Jeremy Blutstein, the chef de cuisine at Almond in Bridgehampton and a fixture of the South Fork culinary world since he was a teenager, has been named the executive chef of Gurney’s Star Island Resort and Marina. The resort, which was formerly the Montauk Yacht Club, was purchased by Gurney’s in May. It is undergoing renovations and is scheduled to open in the spring. 

Mr. Blutstein will oversee the entirety of the resort’s food service, including a cafe for hotel guests only, a catering operation, and the main restaurant, which will feature a seafood-centric menu, according to Edible East End. 

His career in the restaurant business began in Amagansett at age 14, when he started working at the Farmhouse. “I was basically running the place by the time I was 20,” he told The Star recently. 

Mr. Blutstein, who has been nominated for a James Beard award, previously helped open the Surf Lodge and Ruschmeyer’s, and he ran the Crow’s Nest, all in Montauk. He also worked in New York City at the Palm, Del Frisco’s, and Blue Fin, but, ultimately, he prefers working on the East End, he told The Star. “There’s no better place to be. Period,” he said. “It’s the best place to cook as far as I’m concerned.”

He will continue at Almond through Feb. 24.

“Couldn’t have asked for a better two years,” Mr. Blutstein wrote on his Facebook page on Thursday, referring to his stint at Almond. “So much love and respect for my time spent here at Almond. Nice knowing that I will always have Jason Weiner & Eric Lemonides in my corner.” J.B.

If the phrases “prix fixe” and “free Prosecco” make your significant other swoon, this Valentine’s Day ought to be filled with romance. Here on the South Fork, plenty of restaurants are offering dinner and drink specials next Thursday. For those looking to kick the celebration up a notch, the Baker House 1650 also has a deal on hotel rooms.

Almond in Bridgehampton will offer a special four-course dinner with a blood orange theme. The menu includes entrees such as blood orange lacquered duck and swordfish adobo with a blood orange mole. The cost is $85 per person, not including tax and gratuity.  

A four-course prix fixe dinner at the 1770 House in East Hampton will feature entrees such as butter-poached lobster, suckling pig porchetta, and braised short rib. The cost is $85, not including tax and gratuity. 

In addition to $1 oysters and $10 glasses of champagne, the Bell and Anchor in Noyac will offer a two-course dinner with a bouillabaisse entree for $35. For $5 more, dessert is included. 

Lulu Kitchen and Bar in Sag Harbor will offer a five-course prix fixe dinner, including a cheese course, with beer and wine pairings. The menu features entrees such as a roast venison chop and drunken lobster. The cost is $75 per person, $85 with a beer pairing, and $95 with a wine pairing. Tax and gratuity are not included. 

The à la carte Valentine’s Day specials at Nick and Toni’s in East Hampton will include lobster and avocado salad for $24 and roast branzino filet for $42. 

Rowdy Hall in East Hampton will offer à la carte dinner specials including a steak tartare appetizer for $16 and a cioppino entree for $32. 

Indian Wells Tavern in Amagansett will have a dinner of prime rib or the catch of the day for $29, including soup or salad, a baked potato, and a vegetable side dish. Diners will also receive a complimentary glass of prosecco.

At Fresno in East Hampton, glasses of champagne will be discounted and there will be $1 oysters and à la carte dinner specials. 

For something a little different, Wolffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack will offer “pre-dinner” fondu and Reisling tastings for two next Thursday from 6 to 7 p.m. Guests will taste two of the winemaker Roman Roth’s creations, Grapes of Roth Dry Riesling and Grapes of Roth Virgin Berry Reisling. The cost is $40, and reservations should be made in advance through wolffer.com.

At Wolffer Kitchen in Sag Harbor, diners next Thursday will get a complimentary taste of the vineyard’s new 2015 vintage of Noblesse Oblige sparkling rosé. The menu will feature a number of specials designed for two by the restaurant’s chef, Mike Ronzino. 

The Baker House 1650’s romance package will be offered from Feb. 11 to Feb. 15. A two-night stay starts at $1,060 per night, and includes a couple’s massage at the hotel’s spa, a bottle of champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries, and a late checkout time. Reservations must be made a day in advance.

There are so many people running for president in 2020 that since I began writing this, two more people declared their candidacy (Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar) and by the time this is printed, no doubt several more will have stepped into the race. Or out of it. I’m not so much interested in politics as I am in what the candidates’ (and our potential next president) like to eat. Because, after all, you are what you eat.

We are already well aware of what Mr. Trump’s chosen diet consists of: cherry vanilla ice cream, meatloaf, diet Coke, fast food, and well-done steaks.

