Dans Hamptons

There are just some places you can never forget, and one of those places is Tugboat's North Sea House. This restaurant, bar, cafe and lounge attempts to recreate and capture the feeling of hanging out at your friend's house. Groovy, right? As I ascended the front steps, I took notice of the welcoming, small patio with chairs and a few tables for outdoor dining. I already knew this was going to be a dining experience to remember and a place that I was sure to return.

While inside, a large, double-wide wooden bar was situated to my right and classic video games and a digital juke box, which can play up to 10,000 songs, were directly in sight. I arrived with my co-worker, Janine, and Tugboat's owner, Chris Mackin, immediately sat us at a cozy, candlelit table. We immediately felt comfortable, and not only were we hungry, but our eyes met with some of the most interesting memorabilia displayed across the walls. In the back of the restaurant, where the dining room is situated, can host up to 70 guests. There is also a library, television, couches, board games, a pool table and a variety of books about animation history and the local history of the East End. Whether you're young or young-at-heart, there is something for you to pick up and read.

Not only did this remind me of my best friend's house, because of the laid-back atmosphere, but it was clear that it would be difficult to be bored or hungry at Tugboat's. I noticed pictures of little, animated tugboats around the restaurant and one even made it to the cover of their kid-friendly and hits-the-spot menu. When I asked Mackin where he came up with such a cute signature frontrunner, he explained that "Tugboat" was his long-time nickname. Mackin's willingness to make us feel comfortable was impressive, especially out here on the East End, where places with real local flavor seem to be a dwindling minority.

But, let's not forget the food! First, we dined on some tasty appetizers. A mix of Buffalo-style shrimp, stuffed with blue and jack cheeses and celery bits, crisp mozzarella sticks, large, spicy hot wings, fried clam strips and cheesy jalapeno poppers set the tone. The appetizers were paired with different dipping sauces to compliment each distinctive taste. They were delicious and gone before we knew it. What is so great about the Tugboat's menu is that there is something for everyone, and once again, all the food is moderately priced, which also seems to be a dying trend on the East End.

If you can believe it, we then moved on to our main courses, but first we tried a Spiedie, which Mackin recommended. Hailing from old family recipes from the Binghamton and Ithaca areas of Upstate New York (where Mackin is originally from), a Spiedie consists of skewered cuts of chicken and beef, which are marinated in a blend of Italian spices. They are tender to the touch and served on fresh Italian bread. Not only is the story surrounding this dish personal and evocative, but the presentation was unique and it tasted sweet down to the very last bite.

Our dinners were served hot and they included a menagerie of sauteed gulf shrimp scampi, coated in white wine, garlic and butter sauce. We also tried the chicken marsala, which was served over a bed of linguini with soft, jumbo mushrooms and marsala sauce.

Hip, classic rock music played throughout the restaurant and surround-sound speakers helped to resonate the jamming tunes. It was as if we had slipped into an entirely different world, one that is much like a rare gem in Southampton. Mackin explained that the building is Wi-Fi compatible and he invites people to come in and work on their laptops or notebooks, while enjoying a cup of coffee from his up-and-coming espresso bar. Mackin has hosted many events at Tugboat's and is open to new and exciting ideas from his customers. Some of the events include live music, and you can find them listed in this paper in our Day By Day Calendar. Every other Sunday, Tugboat's becomes home for a local group of crafters and artists of all types and skill levels. (Knitters, painters, jewelry makers, animators, tie-dyers, glass blowers, scrapbookers, you get the point!) The group, named East End CHU (creative humans united) meets at Tugboat's for coffee, snacks, show-and-tell sessions and afternoons choc-full of creativity. If you haven't figured it out already, Tugboat's North Sea House is the ideal spot to hang out with old and new friends, dine on some finger-licking good food, grab a few spirits or two and rock out to your favorite jams. Whether you stay for one game of pool or spend the night listening to live music, Tugboat's welcomes people young and old, new and veteran. It's the place to be.

- Victoria L. Cooper

Tugboat's North Sea House is located at 1271 North Sea Road in Southampton. Call 631-283-9347 (spells b-u-d-w-e-i-s) for reservations or take-out.