Food & Wine Archives - Hamptons Mouthpiece

Who has The Hamptons Best Pizza?

Hamptons Best Pizza (update 2020)
Pizza is one of those food items that everyone loves, I guess because it is so customized for your personal taste. For some it’s all about the crust thick or thin, for others it’s the sauce and then there are those where it’s all about the cheese for me I want all three crust, sauce & cheese. I really like thin crust because I feel like you can really taste the toppings more when you’re mouth isn’t full of bread. Also important for me is that there isn’t too much tomato sauce. I hate a pizza where the sauce is gushing out with every bite and causing the cheese and everything to fall off. I vary with toppings, I like mozzarella, tomatoes and basil (but the mozzarella & tomatoes need to be sliced thin), I love really good pepperoni, yummy sausage & peppers or mushrooms. What are your favorite toppings?

Who has The Hamptons Best Pizza? The Hamptons is home to many pizzerias many of which I have personally visited and many I have not. Based on suggestions from friends, my personal experience, google & yelp reviews is how this list was developed? Some will say Pizza in the Hamptons is not as good as NYC pizza like Gabby’s Pizza in Queens or Ray’s Pizza in NYC two of my favorites but I think you will be pleasantly pleased with the selected Hamptons pizzeria’s. My hubby tells me however no one compares to the legendary Gloria’s pizza that used to be in Flushing Queens, he continues to show his age.

These are my top Hamptons Mouthpiece picks for The Hamptons BEST Pizza…criteria: Traditional style NY Pizza, Crust, sauce, cheese, toppings and of course taste. If your favorite did not make my list, email me and I will stop by to taste and if it meets my requirements for BEST PIZZA, they will be added to the list and a shout out on my social media, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Linkedin.

email: [email protected]

P&G Pizza & Deli, Southampton *
Slice pizza, Shelter Island
La Capannina Wainscott, NY *
La Parmigiana, Southampton, NY
Sam’s Restaurant, East Hampton *
Astro’s Pizza & Felice’s Ristorante, Amagansett
Francesca’s Restaurant & Pizzeria, Hampton Bays
Tonino’s Pizza, Westhampton Beach
Primavera Pizza, Montauk
Springs Pizza, Springs
Hampton Market & Kitchen, Sag Harbor
Sag Pizza (not a fan of the brick oven, but I do like by the slice )
Red Horse Market (individual pizza)

Hamptons: Bobby Vans Crab Salad

Bridgehampton, NY: Bobby Vans Crab Salad

I am in love with this Crab salad at Bobby Vans in Bridgehampton, I have ordered it 3 times in the last 2 weeks and each time it has tasted exactly the same as the first time. I love the consistency of good food. I often find a lack of consistency in the Hamptons during the summer season. I am not sure why perhaps because of the influx of people during the summer. It is very rare that I make the effort to dine out in the Hamptons during the summer, but when I do I want that dining experience, good food, and amazing service.

This salad hit all of my taste buds, it includes avocado, bacon, lumps of real crabmeat, lettuce, shredded carrots, yellow tomatoes and wontons for a crunch, topped off with a delicious homemade dressing. I was pleasantly pleased and it left me wanting more and daydreaming about the next time I would have it. My only hope is when I return I will have the same dining experience. The service was wonderful, the atmosphere was enjoyable and it was not a long wait for our food to arrive. It was the perfect dining experience for a beautiful lunch with my hubby on a summer Monday afternoon in the Hamptons. I might add it was not over the top expensive.

I am a fan of Bobby Vans because I have always had a wonderful dining experience in many of the locations I have visited. I remember dining at an NYC location a couple of years ago with my daughter and we had a food experience that literally put us in a food coma.

Next time you are in Bridgehampton stop there for lunch I also recommend the SWEET CHILI TOSSED CALAMARI, the calamari was tender and the sweet chili sauce gave it a pop. OMG, it was so delicious.

