Dan's Papers - June 27, 2008

In the City, restaurants seem to change over as frequently as riders on the local/express platform in Times Square. While the East End has the same type of revolving kitchen door at some locations, there are many restaurants that have stood the test of time, managing to keep their doors open season after season. Even still, it's a shocker to learn about a restaurant with a 20-plus year history, yet The Laundry in East Hampton has achieved just that. This summer the restaurant will celebrate its 28th season.

The Laundry however, did change locations. Many remember the cozy yet cleanly styled Norman Jaffee-designed interior of the original space at the site of a former steam laundry on Race Lane that opened as a restaurant in 1980. Executive Chef Andrew Engle and partners moved the business three years ago to its current 4-acre location, a historic farmhouse property on Montauk Highway in East Hampton. While the Laundry lost that prime spot that you could trip into seconds after leaving the LIRR, it did gain space - including an area for private parties and outdoor area for catered affairs. At the new location, minutes by car from East Hampton, diners can avoid the congestion in town.

Engle, in collaboration with Chef de Cuisine Paul LaBue, continues his focus on serving dishes that are seasonal and, when possible, built on local ingredients. On a recent visit, we found the local standby, roasted Iacono farm chicken, on the menu, as well as a few some seasonal ingredients. But early summer in the Hamptons, you're pretty much talking spinach, asparagus, peas and rhubarb.

We tried probably a dozen items on the menu and there were a few standouts, including the Jumbo Lump Crabcake with avocado salsa and chipotle vinaigrette. With added crunch of tiny, diced red and yellow peppers, it had a great crispy texture and a nice zing - thanks to the drizzled vinaigrette. The baby spinach salad had a secret ingredient that was refreshing and unexpected: a dash of cumin in the dressing. Engle offered up an unusual Olive Oil Poached Nova Scotia Halibut. The poaching gave this hearty fish a delicate texture. The risotto with peas and Serrano ham was just what you'd hope it to be - the crunchy, salty ham a perfect foil for the creamy rice with fresh sweet peas. Pasty Chef Susan Moore's Meyer lemon pannacotta was right on the money with bright yet mild flavor and perfect texture. To sweeten the pot for the tiny drive to the new location, Laundry offers a "A Lighter Bite at a Lighter Price" menu every day from 5:30 to 6:30. The "base price" is $21.95, and portions are about 30% smaller then normal dinner size portions.

This summer, Engle and company plan to feature (hopefully more) local shellfish, meat, and fruits as well as vegetables purchased from local farms including Quail Hill in Amagansett, Sang Lee in Peconic, and Iacono in East Hampton; plus wines from Wölffer Estate Vineyards, Channing Daughters, and Bedel Cellars.