Bite ME

By JTP III

With the crispness of Winter fading fast, I needed one last taste of that sweet, golden liquid one can only find in the warm broth of onion soup. Entering Le Chef brings you back to the smells and aromas of mom’s kitchen. With its simple and straight forward menu, along with a fun and relaxed atmosphere, one can easily get lost within its culinary delights. Seated with my guests, at a comfy corner booth, we were greeted by crisp linens, gleaming flatware, and an attentive waitstaff.

For starters, we were served a trio of their warm ciabatta whole wheat rolls with whipped butter. Standard fare for any restaurant, but an excellently added addition to our meal later on. Being a lover of hummus, I could not resist its calling. It was garlic kissed and served in a red radicchio leaf surrounded by toasted pita wedges, endive slivers, olives, and peppers.

Next up were mussels in white wine, sweet chili

Lobstaaa Rollin’

By Cynthia Lynn

Nothing screams summer more than a lobster roll. Is it the sweet succulent yummy lobster or the slightly toasted and buttery roll that elevates this gourmet delight to heights only known to the peaks of the Himalayas? Who among us can only eat them occasionally during the summer? Not I, and I strongly suspect, not you! I eat them all summer long, be it at a restaurant, a friend’s house, or even take out, Lobster rolls are the “it food” of the summer.

Finding the ideal lobster roll is like finding the perfect relationship. I know it’s not easy out there, some may say it’s even complicated. I’ve gone through many a LR to find ‘the one!’ As relationships go, finding ‘the one’ takes a lot of trial and error, albeit tasty trials and errors but none the less, trial and error.

Now my intrepid landlubbers, look no further. I may not be a relationship expert, but I have been able to search, locate, and taste test what I believe to be some of the best lobster rolls on Long Island. They’ll not only put a smile on your face, they’ll leave your pepper, and corn broth. The corn niblets were a spot-on addition as their sweetness and crunchiness were a welcomed delight. The mussels were bite size and tender, not too big where you could mistake the shell for a shoehorn. The waiter suggested, and we happily accepted; another round of their deliciously hearty ciabatta rolls for sopping up the delectable mussel broth. Umm, Umm, good! To round out our appetizers, we ordered Le Chef’s classis French onion soup. Served in the ubiquitous twotoned brown and beige crock bowl, this liquid lusciousness was anything but brown and beige. With its sweet, salty, hearty stock laying the base for the translucent, tender, and sweet onions, I broke through the cheesy encrusted top to reach the tender, but chewy, bread that bathed itself amongst the onion broth. Le Chef’s onion soup does not disappoint. Soon after our appetizers, we were happily greeted with our main meals. I, liking to review what I call ‘bread and butter’ meals, decided to order their prime angus burger with fries. It did not disappoint. The burger was cooked as I ordered, medium rare with melted cheddar cheese and seasoned just right with enough of a char to give it some bite. The brioche roll captured the burger’s juiciness and provided the perfect conduit for its consumption. Adorned on the plate were the usual burger accoutrements, a pickle, a tomato, red onion slices, and crispy french fries.

For a cozy sit-down meal, Le Chef in Southampton hits the spot.

Le Chef

75 Jobs Lane Southampton, NY 11968 631.283.8581

IG: @Lechefsouthampton

You do not have to be exclusive to just one, hey, you’re just playing the field, eating your way through Long Island. One bite, at any of these locations, will leave you smitten with a crush that makes you want to go back for more.

In no particular order, some of my favorite ‘must eat’ Long Island lobstaaa rolls are:

75 Main Restaurant, 75 Main Street, Southampton. Dockers Waterside Marina & Restaurant, 94 Dune Road, East Quogue.

Bostwick’s Chowder House, 277 Pantigo Road, East Hampton.

Tellers: An American Chophouse, 605 Main Street, Islip.

H20: Seafood & Sushi, 215 West Main Street, Smithtown. The Restaurant at Baron’s Cove, 31 West Water Street, Sag Harbor. Let’s eat, lobstaa lovers!