Sag Harbor- Last year, restaurant owners and brothers Jesse and Tora Matsuoka were busy with redeveloping Sag Harbor’s Sen Restaurant with a huge expansion of 600 additional square feet. This year, the well-loved Japanese restaurant’s partners have teamed up with David Hart, Stephen Loffredo, and Nick and Nunzio Zattola to open K-Pasa. The new eatery is located just next to the bridge at 1 Main Street and The soon to be John Steinbeck Waterfront Park.. It will serve 11 types of tacos and 12 types of tequilas in the former Superica space. Who doesn’t love the new food group called tacos? “As culinary experts, we want to be able to represent multiple taste profiles in the form of a taco or empanada or salad. Who says that we can’t do a duck confit taco? Who says we can’t do an Indian lamb taco?” Jesse Matsuoka. K-Pasa is set to open on May 16th.
Also in Sag Harbor, lobster, lobster, and more lobster. Who would have thought that at one time it was deemed only for prisoners, fertilizer or fish bait? Owner of Ed’s Lobster Bar, Edward McFarland has signed a lease for the former Bay’s Burger at 1742 Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike, where he wants to connect with the year-round community as well as his crossover metropolis clientele with great New England style fish-shack fare and possibly live music.
Ms. Tremblay, former owner of Bay Burger founded The SHED, a female co-working space with Sarah Cohen and Amanda Fairbanks. Originally a pop-up at Estia’s Little Kitchen, now the Shed resides at 1796 Bridgehampton-Sag Turnpike with several cottages and desks named Betty Friedan, Eleanor Roosevelt, Gloria Steinem, Michelle Obama, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Shirley Chisholm. There is coffee, artwork, meditation, yoga, fresh flowers and loads of collaborative events. What a great space to meet new people and combine talents.
Joe and Liza’s Ice Cream formerly owned by the Tremblays has been scooped up by GeekHampton owner Amy O’Donnell and son Sean O’Donnell. Sean has more than a million followers @theseanodonnell. They want to grow the brand and add to it. “We have a lot of people asking for a CBD mint chip,” Amy said.
Nino Tristani, the new owner of Murf’s Backstreet Tavern in Sag Harbor, secured a liquor license from the State Liquor Authority late last month. The sometimes haunted sea salt, Sag Harbor staple at 64 Division St. will now close at 2 a.m. Police Chief McGuire was concerned about the average of 15 calls to Murph’s per year responding to reports of public urination, defecation, drug use and we must not forget…. sex acts.
Mr. Tristani, who has homes in Staten Island and East Hampton, secured a liquor license which allows him to have live music and two security guards. Mr. Tristani who paid $3.1 million for the 770-square-foot bar owns a waste management company in New York City.
Water Mill- “Due to overwhelming requests of Osteria Salinas’ loyal guests,” said Timothy Gaglio, Osteria Salina has been searching for a new home. Rumor has it that Osteria Salina@PDR Watermill Square is set to open this season 670 Montauk Hwy. in Water Mill. PDR stands for Private Dining Room, for those not in the know. Osteria, named after Sicily’s Isola Salina boasts succulent Mediterranean fare by chef and co-owner Cinzia Gaglio. The new location owned by Ben Rinzler, Madison Property Management has received major updates and renovations in the last few years, first with Chef Marco Barrila of Manna and now with PDR. The location was made famous by the 18 year run by Chef Mirko Zager’s Mirko’s. Osteria Salina was previously located at 108 Wainscott Stone Road, Wainscott which now houses Il Mulino with delicious but pricey Italian decadent bites and 95 School Street in Bridgehampton which is now Elaia Estiatorio with Hellenic dining.
Southampton- Zac Erdem of 75 Main, has partnered with Terrance Brennan of the trendy, formal uptown west Picholine, now closed. Erdem will bring Mediterranean style farm to table fare in an elegant Hamptons farmhouse setting at 136 North Main Street in Southampton.
Where Savanna’s, Del Monico, Circo, and Jue Lan once stood T Bar takes over. Tony Fortuna’s Upper East Side’s restaurant of the same name has been described as a solid neighborhood American restaurant consistently having great food, juicy steaks, capable staff, and an old-school, sociable owner. The location is divine since it’s steps away from the train station, making it a great first stop from the city and it’s just steps from Ian Duke’s Southampton Social Club. Why not enjoy both in one night and call an Uber.
Down the street at 281 County Road 39A, Stratis Morfogen, founder of Philippe Chow is opening the Brooklyn Chop House, an Asian steakhouse after a successful pop-up at The Capri Hotel last summer. Robert “Don Pooh” Cummins, Dave Thomas and Morfogen opened the 150 Nassau St. location last year. Cummins comes from the music industry and brings his peers, talent, and followers. Morfogen is collaborating with Capri Hotel’s owner, celebrity lawyer Mark Geragos with a percentage based mutually beneficial relationship. He described it as a “Win-win”. Morfogen will treat The Capri’s guests as his own.