According to Ballotpedia, as of Feb. 1, 2019, there were 521 candidates who filed with the Federal Elections Commission to run in 2020. Granted, some of these people filed as far back as 1998. There are 175 Democrats, 70 Republicans, 19 Libertarians, and 13 Green Party candidates. I think some of these people have forgotten they filed, like Kanye Deez Nutz West. And I think one fellow, Adrian J. Cox of Alabama, was entered by his mom the day he was born. Some favorite foods of Alabama, by the way, are peaches and peanuts, pecan pie, pulled pork barbecue, and banana pudding. The kind of banana pudding that you make with instant vanilla pudding and Nilla Vanilla Wafers.

Again, there are way too many candidates to name, so we will just touch on a few. These are the states represented by current Democratic candidates: Maryland, Montana, Massachusetts, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, Hawaii, Texas, Ohio, Indiana, Minnesota, Delaware, Vermont, California, Oregon, and Washington. Some candidates are officially running, some have formed “exploratory” committees, some have started raising money, some just pretend they like to visit Iowa and sip bottled beer like regular Joes and Janes, and some are not running yet but people want them to. 

 As far as interesting backgrounds we have Kamala Harris, whose parents are Jamaican and Tamil Indian, so that could make for some delicious and diverse cooking in the White House. Ms. Harris is adept at Indian cooking, loves Alice Waters and Marcella Hazan, and last summer cooked swordfish with cardamom, cumin, garlic, and lemon for her pescatarian daughter. Her day usually begins with a “Raisin Bran-type” cereal with almond milk and ends with chamomile tea. Her New Year’s resolution for 2019 is to cook more, especially Sunday family dinners.

There is plenty of New York representation with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the entrepreneur Andrew Yang, Eric Holder, and Michael Bloomberg, so that could bring New York City classics like bagels, pizza, cheesecake, and pastrami to the White House. Bring some Brioschi, too! Ms. Gillibrand would no doubt bring her food safety experience and concerns with her. She enjoys cooking carrot-ginger-squash soup, baking  pies, and chocolate banana bread sweetened with dried fruits. 

Julian Castro, former mayor of San Antonio and former Housing and Urban Development secretary, was raised in Texas by his Mexican grandmother, so that could mean some delicious south-of-the-border and Tex-Mex fare like camarones à la diabla, chiles rellenos, mole poblano, flautas, and flan. Beto O’Rourke, another Texan, likes Whataburger, Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies, cheese on his burgers even though he’s lactose intolerant, and enjoys playing doughnut roulette with his staff. The winner of the roulette gets to choose the doughnut flavor for all to enjoy. Marianne Williamson, the self-help guru and author, is also from Texas but it’s hard to comprehend her food preferences in spite of her book on weight loss and spiritual lessons. 

Pete Buttigieg is the youngest candidate, a millennial from Indiana. I asked some millennial acquaintances what the ultimate millennial food would be and one said “fusion cooking. Fusion anything, even when it doesn’t work.” The other millennial said “Flamin’ Hot Cheeto Asteroids.” If Indiana is known for any foods it may well be pork tenderloin sandwiches, Van Camp’s baked beans, Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn, and Wonder Bread. Oh, well.

Maryland and Virginia have a few potential candidates, so that could mean some Chesapeake Bay blue crabs would show up at state dinners along with peanut soup and country ham biscuits. If any Pacific Northwesterners like Jeff Merkley (Oregon) or Jay Inslee (Washington) win the election we could see lots of salmon, apples, marionberry pies, and Beecher’s and Tillamook cheeses at the White House. The California candidate (besides Kamala Harris) Eric Swalwell might bring a taste for sourdough bread, Dungeness crab, and avocados.

Amy Klobuchar, the senior senator from Minnesota, does not have a particularly sterling record when it comes to food issues, school lunch contents, and farming practices, nor is Minnesota known for particularly healthy food. The state is known for the Juicy Lucy, a hamburger seasoned with Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, and American cheese inside the beef patty. The iconic dish of Minnesota is called “hotdish.” One word “hotdish.” The senator’s “recipe” can be found at the end of this column. I put quotes around “recipe” because it is the same recipe as most websites and cans of vegetables and soup that encourage the preparation of this thing. Hotdish is basically ground meat, a can of vegetables, a can of cream of mushroom soup, some cheese, and topped with Tater Tots. I kid you not!

From Hawaii we have Representative Tulsi Gabbard, who is a Samoan-American and the first practicing Hindu in the U.S. Congress. We learned from President Barack Obama that shave ice is a favorite treat from the islands, along with poke, poi, and lau lau. Shave ice is fluffy, fluffy ground ice topped with flavored syrups and perhaps a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk. Poke is cubed raw fish, sometimes marinated with soy sauce, sea salt, seaweed, Maui onions, and/or lime juice. Poi is an acquired taste. It’s basically a thick paste made from taro root. Lau lau is made with the taro leaves, which are wrapped around pork, chicken, or fish and then cooked in an underground hot rock oven for hours. 

