Highway Restaurant and Bar

290 Montauk Highway

East Hampton

631-527-5372

Open six nights for dinner, 

closed Tuesdays

Lunch Saturdays and Sundays

In the interest of full disclosure, I must confess that I have been to the Highway restaurant and bar’s Thursday Thai night three weeks in a row. It is that good.

The restaurant is in a spot that has changed hands and chefs so many times in the last five years that it’s hard to keep track, but this time it just fiddled with the name a bit. So what, who cares: Those in charge at this point know what they’re doing.

I’ve often said that restaurants out here could serve Alpo in the summertime and the flocks would come regardless. But find a way to bring in locals, who may be on a budget, through the long winter months and you might succeed. Highway restaurant and bar offers reasonable specials during the week, a chicken pot-pie night, a pasta night, and now a $35 three-course Thai meal on Thursday nights.

One of the aspects of the physical space that was never terribly appealing was its large, nondescript size and shape, a big, drafty L-shaped interior. Now one side is curtained off in winter, and the central dining room has a huge freestanding gas fireplace dividing the bar from the front dining area. There are comfortable banquettes with pillows and generously spaced tables.

The first time I went for the Thai meal, there were three appetizers, three entrees, and two desserts. The last two times there were four appetizers, four entrees, and three dessert choices. For those who may not want to avail themselves of the frequently fiery options, the restaurant offers a few items from the regular menu.

Of the appetizer choices the wing bean salad is my favorite. It is a crunchy, salty, spicy, light mixture of chopped “winged” beans, possibly blanched briefly, with peanuts, coconut, pork, shrimp, kaffir lime leaves, and Thai basil. It is simple and complicated at the same time, with all the flavors coming through and the freshness of each ingredient very apparent. 

The stir-fry chicken with baby corn is another winner. It is a masterful blend of chicken, chili peppers, wing beans, onions, dainty bits of baby corn, and Thai basil — salty but beautifully balanced. The Thai fish cakes are also outstanding, two sturdy little cakes filled with a white fish, ginger, garlic, and more. Alongside them is a bundle of sweet-tart vermicelli rice noodles with carrots, a wedge of kaffir lime, and some cucumber slices. 

Kaffir limes are a warty, knobby fruit also known as “porcupine orange.” The flavor is something between limes, lemons, mandarins, and mystery. The fresh leaves are also used in Thai dishes and add a flavor similar to cilantro, almost soapy but addictive to those who love it. 

 The only appetizer that didn’t send me into paroxysms of taste-bud ecstasy was the chicken satay. It was good, just not as exceptional as the other dishes. Two skewers of white meat chicken were nicely marinated with lemongrass and grilled with a tame peanut sauce on the side and some sweet, mild cucumber and chili-flecked vinegar.

For entrees we tried chicken with cashews, crispy chili beef, green chicken curry, and halibut yellow curry. I noticed on our second visit that chopsticks are part of the place settings, not traditional in Thailand but requested by some patrons. Some of the dishes, such as the chicken with cashews and crispy beef, were leaning toward Chinese food, but were still highly seasoned with Thai ingredients. 

The chicken with cashews is full of tricolored peppers, onions, scallions, and Thai basil. The cashews have roasted burn marks on them, and there is a hint of salty fish sauce. The crispy beef is shredded beef, crunchy and chewy at the same time, with some julienned carrots, fennel, and more basil.  

The curry dishes come out of the kitchen in bowls with lids, which are removed with a flourish, the scent of coconut milk and spices wafting up. The green chicken curry was tender white meat in a nice, somewhat sweet and spicy broth, with little rings of fiery red peppers, giving you the choice of how hot you want it. The halibut yellow curry was a beautiful presentation, the chunks of halibut cooked just enough and also sturdy enough to complement the sauce, full of sweet and hot red peppers, Thai basil, and shreds of fresh ginger. (A previously tried flounder in curry was too delicate for the formidable spices.) Every dish comes with a little bowl of perfectly cooked sticky rice.

     Every time I have gone to Highway restaurant and bar for Thai night it has been packed. Even better, it was packed with familiar faces, there’s Ken and Jeanmarie, Carl and Mary, Bill and Abbie, Suzy and Michael! It is a happy clubhouse filled with people who appreciate something different, and more important, something authentic, executed with great care and understanding of the layered nuances and flavors of Thailand.