Bedell Cellars First Crush

Cutchogue: Bedell Cellars First Crush
On a shockingly bitter cold Tuesday in November, Bedell Cellars of Cutchogue held an exciting launch party celebrating the release of Bedell First Crush Red 2013 and the winery’s collaboration with artist Mickalene Thomas; who’s art proudly decorates the bottle. The expected 200 guests stayed warm at the Four Seasons in NYC and indulged in a variety of Bedell wines in suitable honor of the winery.

Bedell Cellars’ owner and Hollywood film producer Michael Lynne, mingled with guests with a smile on his face that never faltered. Among those invited were several whom are well known in the art and entertainment community including Stacy Engman, a curator at the National Arts Club in New York; Mashonda Tefiere, previously married to musical artist Swizz Beats; and Will Cotton, a famous painter whose inspiration is sourced from Katy Perry.

The 2013 First Crush is an exquisite blend of 60% merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, from grapes picked from younger vines. Lettie Teague of The Wall Street Journal describes it as, “A light juicy blend, pretty, uncomplicated, marked by soft tannins and bright red berry fruit.” It is absolutely delicious and delightfully smooth. Among other wines poured were an oak barreled chardonnay, a stainless steel chardonnay, and the Musée, another red blend with heavy, velvety tannins and a long finish.

Accompanying the wine were elegant hor dourves of steak carpaccio with truffle oil, seared tuna with mango chutney, duck wontons, and fried oysters among several others. Guests reacted very positively grabbing bites just as quickly as wine was being poured. Each food passed was more delicious than the last and thankfully were not in short supply.

Some time into the evening, Michael Lynne addressed the attendees, announcing the release of First Crush and introducing Mickalene Thomas whom also spoke to the crowd of the wine and her artwork. She described First Crush as being very easy to drink and would also make for an excellent art piece after drinking! Both speakers radiated positive energy and the crowd gave a loud and long applause to honor the collaboration.

The evening was a lovely celebratory event of art, great food, and excellent wine. To name this newly launched Bedell wine “First Crush” is an understatement. It truly seems more appropriate to be titled “First Love.”

Hamptons Eats: Wine and cheese: what milk is-‐to cookies

Hamptons Eats: Wine and cheese: what milk is-‐to cookies, with slightly more sophistication. Two glorious (food groups?) that when joined together create double the tasting pleasure. For those of you who are familiar with the many varieties of wines and cheeses, you may also be aware of the many possibilities for pairing them. For those in which wine and cheese are a foreign territory, a land in which you do not speak the language, there’s good news! You can learn. Here is a brief (and very general guide) for pairing wine and cheese that will leave you more knowledgeable and possibly with your mouth watering!
To understand a pairing is to recognize the flavors from the wine you are sipping, the cheese you are nibbling, and how it will taste when they collaborate. The goal is for each to complement the other. It is also, as many things are, about balance. Finding the right balance between the characteristics of what you seek to pair will ensure a satisfying flavor experience.

Let’s say you are celebrating a big accomplishment (go you!) You are sipping on some sparkling wine and are in need of a snack (all those bubbles!). Lucky for you the carbonation from those bubbles will cut through a thick and creamy cheese, making the two a perfect pair. I would suggest a triple cream Brie for between those sips of bubbly. The combination of the two is really something to celebrate!
White wines. There are so many options! Picture a relaxing afternoon at one of the vineyards on the North Fork. New world chardonnays, mostly made in the USA, (and those from our very own north fork vineyards), can evoke a buttery, oaky flavor as well as notes of tropical fruits. A chardonnay with these flavors invites a medium-‐sharp cheddar to make a match. The softness of the wine compliments the sharpness of the
cheddar. Feeling like a kid again? Try it with a cheddar grilled cheese!
One could easily compare red wine to a lover. It can make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. So it’s a really good thing it couples so well with many delicious cheeses. It’s a dynamic duo and the 3 of you will be very happy together. Pinot Noir is arguably the most commonly drank red wine. It is a great starting red, for those whom are not typically red-‐wine drinkers but are looking to branch out and expand their palates. Light, fresh, and fruity; pinot noir pairs nicely with a pungent, fierce, and flavorful goat cheese. A little bit goes a very long way when it comes to goat cheese thanks to its fantastic tang. When the pinot noir softens the pungency of the goat cheese, the flavors harmonize.
A successful pairing is the result of the wine and cheese complementing each other and creating an enjoyable tasting experience. By following the examples above, or just experimenting with your own palate (there really is no right or wrong!), get ready to get tasting! And if all else fails, you can never go wrong with cookies and milk.