Truly, the number of people running (or potentially running) is astonishing. What is refreshing is the diversity and variety of candidates and therefore also the food possibilities that could be served at the White House in 2021.

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE

Elaia Specials

Elaia Estiatorio in Bridgehampton is offering a three-course prix fixe dinner for $29 on Wednesdays through Sundays (excluding holiday weekends). For $10 more, two glasses of house wine are included. 

Sen Soiree

Sen in Sag Harbor will hold a weekly sake and cocktail party with passed hors d’oeuvres from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Sundays. The cost is $25 per person, and reservations are not necessary. 

Soul Food

A free class on cooking soul food will be held from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Hampton Library in Bridgehampton. T. Alexander, a Long Island restaurateur, will demonstrate how to create a three-ingredient dish and provide insight into the history of American soul food. A buffet-style dinner of fried chicken, collard greens, and black-eyed peas will follow. Registration is via the library’s website.

For the Super Bowl

Indian Wells Tavern in Amagansett will hold a big game viewing party with food and drink specials at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday. There will be a complimentary buffet during halftime, and attendees will have the chance to win prizes such as a flat-screen TV, a beach chair, and T-shirts. The first 50 people through the door will receive goodie bags.

The Springs Tavern will offer drink specials, a free buffet during half time, and prize giveaways at its Sunday game event.

The Clubhouse in East Hampton will offer an all-you-can-eat buffet for $25 at its viewing party, which starts at 5 p.m. The buffet will include dishes such as pulled pork sliders, chicken Marsala, pizza, salad, and dessert.

Townline BBQ in Wainscott will have food and drink specials, plus raffles during the Super Bowl. The food items include a cheeseburger or hot dog with fries and a beer for $9, and a brisket cheese steak for $11. The restaurant will also offer takeout dishes such as a tray of nachos that serves 12 for $32, and 50 pieces of chicken wings for $45. Takeout orders must be placed in advance. 

Organic Krush in Amagansett has a special catering menu for Sunday’s game. The prepared dishes include barbecue ribs for $15 per person (with a minimum order of 10 servings), turkey or vegetarian chili that serves six for $64, and baked chicken wings. A small order of wings, which serves 8 to 10 people, is $70, and a large order, which serves 16 to 20, is $140. Orders must be placed by Friday. 

The game-day specials at Stuart’s Seafood in Amagansett will include a two-pound platter of shrimp for $60, a dozen clams for $8, and a dozen oysters for $15. A variety of dips will also be available. Orders should be placed by Saturday, and picked up by 5 p.m. on Sunday. 

Artists and Writers Night

Almond in Bridgehampton will hold an Artists and Writers night with Meghan Boody, a photographer and multimedia sculptor, on Tuesday at 7. Ms. Boody will give tarot card readings using a deck she created. A three-course family style meal will be served. The cost is $45 and includes a glass of wine or beer, but not tax and gratuity. Reservations, which are required, are by calling the restaurant.

Restaurant Week Deals

Long Island Restaurant Week specials, which feature a three-course prix fixe meal for $29.95, are available until Sunday at Lulu Kitchen and Bar, Page at 63 Main, and Wolffer Kitchen in Sag Harbor, Wolffer Kitchen in Amagansett, Elaia Estiatorio and Jean-Georges at the Topping Rose House in Bridgehampton, Bistro Ete in Water Mill, and Le Charlot in Southampton.

This is a roundup of just about every Chinese restaurant/takeout establishment in our area from Amagansett to Southampton. Montauk no longer has a Chinese restaurant since Wok ’n’ Roll “you hook ’em, we cook ’em” closed. Hardly seems fair since East Hampton has two. 

Two were missed, Dragon Garden on North Sea Road in Southampton and Number One Chinese in Water Mill, because every time I went, it was closed. There was a children’s bicycle resting inside the front window. 

Most of these establishments are takeout only, with no more than a few chairs or stools for waiting and free publications you have no interest in reading. The exceptions are Phoenix in Wainscott and Chen’s Garden in East Hampton. Some are cash only and some don’t have websites, but of this you can be assured: Every single Chinese takeout joint is open 365 days of the year, with the exception of Chen’s Garden, which is closed on Tuesdays. Some deliver and some do not. The menus at each and every one are almost identical, lengthy, and shockingly reasonable. The two exceptions here are Phoenix, which offers some Japanese food, and Fusion Express, formerly China Town, in East Hampton, which has some Thai offerings.