“Damn Good Dumplings”, Morfogen’s cookbook is being published this fall, so that you can make the lite bites at home, or soon you can purchase frozen BCH sandwich dumplings. Yum. “I’m excited to open shop on the East End with our Dim Sum & Chops which is a unique concept,” Morfogen said. The Steaks are 60 day dry aged and double thick chops unless you order the crispy filet mignon. There is an impressive assortment of small plates to choose from which include lite bites of chicken or vegetable lettuce wraps, Crispy seaweed or tasty short rib bao buns, exceptional Peking duck tacos, glazed spare rib tacos, tender lobster spring rolls, and more chef-driven fine indulgences.
Restaurateur Ian Duke and Chef Scott Kampf of Mexican restaurant Union Cantina opened the cozy Union Burger Bar, also at 40 Bowden Square. It’s definitely going to have a line out the door this summer! Kamph has been featured on “Iron Chef America” Duke also owns The Southampton Social Club, a restaurant and Hamptons nighttime hot spot with indoor-outdoor space. Who doesn’t love to gaze at the stars over a rosé Provence?
Bridgehampton- Chef Brian Tsao, formerly of Beauty & Essex will now be Chef de Cuisine at the Bridgehampton Inn Restaurant. Chef Brian Szostak is still on board. Sybille van Kempen owner of Loaves & Fishes Cookshop next door, food store in Sagaponack and the restaurant and inn will launch her first cookbook “Look & Cook Book” with her mixologist son Kyle Fengler and Chef Brian Szostak. Van Kempen follows in her late mother’s footsteps Anna Pump who appeared on the Hamptons scene 40 years ago.
Montauk- Almond’s Chef Jeremy Blutstein has moved to Gurney’s Star Island Resort & Marina. The James Beard Award-nominated chef married in October. Jarhn Blutstein, wife and beverage director of Gurney’s clued him in about the opportunity which he seized immediately. The 180 seat restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Blutstein is known for his VERY farm to table dishes locally sourced, frequently naming the location and farm of small sourced batches of heirloom and specially cared for produce, fish and farm-raised domestics. He sites favorites such Balsam, Quail Hill, Pike, Amber Waves, Marilee Foster, Goodwater, Mecox Dairy and Holly Browder. Blutstein founded Kimchi Jews’ fermented living probiotic sauces with Chef Jason Weiner of Almond. The sauces can be found at L&W Market, next to Almond also owned by Eric Lemonides. Follow @Chefblutstein for updates.
Saltbox has closed and the new restaurant taking its spot is called Circle Burger at 99 S Edgemere St. by Monica Whelan and Jeff Klein. Circle Burger will focus on gourmet burgers, locally sourced food items and friendly prices to keep them coming back for more. They will feature stacks of onion rings, The Montauk Monster Burger and lobster rolls on burger buns. Or, try the Ironman Burger with bacon, ham, egg, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, house sauce, grilled onions, and a pickle. If you’re not sure what to order, try the sampler platter. They are all set to open on May 17th.
Kristen Vincent is opening her 4th venue with Sel Rose Montauk at 4 South Elmwood Ave. Vincent sees this as an extension of her Manhattan flagship, with a cool downtown fashion crowd, the art world, and avant-garde professionals, who linger over natural wines, cocktails, and fresh oysters. Sel Rose is an amalgamation of Vincent’s obsession with Duchamp and Dalí’s summers on the south coast of Spain and Duchamp’s feminine alter ego Mademoiselle Rrose Sélavy. The menu is French and Tuscan with farm to table seasonal plates. East Coast and West Coast oysters are part of a large raw bar assortment. Sel Rose is slated with a June opening.
After 25 years in business, Cyril’s has sat vacant for two seasons and is in serious disarray. Cyril Fitzsimons’ Clan Fitz Inc., received a total of 45 misdemeanor charges violating East Hampton Town code, in 2013 eventually closing the restaurant. The Dioguardi family sold the building to Jeremy Morton under the LLC name Out East Restaurant Group, with Jack Luber for $1.3M. Now Morty’s Oyster Stand will take over the location at 2167 Montauk Highway. The plans for the interior are nautical in theme with brass portholes, blue shingles, rubber roof, and a mahogany fence. These improvements need to be approved by The East Hampton Town Architectural Review Board and actually orchestrated. A full bar and restaurant will serve 150 guests. A town building permit has been posted outside.
What a great round-up! Try them all!
