restaurant

Sag Harbor Shuffles….. Plus Memorial Day – Benefit Update!

He former home of The Cuddy!

Big news in Sag Harbor, the site of the former Phao… The Cuddy… and whatever else… well it is now becoming a branded restaurant for Wolffer Wines.    Yes, I will miss The Cuddy’s burgers! Early reports had the property opening soon as a tasting room but I’ve heard it’s actually going to have a full blown menu and be a real restaurant.   It will have a “high profile” chef that has already signed on to get behind the grill… or the stove… or the deep fryer… whatever they’ll have!    No word on weather they’ll have a steady reserve of Wolffer Rose to last through the summer.   Remember last year, our rose cups runnith dry!

Meanwhile, don’t cry for Espresso Argentina… they’re coming back to town.   Yes, the home of the best turkey focaccia sandwiches ever..anywhere… will be going into the space formerly occupied by Cigar Bar…. hopefully they’ll get rid of stale beer and stale cigarette smell. The property was vacant for the past few seasons and is already undergoing renovations! So now, you can get your sandwich and have your Yummylicious too (you know the place that looks like a “Hello Kitty” brothel).

Finally, one of the big benefits for years in the Hamptons was The Miracle House Memorial Day Kickoff at Bridgehampton Surf and Tennis Club.   It was wall to wall people every year and guests mingled with celebrities like Taylor Dane, Andy Cohen and Cheyenne Jackson.   Well the organization which housed severely ill adults in NYC sadly shuttered last year.   It was a loss for the community in NYC and created a hole in the all important Hamptons benefit schedule.   Well now comes word that the date and the location have been reserved by the  LGBT Network of Long Island.   Tickets will start at a affordable $250 for the cocktail party and are already available with additional information on the organizations website!

HIGHWAY DINER…. NEW LOOK… NEW OWNERS…. NEW ATTITUDE!

The best pot pie ever!
Ginormous salads!

So, a quick blog post is better than no blog post at all (at least according to me).   After being a sushi restaurant with financing by Wells Fargo, SHUKU the Highway Diner has reopened.   In the first restaurant opening of the season, they did it quietly but carried a big culinary stick!     While I don’t have many of the details on the chefs and owners etc., I can tell you the staff seemed to be experienced and ready to take on the task of breaking the curse of the tank!     So what did we have?  A chicken pot pie which is quite possibly the best one I ever tasted!!!!   My of my dinner companions had freshly made pasta where they said they can “actually taste the difference.”  I started with a Caesar salad that could have been a meal itself.    Also gone is the sterile cold interior that had diners sitting on edge as every new customer walked in the door.  Now, the old diner’s food wasn’t bad but I think the management and staff were in over their heads.  My favorite or least favorite experince I should say was when they ran out of bagels for breakfast at $10 a pop.  HELLO, THERE IS A BAGEL STORE TWO DOORS DOWN!    Anyway, for a first night the Highway Diner was a hit with me and everyone else at the table!   I think it has what it takes… good food … good service….a full bar and good prices!

Home made pastas!

It’s about time to have some good restaurants in the Hamptons.  Meanwhile, Nichol’s is really shuttered for renovations and who knows if it will ever return.  Meanwhile, I’m doing a death watch on about 3 different restaurants on the east end.  More on that coming soon, I promise!

Mysterious Moves on 27 in East Hampton!

According to their Facebook page, Highway diner in East Hampton has indeed changed hands and the lease was sold to an “very talented group.”      There was a lot of speculation about what was to become of the most cursed location in the Hamptons since the Water Mill

The end of the Highway!

shopping center!   By the way, any news on how West Elm is actually doing?    A few weeks ago, some eagle eyed readers noticed there was an ad for waiters and waitresses needed at the diner but nothing much happened.  The “Reopening in March” sign came and went and now it’s gone and so is much of the restaurants interior.    Construction crews have been there morning till night and it looks like there are some training sessions going on for staff inside.    But here’s where the news gets a little more depressing, apparently they are going to open as a new Japanese restaurant…. yes another Asian Restaurant!    This I think may be a nail in the coffin of Zokkon which was being operated by the former chef Suki Zuki, which in spite of some really good food, the place appears to be struggling.    I just hope for their sake Highway Diner isn’t becoming a Nobu.

I drove by and asked one of the employees in the lot what’s going on and they indeed confirmed a Japanese restaurant.   If you got the real inside scoop, please let me know.  Here’s the posting on the Facebook page.

Highway Diner & Bar has been sold. Thanks to all of the guests who made the Highway a special place in our community. We will leave it to the new owners to announce their future plans but we can reveal they are a very talented group so you can expect great food in a beautiful space. Have a wonderful Summer.UPDATE:  Someone pointed out that the know-it-alls at Curbed.com already got the inside scoop on this one!  Here’s the LINK!

Now for the other mystery in East Hampton.   Why has there been an East Hampton Town Police car sitting there for the past 2 weeks.   There doesn’t appear to be anybody in the car and it sits there empty day after day keeping a very watching eye on the Highway Diner and the green tank!   I’m only waiting for someone who is texting and driving to side swipe or hit it.   Is it me or is does this seem like an accident waiting to happen?  Does anyone know why it’s there?

Advice for city folk buying in the Hamptons. Plus, the cheesiest prix fixe meal on the East End!

Now that it’s summer, agents and brokers in the Hamptons are being inundated with folks who are being charmed by our little slice of heaven and want to buy before interest rates go too much higher.    Since most of our buyers are coming here from the city, much of our time is being spent educating them to the differences between, co-ops, condos and owning a home.     One of my bits of advice for those buying in the Hamptons is to use a local attorney.    It’s very different out here.   In fact, I’ve had deals with city attorneys (not all) who really were at a loss for how things get done.   Recently I sat down with Bridgehampton attorney Adam Miller who has also experienced doing deals on both sides of the East River.    Take a look…

While I’m excited for the summer, I get the feeling there are some Hamptons establishments that just don’t want my business anymore.  While I can’t consider myself a local ( I was born in NJ and I have a heart felt appreciation for Superfund sites) I am definitely a year rounder.   That means I’ve been here for more than 5 years and yes this is my primary residence.   I’m here on Tuesday nights in January.     You know the time of year and kind of night when if there are more than 5 tables at a restaurant, it’s a busy night.    It’s a time when we all get along!

One of the things the local restaurants offer to get us out of the house as opposed to doing binge viewing on Netflix is to offer a nice reduced price menu when things are a little slower.     In the winter, this keeps waiters busy and cob webs off the chairs by offering good meals at a reasonable price.   I know it’s the Hamptons, the season is short and the rents are high.   I get it, I really do.   So I’m never going to pay TGIFriday’s prices anywhere on the east end at any time of year.    But when you offer a prix fixe please don’t insult us by giving us a dish that even Kate Moss would say is a joke!
Case in point the photo here!!   This meal was $35 dollars and included a small Caesar salad, this dish and a small desert.     Yes that is an actual full portion of chicken next to my fork with 2.. yes two whole roasted new potatoes.   It looks like a french cut throw away from a Swanson’s TV dinner.   Now,  I’m not going to say the restaurant name, you can figure it out.    The choices out here are limited and I’m afraid to burn a bridge.   I only wished they liked me as much as I like them!