The places I tried are Sing City in Sag Harbor, China Garden in Southampton, Phoenix in Wainscott, Fusion Express in East Hampton, Chen’s Garden in East Hampton, and New Best Taste in Amagansett. 

None of the places were particularly good, nor did I expect them to be, but I pretty much found something to like or appreciate at each and every one.

By the time I was halfway through the research, I lowered my “expectation factor” considerably, looking on the bright side. A moderately clean floor? Yay! A smile? I’m coming back just for that! But these Chinese takeouts and restaurants serve an important purpose in our, and every, community. They offer cheap, fast food for hard-working laborers of all nationalities, high school kids who just need something filling, tired wives, husbands, and parents who don’t have the time or energy to cook. And occasionally a lazy restaurant reviewer. . . . They are there for you 365 days of the year.

Someone asked me recently, “What’s your favorite Chinese take out? Which one is the best?” Hence this column. I always do a pivot worthy of Kellyanne Conway when asked my “favorite” anything restaurant-wise. I said I think everyone’s favorite is probably the closest one to them. That being said, I do not have a favorite, but Sing City is closest to me and I get its moo shu vegetables and stir-fried string beans about once a year. They are adequate dishes and when I get home I douse the moo shu vegetables with my own hoisin sauce and some sriracha or sambal oelek chili paste. Bonus points for Sing City: One time years ago I showed up half an hour before they were opening and they opened up and cooked for me. I do not recommend trying this; I think they were frightened of me. Cash only, no website, no delivery.

Next were China Garden and Phoenix. At first I thought getting identical dishes from every place would provide continuity but I tired of that after these two places. China Garden — “Best of the Best” Dan’s Papers — was filthy and the front door looked like someone had attempted to jimmy it. The dishes I tried were moo shu vegetables, boneless ribs, and green beans. The moo shu vegetables were okay, with mostly cabbage, bean sprouts, baby corn, carrots, mushrooms, and broccoli. The ribs were sweet and tough, most not swallowable. The green beans were somewhat garlicky, not much else. My fortune cookie said, “It could be better, but it’s good enough.” They also offer chicken nuggets and French fries for $3.25 and $2.25 respectively, and there were quite a few workers waiting for takeout orders of chicken and rice dishes. Cash only, no delivery.

Next stop, Phoenix, quiet as a tomb. Nobody to be seen up front but loud chatter coming from the kitchen. Eventually, a man emerged to take my order. More boneless ribs and an order of Szechuan spicy chicken. I was moo shued out. The ribs from here were more tender but lacked flavor. The Szechuan chicken had a lot of vegetables and some cornstarch-coated chicken in a thin, mildly seasoned sauce. The rice tasted freshly cooked. And Phoenix delivers.

On to Fusion Express which delivers and has a bare bones website with an upside down menu. This was one of the more expensive places. I tried cold sesame noodles, moo shu vegetables, and a Thai green curry with chicken. The cold sesame noodles tasted mostly of peanut butter and were very dense and gluey, but I enjoyed about three bites. Fusion Express had one of the better versions of moo shu vegetables. They were crunchy and had a hint of smokiness, known as wok hei, “breath of the wok,” an intentional smoky, almost burnt flavor. The green curry was okay, but once again, the chicken was coated in a disconcertingly slippery layer of cornstarch, which didn’t do much for the texture since this is a soupy dish. It was coconut milk, moderately spicy, with red and green peppers, green beans, and eggplant. Fusion Express was clean.

New Best Taste, formerly Best Taste in Amagansett was the next location. This place is takeout only and it does take credit cards. The family was gathered up front scrolling through a big roll of lottery tickets. They moved back to the kitchen and continued perusing when I walked in. A very well-dressed and stylish woman took my order. I got a spring roll, vegetable dumplings, Szechuan shrimp, and either kung pao or General Tso’s chicken. The spring roll and the vegetable dumplings were pretty good and I’ve heard they’re made in-house. The spring roll was thin, crisp, and not greasy. The dumplings had a thick dough but the filling was gingery and the dipping sauce tart-sweet. None of the Szechuan or Hunan dishes I ordered at any of these places was spicy at all, as they should be. Such was also the case here. The sauce was more like ketchup and vinegar and there were many chunks of al dente onions. However, there were 10 big shrimp in it and they were cooked perfectly. The chicken dish (I think I ordered kung pao) was fair, but again the slippery, cornstarch coated chicken in the sweet-sour sauce was not as it should be. A wonton soup came with the order. It was watery, but the dumplings were pretty good.