The two handsome gents you will see scurrying about are Adam and Henri, consummate professionals I worked with at the Living Room restaurant at c/o the Maidstone when I was pastry chef there. The service (on all three visits) was friendly, efficient, and knowledgeable. 

Two of the dessert offerings are house-made coconut sorbet and a lemongrass rice pudding with pineapple confit. On our third visit the menu also offered a pear and cashew gyoza with house-made banana ice cream. Coconut sorbet is my favorite, simply because I am mad for coconut. The lemongrass rice pudding was a tad watery on my first visit, but more flavorful and substantial on the second.

 The pear cashew gyoza reminded us — that is, my fellow chef and friend known as Cookie Monster — of when new chefs take over a restaurant and take stock of what was left behind, trying to figure out how to use it up before they start ordering new supplies. “Take these wonton wrappers and nuts and make something.” In other words, they were a bit odd and perplexing. The presentation, however, was lovely, especially the bruleed baby banana half and the creamy, perfect banana ice cream.

Thai food is my absolute favorite cuisine, so much so that I questioned my insanely ecstatic reaction to finding it here on the East End. But I assure you, after having been to Highway restaurant and bar three times (so far), and having been to Thailand, this is as authentic, delicious, and boldly flavored a meal as you will find outside of Bangkok.

On a snowy day, one phone call can take care of several needs: a plowed driveway, and some hot, savory clam chowder for lunch or dinner. The Clamman in Southampton not only has lunch specials of platters and sandwiches, with a free soup included with the purchase of any lunch entree on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but is offering driveway plowing or walkway clearing, and will deliver chowder at the same time. 

Eat and Vote

While the presidential election is still some time away, it is Oscar season, and,  in its annual tradition, Rowdy Hall restaurant in East Hampton offers customers an opportunity to predict the winners of this year’s Academy Awards. Diners can receive an Oscar ballot along with their dining check, and mark their choices. Whoever correctly predicts the most winners at the Oscar presentations on Feb. 28 will receive a $50 gift certificate and two vouchers to the East Hampton United Artists movie theater. 

Valentine’s Event

This weekend’s “Shuck Em” Valentine oyster brunch sponsored by Slow Food East End will feature a variety of shellfish from local waters and dishes made with East End-sourced ingredients, from Mecox venison loin to pancakes served with cranberries from Napeague’s Walking Dunes, chicken cracklings from Browder’s Birds on the North Fork, and grilled Montauk squid.  The brunch takes place on Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. at the Art of Eating in Amagansett. Reservations, which are first come first served, must be made by tomorrow at slowfoodeastend.org.  The cost is $125 per person, or $110 for Slow Food members. 

Cafe Max is offering a $40, two-course Valentine’s Day dinner.

Wine Dinner

Wolffer Kitchen in Sag Harbor is serving dinner on Tuesdays through Sundays. Reservations are being taken for a Feb. 21 wine dinner with Miguel Martin, a winemaker at Palmer Vineyards, which will feature five courses paired with wines.

February is usually the time when many restaurateurs take a break, resting and recharging before the preseason begins and before summertime, when they hit the ground running. 

But Inlet Seafood in Montauk, despite the chilly waters it overlooks, bucked the trend by reopening last weekend after an earlier break. It is now open Fridays through Mondays for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch.

Those restaurants that have stayed open so far seem to be drawing crowds, especially on long weekends.

Winemaker Dinner

Richard Olsen-Harbich of Bedell Cellars will be on hand at Nick and Toni’s restaurant in East Hampton next Thursday for a five-course dinner paired with wine. The menu will start with local oysters followed by pan-seared diver scallops, local rabbit ravioli, and wood-roasted lamb loin. Poached pears will be served for dessert. The cost is $95 per person plus tax and gratuity. Reservations are a must. 

North Fork Coffee

The Hampton Coffee Company opened its fourth espresso bar and cafe last month in Aquebogue. The company, which has shops in Water Mill, Southampton, and Westhampton Beach, is marking its 22nd year in the East End community. Its new North Fork location is in a 1940s-era former garage and service station.

