North Fork Real Estate Showcase - Spring 2024

THE PREMIER LUXURY HOME AND LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

PANORAMIC FARM VIEWS CUTCHOGUE

PRESENTED BY SUZETTE REISS

DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REAL ESTATE

SEE PAGE 11

Rita

Paul

Kenneth

Barbara

Melissa

Aquebogue

$959,000 | 4 BR, 2.5 BA | Web# 3517323

Patricia Shackel: M 516.205.3755

Mattituck

$899,000 | 3 BR, 3 BA | Web# 3527920

Andrea Parks: M 631.276.2927

Mattituck

$869,000 | 4 BR, 2.5 BA | Web# 3512647

Paul Loeb: M 631.553.5255

Riverhead

$899,000 | 3 BR, 2 BA | Web# 3521931

Peter Halpin: M 646.651.8875

Riverhead

$889,000 | 4 BR, 3 BA | Web# 3528463

Andrea Parks: M 631.276.2927

Riverhead

$725,000 | Doctors Office | Web# 3529613

Amanda Lin: M 917.306.5950

Peconic

$899,000 | 5 BR, 2 BA | Web# 3512127

Peter Halpin: M 646.651.8875

Southold

$899,000 | 2 BR, 1 BA | Web# 3529857

Scott Bennett: M 516.607.0640

Cutchogue

$705,000 | 3 BR, 1.5 BA | Web# 3529862

Cindy Succoso: M 516.635.6065

John Succoso: M 516.244.5515

“

Why Choose North Fork?

...the transparency and clarity contained within the NFWW proposal far surpassed anything we received elsewhere. Additionally, Scott and Kyle were both flexible and positive about very particular items we were adamant about using and constructing... The resulting product of all their efforts is a home that is truly our dream home, one we had envisioned for 20 years. I can’t thank them enough for being in business!”

- N.B.L., Southold

CUSTOM HOMEBUILDERS

MAGIC ON OREGON ROAD Mattituck – Web# 903969

Exclusive. MD-LD $75K — Romance, elegance, and the bucolic backdrop of Oregon Road make this home a standout! Nestled within a vineyard, this 3 bedroom, 2 bath vintage farmhouse charmer lies on 2 acres with an in-ground pool and endless vineyard views. Short distance to tasting rooms, farm stands, renowned restaurants, vineyards, and fantastic beaches that the North Fork is known for! Available Dates available May through October. Permit # 0940!

ZEN BEACH HOUSE Southold – Web# 890057

CLASSIC COUNTRY CHARMER

Exclusive. MD-LD $60K – Find peace at this classic country charmer! Perfectly nestled amongst protected land, you’re set for a peaceful vacation! 4 Bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, heated in-ground pool, a wonderful wraparound porch with plenty of reading nooks. Close to fantastic beaches and all Mattituck has to offer. Strong’s water club, Windamere restaurant, Browder’s Birds, surrounded by Love Lane, public transportation, local restaurants, gourmet food stores, wineries, tasting rooms and shopping. Make this your summer retreat! House available to rent 2024 Memorial Day-Labor Day. Rental Permit # 0616

PEACEFUL OASIS Jamesport – Web# 868530

Exclusive. $28K – Remodeled to perfection! This beautiful home features an open floor plan with wood flooring throughout, a cozy living room with bay windows and a fireplace, 3 bedrooms including 1st floor primary bedroom ensuite, screened in porch, large backyard with 16x32 heated, salt water IG pool and a fire pit, perfect for family gatherings! Don’t miss out on this beauty! Rental

Permit #23-0167

Exclusive. MD-LD $70K – This soothing beach house is so Zen, you will feel like you are at a spa retreat. Peaceful and perfectly appointed, the backyard features a fabulous lagoon style pool, with a waterfall and hot tub, an amazing outdoor kitchen and bar, bathroom and outdoor shower! 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, including a spacious primary suite with a gorgeous spa like bathroom. All this and steps to the association beach! Rental Permit #1002

This modern farmhouse channels such incredible vacation vibes, you will not want to leave! Sit poolside or relax at the beach, which is a short stroll. Make this your summer getaway! Open floor plan with tons of natural light, featuring a living room with an electric fireplace, eat-in kitchen with a 10ft island and quartz counters, breakfast nook, dining area, walk-in pantry and a laundry/mud room. Vaulted ceilings, exposed beams, shiplap and hardwood floors throughout. 4 bedrooms including 2 primary suites and 4.5 baths. Covered porches, 20’ x 40’ salt water gunite pool with spa and outdoor shower. Steps to Golden Earthworm Organic Farm and to award winning North Fork vineyards, restaurants, farm stands, beaches, boating & great shopping. Rental Permit #22-0161

PERFECT GETAWAY Cutchogue – Web# 897012

Exclusive. $25K – This is your perfect getaway! Amazing location with water access steps away. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and an open floor plan with a wonderful yard for quiet evenings sitting outside on the patio! A short drive to the Causeway Beach and supermarkets, Braun’s Fish Market, restaurants, and great shopping (you must go to North Fork Apothecary!) all within 5 minutes! Book now! Permit # 0754

PEACEFUL IN PECONIC DUNES Peconic – Web# 906318

Exclusive. $12K – Enjoy stunning water views and all-season access to the Sound from this charming 3-bedroom, 1-bathroom waterfront home.