Last stop, Chen’s Garden, where you are always greeted cheerfully, the place is clean, and the prices some of the cheapest, but we are literally talking pennies here. It delivers, takes credit cards, and has a Weight Watchers menu. I tried the crispy orange beef, vegetable chow fun, and brown rice. The crispy orange beef was not spicy, again a sweet sauce, but the strips of beef were mostly crisp and tasty with tiny cubes of fresh orange peel in the dish. The chow fun was extremely overcooked wide noodles with overcooked vegetables. I tried to salvage it at home with some black vinegar (such as you’d put on bian bian noodles) and homemade orange chili sauce but it didn’t help. The brown rice here is very good, though.

The history of Chinese restaurants in America is a fascinating story but too long to tell here. It is worth researching if you are interested. From immigration to assimilation and hard work, there is a rotating system among communities and families, which is one of the reasons the names, management, and quality of each restaurant is somewhat unreliable and ever changing.

I am still mystified as to why the menus have to be so long, the portions so huge yet cheap, and who would order lobster or scallops. Most items come from freezers and are probably all from the same source. But the vegetables are fresh, there are dishes geared toward simpler tastes, and dietary restrictions are acknowledged at two or three establishments. The Chinese families in our communities work hard and we should be grateful for the niche they fill. As that fortune cookie so presciently put it: “It could be better, but it’s good enough.”

For those hosting New Year’s Eve soirees, Stuart’s Seafood Market in Amagansett has party platters, raw bar items, caviar, and lobster dinners and will be open until 6 p.m. on Monday. It will be closed on New Year’s Day and every Tuesday thereafter through mid-April.

A New Year’s Eve Option

Almond in Bridgehampton will serve a five-course prix fixe dinner at 9 on New Year’s Eve. The menu features entrees such as a surf and turf dish of lobster raviolo and braised short ribs, and olive oil poached halibut. Diners will receive party favors and there will be a champagne toast. The cost is $125 plus tax and gratuity. The à la carte menu will be available earlier in the evening, and the restaurant will also serve snacks and specialty drinks at the bar.

Last Chance for Clam Bar 

The Clam Bar at Napeague will close for the winter on Sunday. Because the restaurant is open on a weather-dependent basis, customers have been encouraged to call the restaurant before heading out.

Wine Class

Michael Cohen, the wine director at the 1770 House, will talk about the best wines he discovered this year on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Wainscott Main Wine and Spirits. Advance registration for the $10 class can be made by calling the store.

Maidstone Wine Dinner

The Maidstone Hotel in East Hampton will hold a five-course wine dinner on Friday, Nov. 30, starting with a cocktail hour at 7 p.m. The meal prepared by Ian Lowell, the executive chef, will include Long Island duck breast, Wagyu New York strip steak, and sea bass. The dishes will be paired with wines from Macari Vineyards on the North Fork. The cost is $85 per person, not including tax and gratuity. Reservations can be made online at eventbrite.com. 

Upcoming Events

The Baker House 1650 in East Hampton will hold a mixology class focusing on holiday cocktails on Dec. 1 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. The cost is $50 per person. Reservations can be made online at eventbrite.com. 

Almond in Bridgehampton will hold an Artists and Writers night with the Star’s East magazine on Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. The family-style, three-course meal will feature early-American foods such as wild game. The cost is $45 and includes a glass of wine or beer, but not tax or gratuity. Reservations are by calling the restaurant.

Plaza Café

61 Hill Street

Southampton

631-283-9323

Dinner Tuesday through Sunday,

5:30-10, Saturday until 11

Plaza Cafe in Southampton was my very first restaurant review. I don’t recall how long ago, but it was a long time ago. I was thrilled and honored to be taking this important task on when our beloved and talented Sheridan Sansegundo moved to San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico.

I brought a gaggle of friends and was super bossy. “Let me taste that dish. Don’t put it on my plate, your sauces will get mixed up in my sauces. Don’t say my real name. Everybody has to get dessert, blah, blah, blah. . . .” I’m sure I was a real nuisance. 

The meal was divine, the service excellent, and the following morning I sat down with my notes to write. And then I noticed a glaring error. I had been so focused on the food that I neglected to notice anything about the decor and atmosphere. What color were the walls? Where was the bar? Were the floors wood? Was there a fireplace? Were there tablecloths, artwork, candles? I had to go back that night on my own dime to do a proper, comprehensive review. Lesson learned.

Plaza Cafe has been a very well regarded restaurant specializing in seafood for almost 22 years. The meal we had the other night was as good, if not even better, than the two I had blankety-blank years ago. And now I know to observe atmosphere and decor.

The space is large with a soaring ceiling, and the tables are nicely spaced. The floor is wood, the walls a sea green, and the fireplace has beautiful, intricate tile work around the mantle. There are paintings by Lynn Mara, a local artist, around the room depicting various familiar sights — beach plum picking, fluke, grape harvesting, and more.

