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Far East Meets East End
HAMPTONS CHEFS ARE EXTENDING THEIR REACH TO PAIR REFRESHING FLAVOR PROFILES AND
ANCIENT CULINARY TRADITIONS WITH LOCALLY SOURCED INGREDIENTS. BY MATTHEW WEXLER
I
t has been 20 years since Sen (23 Main St., Sag
Harbor, 725-1774; senrestaurant.com) began offer-
ing Asian-inspired fare to Hamptonites. The
dynasty continues this season as the restaurant
capitalizes on todays culinary darling: ramen.
Consider the chile-chicken with miso broth, the
double pork, or the vegetable, which features an
earthy mushroom broth, baby bok choy, scallions,
and menma (pickled bamboo shoots).
Executive Chef Skinny Mei and his team are
pulling noodles by hand at the newly opened Red
Stixs (1020 Montauk Hwy., Water Mill, 726-6200;
redstixs.com). Diners can witness the centuries-old
tradition at nightly noodle-making demonstra-
tions (Fridays and Saturdays) and then taste the
results of the labor-intensive technique with a clas-
sic pork or veal-bean sauce.
While Navy Beach (16 Navy Road, Montauk,
The delectable
double pork
ramen at Sen.
668-6868; navybeach.com) offers views of Gard-
iners Island, the soy-glazed goldeneye tilefish pays
homage to the beaches of Southeast Asia. The dish
begins with fish locally sourced from Gosmans,
which is quickly sauted and finished with a red
curry-coconut milk saucetypical in southern
Thailandand served with coconut sushi rice and
wakame. The balance of heat and sweet is the per-
fect complement for house cocktails, such as the
Southie, a refreshing blend of gin or vodka, cucum-
ber, mint, and lemon.
Chinese pork buns get an East End spin
thanks to The Beacons (8 West Water St., Sag
Harbor, 725-7088; beaconsagharbor.com) co-owner
and executive chef, Sam McClelland. Pork belly
is cured for 24 hours then roasted at high heat to
caramelize. Served on a potato bun instead of
the typical steamed variety, the flavorful meat is
offset by a kick from homemade kimchi and hoi-
sin barbecue sauce. Says McClelland, The
wonderful Asian flavors make our menu that
much more well-rounded.
At Harbor Bistro (313 Three Mile Harbor-Hog
Creek Road, East Hampton, 324-7300; harbor
bistro.net), those in the know order Executive
Chef Damien ODonnells blackened beef tat-
aki. The Japanese-inspired dish begins with a
cube of New York strip steak that is dry-rubbed
with shichimi togarashi (a blend consisting of
seven spices including red chiles, tangerine peel
and sansho) and chilled overnight. It is then
seared over high heat, sliced thin, and served
over jasmine rice with a saut of pancetta, fresh
tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms and edamame. A
final finish of white wine, yuzu, soy, and a knob
of butter bring out the umami notes. H
86 HAMPTONS-MAGAZINE.COM
THE DISH
086_H_ST_TheDish_SuperSaturday_14.indd 86 7/16/14 7:20 PM