While it operates out of what amounts to little more than a snack window at the beautifully minimalist and very low-key Marram hotel in Montauk, Mostrador Marram has a special something that belies the paper plates and compostable cutlery accompanying the dishes deftly prepared by the head chef, Stefano Mastracchio, and his team.
The charm, in part, is in the simplicity of it all: unpretentious food made entirely in-house with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Want to wear flip-flops? Go ahead. Just coming from the beach? Step right up; “mostrador” translates to “counter” in Spanish, and that’s where you’ll order no matter the time of day.
This northernmost outpost of a much-lauded family of eateries (also found in Jose Ignacio, Uruguay, Buenos Aires, and Tribeca) from the Argentine chef Fernando Trocca and Uruguayan restaurateur Martin Pittaluga delivers culinary substance with a laid-back beach style in a way that seems to come naturally to the people who make it tick.
“We put a lot of effort and care into everything we do,” said the managing partner, Bambou Pittaluga (son of Martin), who, like Mr. Mastracchio and much of the staff, spends part of the year at sister restaurants in Jose Ignacio. “We try to do as much as we can ourselves. We press all our juices; we make our kombuchas. All the pastries are baked here in-house every morning; everything is fresh-made daily.”
The cafe serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a clientele that is evenly split between hotel guests and people living in or visiting Montauk. The kitchen turns out its own granola, chia pudding, and even makes its own yogurt and almond milk. Lunch offerings are set out on the counter, and dinner is a la carte.
One constant this summer has been paella, prepared each Thursday evening for 20 guests in a massive pan more than three feet wide, each time with a twist. Last Thursday, it was with clams and scallops. One week it was with black rice, squid, and guanciale, similar to pancetta. The $98 per person prix fixe paella-night menu includes starters, dessert, and two glasses of wine. Last Thursday’s meal began with scallion pancake, a tuna tartare, and fried baby eggplant with labneh and cucumber salad. Dessert was strawberries and olive oil cremeux layered between airy shortbread-like wafers.
Paella is one of Mr. Trocca’s signature dishes, and is near and dear to Mr. Mastracchio, whose father is also a restaurateur. “We’ve been doing paella ever since we started in Santa Teresita” in Uruguay, Mr. Pittaluga said. “Growing up, Stefano’s father would get together with friends and do a big paella. Paella is something that runs deep for him, and he loves it.” The dish is the essence of good times and conviviality. It’s not often you make paella for one; it’s a meal made to be shared.
Marram is right on the ocean at the quiet east end of Montauk’s downtown, and for an East Hampton local like this writer, an hour or so there feels like a slice of the best kind of beach getaway. At last Thursday’s paella dinner, the threat of rain lent an air of uncertainty and a little adventure to the night. A meal that already felt like a special ticket had an added intimacy as guests sat at tables near the counter under big umbrellas, Mr. Pittaluga circulating, chatting, and attending to them as if they were friends invited to his own dinner party. Some guests wandered into the open kitchen to say hello to the chefs.
“We love to be able to have a real conversation with people that come here,” Mr. Pittaluga said the next day. “We really like what we do. We like giving service; we like talking to people and letting people know the care we put into the product.”
Mostrador Marram opened in August 2019, but in 2020 because of the pandemic Mr. Mastracchio, Mr. Pittaluga, and the rest of the team from Uruguay couldn’t get back for the second season. They returned in 2021. In Uruguay, the eateries in the beach town of Jose Ignacio begin to gear up for their season just as things wind down here.
“The towns are very alike,” Mr. Pittaluga said. “They’re both summer towns, both chic but simple; they have that barefoot vibe.” And in both, despite their popularity, you can always find a quiet place away from the crowds. “We’re super grateful for the opportunity of working here at Marram,” he said. “We put so much care into what we do because we’re grateful for what we have here.”
Mostrador Marram will be open through early October; paella nights continue through Labor Day only and are by reservation, as that massive pan holds enough for just 20 people.
