Richie Notars affinity

for nautical style

inspired Harlows
waterfront design.
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Whereas the New York City original pays hom-
age to 1930s Hollywood glamour with stained-glass
windows, coffered ceilings, and a marble oyster
bar, Notar says that his South Fork incarnation will
celebrate the best of what Sag Harbor has to offer:
gorgeous views, locally sourced ingredients, and a
staff that can handle the 380-seat venue (200 indoors
with an additional 180 dockside).
Inside, Notar has bedecked the space with white,
nautical blues, and natural woods intersected by pops
of color, including original artwork by
Katherine Blackburne. Staff will be outfit-
ted in seersucker pants, white shirts, and red
Vans. I like clean, crisp design, meaning
I dont want to compete with the weather,
the salt air, and the boats, says Notar of
Harlow Easts coastal vibe, which he hopes
will influence his guests attire. This is your
chancewear shorts! he exclaims. Take a
break from the stresses of everyday life.
The easy atmosphere is an idyllic setting
for the seasonally inspired menu that Notar
aims to keep simple with dishes such as
branzino with wasabi stem gremolata and
crispy hearts of palm and a locally sourced
raw bar featuring Island Creek oysters and
seafood from Gosmans Fish Market.
Theres nothing wrong with going into the Nordic for-
est to forage for dinner, he says, referencing the famed
restaurant Noma in Copenhagen. But this is some-
place where you can have dinner on a Monday night
and return later in the week. Theres something on the
menu for everyone, but were pushing the envelope a
bit with bold and spicy flavors, citrus, and chiles.
No stranger to hospitality, Notar got his start as a bus-
boy at Studio 54; since then, hes picked up more than
his fair share of industry know-how from 19 years of
experience as managing partner of Nobu, which previ-
ously hosted a pop-up in Southampton. With the
formation of Notar Hospitality, he launched the original
Harlow in early 2013 and is on the brink of opening a to-
be-named venue in the former Lenox Lounge space in
Harlem this summer. Yet the allure of a Sag Harbor spot
was too tempting to resist. I appreciate the value of the
geographythe incredibly quaint, Victorian houses, says Notar. You want
to preserve the very reason why you come out here.
Open for breakfast pastries and coffee from midday and into the evening,
customers are welcome to stroll in any timea philosophy he learned from
Studio 54s Ian Schrager and Steve Rubell. Be hospitable or get out of the busi-
ness, says Notar. Its showtime. 1 Long Wharf, Sag Harbor, 725-5858 H
INSIGHT
Midday meal: Im
always looking for
lunch at 3 oclock. I
relish the days I can
sit down with
charcuterie, olives,
and oystersall
served family-style.
Favorite drink:
An Aperol Spritz,
served with an
orange wedge and
a green olive, just
like they do in Italy.
I
have an affinity for out East, says restaurateur Richie Notar, who first
summered in Montauk more than 20 years ago and has been drawn to
the South Fork ever sinceincluding two seasons overseeing Nobu at
Capri in Southampton. This summer he is opening a Hamptons outpost of
his sprawling Manhattan venue, Harlow East, in Sag Harbor in the former
B. Smith space on the Long Wharf.
Harlow in
the Hamptons
RESTAURATEUR RICHIE NOTAR OPENS A COASTAL TAKE ON
HIS MANHATTAN HOT SPOT ON THE WHARF IN SAG HARBOR.
BY MATTHEW WEXLER
126 HAMPTONS-MAGAZINE.COM
BEACH PATROL
126_H_SP_BP_RNotar_Memorial_14.indd 126 5/14/14 5:42 PM