Fauna Opens in Westhampton Beach With an Ode to Starr Boggs

Fauna officially opened in Westhampton Beach last month and includes a nod to its past as the popular Starr Boggs restaurant.

This is the second Westhampton Beach location for David and Rachel Hersh of the Rooted Hospitality Group, which opened Fauna’s sister restaurant, flora, in 2020. The couple bought the restaurant space from the eponymous chef and owner Starr Boggs in February.

“We’re thrilled to expand on what we started in Westhampton Beach with flora,” said David Hersh, the chef and owner of Rooted Hospitality, which also owns RUMBA and Cowfish in Hampton Bays. “Flora and Fauna are the balance necessary for life and we’re playing out that complementary relationship in food, cocktails and hospitality with these two brands.”

Food and Drinks at Fauna

“The experience and menu of Fauna have been designed for true bon vivants, or those who take pleasure in socializing, fine food and drink,” a statement from the restaurant says.

Local fare and fresh ingredients are served, including the Roasted Red Pepper Gnudi with foraged mushrooms, curly kale, black truffle cream and pistachio. Appetizers include oysters, sea scallops with white polenta croutons, creamed corn, arugula, dijon truffle honey, and a hamachi crudo prepared with assorted citrus, black olive oil, flake salt, sea beans, charred jalapeño, and chive aioli.

The menu also includes an ode, Starr Boggs, with a favorite dish, Almond Flounder, served over whipped sweet potato, with asparagus, rum-glazed banana and citrus beurre blanc.

New dishes include a Long Island Duck Breast with honey-carrot purée, Romanesco, radish, white turnip, grilled frisée, yuzu-jerk marmalade, lavender duck glace and Fauna’s Signature Chicken for two, which is a fully deboned whole organic chicken with overnight garlic and charred lemon, finished table-side with a French pressed poultry glace accompanied by two sides including a choice of golden pommes puree, grilled broccolini, herbed pomme frites, farmstand vegetables or the wild mushrooms prepared with duck renderings, onions, garlic and Reggiano.

Other shareable items are the Prime Steaks like the 36-ounce Prime Bone-In Ribeye or Chateaubriand.

The menu also features a robust wine and cocktail list, including classic drinks and new specialties like the Smoke & Barrel with Banhez Mezcal, Makers Mark, house-made sour, maple, and cracked pepper or the Beet Goes On with Crop Cucumber Vodka, Combier, lime, hibiscus, and slow-melt beet ice.

“Old and New World wines blend on Fauna’s list which mirrors Rooted Hospitality Group’s values by only selecting Estate Grown wines,” the restaurant group says. “Novice drinkers will enjoy the Vignobles Brunier, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Télégramme as a more approachable option to the Vieux Telegraphe while more experienced palettes will delight in the Giacamo Borgogno rebelous expression, “No Name,” from Italy, given that moniker after the DOCG would not allow him to call it a traditional Barbaresco.”

Boggs had been making meals in Westhampton kitchens since 1981, combining American, Italian and Mediterranean influences. He put the building on the market in 2020. Sadly, he died just a few months after selling it.

The new restaurant employs 75 full-and part-time team members, we’re told.

Fauna opens daily for dinner at 4 p.m. and there are plans to expand to lunch and brunch in the future. Reservations are recommended and takeout is available. Every Thursday, there will be live Jazz on the patio next to Fauna’s outdoor covered bar.

Catering inquiries can be emailed to CaterMyEvent@FaunaWHB.com.

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