East End Eats: Flawless and Innovative at 1770

1770 House

143 Main Street

East Hampton

631-324-1770

Dinner, seven days

The first time I dined at the 1770 House it had only been open a few weeks. It wasn’t for a review; it was for a raucous birthday dinner. We were dressed to the nines, the gents wore ties, and we tried to behave ourselves, but we were noisy and happy and delighted to be in this marvelous new restaurant. Upon our departure we apologized to our waiter for being so “lively.” His response was “Oh, no, not at all. We want people to enjoy themselves here.” And that is the 1770 House in a nutshell. Classy, tolerant, and, most of all, delicious.

I reviewed the restaurant when Kevin Penner was at the helm, and now Michael Rozzi, his long ago chef de cuisine at Della Femina, is in charge and keeping this place in tip-top shape. This is one of the few restaurants I have reviewed twice.

My editors at the paper made the reservation for us under the name Larry Donaldson. I’ve never understood why people sometimes make up a fake name that is so close to the real name; it’s a dead giveaway. It’s kind of like a 2-year-old hiding under a blanket. She thinks she’s invisible, but all the grownups know she’s under there. When my cellphone lit up with the number 324-1770, the restaurant calling to confirm our reservation, I panicked and knew they would see my real name. Long story short, full disclosure, I’m pretty sure I was busted.

There are two dining options at the 1770 House. The upstairs is luxurious with comfortable cushioned chairs and a grandfather clock, botanical prints, orchids, and Oriental rugs on the dark wood floors. The tavern downstairs is tiny and cozy and has a more casual menu as an option. There is also a lovely garden dining area, but we opted for the upstairs, indoors.

When we arrived, we were greeted by two adorable, smiling hostesses, always a good sign. At the table we were offered a variety of breads. On this evening it was sourdough rolls and a light-as-a-feather house-made focaccia. Next some superbly fruity, green olive oil is poured into a little dish for dipping.

We began our meal with a special appetizer of fluke tartare and a peach salad with prosciutto. This place always has a fish tartare on the menu (often salmon), and it is the best on the East End. This version had a paper-thin layer of cucumber slices topped with hijiki seaweed, then the fluke tartare, then tobiko, and lastly some little matchstick pieces of magenta and pink radishes. The tartare was bound with a slightly spicy mayo. The cucumbers, hijiki, and tobiko introduced some crunch to the tender fish, and the presentation was as pretty as the dish was tasty: green topped with black, then pink, then green, then pink, with a sprinkling of chopped chives and drizzles of the mayo dressing.

The peach salad was also delightful. It was a tightly bound bundle of the best Balsam Farm arugula, super peppery, wrapped in prosciutto and drizzled with a mild vinaigrette made with Banyuls vinegar and a hint of vanilla. Perfectly ripe local peach chunks were scattered about the plate. Each bite was a bit salty, sweet, and peppery.

For entrees we ordered the striped bass, sea scallops, and a side dish of mushrooms. The striped bass was seasoned and cooked perfectly. The happy surprise was the presence of skin, crisped beautifully. Not every restaurant serves fish with the skin on; it makes some people freak out. The sauce had a generous amount of lobster meat, and the dish was topped with crisp shoestring potatoes. While this dish was wonderful, I think my guest’s sea scallops were even better.

Three plump, perfectly caramelized scallops were set upon a bed of black rice, dotted with tiny slices of crispy pork belly with a puddle of bright orange carrot ginger puree, and topped with slivered snow peas, radishes, and herbs. Again, the flavor, color, and texture combinations were inspired. Sweet scallops and sweet carrots, chewy black rice, rich, salty pork belly, and then the light crunch of snow peas in each bite, were simply divine.

The mushroom side dish was a mixture of sauteed wild mushrooms, rich and earthy, served in its own little black cast iron Le Creuset casserole.

The service on the night of our visit was impeccable. Our waitress, Debbie, knew her stuff, was helpful with our wine selection, a reasonably priced and delicious Viognier, and was able to answer all of our questions, such as “What is that awesome olive oil?” It’s the Jewel of Tuscany. The ever-present manager was there, greeting and charming the guests.

Prices at the 1770 House are high, but worth every penny. Each entree has so many extra treats on the plate, one barely needs to order side dishes. Appetizers are $16 to $24, entrees are $33 to $55, sides are $9, cheese selections are $8, and desserts are $10 to $12.

For dessert we tried the Stella Pollock cherry upside down cake and ricotta cheesecake. Mr. Rozzi tested and tinkered with the recipes for Robyn Lea’s “Dinner With Jackson Pollock” cookbook, so I’m guessing he improved upon the original in the book, a recipe calling for canned cherries in syrup boiled down with cornstarch. Best of all, the plate looked like a Jackson Pollock painting. The cherry upside down cake had puddles of cherry sauce and artful drips and dashes of caramel sauce, crunchy toasted pistachios, and a house-made pistachio ice cream. The cake itself was moist and buttery, almost like a financier.

The ricotta cheesecake was also outstanding, simple, smooth, rich, and creamy with a blueberry compote on top and hazelnut crust.

There wasn’t a single thing about our dinner that could have been improved upon. Mr. Rozzi isn’t just a good chef, his food is innovative. He uses the best of local ingredients and combines them in downright awe-inspiring ways. Flawless would not be too strong a word.