A Great Evening at Sen NYC with Warm Apple Sake

A Great Evening at Sen NYC with Warm Apple Sake…Greetings Hamptons Mouthpiece readers…I love good food, it makes me so happy. I love when I go out to eat and everything is right, the ambiance, the service, the drinks, the appetizers, the main course and finally… the dessert. I leave there wanting more, dreaming of my next visit as I am walking out of the door, not focusing on the cost only wanting the experience again. Do you know what I am talking about?

Friday I had the extreme pleasure of dining at Sen in NYC and it left me

wanting more. Jeffrey Resnick, Toranosuke Matsuoka & Jesse Matsuoka have brought their very popular restaurant in Sag Harbor to Manhattan, with Chef Bryan S. Emperor behind the stove and Head Sushi chef Hiro Sawatari. This location opened in Mid September and is centrally located in Chelsea & Flat Iron district but also easily assessable to both uptown and downtown residents.

I arrived around 6pm and was pleasantly pleased with the ambiance of the place, the colors are warm and intimate. Jesse greeted me and gave me a tour of the place as I waited for my cousin Deidre to join me. Located in the front is a lounge area that is very spacious and definitely inviting for an after work crowd who would like to just have drinks and socialize. If the bar scene is your thing than you would love this bar..it is the dominant focal point of the restaurant. It is a beautiful wrap around with real oak on the bottom that are also equipped with hooks for women to hang their bags. The back of the bar is a sushi bar, much larger than the Sag Harbor location, it reminded me of the Benihana’s restaurant. The bartenders are very good looking and for that reason alone is why I will be back. I loved the attention to detail in the design of the place, like the warm colors, the oak wood on the bar and the bark on the walls in the back of the restaurant. I personally found it extremely alluring.

As I continued my wait for my cousin to arrive, Jesse suggested that I try the Warm Apple Cider sake, I did and it was delicious. I was happy to hear that they were using products from Long Island, like the the Apple Cider, it also included cinnamon cloves, lemon & orange peel but the kicker was the spiked Brazilian rum…..YUMMMMMMMY…this totally warmed me up.

Dee finally arrived and we were seated at our table…our evening was going to consist of a variety of sampler dishes from the menu. There were items that I liked more than others and some that I personally did not care for, not that these dishes were not delicious my pallets just did not care for them.

We started our 1st course with Edamame & Tuna Tar Tar…I really liked the takuan pickle shallot & the spicy yuzu dressing in the Tar Tar.

Jesse decided to bring us a sampler of 3 different Sake drinks….The 1st one was a traditional Sake..2nd one was a sweeter Plum Sake and the 3rd one was a more mature Sake with a definite hit….I went with the 2nd choice a more sweeter Sake….Dee went with the more traditional Sake.

Our 2nd course was a Salad with Daikon Sprout, Spanish onion & Sour plum sauce…I

have to admit it was my least favorite because it contained a bitter taste but it was very tasty and one that many might like.

3rd Course: We were brought a sampler tray of various items from the starter menu….Tatsuta, marinated chicken wings, Wagyu Croquette, “Japanese Meat Balls” with Katsu sauce, & Kinchaku “Miso marinated cheese with sweet red crab. It was delicious, I thoroughly enjoyed everything, it satisfied everyone of my taste buds. Unfortunately for you my readers this sampler dish is not on the menu, you would need to order every item individually. I recommend ordering all 3.

