Fortunately, there are several restaurants that have both NYC and Hamptons locations, so hungry beach-ers, breathe a sigh of relief. This week richNY/poorNY moves out of its comfort zone of boroughs and out to the East End in search of tasty summer meals.
poorNY
When it’s warm out, the sun is shining, and you’re wandering around SoHo or Amagansett shopping and loitering, nothing is better than a big fat dosa from the Hampton Chutney Company. Imagine, a huge yummy fried pancake – well, a sourdough crepe, really – stuffed with savory veggies and cheese (and sometimes meat) served up with a side of their famous chutney, in a range of flavors.
This week I stopped by the Amagansett location (perfectly picturesque, with a handful of outdoor picnic tables to get messy at) with a friend, coming straight from the beach. We split a number 7, which is to say, we each got nice and full off of only half of a dosa crammed full of sweet grilled corn, roasted peppers, roasted red onions, arugula, jack cheese, and a chunky helping of avocado. We smartly chose the mango chutney, a deliciously sweet blend of hunks of mango flecked with lots of spices for a nice round finish – their advice is to pair the mango with seafood and fish or lamb and pork. I might throw a hunk of it on a brie wedge and put it all in the oven for a little bit before serving with crusty bread, myself.
My partner in crime opted for a half lemonade / half orange ginger iced tea ($3.50), but don’t worry, they have plenty of mango and strawberry lassi drinks too. With the dosa coming in at $11.95 and us going out with nice full tummies, Hampton Chutney is the best place to whet your appetite for a quick lunch either in the city or out at the beach.
Hampton Chutney Co.
68 Prince St. / Amagansett Square, Main St.
(Also now uptown, at 464 Amsterdam between 82nd and 83rd)
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richNY
I’d been dying to try Bar Almond in Gramercy since I heard a rave review, but the stars weren’t aligning. Instead, to spare myself the heartache of waiting indefinitely, I opted for the east-end version, which was actually the original, in Bridgehampton. You can’t spend time on Long Island without craving really good seafood, and that’s what we were after – my dining buddy was hankering for lobster, of all things, and would settle for no less. When we popped into Almond, the hostess told us that the nightly special was a whole broiled lobster, but that they’d run out! (In the city, Wednesdays are shrimp scampi.) We were saddened, of course, but the rest of the yummy choices forced us to stick it out anyway.
For starters, the ambiance at Almond is great. French bistro lighting with a big bar mirror and tons of little booths; naturally when we walked in there was a woman attacking an entire roasted artichoke at the bar with three dipping sauces, it just looked amazing.
The menus differ slightly between the city and Bridgehampton, but the vibe is the same. I started with a delicious glass of Pinot Noir and settled in with the menu. At first, we wanted so many different things we decided to order a whole bunch and share it all – steaming garlic mussels, a side of fries to dunk in the broth, an arugula, beet and Roquefort cheese salad, grilled asparagus with truffle oil and pancetta – but then a soft-shelled crab po’ boy sandwich caught my eye, and I was hooked. What to do, one dish or many? Finally, as we decided to split all the appetizers, the waitress comes by with a big smile to announce that the lobster has come back!
This changes everything.
My date is flushed with excitement as she orders the lobster, already envisioning the fries she’s requested in place of fingerling potatoes. This clears the way for me to order the mysterious crab with its spicy roulade, which I do with relish (pun not intended), although it’s getting difficult to stop staring at the steak frites to my left, mussels behind us, and the soup of the day, a vividly green cream of avocado and cucumber with basil oil drizzled on top, to my right.
When the dishes come, we’ve made the right choice: my date’s succulent, whole broiled lobster is basking in its buerre blanc sauce with roasted asparagus making a gorgeous green contrast to the bright red shell, wereas my po’ boy plate is loaded up with a side salad, fries, and the delicious roulade. The entire crab atop its fluffy bun is calling to be smothered in the tangy sauce and provided onions and tomato slices, and it’s the best crab sandwich I’ve ever had. Needless to say, we wreak havoc on our plates and manage to roll back to the car after turning down the delicious sounding desserts. Although the lobster special came in at $30, my po’ boy was a richNY steal at $16, and the wine was $9/g. A well-deserved treat for two tired beach bums. Watch out Almond NYC, I’ll be paying you a visit soon: there were too many things I just didn’t get to try.
Bar Almond
12 E 22nd Street / 1970 Montauk Highway
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