75 Main in Southampton for Brunch/Lunch

75 Main is full to overflowing for dinner and clubbing all summer long. In the fall months, lunch is THE thing along Southampton’s Main Street. Most days it’s still warm enough to eat outside at the tables on the sidewalk. The people watching is as colorful as the turning leaves, and the food is a delightful part of the scene.

We three colleagues, editors Stacy Dermont, Kelly Laffey and Lee Meyer, went there for lunch last week. Lee, who believes that breakfast is not only the most important meal of the day but also the best, was very pleased to see that the menu read “Brunch-Lunch”—it offers everything from Three Egg Omelettes to a 75 Main Prime Burger. He was leaning toward ordering the Belgian Waffles but, upon consultation with the manager, Iona, he settled on the Challah French Toast with fresh blueberries, strawberries and whipped cream. He was very taken with those four thick slices of toast, which were battered to fluffy perfection—they were gone in a flash. Kelly also went for morning fare with the Crab Cake Benedict on an English muffin topped with the requisite hollandaise and paired with hearty homefries. The lightly breaded crabcakes are a nice twist on this brunch staple. The eggs were perfectly poached, with the egg yolk mixing well with the buttery hollandaise sauce. Stacy leaned toward lunch with her Roast Beef Tenderloin Hash, featuring sweet potatoes, onion, sweet pepper and corn kernels, in addition to the beef and potatoes. Topped with two very fresh poached eggs, this dish was rich, and the hollandaise sauce just added to the effect.

The Craft Cocktail menu tempted. Stacy thought longingly about the French 75 Main of champagne, lemon tea, infused Beefeater gin and lemon juice with a splash of simple syrup. What business day is not improved with champagne? Lee groaned “Mimosas…” But we stuck to water with lemon. “Edit sober,” as Hemingway used to say.

Now that we were all warmed up, we decided to also try the Traditional Maine Lobster Roll, on a toasted roll, which was spot-on. A true New England staple, the lobster roll had that hint of mustard from the mayonnaise. The bun was substantial, not falling victim to sogginess by mayo; we also sampled the Mezze Rigatoni Bolognese (ragu of beef, veal, pork and broccolini), its pasta was nicely al dente—its broccolini offered just the right bitter note alongside the natural sweetness of the tomato; and the Black Bean, Corn & Quinoa Burger with its tasty, gluten-free sauce, served over a bed of salad. The cilantro, rolled oats and eggs combined with the main ingredients, made for a pleasant texture and flavor. Lee said, “Mmm. I love it and I don’t like quinoa or cilantro!”

There you have it, folks. Healthy, post-summer fun in the Southampton sun. We challenge you to save room for dessert.

75 Main, 75 Main Street, Southampton, 75main.com, 631-283-7575.