Dan’s Papers November 12, 2010 FOOD & DINING danshamptons.com Page 39
Restaurant Review: 75 Main
S. Galardi
By Susan M. Galardi The food story at 75 Main is almost trumped by the management story. Eight years ago, Zach Erdem, a Young Turk (really, he is from Turkey) was in the U.S. for a brief stint to study English. The day before he was to return, a friend gave him a round trip bus ticket to see the Hamptons. Erdem got off in Southampton, walked to the beach then back, through town, and ended up at 75 Main, talking to the owner. With only a return airline ticket to Turkey in his hand, Erdem was offered an opportunity to stay in Southampton and work at 75 Main. Several seasons of double shifts there, and off season managing at Nello’s, he found himself once again talking to the owner of 75 Main – this time to buy the place. With a 10-year lease, Zach Erdem has owned this lovely restaurant in Southampton Village since the beginning of summer, and he has created something quite wonderful. First, the space is lovely – large and open yet intimate; clean and light, with a white bar and white wainscoting, yet cozy; gorgeous photography on the walls. The place was packed all summer, both inside and out, with happy diners and revelers in the later hours on the weekend. Still now, 75 Main has nightlife – a DJ on Thursdays and either a live band or DJ on Saturday (the club is open until 4 a.m. Saturday.) Erdem brought on experienced chef Matthew L. Lewis, and the two have put together a very solid menu with interesting choices. Even the summer prices at 75 Main were reasonable, but now, in the off season, the restaurant has accommodated the year round residents with a $25.99 three course Price Fix menu all night Sunday through Thursday. In addi-
tion, for Thanksgiving, the restaurant is offering three-course Thanksgiving Prix Fixe at $25.95. While the popular dishes of the summer included the BBQ Braised Beef Short Rib and Teriyaki Marinated Skirt Steak, we opted for mostly seafood entrees. Salads and appetizers are $8-$14 a la carte, and we started the arugula and pear salad, ($12) and a marinated portobello mushroom and veggie Napoleon ($10). Both of these were delicious. The salad had a good lemony-thyme dressing that stood up to the brazen arugula. For the Napoleon, I expected the pressed version – thin layers of veggies in a chilled stack. What I got was so much better. This was a deconstructed Napoleon – free form sliced grilled zucchini, yellow squash, portobellos, roasted red pepper with a pesto infused oil and balsamic. And it was warm – right off the grill and out of the oven.
Every veggie had a presence. I take back every bad thing I’ve ever said about zucchini. A la carte main courses at 75 Main are reasonable – from $19 for penne primavera to $31 for salmon. It’s an inventive, well-rounded selection. The Sesame Crusted Tuna ($28) was a winner. Top quality tuna steak, sliced, pink and beautiful, with a great crunchy sesame seed crust. The julienne papaya slaw with wasabi, crème fraiche and pickled ginger was the perfect accompaniment. This dish, with its bright Asian flair, worked absolutely perfectly. The pineapple miso glazed salmon ($31) was also very good, with its perfect rice pilaf (I told you, the owner is from Turkey). Sauteed baby spinach with sliced onion was pleasantly, mildly bitter – perfect with the pleasantly sweet sauce on the salmon. Desserts ($8 and $10) are largely made in house. The creme brulee was just right, with a thin, sweet, smoky sugar crust. The melted lava cake (from Blue Duck) was all that you could hope for, drizzled with raspberry sauce. But the star for me was the apple tart, which was actually shaped like a star. This was more of a dumpling (not an open faced tart) but with puff pastry, filled with apples and dusted with powdered sugar. Very good. What can I say? We liked everything we ordered that night at 75 Main. The restaurant has an extensive list of wines by the bottle; a limited choice by the glass, but with very good, interesting offerings including the Whispering Angel rose, a sancerre and a reasonable Chateauneuf-du-pape. 75 Main, Open daily for lunch (10:30-4:30) and dinner (4:30-10:30) 75 Main St., Southampton, 75main.com, 631-283-7575
THANKSGIVING SPECIAL MENU FROM 1:00 - 8:00 PM • $ 29.00 3 COURSE PRIX FIXE
3 Course Prix Fixe $2700
OPEN 7 DAYS
Sunday-Thursday - All Night Friday - 5:30 to 6:30
PRIX X FIXE
Steak and Fries $1900
2 COURSES $25 • 3 COURSES $29 SUNDAY TO THURSDAY ALL NIGHT
STARTER CHOICE OF Soup of the Day Iceberg Wedge bacon bits blue cheese Mussels Meunière Endive Granny Smith Apple Salad Shrimp Scampi Bruschetta Clams Casino
ENTRÉE CHOICE OF Traditional Roast Turkey with Mashed potatoes Flounder Francese Lamb Shank New York Sirloin Steak Boston Cod lemon crust
DESSERT CHOICE OF Apple Crisp chocolate sauce Pumpkin pie Ala Mode Chocolate Cake Chantilly white crème
ALL DINNERS SERVED WITH TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING CONDIMENTS & VEGETABLES FAMILY STYLE
Sunday-Thursday - All Night Friday - 5:30 to 6:30
FRIDAY - SATURDAY 5 TO 6:30PM
Lobster Night $2100
BREAKFAST
Tuesday Only All Night
BRUNCH • LUNCH • DINNER PATISSERIE • BAR
Prime Rib Night Wednesday
HOME MADE ICE CREAM
$2100 “WOW” Alll Night
GOURMET MARKET
PLEASE, NO SUBSTITUTIONS, OR SHARING. THANK YOU
Specials not available Holiday Weekends
bobby van’s
main n street,, bridgehampton
2468 MAIN STREET . BRIDGEHAMPTON, NY 11932
pierresbridgehampton.com
631-537-0590
greatt food d in n a comfortablee setting
1267787
Book your Holiday Party Now
RESERVATIONS: 631.537.5110 1267797
725-1810
1267791
63 Main Street • Sag Harbor, NY