Luxury Experience - 75 Main Restaurant Lounge Club, Southampton, Long Island, NY, USA

75 Main Restaurant Lounge Club - Seafood Fra Diablo - photo by Luxury Experience

75 Main Restaurant Lounge Club, located in Southampton, Long Island, New York opened in June 2010, and is already making a name for itself as a Hampton hot spot under the guidance of Owner Zach Erdem. An attractive restaurant, an inviting ambience, Executive Chef Matthew L. Lewis in the kitchen, an excellent wine list, and a professional and attentive staff make 75 Main Restaurant Lounge Club a new darling.

It was a snowy, cold, Saturday night in January 2011, a night that you might just prefer to curl up in front of a roaring fireplace; however, instead of falling into winter hibernation mode Edward and I had dinner at 75 Main Restaurant Lounge Club located in the heart of Southampton Village, and we were glad that we did.

The attractive restaurant is cool chic, white wainscoting and white walls accented by large artwork by Chris Brown and Rafael Mazzucco. Dark wood chairs with red and black leather cushions flank tables dressed with white linens and votive candles, palm trees add interest, as does the red fiber optic artwork acting as a backdrop for the duo playing guitar and percussion adding another layer to the ambience. Walls of windows overlook the boutiques on Main Street, and in warmer weather, the windows roll back to allow spillover tables outside to soak up the Southampton vibe. The staff is welcoming and makes you feel like you are part of the Southampton club, even if it is your first visit.

Before dinner, Edward and I sat down with owner Zach Erdem over a glass of Châteauneuf-du-Pape to learn more about his concept for the restaurant lounge club. After graduation from college in the United States, Zach was set to return to his native, Istanbul, Turkey, when a friend convinced him that before he returned home he should take a trip to the Hamptons on the Hampton Jitney that leaves from New York City and discover this fabled area. He walked around and immediately fell in love with the charm of the area, and stopped in the restaurant now known as 75 Main Restaurant Lounge Club to have something to drink. During his conversation with the waiter, he learned that they needed a bartender, so he stayed in the Hamptons for the summer, and worked as a bartender there instead of returning home. Eight years later, after working the summer at what is now known as 75 Main, and later at other establishments in the Hamptons and New York City, when he learned that the restaurant where he had begun was for sale, he jumped at the chance to open his own restaurant. In fairytale fashion, Zach purchased the restaurant in May 2010, and opened it in June 2010, where he has been steadily gaining a heady list of regulars who come for dinner to experience Executive Chef Matthew L. Lewis's cuisine, and stay to enjoy the club after the dinner service has ended.

The menu has an Italian focus with a nice blend of the essentials, salads, meat, chicken, fish, seafood, and pasta. Edward began with the Calamari Fritti, golden tender rings of pleasure. Lightly breaded and fried and served with a spicy marinara sauce, the calamari were a nice introduction to the restaurant and reflective of the fresh seafood available in Southampton.

For my starter, I had the Crab Cake served with guacamole and chili lime tartar sauce. The interplay of colors, flavors, and textures in the dish were brilliant. The lump crabmeat cake, sweet and succulent, and held together with minimal breadcrumbs, was delicately fried until golden and crunchy, and presented on a bed of cool and chunky guacamole, with zigzags of intense flavor of spicy chili lime tarter sauce, that made this course a definite "wow."

Edward continued with Sesame Crusted Tuna served over green papaya slaw with wasabi, crème fraiche, and pickled ginger. The sliced tuna arrived perfectly seared wearing a crown of sesame complemented with the right level of heat from the wasabi and pickled ginger, with the green papaya slaw and crème fraiche acting as a foil to balance the spice.

I continued with Seafood Fra Diablo, one of the night's specials, which was a delightful mix of sautéed scallops, shrimp, calamari, and mussels presented in their shells, in a spicy red sauce over fettuccini.

In the mood for some chocolate comfort, we shared the Molten Lava Cake with Vanilla Cream for dessert. Although certainly not a new dessert, there is something irresistible about the combination of warm chocolate cake, fudge sauce, raspberry coulis, and vanilla ice cream, and we could not say no. The sinfully rich dessert was the perfect ending to our dinner experience at 75 Main Restaurant. After dinner, we relaxed and watched as the clientele began to change and the restaurant took on its next persona, that of a hip club, it was definitely all good.

To keep things interesting, there is Happy Hour Monday through Friday from 4:00 pm until 6:00 pm, Thursday is Havana Night with a DJ and special drink prices, Friday is Lobster Night, on Saturday there is a DJ or Live Band, and Sunday is Karaoke Night. Be sure to visit the website www.75main.com for the complete schedule of special dinners and events.

75 Main Restaurant Lounge Club is open Monday through Sunday from 11:00 am until 11:30 pm, and Weekend Brunch from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, brunch, and dinner. The Club and Lounge is open Friday and Saturday from 10:30 pm until 4:00 am.

Read the Chefs' Recipes section where Owner Zach Erdem and Executive Chef Matthew L. Lewis share a delectable taste of 75 Main Restaurant Lounge Club with recipes for Crab Cakes with Chili Lime Tartar Sauce and Guacamole, and Sesame Crusted Tuna with Green Papaya Slaw.

75 Main Restaurant Lounge Club
75 Main Street
Southampton, Long Island, NY 11968
United States
Telephone: +1-631-283-7575
Website: www.75main.com