Lecture Series

Tickets are on sale for the Peconic Land Trust’s spring lecture series at Bridge Gardens in Bridgehampton. The Sunday afternoon programs, which start at 2 p.m. and run through April, begin with “The Cocktail Party,” a talk on March 6 with Vaughan Cutillo of the Montauk Brewing Company, Michael Kontokosta of Kontokosta Vineyard, and Noah Schwartz, the chef at Noah’s of Greenport. Admission to each is $25, or $20 for Bridge Gardens members; tickets for the entire series, which includes talks on March 20, April 3, and April 17, are $90, $70 for the garden’s members. 

 Series tickets include a one-year subscription to an Edible magazine — either the East End, Long Island, Brooklyn, or Manhattan version. Space at the lectures is limited, and prepaid reservations are required.

Having previously dedicated a whole column to my idol, Edna Lewis, her “Taste of Country Cooking” and numerous accomplishments, it’s time to focus on some other significant African-Americans who have contributed greatly to the cuisine of our country.

It is a fact that every president who has lived and worked in the White House was cooked for and served by African-Americans. There was a brief blip on the radar, of Jackie Kennedy firing the kitchen staff and bringing in all French chefs, but this changed back immediately when Lyndon Johnson became president. He brought along with him Zephyr Wright, who cooked for his family from 1942 to 1969. He consulted her on the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, and he gave her his pen after signing the Civil Rights Act of 1964, saying, “You deserve this more than anyone else.”

F.D.R. had Lizzie McDuffie and Daisy Bonner, Benjamin Harrison had Dolly Johnson, George Washington had Hercules, and the Trumans, Vietta Garr. Often a fancier chef would cook for state dinners and other big events, but the beloved home cooks prepared the family meals on a day-to-day basis. F.D.R. even had Daisy whip up some sweet and sour pig’s feet for Winston Churchill.

The first African-American chef to be offered the job of White House executive chef was Patrick Clark, who turned down Bill Clinton’s offer. Marcus Samuelson was the first black guest chef at the White House under the Obama administration.

Mr. Clark, probably the first black superstar chef, cooked all over the world and settled in New York to cook at such landmarks as Regine’s, Odeon, and Cafe Luxembourg. His last post, before he died at the age of 42 awaiting a heart transplant, was at Tavern on the Green, where he made his famous grouper on a bed of mashed potatoes with frizzled leeks and chive oil, lemon pudding, and very truffled twice-baked potatoes.

There are a few African-American cooks on TV, the Neelys, offering down-home, Southern-style cooking on the Food Network, along with Roble Ali, Gerry Garvin, Ron Duprat, Herb Wilson, and Tre Wilcox.

If gorging on “classic” soul food fare such as the Neelys’ pork-barbecue-stuffed baked potato, spicy fried wings, and grilled pound cake sundaes is not your idea of nutritious eating, then how about paying some attention to Bryant Terry, cookbook author and activist? Mr. Terry lives in Oakland, Calif., where he is an advocate for urban farming. His latest book, “Afro-Vegan: Farm Fresh African, Caribbean, and Southern Flavors Remixed,” teaches us how to recreate some beloved dishes with less fat and no meat. He points out that the roots of African-American cuisine are healthful ingredients such as mustard, turnip, kale, and collard greens, butter beans, and sugar snap peas, black eyed peas, and sweet potatoes.

Marcus Samuelsson, born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden, became executive chef at Aquavit by the age of 24. He was the youngest chef to earn a three-star review from The New York Times. And what about our very own B. (Barbara) Smith, who had a number of eponymously named restaurants, including in Sag Harbor. She is arguably the first lifestyle and entertainment expert, along with being a model and author.

Living and working in Washington, D.C., most of my life gave me a bit of education about Southern and African-American cooking. From Lisa I learned how to season a cast-iron skillet and make the best fried chicken and Johnny cakes. Bill and Faith taught me how to accompany Chesapeake Bay crab cakes with Tabasco sauce, lime wedges, and mustard. Charlene has taught me the importance of lots of fresh herbs, and I have the utmost respect for the lowly catfish, a muddy bottom feeder if ever there was one.

On occasion, my NPR colleagues and I would make a pilgrimage to the Florida Avenue Grill, the world’s oldest soul food restaurant. Seated with people from the neighborhood would be congressmen and lobbyists, senators and pastors, gorging on macaroni and cheese, collard greens, and what I have since learned is called “cop cobbler,” an appallingly sweet combination of glazed doughnuts topped and baked with canned peaches. The food was cheap and satisfying.