Upon being seated we were served nice warm whole grain rolls with olive oil. For appetizers we tried the tuna crab tian, prosciutto-wrapped wild Pacific shrimp, and baby arugula salad. All three were superb. 

The tuna and crab tian had a layer of avocado, slightly spiced with wasabi, and then a layer of tuna tartare, and a top layer of citrusy crab. There were droplets of pale yuzu vinaigrette all around the plate. Yuzu is an absolutely delicious citrus. Common in Japan and Korea, it is very perfumy, like Meyer lemons. 

The prosciutto-wrapped shrimp (three big ones) were served on a rich porcini risotto. It was a bit spicy, had a hint of saffron, and was smoky, perhaps from paprika. The shrimp were perfectly cooked and juicy. 

My favorite appetizer was the salad. It was the kind of dish that I immediately wanted to try to duplicate at home. The arugula was in a somewhat warm sweet dressing with bits of end-of-season roasted corn kernels, chanterelle mushrooms, pancetta bacon, and heirloom cherry tomato halves that had been seeded. A generous amount of grated ricotta salata on top added a bit of richness and salt. Somehow the salad managed to be delicate and hearty at the same time.

When it was time to order our entrees, our waitress, Kiki, told us that half portions were available for almost all of the items on the menu, the logical exclusions being chicken and steak. We all opted for half portions and got the Faroe Island salmon special, the bay scallop special, and lobster-shrimp shepherd’s pie. Again, all three were outstanding, and other than the dainty bay scallop dish they didn’t seem like half orders at all. 

The salmon looked like a six-ounce portion and was cooked medium rare. It was served on top of a wild rice pilaf with cubes of acorn squash and had a hint of curry. The bay scallop dish had about 10 scallops, seared to caramelization yet still tender-raw on the inside. This is no small feat; it probably takes 30 seconds in a scorchingly hot pan. The scallops were nestled in a velvety cauliflower puree with frizzled leeks on top. The only garnish they didn’t need were the mandarin orange segments beneath the leeks. 

The lobster-shrimp shepherd’s pie, I’ve been told, is a signature dish at Plaza Cafe, and even the half order was generous. It had plenty of lobster meat and red shrimp mixed with lobster mushrooms and vegetables in a creamy sauce. The mashed potato topping was perfectly seasoned, flecked with chives piped onto the filling and browned to a crisp on top. A potato gaufrette and one shrimp made the whole presentation quite lovely. The effort it takes to make potato gaufrettes alone is very impressive. The potato is cut into a paper thin lattice-patterned wafer and fried, kind of like a waffle fry but classier, because it’s French!

The service on the night of our visit was professional, and our waitress Kiki was a delight. The prices are somewhat high but when you consider the option of “half” portions ($20 each for the scallops and salmon, $25 for the lobster-shrimp shepherd’s pie!) it can be quite reasonable. The quality and sophistication of the dishes and delicacy with which they are prepared is exceptional. The chef-owner Doug Gulija is most definitely masterful in handling fish, both local and from afar.

Appetizers are $17 to $32; entrees are $34 to $52. There are no sides offered but every dish is satisfyingly complete. Desserts, all made in house, including ice creams and sorbets, are $13 to $15.

For our final course we ordered Grandma’s chocolate mousse cake, crème brûlée, and apple pecan cake. All were excellent. The chocolate mousse cake was served in a wedge on top of artfully drizzled chocolate and white chocolate sauces. Confectioner’s sugar and dark cocoa powder dusted the rim of the plate, and the cake was served with creamy cappuccino ice cream and a crunchy rolled tuile cookie. The cake was moist and the mousse airy. The crème brûlée was lightly maple flavored, served in a fat little Ball jar with a spoonful of fig compote/jam on the side, and two crisped madeleine cookies. The crème brûlée was smooth and creamy and the brûléed sugar on top had that satisfying crack when broken into. The apple pecan dessert was a little round cake, absolutely delicious, topped with vanilla ice cream just starting to melt, and a dried crunchy apple slice on top. The plate had a pool of vanilla crème anglaise, sprinkled with bits of candied pecan pieces. Are you hungry yet?

Reflecting on our meal, I started to wonder why I haven’t been back to Plaza Cafe in a few years. Frankly, I’m just lazy, Southampton seems soooo far away from where I live. (It’s actually 23 minutes, 11.2 miles, I just checked.) 

So if you want to treat yourself to an expertly crafted seafood-centric meal, try Plaza Cafe. It is a treasure.