BAY FRONT BEAUTY

Exclusive. $5.75M – This Bay front estate is absolutely spectacular! Over 1.5 acres, 132 feet of sugar sand beach and endless, incredible views. An EIK that overlooks your pool, pool house and private beach with Viking appliances and full wine fridge, living room with a gas fireplace, den/flexible space and a laundry room. 3 BR, 3.5BA including a primary suite with a bayside balcony, fireplace, spa-like bathroom with radiant heated floors, double water closets, gym and walk-in closet. Outside you have a pool house with living space and half bath, 20 x 40 heated waterside pool, driving range & putting

THE PAINTED LADY, BIG BLUE

Exclusive. $3.25M – This iconic North Fork waterfront property on West Creek is the perfect place to relax and unwind. A masterfully crafted Victorian on picturesque New Suffolk Avenue with 8.9 acres on West Creek, access to Peconic Bay and deeded beach rights to a sugar sand beach just steps away. The house features 7 large ensuite bedrooms, a 32-foot indoor pool with a water park slide and hot tub, a generous well-appointed kitchen, and multiple fireplaces. Numerous rooms for relaxing and entertaining guests as well as a perfect work from home suite. An amazing outdoor fireplace complements the exterior with incredible views to enjoy every season on the North Fork.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! Southold – WEB# 890528

Exclusive. $1.65M — Water view commercial opportunity! MII zoning, and unbeatable location, make this the perfect investment opportunity or value add for your business. Uses include retail, food, café, restaurant, a 2nd floor apartment, or a residence. Currently a turnkey restaurant. Bay views and ample parking spaces. .76 acres, located on busy Rt. 25 in Southold. Best location for high visibility. Surrounded by hotels, great marinas, and Southold Bay! Call today to schedule a private appointment.

$3.3M – Formerly known as The Kubby Farm. This is a great opportunity to have multiple revenue streams or live/work. Over 24 acres with rural corridor use and Rb-80 zoning. There are multiple buildings on the property in need of TLC, including retail and a 1700s Farmhouse. Surrounded by development rights sold land yet close proximity to many amenities! Some uses include agricultural production, single family dwelling units with a cluster attached subdivision, schools, single & 2 family homes, and multiple special permit uses including bistros and B&B. This is an opportunity not to be missed!

GET YOUR FARM ON! Riverhead – Web# 900856

Co-Exclusive. $2.95M — This is the opportunity to make your mark on the North Fork. 27 fully fenced acres with a pending 4 lot subdivision. An expansive lavender field, sunflowers, Italian chestnut trees and a collection of over 650 fruit bearing trees including Asian pear, pomegranate, fig, peaches, and 8 different apple varietals. Newly planted pumpkin, watermelon, and European butternut squash. No pesticides used. Great road frontage and visibility at the intersection of Roanoke and Sound Avenue. Please call for a private appointment.

SERENITY IN MATTITUCK

Cover Property

Presented by Suzette Reiss of Douglas Elliman Real Estate.

12 Marketwatch

What 2023 delivered and what to expect from 2024.

16

Comfort Us With Color

Pantone’s color of the year for 2024 is Peach Fuzz.

20

Shopping Peaches And Cream — Peach Fuzz – you’ll be seeing it everywhere.

22

Dining By Design

Manhattan’s new restaurants, as designed as they are delicious.

26

East End Eats

Taste The Rainbow — For a pop of color, stop into these North Fork restaurants.

