When you hear “pop-up,” you may envision a clapboard sign and

a pitcher of lemonade. But think again. BLT Steak has set up

shop at Capri Southampton, and it’s redefining the milieu with

its signature popovers, sizzling steaks, and handcrafted cocktails.

“I’ve had a home in the Hamptons for more than 30 years and have

always wanted to open a restaurant here, but it’s hard enough to operate

a successful restaurant in a 12-month business, much less in an area with

a three-month season,” says Jimmy Haber, Managing

Partner of ESquared Hospitality. “The opportunity

to open a pop-up restaurant at Capri was the perfect

solution—enabling us to serve our loyal customers

from Manhattan and Westchester who summer in the

Hamptons, as well as introduce potential new cus-

tomers to our dining experience.”

With 11 locations on two continents, BLT Steak

may be a familiar name to many steakhouse afi-

cionados, but this East End outpost, nestled in

what was once Nobu, feels lighter and fresher

than its city-slick siblings. The décor has

remained the same: A neutral palette of tan and

white forgoes artwork in favor of large panels of

geometrically designed nautical rope. The midcentury-inspired furni-

ture and hanging cylinder lamps are still intact and

cast a warm glow on the room. A fresh coat of paint

and 1,700-degree oven were all the space needed for a

steakhouse makeover—along with some of the best ser-

vice you’re bound to find on the East End.

While a great meal may be possible along Route

27, finding knowledgeable, articulate, and reliable

steak outBLT STEAK ARRIVES IN SOUTHAMPTON, DELIVERING PREMIUM CUTS AND A SOCIAL ROSTER OF GUESTS THAT RIVAL THE BEST SUMMER SOIRÉE S. BY MATTHEW WEXLER PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIC STRIFFLER

CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: BLT Steak is nestled within Capri Southampton; 28-day dry-aged NY strip with herb butter; Michael Balsamo, general manager, and Clifford Crooks, corporate executive chef.

� e East End outpost feels lighter and fresher than its city-slick siblings. continued on page 64

CE

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FROM TOP: The tuna tartare is a notable dish on the BLT menu, which is enjoyed by Hamptonites such as Beth Ostrosky Stern.

continued from page 62

BLT POPOVERSA meal in itself, you’ll be tempted to eat two of these eggy,

cheesy rolls on steroids. Try to resist, and instead, make

them at home.

MAKES 12 POPOVERS

4 cups milk, warmed

8 eggs

4 cups Gold Medal flour

1 ½ heaping tbsp. salt

2 ¼ cups Gruyère cheese, grated

Place popover pan in oven. Heat the oven and pan to 350

degrees. Gently warm milk, and set aside. Whisk eggs until

frothy, and slowly whisk in milk (so as not to cook eggs). Set

mixture aside. Sift flour with salt. Slowly add dry mixture,

and combine until mostly smooth. Once combined, remove

popover pan from oven and spray with nonstick vegetable

spray. While batter is still slightly warm, fill each popover

cup three-quarters full. Top each popover with 2 tbsp. of

grated Gruyère. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes,

rotating after 15 minutes of baking. Remove from oven and

pan and serve immediately.

BIG MEAL. BIG WINE.The abbreviated Southampton version of BLT Steak’s award-winning wine list still hits high marks.

El Molino Rutherford Pinot Noir, Napa Valley (2009)—If the

summer heat is too much for you, avoid Cabernet’s heavy

tannins and ease into this medium-bodied wine, which offers

notes of cherry and cedar wood with a savory pie crust

character ($130).

Foley Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (2009)—Robert Foley

made a name for himself at Pride Mountain Vineyards. Now

with his own label, the master winemaker produces a lush,

full-bodied Cabernet with notes of loganberry and vanilla ($210).

Chateau Marquis d’Alesme Becker, Margaux, France (2003)—This

magnum is a Bordeaux blend to satisfy a large group in both quality

and quantity, offering hefty notes of cassis and tobacco ($280).

waitstaff is another story. A $16 cocktail,

such as the Basil Haven (Hendrick’s gin,

St-Germain, cucumbers, fresh lemon

juice, and basil) can taste awfully sour

if apathetically served from a college

student on summer break who would rather be toss-

ing a Frisbee at Cooper’s Beach. BLT Steak has gone

the extra mile—literally—importing General Manager

Michael Balsamo from BLT Prime along with select

servers from its Charlotte, Atlanta, and New York City

outposts to supplement the local hires. The result is

impeccable and professional service delivered by a

fresh-faced and enthusiastic team who understands

the product and the clientele.

