LI Wine Country Turns 50, Bridgehampton Inn & More East End Food Seen

El Verano officially opened in Southampton last week on the corner of Jobs and Windmill Lane. The owner is none other than Julian Medina, the acclaimed chef/owner of Toloache, Coppelia, Tacuba Mexican Cantina, Kuxe and La Chula Taqueria, all in New York City.

Raised in Mexico City, Medina started in the kitchen alongside his grandfather and father and began his formal training in the Mexican capital. He furthered his studies at the French Culinary Institute in New York City and has appeared on the silver screen; you might recognize him from Iron Chef America: Mexican Chocolate Battle.

Menu highlights at El Verano include the ceviche de verano with tuna, watermelon ponzu, sweet onion, yuzu and avocado, grilled whole roasted branzino with salsa verde and spicy Chinese broccoli and the carne asada.

Maison Close is like a phoenix rising from the ashes, quite literally. After a fire derailed its planned Memorial Day opening, Maison Close Montauk on East Lake Drive is now accepting reservations. Executive Chef Geoffrey Lechantoux has worked alongside renowned chefs such as Alain Duchasse and Gordon Ramsay at several Michelin-star rated restaurants, such as Louis XV in Monaco, Trianon Palace in Versailles, Le Jules Verne in Paris and Benoit in New York.

Chef Lechantoux, who also debuted Talya in Montauk this summer, promises a menu of elevated Parisian bistro cuisine at Maison Close Montauk. The capacious waterfront location boasts 22 dock and dine slips for guests arriving by boat and a relaxing al fresco area featuring partially tented seated tables, lounges and cabana beds, Maison Close’s press release states.

Menu highlights include the Maine lobster meat croissant, linguini a la truffe, Dover sole meunière and côte de boeuf.

Maison Close Montauk will be open for outdoor brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 12:30–7 p.m. The restaurant had a devastating fire at the beginning of summer.

Hoops 4 Hope, a local nonprofit founded in 1995 that works in underserved communities in South Africa and Zimbabwe, is hosting its inaugural summer soirée at Sagaponack Farm Distillery on Sunday, August 13 from 5–9 p.m. The night will celebrate African culture, the organization and all who support it. Food will be provided from restaurants such as Estia’s Little Kitchen, Harbor Market & Kitchen and Honest Man Hospitality Group.

Yankees tickets, signed Jets memorabilia from Sauce Gardiner, Zach Wilson and CJ Mosley and a polo trip for two in Buenos Aires will be handed out to the highest bidders during the silent auction, among other prizes. “Hosting our benefit this year at Sagaponack Farm Distillery is meaningful to me,” says Mark Crandall, Amagansett native and the founder of Hoops 4 Hope.

“The local focus of the distillery, from growing and producing their own spirits to serving only New York State-produced wine, beer and food products, pulls into focus the connectedness of Hoops 4 Hope as well. We are supporting local businesses, who are in turn supporting us. It’s a real full-circle moment.” All proceeds will support the programs in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Tickets for the benefit start at $300 and can be purchased by visiting bit.ly/3rvsiZx.

Long Island Wine Country has come a long way since the planting of the first wine grapes in 1973 by Louisa and Alex Hargrave. On August 19 at 5 p.m., this 50th anniversary is being celebrated at Peconic Bay Vineyards in Cutchogue, featuring many of the winemakers that have helped make this region internationally renowned.

Top chefs from the East End will concoct tasty bites from locally sourced products to pair with wines that celebrate the diversity of wine varieties produced on the North and South Forks. According to the Long Island Wine Country website, guests can expect everything from traditional méthode champenoise sparkling wine to pet-nat, white wines showcasing “maritime minerality,” to rare red library wine selections from the region’s best vintages.

Tickets can be purchased at liwines.com/50th-anniversary.

Did You Know?

The Bridgehampton Inn & Restaurant has a new bar patio, offering cocktails and small bites under the stars. Food selections include summer peach salad, crispy gaufrette potatoes with garlic aioli, shrimp cocktail, salmon sashimi and cheese pate. Our favorite cocktail is Snap City, which the menu describes as “a potent potion with a popping palate, featuring Plantation 3 Star Rum, Baijiu, mint, sugar snap pea, honey, lime, and toasted pine nut orgeat. Garnished with a sprig of mint, and served with a straw.” The patio is perfect for a nightcap or relaxing with friends. Walk-ins are welcome in the lounge area.

Serene Green Farm in Sag Harbor is named after owner and farmer John Smith’s daughter. Established in 2010 on Noyac Road, Serene Green grows an abundance of fresh blueberries, eggplant and squash in their fields to name a few. Their fresh seafood bins are stocked daily with options such as clams, shrimp, halibut, salmon, sea bass, fluke, flounder, tuna and lobster.

Bits & Bites:

Salt & Loft in Westhampton Beach serves one of the best summer cocktail menus around. We can’t get enough of their strawberry palomas, cucumber cosmos, lavender martinis and frozen piña coladas.

Say hello to Buttero, East Hampton’s newest steakhouse. Located on 31 Race Lane, menu highlights include wagyu steak, whole roasted branzino, and house-made fettuccine pasta with black truffles and prawns. 

Food Quote:

“Unless you are a pizza, the answer is yes, I can live without you.”

–Bill Murray