How far have we come since Lyndon Johnson begged Zephyr for more fattening food and her response was, “I am going to be your boss for a change?” Not far, I’m afraid. There are more African-American cooks and chefs than ever before, but still not enough. Here’s hoping we can steer away from the stereotypes of chitterlings and greasy beans, Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben. Go ahead and call me Rachel Dolezal, but if you ask me, this is (soul) food for thought.

Click for recipes

Awarded the Snail

Estia’s Little Kitchen in Sag Harbor has received the Slow Food organization’s Snail of Approval award from the international group’s East End chapter. The award recognizes businesses that exemplify the Slow Food ideals regarding local, sustainable, and seasonal food. Estia’s owner and chef, Colin Ambrose, was an early advocate of the farm-to-table philosophy; he has been a member of the Quail Hill Farm community-supported agriculture collective for two decades, has tended his own kitchen garden, and has been a supporter of Slow Food and of the Edible School Gardens program. 

Other East End restaurants that have earned the Snail of Approval include Nick and Toni’s in East Hampton, Noah’s in Greenport, the North Fork Table and Inn in Southold, Love Lane Kitchen in Mattituck, and 18 Bay restaurant on Shelter Island. 

Farm Memberships Open

Memberships are available for the 2016 season in the community-supported agriculture program at Balsam Farms in Amagansett, at fees ranging from $500 for a 15-week season of weekly produce deliveries to $860 for a 26-week season. Add-on deliveries, of cheeses, bread, flowers, fruit, or eggs, can be arranged for additional individual charges of up to $253 for the long season. The season begins on May 27, and payment in full must be made two weeks beforehand.

The items in the weekly share are chosen by the farm, according to what is available, and may include a food product such as Balsam pickles, tomato sauce, jam, or pesto. A list of what was provided to members during last year’s season can be found at the farm’s website. Those who sign up by March 15 will receive a free hat or T-shirt and a shopping bag. 

Assorted News

A new Jack’s Stir Brew Coffee shop will be opening in Sag Harbor. The company, established in New York City in 2003, has a location in Amagansett in addition to its five Manhattan shops.

The Shagwong in Montauk is being rehabbed — brought back to its past, according to a press release, with its original interior decorations, such as vintage Montauk photographs, returned. An updated menu has been promised, however. 

To say Kosovo, a landlocked country on the Balkan Peninsula, has had a complex history is an understatement. Before the breakup of Yugoslavia during the early 1990s, Kosovo was a region of that country, populated for centuries by Serbs and Albanians. The Kosovo war of 1998-99 pitted the forces of Serbia and Montenegro against the Kosovo Liberation Army, led to the withdrawal of Yugoslav forces from the region, and, in 2008, to Kosovo’s declaration of independence. 

Against this turbulent background — not to mention its subjugation over the years to the Roman, Byzantine, Bulgarian, and Ottoman empires — residents of that region, known in ancient Greece and Rome as Illyria, have been making olive oil for some 2,500 years. Indeed, Romans brought the product from Illyria to Italy.

However, not until 2013 did olive oil from the region around the small Albanian coast city of Vlore make its way to the United States through the agency of Andrew Strong and Rachael Faraone, Springs residents, and their company, Illyrian Press. How that came about involved “a wild series of events,” according to Mr. Strong, an attorney who is an associate in the Amagansett law office of Richard Whelan.

In 2005, while researching a paper on insurgency in law school, Mr. Strong chose an unusual destination for spring break — Kosovo. He managed to secure an interview with Ramush Haradinaj, the prime minister.  

“He’s an ethnic Albanian and was a villager in western Kosovo,” said Mr. Strong. “His village and family were attacked and killed by Serbs. He helped form the Kosovo Liberation Army, got NATO involved, and became a national hero after the war.” The day Mr. Strong arrived in Kosovo, however, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia indicted the prime minister for war crimes.

“It was a really interesting legal case. In a moment of out-of-body experience, I asked him for a job as a summer intern.” Mr. Haradinaj agreed to take on the young law student, who then dropped out of law school, spent the next two years living in Kosovo helping prepare for the trial, and then a year in The Hague working on Mr. Haradinaj’s defense.

While in Kosovo, Mr. Strong's job was to go out to the villages and piece together the narrative of the Kosovo War. “I had built this picture of the conflict in a very specific part of western Kosovo, on the border of Albania. That was where all the weapons that fueled the conflict came through. It was kind of like the Wild West.” 