You don’t have to celebrate Christmas to love Christmas breakfast! From friends near and far-flung, I learned of so many wonderful cuisines, cultures, and traditions. Some were elaborate, creative, and inspiring. And frankly, some were just downright sad. 

Drake’s coffee cake? No. Full-size, warm from the oven? That doesn’t make it any better.

My friend and former NPR colleague, Bill Drummond, offered to send me the Christmas breakfast menu from San Quentin prison. (Bill teaches journalism at the University of California, Berkeley and also helps the inmates of San Quentin with their newspaper.) But then the prison went on lockdown. Then Bill said the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation would get back to me by deadline. Alas, they didn’t, so I looked them up. Sadly, there has been considerable illegal drug trafficking at the prison lately so their hands are full. Apparently, drones can deliver drugs. So I found a Christmas breakfast menu from San Quentin 1928. Among many more fruits, cereals, breads, and egg dishes, there were baked apples with cream, white figs, grilled French lamb chops, eggs Vienna style, and Parker House rolls. The lunch and dinner menus were so elaborate that they’re in pidgin French.

My childhood friend Dicky Brennan is an excellent cook. His family starts the day with fresh juices, scrambled eggs, brioche with honey and jams, toasted slices of stollen, and bacon. When his brother and sister-in-law arrive by lunchtime they continue with Bloody Marys made with Clamato juice and aquavit, smoked salmon on toast points, and Alice Lees, named after his grandmother. These are savory little wedges of toasted English muffins topped with cheddar cheese, Worcestershire sauce, chutney, Tabasco, and enough mayo to bind, then broiled.

Chefs do it up right. Brian Szostak of the Bridgehampton Inn makes cinnamon roll pancakes with bourbon maple syrup. The proprietress, Sybille van Kempen, goes with a Danish-German mash-up of “anything goes frittata, smoked trout with horseradish sauce, cucumber salad, strong black tea, stollen with marzipan, and sugar plums.” Colin Ambrose of Estia’s Little Kitchen in Sag Harbor whips up chicken hash on a grill in his home kitchen fireplace. Ellen White, although a superb cook and former chef, had to succumb in childhood to her Scottish father’s tastes. She wrote, “Those Scotts LOVE their offal, so we would have broiled kidneys and proper bacon, what in the U.S. is called Canadian bacon, for breakfast.” She says she loved it.

Another former nipper, Maury Schlesinger, shared that his wife is Danish, so they have ebelskivers (little pancake balls) at Christmastime and ebelskivers serving as sufganiyot for Hanukkah. Amy Eller has what she calls “Jewish Christmas” breakfast consisting of leftover caviar and blinis fried in butter, a warmed up cranberry orange compote, hot chocolate, and champagne. This was one of my favorite menus but my question is: Who has leftover caviar?

Kathryn and Gavin Menu of The Sag Harbor Express go straight into brunch time after the kids have been fortified with Grandma Marge’s pancake breakfast. His mother makes a tomato sauce-based dish with sausage, chicken thighs, and peppers, along with eggs, bagels with the works, and home fries.

Shira Sacks-Barzilay makes a challah bread pudding with mascarpone, almond extract, and a surprise caramel sauce at the bottom. Don’t all of these menus sound delicious?

Cinnamon rolls and sticky buns were mentioned a lot, either homemade or good ol’ Pillsbury. Strata, an eggy, bread pudding-like casserole that sets over­night in the fridge before baking in the oven in the morning, is another popular item. I usually make eggs Benedict with the cheat of using Knorr’s Hollandaise sauce mix all doctored up with lemon juice and Tabasco sauce. Don’t judge me, it’s Christmas morning!

Some traditional Christmas breakfast dishes from around the world sound wonderful and worth trying, some just sound plain dreary. Would you want to wake up on Christmas day in a country where it’s cold and dark for months and months and be served riispurro, a Finnish rice porridge made with plum juice? But, hey, whoever finds the hidden almond in that cruel gruel will have good luck for the rest of the year. Hopefully that means travel to a warmer climate. The Danish also make a porridge, this one out of rye bread, called ollbrod. Their dish known as aebleflaesk sounds much more appealing: roast apples with bacon, onions, and thyme. More tasty options are atole (thick hot chocolate) from Mexico, which becomes champurrado when you add cinnamon. Croatians make povitica, a walnut-swirled, lightly sweetened bread, and krofne, doughnuts filled with jams or jellies or custard. The Belgians and Greeks make sweet breads representing swaddled baby Jesus or the cross. 

In Jamaica, along with callaloo, beef liver, breadfruit, and fried plantains, they have their national dish for Christmas, ackee and saltfish. This is a saute that resembles scrambled eggs: codfish, boiled ackee, Scotch bonnet peppers, tomatoes, onions, and garlic.

