Food in Hampton Bays

Panera Bread:

I know, I know, it's a chain restaurant... You may look down on chain restaurants but I am a firm believer that you can find gems in some of the most unexpected places. I also think that food does not necessarily have to be complicated and fancy to taste good. Panera uses simple ingredients and good bread. When SB and I want something quick on the go, Panera is one of our go-to places. Since we don't have one in NYC I take advantage of having one in the Hamptons. When we go, I usually get the Greek salad for lunch. But really, what I am positively obsessed with (this will be #3 on my food obsession count) are the egg souffles. They have 4 different kinds - all equally delish and they only serve them in the mornings until 11am. They are uh-mazing!!! It's basically pastry with egg. But the pastry is flaky, soft, and buttery. The eggs on top of the pastry are brilliantly warm and fluffy and they are seasoned to perfection. I have now turned SB on to them as well. Typically, on our way back into NYC we will stop by Panera and get a whole bunch of souffles for "the road" (as SB likes to say), but also to have at the apartment for "the week." To tell you the truth - they never make it through the week. They are usually gone by the second day. They are THAT good!

The Hampton Maid:

Although, I am and now SB is obsessed with the egg souffles from Panera bread, we also venture to other places for breakfast. The Hampton Maid on Montauk Highway is great for a nice sit down breakfast. There is something incredibly comforting and relaxing to sit on their patio, surrounded by trees and a lot of green on a nice summer day. Because the restaurant is conveniently located on a hill you can even peek at the water. Their food tastes homemade, like mom or grandma made it, and completes the comforting ambiance of the place.

Brewsters Seafood Market:

We recently discovered Brewsters Seafood Market which is also on Montauk Highway and it's a great place for seafood lovers. SB and I love our seafood! You can pick up fresh seafood there for your cookout but I like to go there for lunch. There is nothing fancy about this place, and that's probably what I love about it. It's all about the fresh seafood. The food really is the star of the show. SB usually gets the lobster roll, which he says is fantastic and I get the crab legs (which you order by weight) and dip them in melted butter - how could that be bad?? It can't!!! A bucket of steamers will somehow also find its way to our table. The thing about steamers is that they can sometimes be a bit gritty from the sand. Well, we found out that Brewsters has a de-sanding machine. So when you bite into them steamers there will be no unexpected crunch!

Oakland's Restaurant & Marina:

A local friend of mine suggested Oakland's to me. This past weekend SB and I went there for the first time and we loved it! It is nestled in between the bay and the beach. There isn't a bad view in the house. I'd suggest going during the day so you can take advantage of the beautiful view. SB had the tuna wrap, which was very flavorful and had a bit of an Asian flair to it. It was savory and sweet at the same time. Love that!! I could taste soy sauce, ginger, some nutty sesame oil and also a hint of honey. Had a little of everything: Salty, sweet, soft, crunchy. I had the crab cakes. I have found that crab cakes at times have too much of everything BUT crab in them. That wasn't the case with these. These were truly lump crab cakes. When I put my fork into it, it kind of fell apart. Heavenly! It came with a spicy aioli and a fruity corn salsa! YUM!! Makes me salivate just thinking about it!!!

Happy eating!!

J