Mr. Strong spent much of his time in that region, learned basic Albanian, and made friends with ethnic Albanians. “We would go to Albania to check it out, and I was arrested by how beautiful it was. There were mountains covered in olive trees diving down into the Mediterranean. And the tradition of pressing olives by hand had remained unchanged for more than 2,000 years.”

The area has hundreds of olive farmers, some with only two or three trees, who bring their harvests to Vesaf Musai, now a partner with Mr. Strong and Ms. Faraone. Mr. Mesai custom presses a limited quantity of organically grown olives in his organic certified press. The oil, made from the indigenous Kalinjot olive, is bottled in Albania; Ms. Faraone designed the label.

In part because of Albania’s history of isolation, its olive oil had never been exported. The oil, which won gold medals in tasting competitions in Italy and Croatia in 2013 and Best in Show in the Albanian tasting of 2013, is now available on the East End at Serene Green Farm Stand and Cavaniola’s Gourmet Cheese Shop in Sag Harbor, Marders Garden Center and Nursery in Bridgehampton, the Seafood Shop in Wainscott, and from Eli Zabar. It can also be purchased online through the Illyrian Press.

Mr. Strong, who grew up in the Midwest, and Ms. Faraone, an East Hampton native, met 18 years ago when both were students at Middlebury College in Vermont, but it wasn’t until years later that their friendship developed into both a personal and business partnership.

Until the birth of Henry, their 11/2-year-old son, Ms. Faraone taught kindergarten at the Hayground School and was assistant coach of the East Hampton High School girls volleyball team. The couple’s second child is due in mid-March.

While Mr. Strong wouldn’t absolutely rule out wider distribution in the future, he emphasized he is happy with the scale of the operation at the moment. Everything is done by hand, and maintaining small batches ensures quality. “When you scale up,” he said, “quality can suffer.”

Winemaking Chat

A discussion and tasting tomorrow night at the Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill will feature local winemakers and include a look back at Long Island wine production 40 years after it began. James Christopher Tracy of Channing Daughters Winery in Bridgehampton and Michael Kontokosta of the Kontokosta Winery in Greenport will participate; Brian Halweil, the editor-in-chief of Edible East End magazine, will moderate. 

The program will begin with a wine tasting in the museum cafe at 6 p.m. Museum members and students may attend for free; for others the cost is $10. All are welcome to attend, although the wine tasting is just for people over age 21. 

Meal Plus Mayhem

A three-course dinner will be served along with “excitement and skullduggery,” according to the folks at Keith and Margo’s Murder Mystery Events, when a drama unfolds at the Southampton Inn on March 12. A package deal includes the dinner, open bar, and an overnight stay, along with a chance to participate in the sleuthing. 

Hijinx at Maidstone

Diners at the Living Room restaurant in East Hampton —  and others who visit the c/o the Maidstone inn where it is located — who discover one of the eggs hidden throughout the property this month will receive a prize and facilitate a $10 donation to the East Hampton food pantry from the inn. 

Late-night burlesque shows at the inn have proved popular, and are continuing. The next takes place on Saturday night. Reservations have been suggested for the 11:30 show. 

Food and Technology

Mr. Halweil of Edible East End will be the next presenter at Almond restaurant’s Artists and Writers night on Wednesday, with a talk titled “Let Them Eat Code.” He will discuss how the worlds of technology and food intersect. The evening begins at 7 p.m. and will include a three-course family-style meal, served with a glass of local wine or beer for $45, which includes a gratuity. Advance reservations are required. 

Wine Workshops

Also on Wednesday, a springtime session of workshops on wine begins at Wainscott Main Wine and Spirits. Beginning at 5:30 p.m., each session costs $10 and includes a tasting. Those who attend this week will be led through a comparative tasting, with discussion of various winemaking practices. 

The weekly series featuring sommeliers, winemakers, wine educators, and others in the industry, will continue through May 18. As space is limited, reservations are encouraged, and can be made by emailing or calling the shop. Those who wish to secure a place in every one of the 10 upcoming workshops can prepay and reserve a spot. For better tasting, Wainscott Main is offering a set of two Italian crystal wineglasses for $20.

