Dan's Papers - August 3, 2007 - Wink Wink at Le Flirt

The Hamptons is universally recognized as a nightclub superpower. Today, when you think of the Hamptons, you think of famous celebrities at nightclubs. These hotspots are drawing a younger crowd of tourists and Manhattan socialites more then ever before. One such nightclub that has changed names over the years that it has been in business is Le Flirt, and its party scene and new restaurant has drawn some pretty exciting people, most notably Prince, who was in East Hampton recently for the Ross School concert.

You may remember it as Resort, NV, Tsunami, or NV Tsunami, but this year in East Hampton, it is called Le Flirt and its new look, along with a new restaurant, has elevated the property to another level. Owner Frank Cilione, who spends most of his time in Palm Beach and who has had the property for several years, did a complete renovation of the building, painting the outside of the restaurant/club a dark yellow, and transforming the inside, especially the new restaurant area, from an all white look to a mahogany, luxurious look.

Open Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, Le Flirt has party goers wait outside the door at all hours of the night, excited to catch the Hamptons club scene. Even during a work day like Thursday, Le Flirt gets jam packed with people because of an employees night promotion where it is eighteen to party and twenty-one to drink. Flirt is also beginning to go into the concert venue business, having been in touch with several local bands throughout the Hamptons. "That is going to be really cool," Frank tells me.

Over the years, Frank has seen his fair share of change to his nightspot. But this year, more then any other year, the upgrade has been tremendous. "We really renovated the entire place, it looks amazing."

That can be said especially for the new restaurant, which has created a buzz amongst diners as a great place to relax for dinner and a cocktail afterwards. Executive Chef Hector Diaz has created a whirlwind of French Bistro and Seafood that has kept diners coming back and also staying to party after dinner. A standout appetizer at Le Flirt is the Le Flirt Platter, which is a large plate of clams, shrimps, oysters, lobster cocktail, seafood salad that comes in a tier and shared over a nice glass of wine, or if you are in the mood, you can order a Flirtini. A flirtatious drink indeed that is made with X-Rated liqueur (a new caffeinated, passion fruit-infused vodka) with cranberry juice served in a martini glass.

Quite the cocktail indeed.

The door policy at Le Flirt, like any nightclub, is strict, so be sure that when you head out to do some flirting, you dress well so you don't have any doorman trouble. It's never fun to get sized up at the door by a six-foot bouncer and listen to him tell you that you're not dressed properly.

Is there a lot of flirting going on at Le Flirt? You can bet your le tush there is, after all, it is a club. But don't hesitate to bring down your significant other to enjoy the lounge and bistro area. The warm colors and candlelight make for some true romance and believe it or not, finding privacy is easy.

Certainly a place for the partygoer, certainly a place for the food lover and certainly the place to share time with good friends or a flirtatious friend, Le Flirt should definitely be on your list of places to check out this summer. Wink. Call (631) 329-6000.