LOOK FOR OUR

ISSUE: April / May 2024

Photo: Jake Rajs

SOPHISTICATED AND SPACIOUS NORTH FORK LIVING

COVER

This pristine and beautifully designed Cutchogue farm-style home was built in 2022 and is privately set back from the road on 2.62 acres, abuts preserved land and gorgeous farm views from all directions. A grand foyer entrance welcomes you and flows seamlessly into the open and spacious living room, dining room, and eat-in kitchen. The chef’s kitchen features quartz counters, shaker-style cabinetry, stainless steel Thermador appliances, a coffee station, and a wine cooler. Sliders open to the backyard overlooking the pool and farm vistas. There are two primary en suites, one on the first floor with two huge closets, and one upstairs along with two additional bedrooms and another full bathroom. The spectacular grounds include a saltwater inground pool, a putting green with a sand trap, an artist workshop, and a roof deck off the second floor with panoramic sunset views. Enjoy all the wonderful North Fork amenities including a Long Island Sound beach 1.5 miles to the north, wineries, farm-to-table restaurants, and much more! Offered at $2,175,000. Web# 3531028

EXCLUSIVELY PRESENTED BY:

Suzette Reiss, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson | Douglas Elliman Real Estate

O: 631.298.6147 | M: 516.815.5657 | suzette.reiss@elliman.com

MARKETWATCH

What 2023 delivered and what to expect from 2024

BY HANNAH SELINGER

After big years from the 2021 and 2022 markets, 2023 was a different beast. “Inventory and sales were down in 2023 as compared to 2021 and 2022,” says Kristy B. Naddell , a Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker at Douglas Elliman Real Estate in Cutchogue. “Sales remained steady but were down nearly 30 percent from the peak in 2021.”

This was the result, she notes, of higher interest rates and a lack of inventory, which led buyers to hold out for properties that they truly felt were right for them. “Most buyers on the North Fork are second-home buyers, so they don’t need to buy,” she says. “When rates were lower and everyone wanted to flee the city, the mindset was that they do need to buy.”

“The 2023 North Fork market was defined by incredibly low inventory and transaction

volume, while prices stayed at or near the highs seen in 2021 and 2022,” confirms Bridget Elkin , Compass North Fork Founding Agent, who is based in Southold.

The 2023 North Fork market was defined by incredibly low inventory and transaction volume, while prices stayed at or near the highs seen in 2021 and 2022.

— Bridget Elkin Compass

“The total number of transactions was lower than any year in the past decade.”

Although sales were down, Naddell says, prices are up and have remained consistent across-the-board. As of January 2024, there were 73 homes available over a million dollars, and only 48 homes available under a million, demonstrating, she says, “a major shift in the prices from the previous years.” In 2021, for instance, 186 homes sold over a million and 327 under; the following year, 156 homes sold over a million and 242 sold under. Last year, 147 homes sold over a million and 196 homes sold under a million, demonstrating a clear trend toward more expensive properties.

Inventory in 2023, says Sheri Winter Parker , a Licensed Real Estate Broker with Corcoran in Cutchogue, was ‘slim pickings’. “Demand has been high, but inventory low,”

Represented by Bridget Elkin of Compass

she says. “So it’s been super competitive.” Although interest rates, she concedes, have impacted some buyers, there have been ways around these limitations, like adjusting budgets to suit buyers’ needs.

As for 2024’s predictions, Sheri Winter Parker believes the market will continue to be interesting. “Rates are dropping, but we also have an election,” she says. “I see it starting off with a bang, and I have a feeling it is going to be a good year. Inventory is still low, and demand is still high.”

Kristy B. Naddell says she is “optimistic” that sales will be “strong” in 2024. “I have a lot of new inventory coming on the market,” she says. “As more listings come on, I think buyers will revamp their searches, especially as interest rates are expected to drop.” Naddell is also working with a series of new builders, she notes, and expects to have 11 new construction properties completed in 2024 and 2025, bringing even more opportunities for buyers to the North Fork.

Elkin is also optimistic. “Inventory will

remain low, but we anticipate a meaningful uptick by spring or summer 2024, more in line with the few years before 2023.” she says. “With interest rates slowly dropping and the narrative around the economy improving, buyers are feeling more confident they're

ready to purchase.”

One final prediction from Sheri Winter Parker? “I think,” she says, “that Q1 is going to be a wild ride.”

Represented by Sheri Winter Parker of Corcoran

Represented by Kristy Naddell of Douglas Elliman

Gary R. DePersia

Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker

m 516.380.0538 | gdp@corcoran.com

12 Acre North Fork Soundfront

North Fork | East Marion. You remember the feeling. You’re on holiday on the coast of some Caribbean isle or on the cliff of a European town overlooking the Mediterranean. Each morning when your head leaves the pillow you know you are on vacation with broad expanses of water dotted with boats and vistas of other shores. Much closer to home, only 100 miles from Manhattan, you can recreate that feeling each and every day when you develop this very private, nearly 12 acre waterfront, meadow-like parcel composed of two 5.7 acres lots spanning 350’ along the North Fork’s Long Island Sound. With all permitting work done on each lot, a savvy buyer would save hundreds of thousands of dollars and months of waiting to begin construction of a significant house, waterside pool, tennis court and even a guest house for those who would undoubtedly flock to help you enjoy your grand, new estate. The low, but stable bluff, provides easy access down a gentle pebbled path to the beach from where you’ll enjoy an abundance of aquatic activities while conversation and laughter will resound around the inevitable nighttime beach fires. The property affords ample opportunity to create your own vineyard, apple orchard or a field of wildflowers through which your

Can a color help heal our turbulent, fractured times? It might sound like an uphill battle, but Pantone, the global color authority, is willing to take it on.

