Postcard from the Hamptons: Ruschmeyer’s baby Radish
Posted by Kelley on June 27th, 2011
You only need to spend a minute or two in Montauk to know you’re in surfer country. Must be the Havaianas and hoodies: slacker-chic beachwear is the unofficial uniform on this stretch of Long Island. Somehow, however, Montauk sidesteps the see-and-sceney vibe of the other Hamptons, and keeps it small-town relaxed, a vibe that’s evident the moment you step off the Jitney from New York City.
These days, there’s only one Hamptons boutique hotel to head for: Ruschmeyer’s (Well, OK, two, if you include its wave-riding older brother Surf Lodge, but that’s last season’s news). This ‘summer camp for grown ups’ has barely been open a month, and it’s already making waves in the press. Of course, when you’ve got Ben Towill and Phil Winser of Fat Radish fame crafting the menu in your retro-styled restaurant, you’ve got to expect a buzz. The same seasonality-driven approach they’ve honed in the city is in full effect here. Fresh-from-the-surf seafood is washed down by a cocktail menu that looks back to yesteryear and a level of service that would rival the slickest operations in Manhattan. Freshly tonged oysters? Curried monkfish? Bacon cheeseburger with fries crisped in duck fat? Do not mind if we do.
Then it’s off for a Jamaican rum punch, a bit of a boogie and an eye-up of the fashion crowd at the hotel’s Electric Eel Disco next door. Good food and late nights; there’s a recipe for the perfect summer…
Take me there right now please.
By Juliet Kinsman
On June 27th, 2011