Feature Article

November 1, 2007
By Andrew Bielak
A Week of Feasting on Prix Fixes

For foodies on the East End it's that time of year again.

Long Island Restaurant Week will begin its second annual run on Sunday, November 4, giving fans of fine dining-particularly those on a budget-a chance to indulge.

From Sunday to Sunday, at least 150 restaurants across Long Island-29 on the South Fork alone-will be offering three-course prix fixe menus, including an appetizer, entree, and dessert for $21.95.

Long Island Restaurant Week is organized by WordHampton Publick Relations, with offices in East Hampton and Riverhead, and was founded last year by its president, Stephen Haweeli, as an offshoot of his highly successful Hamptons Restaurant Week.

"It's an excuse to go to some of these places you would normally say you don't have the budget to go to," Mr. Haweeli said in a phone interview last week. He explained that the original idea for Hamptons Restaurant Week, which was held for the fifth time in March came from EAst Hampton restaurateur Jerry Della Femina, who saw the impact New York City's Restaurant Week had on dining establishments throughout the Big Apple.

"We said 'If we are going to do it, let's do it right,'" Mr. Haweeli said. Since then, Hamptons Restaurant Week has included special deals on not only restaurants but retail outlets and hotels across the EAst End, with more than 95 businesses participating in March of this year.

Although only restaurants participate in Long Island Restaurant Week, Mr. Haweeli argued that the benefits are clear to those taking part.

"Any restaurateur will say to you, 'If I can just get people in the restaurant to try our food and to experience our service and ambience, they are going to come back,'" Mr. Haweeli said. "It gets people in and then you get a chance to show your stuff."

Megan Sullivan, an account executive at WordHampton,said that restaurants across Long Island made an estimated $2.8 million during last year's restaurant week, bringing in $150,753 in taxes for New York State. With more than 150 restaurants already signed up and more expected to jump on the bandwagon in the coming days, Mr. Haweeli estimated profits of more than $4 million for restaurants this year and $200,000 in taxes for the state. Of the restaurants set to participate so far, at least 32 are clients of WordHampton.

The pixe fixe special will be available at every participating restaurant all evening, except for Saturday, when it may be offered only until 7 p.m. While Mr. Haweeli conceded that a couple of restaurants have tried to bend the rules in the years past and close down the prix fixe at 7 p.m. on Friday, he said that the bad publicity a restaurant receives by stepping out of line can "haunt" them in the future.

Some major sponsors of the event, who help with marketing for the week include J. Kings Food Service Professionals in Holtsville, Maran Corporate Risk Associates in Southampton and Canvas Magazine.

Because of the popularity of the week, patrons are urged to make reservations at participating restaurants well in advance.

Andrew Engle is the executive chef at The Laundry, which is among nine restaurants in East Hampton that have signed on to the week long event. Mr. Engle said this will be the first time his restaurant participates in Long Island Restaurant Week, though it has been part of Hamptons Restaurant Week. "It gave us great exposure to people that wouldn't normally dine with us," Mr. Engle said. "It brings out the local community, and it brings out a lot of people from up-island."

Because he already serves a prix fixe menu during the off-season months, Mr. Engle explained that he will be rolling that menu into the Long Island Restaurant Week offerings. For appetizers, patrons will be able to choose from mussels with garlic, white wine, and parsley, a caesar salad, a wedge salad with cherry tomatoes and red onion and the Laundry chowder. Main course options will include pan-roasted salmon with baby bok choy, vegetable couscous, braised pork belly and honey-lime gastrique and a roasted farm chicken with roasted potatoes, Brussel sprouts, pancetta and lemon rosemary jus. Some dessert items include pumpkin chiffon cheesecake and warm local apple crisp.

Doug Gulija, the chef and owner at The Plaza Cafe in Southampton Village, said he has participated in last year's Long Island Restaurant Week and Hamptons Restaurant Week every year since the beginning, and will continue to do so, but explained that, as a high-priced restaurant, there are fewer benefits to serving the same quality food at a lower price.

"For certain restaurants like myself that don't offer that kind of prix fixe, it's a big drop in price to deal with the quality ingredients we've got," Mr. Gulija said, adding that the week takes an added toll on his waitstaff, who have to work every day during that week, but are paid less on each table because of the drop in prices.

"You got to stay positive," he noted. "It's definitely a fun week, but it can take its toll if you get caught up in the negatives of it."

Mr. Gulija said that his menu during restaurant week would include porcini-wrapped shrimp and pumpkin lobster bisque for appetizers, herb-encrusted Chatham Bay cod with little neck clams and sliced flat-iron steak for entrees, and apple pecan cake and creme brulee for dessert.

Bill Schwegler, the owner of the Westhampton Steakhouse in Westhampton Beach, said last week that while he also serves a prix fixe in the off-season, he makes an effort to "raise the bar" during Long Island Restaurant Week. Having been open for only three years, Mr. Schwegler said that his participation in the week helps introduce him to new clientele and spread the word about his restaurant.

"I'm open to anything that gets people," Mr. Schwegler said.

During restaurant week, the Westhampton Steakhouse will be offering shrimp remoulade and Maryland crab croquettes, pork chop stuffed with prosciutto and smoked Gouda.