trying to find Fresno, but that gave us a chance to digest before the next food (and also see a great sunset over the water).  When we walked into this cozy restaurant we were surprised to be greeted by Diego the bartender, making us a Cucumber Caipirinha in the style of his native Brazil!

The drink and Diego were the only things at Fresno that are from South America. The menu leaned toward the French, as illustrated by the asparagus and poached egg in truffle oil with shaved parmesan we first ate. The menu is filled with seafood (which both Lynn and I are allergic too), but we also were told the French fries here are famous and agreed. We passed on trying any as we were off for dinner, though we weren’t quite sure how we’d get through a full meal.

Dinner was at The Living Room, a beautiful fine dining room at The Maidstone.  We didn’t end up finishing our meals, but certainly not because we didn’t like them. The mushrooms on toasted brioche with a brandy cream sauce were full of flavor, as was the Ricotta Gnocchi, in a garlic broth with Swedish lamb meatballs (that were also stuffed with ricotta).  The Ginger Vanilla Crème Brulee was also something we hated to leave, but we were as stuffed as the meatballs!

By the time we were done eating dinner, we barely made our way up to our rooms before falling asleep. It had been a really long day and we had another one ahead of us. I had neglected the Hamptons for two long and it was time to make that up.