Spring Market Dinner

Reservations are being taken for this year’s “spring market dinner” sponsored by Slow Food East End. To take place at Almond on March 24, the dinner celebrates native and traditional East End foods. A four-course family-style meal will be served. It will begin with a cocktail reception at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $100, or $85 for Slow Food members, which includes the meal, wine with dinner, and a cocktail, as well as taxes and gratuity. Reservations, which are required, can be made at slowfood.org.

Food Certificate Course

The Amagansett Food Institute will sponsor a session this month for those who wish to earn, or renew, a Suffolk County food manager’s certificate. The class, required for various food handlers, will be held on March 16 at South Fork Kitchens on the Stony Brook South­ampton campus from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost is $175, or $155 for Amagansett Food Institute members. Students who successfully complete the course will be issued a certificate valid for three years. An email may be sent to [email protected] to reserve a place. 

New at Rowdy Hall

New on the menu at Rowdy Hall is a Tuscan kale salad, and entrees of Berkshire pork Milanese, served with roasted butternut squash, arugula, and red onion, and a grilled hanger steak salad. For snacks, Rowdy now offers crispy eggplant fries in spicy tomato sauce, fried oyster tacos with sriracha tartar sauce, and cod sliders. 

Sammy’s Reopens

Sammy’s restaurant in Montauk will reopen for the season next Thursday and will be offering an Irish prix fixe all week long.

Beauty is life’s E-ZPass. Wish I could take credit for that witty bon mot, but I believe it was a New Yorker cartoon. I think we would all agree that if you are an exceptionally attractive young girl and you hang out in the right places, like fancy hotels and bars, chances are an older, wealthy gent will whisk you off your feet and possibly marry you. Such was the case with sweet, young Katie Lee from West Virginia when she met Billy Joel, 33 years her senior, at the Peninsula Hotel. At the age of 21 she moved in with him, and they were married for five years. 

And bless her little heart, she succeeded in parlaying this into a food career on television and has published three cookbooks. I am laying out this background as a way of saying it is very unlikely these cookbooks would have been published if it weren’t for the aforementioned attributes and circumstances. I chose her first book, “The Comfort Table,” and her most recent, “Endless Summer Cookbook,” to write about, but then realized, “Hey! Another one of Billy Joel’s exes has written a book with recipes, so let’s include that!” That book would be “Timeless Beauty” by the bangin’, rockin’ 61-year-old Christie Brinkley.

“The Comfort Table” is a simple book, definitely not containing any original recipes or anything you haven’t seen or tasted before. Paula Deen wrote the foreword, which is predictably full of “y’alls.” 

The most riveting advice Katie Lee shares in the “Tips for Entertaining” section is: “A discreetly placed plunger will help avoid any embarrassing situations.” Whoa, Nellie! It has never occurred to me to consider this a necessity when I entertain. But then again, I seldom serve mayonnaise-laden, yellow-mustard-seasoned, garlic-powdered fare.

Both books are filled with photos of Ms. Lee; I lost count at 43 in “The Comfort Table,” and there are at least 30 in “Endless Summer.” Some are glam city shots, some are casual, some are taken at local landmarks. She wears Daisy Duke shorts and is often shown with a mouthful of food, looking away from the camera as if saying, “Oooooh, I’m so naughty. I have a mouthful of sausage . . . and peppers sandwich!” No wonder Bobby Flay says he wants to “hit” that slaw!

Neither of the books’ covers show homemade food. One has Katie with a pedestrian cheese platter, the other with a basket of tomatoes. The food photography is far better in “Endless Summer,” and I wish the grammar had been corrected in a few places: “Don’t be intimidated of the dough!” she exclaims in a pizza recipe.

“The Comfort Table” has recipes for such basics as cornbread, meatloaf, deviled eggs, and cobbler. The cobbler must be good because it is repeated in “Endless Summer.” I am not a fan of yellow mustard or garlic and onion powders in lieu of fresh, or canned biscuit dough, but these are oft-recommended ingredients. The remoulade sauce for fried green tomatoes would have Paul Prudhomme rolling over in his grave.

“Endless Summer Cookbook” contains similarly simple recipes. There are tacos and ribs, potato salad, cinnamon doughnut paninis with Nutella as “Morning Fuel” (good God!), and radishes served with butter. As I said when reviewing Gwyneth Paltrow’s recipe for avocado toast: That’s not a recipe, that’s a sentence.