I recently took a 23andMe DNA test. It was no surprise that I am mostly Irish. But with a mostly Norwegian grandmother (Wiborg) and fully Norwegian immigrant great-grandfather, I assumed I was a decent fraction Scandinavian. But zut alors! Mon dieu! I am more French than Norwegian. Some of my dead relatives have a lot of explaining to do. That being said, I suppose we may be having  oeufs en cocotte avec croissants et brioche this coming Christmas morning. Joyeux Noel and joyeuses fetes everyone, whatever you celebrate, wherever you are, and whatever you eat.

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Have you dropped the ball by not making a plan for New Year’s Eve? No worries, you still have plenty of options. Whether you prefer to celebrate by dancing or indulging in a gourmet meal, here are some of the venues offering festive ways to ring in 2019. 

Gurney’s Resort in Montauk will hold a beach club-themed party with an open bar and music provided by Vikas Sapra, a New York D.J., in its Great Hall from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. The cost is $180. Tickets can be purchased via the resort’s website.

At Scarpetta Beach, the hotel’s restaurant, there will be two seatings for a five-course prix fixe dinner. The menu features dishes such as black tagliolini with shrimp, wagyu beef, and venison. The cost is $105 for the 5 p.m. seating, and $125 for the 7 p.m. seating. 

The Wolffer Kitchen restaurants in Amagansett and Sag Harbor will offer a three-course dinner for $75 at 6 and 8 p.m. seatings, and a four-course dinner for $100 at 10 p.m. 

At the Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett, G.E. Smith will be in concert at 8 p.m., followed by the Nancy Atlas Project at 10. Tickets are $30 for each show and available at the door. 

Nick and Toni’s in East Hampton will serve a la carte dinner specials from 5:45 to 10 p.m. The menu includes a white truffle tagliatelle appetizer at market price and an osso buco entree for $48.

At Rowdy Hall in East Hampton, there will be à la carte specials for dinner, including a grilled rack of lamb for $32.

The 1770 House in East Hampton will serve a four-course prix fixe dinner from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Menu items include tuna tartare, foie gras, lobster, and filet mignon. The cost is $110 per person not including tax, gratuity, and beverages. 

The Clubhouse in East Hampton will hold a Roaring Twenties-themed party starting at 9 p.m., with passed hors d’oeuvres, free well drinks from 10 p.m. to midnight, live music, party favors, and a champagne toast. The cost is $50 for tickets purchased today and $65 thereafter. 

The five-course prix fixe dinner at Baron’s Cove in Sag Harbor will feature a beef and truffle tartare appetizer and a lobster thermidor entree. The cost is $120 for the seating between 5 and 8:30 p.m., and $135 for 9:30 to 11 p.m. 

Duck à l’orange and veal Oscar are among the entrees on the five-course prix fixe dinner menu at Page at 63 Main in Sag Harbor. The cost is $80 for the first seating at 7 p.m. The second seating, at 9:30, which costs $180, will feature live music by Joe Lauro and the HooDoo Loungers and a champagne toast at midnight.

Also in Sag Harbor, Lulu Kitchen and Bar will serve its regular à la carte dinner menu between 5 and 7 p.m. A four-course prix fixe menu will be available at 8. The cost is $125, plus tax and gratuity. Alfredo Merat, a singer-songwriter, will play music at the latter seating, and diners will be given party favors. The menu features champagne and mussel soup, butter-poached sturgeon, and roast venison loin. 

Jean-Georges at the Topping Rose House in Bridgehampton will be serving a four-course prix fixe dinner for $98. The menu has dishes such as seared black sea bass and wagyu beef tenderloin. The hotel will also have a champagne party with a D.J. and dancing from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. The event will include passed hors d’oeuvres and an open bar. The cost is $125. Tickets can be purchased on eventbrite.com.

At Pierre’s in Bridgehampton, there will be two seatings for a three-course prix fixe dinner. At 5 p.m., the menu features an escargot appetizer and a lobster fricassee entree. The cost is $75. At the 8:30 p.m. seating, which costs $135, the menu includes a foie gras appetizer and a rack of lamb entree. There will also be a dance party in the restaurant’s upstairs lounge. 

From 9 p.m. to 3 a.m., Union Cantina in Southampton will hold a party with a full dinner buffet and dessert table, a four-hour open bar of top-shelf liquor, and live music by the Bay Ridge All-Stars. The cost is $75. Reservations are via the restaurant’s website. 

Claude’s restaurant at the Southampton Inn will serve a four-course prix fixe dinner for $125, featuring entrees such as duck breast and a winter vegetable risotto plus a prosecco toast at midnight.