Food Seen: LI Restaurant Week Ends, Tate's Lemon Cookies, Gurney's Brunch & More

Listen up, Hamptons and North Fork food fans: Long Island Restaurant Week ends tomorrow (so get in your last licks), Gurney’s offers brunch, Tate’s lemon cookies arrive and more yummy news bites from the East End “Food Seen.”

The winter version of Long Island Restaurant Week ends Sunday, January 30. The award-winning promo offers a range of options including a $20 two course lunch; a $25 three-course dinner menu, a $35 three-course dinner menu or a $42 three-course dinner prix fixe. Thus far a dozen East End restaurants have given you a reason to get out and about: La Buena Vida in Moriches; The Cooperage Inn in Baiting Hollow; Union Sushi & Steak, Manna at the Lobster Inn and Southampton Publick House in Southampton; Calissa in Water Mill (serving their prix fixes all night on Saturday night); Page at 63 Main in Sag Harbor; Elaia Estiatorio in Bridgehampton; Farm Country Kitchen and Bistro 72 in Riverhead; Legends in New Suffolk and On the Docks in Aquebogue.

It might be January, but it’s always a good time to talk about ice cream. A La Mode Shoppe, the brainchild of husband-and-wife team Marc and Sandy Roth, will take over the space in East Hampton Village formerly operating as Scoop du Jour. Look for a handcrafted, small-batch, allergy-free ice cream operation, like their flagship ice cream parlor on East 55th street in Manhattan. Manufactured in a state-of-the-art facility in the Bronx, A La Mode Shoppe’s ice cream is guaranteed to be 100% nut-free, egg-free and sesame-free. The company also offers gluten-free and dairy-free options.

Gurney’s Montauk has just launched brunch, a perfect off-season diversion. The seasonal menu, curated by acclaimed Executive Chef Doug Forgione, features dishes which includes a winter chicory salad, cauliflower carbonara, bananas foster French toast, shakshuka, and steak and eggs. The meal is accompanied by live music and specialty cocktails and is only available on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m.–3:30 p.m. through March. Forgione has outstanding bloodlines in that his uncle is the great Larry Forgione, often dubbed the godfather of American cooking. The elder Forgione also authored a book from his time at An American Place in Manhattan. He also has a brother, Marc, who owns and operates Restaurant Marc Forgione in New York City.

Main Street Tavern in Amagansett aims to make you head out on these wintry nights with such lures as Taco Thursdays, a daily happy hour (from 3–5 p.m.) and Sunday brunch from 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m. with bottomless mimosas. They are also returning to their large format to-go platters, which serve six to eight people. Hint: The Super Bowl is coming!

Due to popular demand, Tate’s has decided to make its once-limited-edition lemon cookies a permanent flavor as of this month. The light and crisp cookies can be purchased year-round in stores, on Amazon and on tatesbakeshop.com.

Winter break is almost over for the Bridgehampton Inn & Restaurant and Loaves & Fishes Food Store, both of which will reopen their doors to guests on Wednesday, February 2.

Three cheers for Bobby Van’s and Pierre’s in Bridgehampton; Sen, K Pasa and Il Capuccino in Sag Harbor; and Shippy’s in Southampton for deciding to be open daily!

Did You Know: The signature zebra wallpaper at Almond in Bridgehampton was inspired by eponymous Italian restaurant in Manhattan, Gino, which opened in 1945 and ended its 65-year tenure in 2010.

Rumor Mill: There may be new occupants for Arbor in Montauk, The Springs Tavern in Springs and for the former Ed’s Lobster Shack in Sag Harbor. Stay tuned …

Fun Food Fact: January 31 is National Hot Chocolate Day!

Got a restaurant news item or tip? Email us at dansfoodseen@gmail.com!