I tried hard to find a unique recipe or two to test and settled on Ms. Lee’s version of Nick and Toni’s iconic chicken with garlic and pancetta. I also made the bourbon bacon slaw, which is oddly listed in the index under “bacon,” not under “vegetables” or “cabbage.” Uh-uh. The chicken recipe is so flawed that if you were to follow it to the letter, you would serve up a heapin’ helpin’ of salmonella to your guests. The chicken is seared skin side down in one inch of oil then finished in a 400-degree oven for seven minutes, without turning. This resulted in soggy, oily, waaaaaaay undercooked chicken, and it made me sad. The bacon bourbon slaw was very good, but set my New Year’s diet back about four days.

Christie Brinkley’s book “Timeless Beauty” is more of a health, makeup, exercise, and fashion book, but it has recipes, so I thought, “Why not include it here? These gals have a lot more in common than being married to the Piano Man. They both love to surf, and they both love the American Hotel!” 

Ms. Brinkley’s book is full of CAPITAL letters and exclamation points!!!!! It is also full of self-promotional bits, extolling the virtues of her line of Christie Brinkley beauty products, her line of hair extensions, Total Gym, and more. 

Ms. Brinkley is a lacto-ovo-pescatarian-vegetarian and has been for a long time, so her recipes and advice are a bit more palatable. I’m not sure avocados prevent muffin tops or dried cherries reduce belly fat, but her recipes for vegetarian tacos with chipotle sauce and quinoa pico de gallo salad sound virtuous and delicious. 

Her politics and positivity shine through on every page. She is known to be an active environmentalist and animal rights advocate. I just wanna know who does her hair, and she shares that info, too!!!!!

Do I feel bad slamming the Katie Lee (Joel) books? Well, kinda, yeah. We all have to live in this community, and I did see her recently at a local restaurant. She is stunningly beautiful, exceptionally polite, and she works hard at her career. But would I recommend these books? Maybe your son or your dad would like them for the pictures. As for Ms. Brinkley’s, it’s a keeper, cuz I’m 61 years old, too, and a girl can DREAM, can’t she?!

Click for recipes

Cappelletti

3284 Noyac Road

Noyac

631-725-7800 

Open daily, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

If you have ever been to Il Monastero (R.I.P.) in East Hampton, or Il Capuccino in Sag Harbor, or had a sandwich from Espresso or pasta from Cappelletti on Noyac Road, you have had food made by the Tagliasacchi family. If you haven’t, then you live under a rock and you are missing the best garlic knots, focaccia sandwiches, and their delicious, mysterious dressing “like Caesar without the anchovies,” which could keep a swarm of vampires at bay for centuries. If I were to try to explain the restaurant/Italian deli empire and experience and background of this family, it would take up this entire review. In a nutshell, Luigi Tagliasacchi and his wife, Robin, now own and operate Cappelletti, serving all these iconic gems and more.

Cappelletti appears small from the outside but is a swarming warren of rooms, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week. The front is the take-out area, very neat and clean and organized despite the volume they produce and sell. To the right is a dining room, with another dining room beyond that. On the night of our visit, some of the Christmas decor was still in place in the window, a phantasmagorical display of white tulle and feathery angel wings and cotton-fluffy faux snow with twinkly lights all around. It was quite a fetching sight on this dark, curvy part of Noyac Road.

We were greeted warmly and led to the back room, which has the same mustardy-color walls (giallo Napoli — Naples yellow) as the exterior of the restaurant. There was a fireplace with floppy-eared garden bunnies, olive jars, big mirrors, and some beautifully executed nude paintings and drawings by Robin Tagliasacchi.

Upon being seated you get a basket of the garlic rolls, after which I was ready to ask for the check. They are fresh, oily, and coated with coarsely chopped garlic and parsley. For starters we ordered the baked stuffed clams and a wedge salad with crumbles of bacon and gorgonzola cheese. The dressing comes in a squirt bottle, which didn’t fit into my purse, so I politely left it there. The salad, like all things here, was enormous, probably a third of a head of iceberg lettuce. We noted that the bacon was fried a la minute and crisp, not limp leftovers from breakfast. The baked stuffed clams, three large ones, were reminiscent of the ones that used to be served at Spring Close House, densely bready and garlicky, but full of clams and drizzled with butter before baking. 