Our 4th course was a surprise array of sushi by the piece. I warned Jesse that I did not like raw food and I have to admit I was so scared of what would be brought out for us to sample, but to my delight it was rather good. Being the adventurous person that I am I tried everything. It included raw fluke, raw King salmon, BBQ Eel, cooked shrimp & Japanese egg…I did not care for the egg but that is because I really do not like eggs anymore, I was not in love with the Fluke either but Dee loved the fluke. I was surprised that I loved the salmon, it had a buttery taste and it just melted in my mouth, who knew this would be the night that I embraced sushi…I also liked the shrimp and the BBQ Eel, it was an interesting taste and one that I would experience again.

fluke, King salmon, BBQ Eel, shrimp & Japanese egg

Our 5th Sampler was the Hawaiian Blue Prawns…these prawns are shipped overnight from Hawaii and I will say I loved it. The heads were included in this selection and this was my first time having the courage to taste one. It always felt creepy eating anything where the eyes were staring back at you. It was delightful and I think I enjoyed the head of the shrimp more so than the shrimp itself because it was full of amazing juices that captivated my taste buds. Dee was being a coward and refused to taste, but lucky for me I ate hers…yum yum

Our 6th course was from Chef Emperor’s Specialty selection…Gyu Negima “Stone-fired

Gyu Negima "Stone-fired dry-aged Prime Fillet Mignon

dry-aged Prime Fillet Mignon cooked in Kani Miso Butter and mitsuba cress. I am not a red meat fan, but this presentation was so amazing and it smelled so wonderful. The flame was still burning under the pot as it was brought to the table, and you were in control of how you preferred your steak to be cooked. Our mouths were watering with anticipation of our first bite, and to our delight it did not disappoint. It felt like we were taking a bite of heaven, it was so succulent, juicy, seasoned to perfection, tender and I know I am saying it again but it really did melt in my mouth. I could taste the miso butter in every bite and I was in my fantasy world of food.

Wow we were in overload and everyone of our taste buds were definitely being fulfilled. I thought our meal was coming to an end but Jesse came over and spoke to us about the tradition of a Japanese Restaurant and how the rice and soup are typically served at the end of a meal. I guess the best are saved for last and maybe this metaphor might make sense, at the beginning of an exercise regime you start with the warm-up, then you transition into a more aerobic high impact exercise and at the end you finish with a warm-down. Such is the case with my meal…we started with appetizers*salad*sushi*main course*rice*soup…..

It was suggested that we try the Shoyu Truffle Butter rice with mixed mushroom, soy sauce & truffle butter. The rice is cooked per order in a cedar box and I was anxious to taste it. This was different for me, I was not use to eating the rice at the end of a meal. Rice by itself is very filling and to wait until the end to have the rice is a new and interesting concept for most Americans. I have to tell you my friends, I loved it.

We ended our meal slightly nontraditional for me, instead of dessert and coffee we had a red miso soup with mushroom and tofu topped with a umami foam. I have to admit the presentation looked like a cup of cappuccino so it was a little weird. If you are a creature of visual presentation and prefer your soup in a bowl then you might be somewhat turned off. As for me I base my decisions on taste, and that is what this entire evening was for me, taking risks and trying new things. I loved it, the tofu was delicious and being in a cup was not a deterrence for me.

In Japanese tradition the evening ended as it began with Sake…but not just any Sake

the “creme de sole”…The Japanese rendition of an after dinner cognac…it warmed my body as the warm sake at the beginning had warmed me.

Hamptons MouthPiece readers, as you can see I enjoyed my Sen NYC dining experience and I recommend this place the next time you visit the city or if you live there. They will be looking to add some entertainment to the place, I personally think that would be a really nice touch. The restaurant is moderately priced, they are located at 12 west 21st Street, between 5 & 6th avenues. I would suggest calling for reservations.
Don’t forget to visit their Sag Harbor location next time you are in Hamptons..As always Hamptons MouthPiece keeping you in the know!!!!!

Subscribe to Hamptons MouthPiece