No need to wait for summer to be hungry in the Hamptons. Here are some of our favorite winter spots
Stone Creek Inn
East Quogue’s Stone Creek Inn is called a culinary oasis and was voted number one restaurant in the Hamptons by Zagat. The French Mediterranean spot offers classics from Southwest France and local flavors deftly combined by native French chef Christian Mir. The restored white Victorian Inn coveys a refined elegance. It was originally constructed in 1910 and was a speakeasy during Prohibition with a small cottage in back used to store the liquor brought in from Shinnecock Bay up to Weesuck Creek and then up the creek to the cottage. Appetizers and shared bites include tuna tartare, Osietra caviar, arancini, soupe a l’oignon gratinee. French tradition inspires seasonal stars such as Beef Bourguignon and Cassoulet Toulousain. (Mir worked in Toulouse, the ground zero of cassoulet, for a number of years.) But Provençale crusted rack of lamb and Bouillabaisse are always crowd pleasers. For dessert, tart Tatin is a best seller.
Sant Ambroeus
Sant Ambroeus traces its ancestry to Milan where it was founded in 1936 and named for Saint Ambrogio, the patron saint of Milan. In 1982 it came to Manhattan and today has outposts in numerous cities including Southampton, East Hampton and Palm Beach. Both East End locations offer white tablecloth elegance. In Southampton, ivory leather banquettes are accented with black and white stripe chairs. East Hampton makes more reference to the seaside with vintage rattan chairs and upholstered ocean blue banquettes. Menu offerings evoke Milan. Think vitello tonnato, caprese, ossobuco, Milanese veal cutlet, beef carpaccio, extensive selections of pasta, coffee and gelato.
Bistro Ete
At Bistro Ete in Water Mill, Cyprus-born French-trained chef Arie Pavlou presents French classics and a dry aged steak menu in a setting that evokes the French coast. A whimsical touch lists local catch “at the mercy of the sea and the fisherman’s luck.” There’s fondue, traditional charcoal Alpine raclette, escargot, French onion soup, and ceviche for starters. Main plates include steak frites, duck confit paella, curried oxtail, and oven roasted bone marrow. Winter specials include half-price caviar on Sundays, signature dry aged burgers on Saturdays, and foie gras Fridays with complementary wine pairings. Groups can order rotisserie suckling pig or a private lamb BBQ. Chef Arie’s signature cocktails are dramatic: a truffle Martini that drinks like a meal and a smokin’ cherry maple old Fashioned.
Fauna
Fauna, a new American restaurant in Westhampton Beach, is part of the Rooted restaurant group which also owns Cowfish and Rhumba in Hampton Bays. Crowd-pleasing appetizers are the herbed popover, lamb lollipops , and Red Kuri squash bisque. Mains include Berkshire pork chops. Scottish salmon, and almond crusted flounder, an ode to the late chef and former owner legendary Starr Boggs. There’s also a selection of prime steaks. There are inventive craft cocktails and an extensive wine list skewed to California. The upscale white table cloth restaurant is both elegant and charming.
Beverly Stephen writes about food, travel, design, and lifestyle. She is co-owner of Flavor Forays, a culinary travel company.
