The Garden At Water Mill

Following Memorial Day weekend, The Garden at Water Mill made its debut in the space that was formerly Robert’s. Owners Joseph and Siobhan Miller opened the all-day restaurant, designed with group dining in mind, complete with an outdoor garden, lawn games, private dining alcoves, and family-style lobster bakes.

The indoor décor reflects a classic farmhouse and is not over-designed, which works well with the menu, offering American summer fare that includes crudos and shareable bites to split with friends or family, along with classic entrees and pastas. Lobster bakes are also available for groups on the patio. The pot comes complete with lobster, clams, mussels, shrimp, corn, potatoes, and homemade bread to sop up the broth. The cost is $500 for groups of up to eight people or $750 for groups of 12 or fewer.

To start, my guest and I were sent buttermilk biscuits. These aren’t just any biscuits, they are morsels of heaven that melt in your mouth, especially when combined with the herb butter. And they are gluten free.

We split the grilled Romaine salad, which was really something special. It was made with coconut yogurt, burnt olives, lemon, and a cherry jus. Summer crudos on the menu include tuna, salmon and pear, scallop, or octopus, and are a great place to start.

For my main, I opted for the half chicken, served with pancetta, seasonal vegetables, and pan jus. My guest went with the ribeye, prepared with shiitake mushroom and crispy rosemary potatoes. The dinner was beyond enjoyable. Compliments to chef Drake Mandrell.

For dessert, we were sent the cookie plate, which also happened to be gluten free, although you wouldn’t be able to tell. Each bite of cookie was better than the last. Pastry chef Emily Hacala, who previously worked at Milk Bar, creates sensational desserts for the restaurant. Make sure you leave room.

The Garden at Water Mill will also host a chef pop-up series throughout the summer. First up is chef and sushi master Tyson Cole of Uchi, an award-winning Japanese restaurant from Austin. Cole’s Omakase menu will be served every Thursday through Sunday in July.

From July 17 to 31 will be Renzo Garibaldi’s butcher shop-inspired cuisine from Osso, located in Lima, Peru.

From August 1 through 14, Chef Matsuharu “Micha” Tsumura of Maido, also located in Peru, will take the reins in the kitchen. Maido is currently ranked number seven by “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.” Micha is known for blending traditional Japanese and Peruvian cuisine.

For more information or to book a reservation, visit www.thegardenatwatermill.com.

jessica@indyeastend.com