Seven years in the restaurant business is even longer than seven years in politics and the fact that Stephan Mazzella, the chef/owner of the Red Door Restaurant in Mattituck has now reached this mile stone is a tribute both to his classic culinary training and his innate good business sense. In the years that we have eaten here it has been very interesting to see the subtle but definite changes that Stephan has made as he listens to his customers and assesses their priorities. One thing is certain, he still takes extreme pride in everything he does and it was no surprise on this visit to hear that, probably in March of next year, Stephan plans to make a major change by transforming the front wall of the restaurant to glass French doors leading onto a new large patio which will enable around thirty diners to enjoy outdoor dining during the summer months.

We started our meal with a couple of very interesting appetizers. Large tasty grilled shrimp wrapped in pancetta and served over Tuscan white beans showed a classic touch and was an excellent dish that was everything that a starter should be, just as the great foccacia bread and first class olive oil were everything that a breadbasket should offer. This, we agreed, was one of the very best starters we have enjoyed and if it is on the menu - go for it. We also tried another classic but a classic of a vastly different style. I have to admit that 'sliders' were not part of my childhood and I have been interested to see that many top Manhattan restaurants are now featuring these mini burgers that White Castle made famous (or infamous, depending on your digestion!) Stephan offers sliders based on his Grandmother's recipe for meatballs, which originated on the Italian island of Ischia. He serves them on a brioche bun with a delicate sauce that we would have liked more of, and the portion size is really enough for two people as an appetizer.

For a salad course we sampled the crispy frisee dressed with a miso vinaigrette and topped with some melt in the mouth fried calamari.

Pasta is special for Stephan and much of the pasta here is made in-house. We chose two very different ones. The fusilli with broccoli rabe, sausage and white beans was full of deep tastes. An excellent autumnal dish. The other, ricotta ravioli pomodoro with fresh basil and mozzarella was quintessentially Italian with basic tastes and colors that melded to be a delight to the eye and left a long lingering subtle taste on the palate. On the 'Jack Sprat' principle, the broccoli rabe dish was Stella's delight and the ravioli mine!

The entrée list really is designed to cover all tastes and this time we decided to try two very different poultry dishes. Sharon, who waited on us with her customary friendliness and expertise and who has been at Red Door since it opened, told us that the roasted Long Island duck with orange mirin soy sauce, warm crepes and Napa slaw is probably their signature dish, based on its popularity. The duck was impeccable and the accompaniments all balanced the richness of the duck. Now chicken parmigiana is a standard dish in many restaurants but I doubt if you have ever seen a portion this size that almost covered a very large plate. This must be the avian answer to the 24oz cowboy steak! I must admit that by this time we could only taste a fraction, but this was enough to convince us that it was fully up to the high standards of the other dishes.

Desserts change regularly, but if it is available, do try the lemon ricotta cheesecake. It was light without any hint of cloying and accompanied by a cup of strong espresso brought a very interesting and tasty meal to a close.

They have a good wine list featuring many Long Island as well as international wines and the mark up is modest by restaurant standards and wines by the glass come in a full 7oz pour which is admirable. Appetizers range from $12 to 14; Main courses and pastas from $21 to $35; Desserts are $9. They offer a very good value three-course prix fixe during the week for $24.95. Reservations are recommended for Friday and Saturday evenings.

To run a successful restaurant requires many things, from choice of location to cooking skills, selection and training of staff and financial and marketing common sense, but without that almost indefinable heart and drive and always looking for the next challenge, success is far from certain, even when all of the other factors have been achieved. Stephan Mazzella has shown all of these attributes over the past seven years and as a result, his Red Door restaurant is now one of the most respected and certainly long lived on eastern Long Island. His many regular repeat clients will be hoping for another seven years, at least, to come.

- Roy Bradbrook

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