For entrees we ordered the penne with Bolognese sauce, eggplant parmesan, and flounder. I asked our waiter for as light a flounder preparation as they could manage, and he suggested Francese, not on the menu but he’d be happy to get it for me. Very nice. The penne Bolognese was respectable, or “damned adequate” as my father used to say. The eggplant parmesan was very good, and the portion was definitely enough for two people. The eggplant was sliced thin, battered and fried but not too oily, and there was a good ratio of sauce and cheese. 

The flounder dish was pretty much a slab of fish, easily three quarters of apound. It was served with mashed potatoes, or more like smashed potatoes with skins on. Underneath the fish were some very good, just-cooked to al dente, broccoli florets and string beans. The flounder had been battered and had a good bit of lemon butter sauce, but this is probably as “light” a dish as you can get in a Northern Italian-style restaurant. The side order of spaghetti with tomato sauce that came with the eggplant was nice, a bit sweet.

Our waiter, Corrado, was exceptionally solicitous. He kept offering to adjust the thermostat for us. The teenager was cold (they never dress right) and we old bats were hot (no need to explain, right, ladies of a certain age?). 

The prices at Cappelletti are moderate. I would say bordering on expensive (my flounder dish was $29.95), but because the portions are so huge, I’ll stick with moderate. Some of the menu descriptors are “chunks,” “crumbles,” and “sticks.” I would extend them to include “gargantuan,” “colossal,” “mammoth,” and “behemothic.” Salads, appetizers, and sides are $6.95 to $16.95; salmon, chicken, veal, and other entrees are $16.95 to $32, pastas are $16.95 to $29.95, desserts are $6.95 to $8.50.

Just a few of the desserts are made in-house, so we only ordered two, the tiramisu and cannoli. The tiramisu (shockingly!) was a dainty portion served in a coupe glass. It was good, you could taste all the elements, a bit of espresso and brandy in the soaked ladyfingers/spongecake, fresh mascarpone, and a fine dusting of cocoa powder. The cannoli (commercial shell, homemade ricotta filling) was very good, the shell crisp and cinnamony, the filling lightly sweetened.

Cappelletti is a friendly, family-style restaurant, an institution. Any restaurant that is open year round for locals and offers good value is a winner in my book.

Heartwarming Valentine’s

For those whose Valentine’s Day forecast calls for a dinner out, the 1770 House in East Hampton will present a four-course tasting menu option for the holiday, featuring a dozen “amorous and warming” dishes, according to Michael Rozzi, the 1770 House chef. The winter dishes to be served will follow Mr. Rozzi’s philosophy of building “like a crescendo,” beginning with “small bites and lighter flavors” and growing into “big full flavors and multilayer dishes.”

First-course bites will include oysters on the half shell, smoked salmon and caviar crostini, and beet tartare; they will be followed by items such as Maine lobster bisque and cumin and honey-braised pork belly with black truffle risotto. Among the entree selections will be rack of lamb, day boat halibut, and duck breast with spiced sweet potatoes, bok choy, and dried cherry glaze. A selection of house-made desserts will top everything off, and the restaurant’s wine director will be on hand to recommend selections by the glass or bottle. The cost of the dinner will be $85 per person.

February Ladies Night

A once-monthly ladies night at the c/o the Maidstone inn on East Hampton’s Main Street will take place on Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m., when all cocktails and wines by the glass will be offered at half price in the lounge. The February get-together will feature Tracy Anderson, a fitness entrepreneur, and Stefanie Sacks, a “culinary nutritionist” who is the author of “What the Fork Are You Eating?” There will be a raffle, with the book and a fitness class as prizes, and an opportunity to purchase the book as well as exercise DVDs by Ms. Anderson. Only cash will be accepted. 

Those interested in attending must R.S.V.P. by tomorrow to soulmanager@ themaidstone.com. The restaurant will also offer a gluten-free prix fixe dinner that night for $34.95.

Winter at La Fondita

New menu items and specials for the winter season are on the menu at La Fondita, the Mexican takeout shop in Amagansett. They include calabacita con elote, zucchini cooked with corn and tomato, topped with queso fresco, roasted and seasoned butternut squash, a Friday special of chicken or beef fajitas, and a Saturday night special of pork ribs cooked in tomato salsa served with rice, refried beans, and handmade tortillas.