If you are impervious to paying premium prices for pasta, pecorino, and peppercorns, then Dopo Argento in Southampton could be for you. The aforementioned ingredients are what make cacio e pepe, a humble dish of (supposed) Roman shepherd origins. While their sheep and cattle roamed and grazed the countryside, the shepherds could make a quick, easy, inexpensive meal of these three ingredients that wouldn't spoil. This dish costs $32 at Dopo Argento, $24 at another expensive restaurant out here, Il Buco in Amagansett.
I spent way too much time recently gathering prices of comparable Italian establishments on the East End. There are so many, from high end to moderate to inexpensive: four Dopos, two Tutto il Giornos, Scarpetta Beach, two Sant Ambroeuses, Serafina, Roberta's (a pop-up in Montauk), Nick and Toni's, Pellegrino's, Cittanuova, La Parmigiana, Il Capuccino, Cappelletti's, Sam's, and Il Buco, to name some.
The Dopos are at the highest end of the price range. Are they worth it? Or more specifically, is Dopo Argento worth it? Absolutely! The food is delicious and well prepared.
On a recent visit, my dining partner and I sat outside so I didn't get much of a peek at the interior. The space is small and attractive; it used to be Silver's, hence the name "Argento," which means silver. The walls and ceiling are glossy white, and there are large black-and-white photographs of olive groves, harvested olives, and old trucks on the walls. The tables have tiny lamps that cast a nice downward glow, and modern overhead chandeliers that also cast a pleasant golden light. The outside seats, however, can't be beat for people and canine watching of the purebred variety.
We began our meal with some fine crusty bread served with an excellent green and fruity olive oil. From there we sampled tonnarelli carbonara, crispy rock shrimp, and tuna tartare. The carbonara dish was as good as can be, barely creamy from the egg, umami-rich and salty from the pecorino cheese, and smoky from the bacon. (I'm pretty sure it was bacon, not pancetta.) The rock shrimp as described on the menu comes with a lemon aioli and field greens, but this came with more of a remoulade or Russian dressing and a sprinkle of microgreens. Regardless, the shrimp had a barely-there crisp coating and were perfectly cooked. Another feature worth noting: All the plates come out piping hot, a much-appreciated detail.
The tuna tartare was also excellent, it came atop a schmear of pureed avocado, with a few fried capers, and some tobiko, the tiny flying fish roe that are ubiquitous in Japanese restaurants. There was also a pool of yuzu sauce on the plate, which gave the tartare its citrusy punch.
For entrees we ordered the branzino, chicken, and a side order of creamed spinach. The branzino is oven-roasted and comes whole or filleted. It was fresh and wonderfully seasoned, served with a diapered lemon half on the side. The chicken was also very good, with a lightly crisped skin and superb vinegary jus. The menu states, "we proudly use produce, fruit, and dairy products sourced at local, Long Island, upstate New York, and Vermont farms," but the only menu "credit" given was for the chicken, which comes from Giannone of Saint-Cuthbert, Canada. Okay. The spinach was rich and creamy and slightly sweet.
For dessert we had the napoleons and Tutto Pistacchio. The napoleons were not the traditional rectangles of puff pastry, glazed and filled with pastry cream. They were two dainty little circles of puff pastry dusted with sugar and filled with Chantilly cream so dense that I assumed it was pastry cream. I'm guessing the cream was very vigorously whipped. Three little amarena cherries adorned the plate. The Tutto Pistacchio was indeed that: "everything" pistachio. The bottom was a layer of rich green pistachio cake, then a layer of pale green mousse, some roasted pistachios, and a topping of pistachio gelato. The gelato was superb, tasting of toasted pistachios, not almond extract like some cheaper versions.
Dopo Argento is expensive. Appetizers are $25 to $32, pastas $29 to $37, meat and fish $46 to $65, sides $14 to $20, and desserts are $15. The service was excellent on the evening of our visit. Our waiter was attentive, the table bused and crumbed, and the manager was visibly involved inside and out.
I have dined at three Dopos (including Dopo la Spiaggia in East Hampton and Sag Harbor) now and look forward to trying its il Ponte (Bridge) location soon . . . when I'm feeling flush like a baller.
