East End Eats: Bobby Van's

CARISSA KATZ

Bobby Van's
Montauk Highway
Bridgehampton
537-0590
Open for lunch and dinner, seven days.

Bobby Van's was a Bridgehampton hot spot long before most stars in the East End restaurant galaxy ever appeared and it probably will remain one long after others lose their luster. The appeal of the restaurant is its atmosphere, and lunch on a summer afternoon illustrates this perfectly.

Bobby Van's is as light and airy as any outdoor eatery. If you're lucky, a spot at an outer table with the big doors open to the sidewalk offers excellent people-watching and fresh air.

But, even in the heart of the dining room, ceiling fans toss the breezes and conversation about, and a long skylight brings the bright day inside.

Copious Portions

Lunch at Bobby Van's can be very busy (dinner almost always is), so allow yourself more time than usual. On the day we went there, a line was out the door and we ended up waiting to be seated for a good half hour or more. If you're in a hurry, that can be bothersome, if you're not - all the better to enjoy the place.

Though our appetites were big by the time we sat down, we had seen the copious portions on other tables and knew enough to curb our orders accordingly.

We started with a chicken quesadilla appetizer, shared among our group. Although accompanied by a sharp salsa of red onion and fresh tomatoes, the quesadilla itself was rather dull, with chicken buried in cheese and little flavor beyond that.

Inspired Falafel

This certainly wasn't the case with the artichoke falafel. The inspired Middle Eastern main course was expertly spiced with a hot harissa spread, then delicately cooled with a mint yogurt dressing. Two large falafel patties are served on a pita with a huge mesclun salad on the side.

A sirloin chili topped with cheddar cheese got equally high marks. It was spicy but not searing, filled with meat, yet somehow not at all heavy. Just a touch of what made the chili so good would do wonders for the quesadilla.

Two salads, a grilled chicken salad with roasted red peppers and blue cheese and a chopped salmon salad with goat cheese, were voluminous. Both were built around a crisp mesclun mix. The salmon, though, seemed plain and rather lost in the lush greens.

The grilled chicken, peppers, and blue cheese, on the other hand, had the vim and vigor lacking in the first salad.

Such Is Lunch

The Bridgehampton Bobby Van's and a Park Avenue branch of the restaurant are known for their steaks, and regulars speak highly of them. We didn't partake of the signature dish on our lunch outing, but seeing the juicy steaks being served to nearby tables made us wish we had.

If looks count for anything, the steak must be fantastic. (Martinis are also rumored to be top-notch, but not for lunch.)

There were quite a few interesting dishes on the menu we wanted to try, but such is lunch. Everything sounds tempting, but you can only eat so much without a siesta on your schedule.

The restaurant is better known for its nighttime scene, but it's easy to picture spending several leisurely afternoon hours in Bobby Van's, sampling more of what's offered until the proper cocktail hour arrives and the place starts really hopping.