It doesn’t hurt that they’re serving immaculately exe-

cuted steakhouse fare, overseen by Corporate Executive

Chef Cliff Crooks (whom you might recognize from sea-

son two of Bravo’s Top Chef ). Tuna tartare is presented

as a pressed cube, floating in a shallow dish of soy-

lime dressing, layered with avocado, and garnished

with crispy shallots. The crab cake (light on filler,

which is always a good sign) is served with radishes

and fennel and dressed with basil oil. For those pacing

themselves toward the main course, the chopped vegeta-

ble salad includes chunks of feta cheese, kalamata olives, and

creamy oregano vinaigrette for a Mediterranean flair. The

wildcard, though, is the grilled double-cut smoked bacon,

slathered with brightly flavored chimichurri that cuts

continued on page 66

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through that fatty goodness.

Of course, the steak is the real star. Convince

your dining companion to go for the 28-day dry-

aged prime porterhouse for two. Sometimes

referred to as a “T-bone,” the mammoth cut

includes a portion of the lean tenderloin as well

as a beautifully marbled strip steak. Finished

with an herb butter, the steak can stand alone,

but that would be a travesty when there are clas-

sic steakhouse sides to indulge in like creamed

spinach and towering onion rings as well as

more esoteric offerings such as Hen of the Woods

mushrooms. Surprisingly, the most expensive

menu item ($52) is the sautéed Dover sole served

with soy caper brown butter. This riff on the clas-

sic French Dover sole à la meunière, delicately

prepared and presented with a miniature bou-

quet garni, epitomizes the kitchen staff’s classic

French training and high level of expertise.

Desserts are limited to a select few with a rotat-

ing roster of ice creams and sorbets, but there is

one must-have: the peanut butter chocolate

mousse with house-made banana ice cream.

Balsamo says that customers revolted when the

restaurant foolishly attempted to remove the

item from the menu—and with good reason. The

decadent confection is deceptively light and the

perfect finish to a multicourse feast.

Expect a lively crowd on the weekends as

word spreads about BLT’s Southampton arrival.

The restaurant anticipates serving more than

300 guests per night on Friday and Saturday,

but it feels more like a family wedding than a

disparate crowd. “Everyone knows each other,”

marvels Balsamo, who, like many of the staff,

has arrived in the East End without expectation.

“It’s great to see people milling about the room

and chatting with each other as if they were in

their own backyard.” 281 County Road 39A,

Southampton, 259-2641 H

Almond Going to Eric Lemonides’s restaurant is like

going to a friend’s house for dinner (only with

a check). The mac-and-cheese is baked penne

with a golden-brown top, and it’s spectacular.

1 Ocean Road, Bridgehampton, 537-5665;

almondrestaurant.com

American Pie Pizzeria I love these guys and their strip mall pizza

and gelato in Bridgehampton Commons.

2044 Montauk Hwy., Bridgehampton,

613-6177; hamptonsamericanpie.com

BLT Steak at CapriI’m so happy to see a pop-up of BLT Steak

out East this summer

because sometimes four

kids’ birthday parties a day

makes you hungry for giant,

steaming hot popovers. I am

not afraid of carbs!

281 County Road,

Southampton, 504-6575;

caprisouthampton.com�

CitarellaEven though I still haven’t learned to

make pizza myself, I am good at

organizing all the fresh ingredients from

Citarella to prep for someone else to use

best bitesBRIDGEHAMPTON RESIDENT ALISON BROD, PUBLICIST FOR LUXURY CLIENTS LIKE MERCEDES-BENZ AND VAN CLEEF & ARPELS, SHARES WHICH TRIED-AND-TRUE EATERIES RANK ON HER LIST OF TOP DESTINATIONS OUT EAST.

continued from page 64

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT: Roasted chicken from East Hampton Grill; Chilaquiles at Hampton Coffee; and Almond’s dining room.

continued on page 68

Alison Brod tells her favorite places to dine on the East End.

BLT Steak’s Basil heaven is made with Hendrick’s gin, St-Germain, cucumbers, fresh lemon juice, and basil.

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