BY BEVERLY STEPHEN

Warm and cozy Peach Fuzz, Pantone 13-1023, the new color of the year, replaces last year’s bolder, more audacious Viva Magenta. “At a time of turmoil in many aspects of our lives, our need for nurturing, empathy and compassion grows ever stronger as does our imaginings of a more peaceful future,” the company declares.

Does this sound similar to the wellness trend in the hospitality industry? Yes, according to Pantone, the color of the year “captures the global zeitgeist, serving as an expression of a mood and an attitude on the part of the consumer.”

With this year’s color, “we see an increased focus on community and people across the world reframing how they want to live and evaluating what’s important — that brings the comfort of being close to those we love,” says Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute. “The color is one whose warm and welcoming embrace conveys a message of compassion and whose cozy sensibility brings people together and enriches the soul.”

The introduction of Peach Fuzz marks the 25th anniversary of the Pantone Color of the Year program. An elaborate launch party in Manhattan featured branded merchandise from carpets to cellphones to makeup

showcasing this airy, cozy color. The venue was decorated in everything peachy to illustrate how the color can be applied to rugs, furniture, walls, even a signature Bellini.

Official Pantone Color of the Year partners include Motorola, Shades by Shan, Ruggable,

Ultrafabrics, Motorola, and Spoonflower

all of which are offering products featuring the color. Rugs and fabrics are obvious, but Motorola? Yes, the new Razr 40 ultra cellphone is available in Peach Fuzz.

We checked in with some designers to discuss how Hamptons homeowners might use this color.

“Pantone is a company that provides guidance on colors across the spectrum from print to fashion and beyond. With this in mind, you can see where an unexpected color might be chosen,” says Paul Kropp, co-founder of Bakes & Kropp.

“Peach Fuzz is exciting to me because it radiates optimism, which I think we need when moving into a year where the world has paths to travel in the economy, politics, and peace,” Kropp continues. “It’s a bold choice to use as any type of primary in the kitchen, but I’d prefer to use it as an accent color in small doses. My favorite way to use a color like this is as the interior of one or two very special cabinets

Photo: Ruggable

Photo: Viktoria Lytvyn/Shutterstock

DESIGN

where, perhaps, there are not even glass doors, but you open it and are delighted with a pop of optimism! A cabinet for drinking glasses or spices might be a good fit for this surprise.”

Roxanne Mosieh Ginsberg, an interior designer working in the Hamptons and Palm Beach, gravitates towards natural stone such as quartz. “It’s important to remember that any color is not only something that can be used in paint and textiles but also in stone and fixtures throughout the house. I start to think of beautiful rose quartz countertops that can be used in kitchens and baths. When I design kitchens and baths I start with the

stone first. I also used it for a countertop in a woman’s office.” She also notes that there is a resale benefit in using high end stones in homes. “It can be marketed. There is a big price difference between saying porcelain floors or marble floors throughout.” In addition to stone surfaces, Ginsberg considers numerous options in wall papers. “A fabulous new paper I’m in love with is Water Lily Blush by Clarke & Clarke Kravet. It’s very much the color of the year. Also in a Bridgehampton project, I’m using my favorite Gucci paper Heron as a full wall mural in a guest room.”

Floors can get into the act too. Ginsberg

recommends Bolon, a Swedish vinyl woven floor covering for Hamptons pool houses for its durability. Their Artisan Quartz would fit this year’s color scheme. As a dealer for Missoni Home, she is also using Missoni pillows and throws which incorporate the peach color.

The possibilities are endless whether you’re redecorating or simply want to add a pop of color.

Beverly Stephen writes about design, food, travel, and lifestyle. She is co-owner of Flavor Forays, a culinary travel company.

Photo: Spoonflower

Photo: Spoonflower

Photo: Ruggable

AQUEBOGUE

Newly renovated beachfront retreat. This stunning modern immaculate home sits directly on the bay. Heated pool surrounded by a bluestone patio and an inviting gas fire pit perfect for memorable family gatherings. Elegantly appointed primary bedroom with a balcony overlooking the bay and a luxurious ensuite bath — there are 3 additional bedrooms and 2.5 more baths, ensuring ample space for everyone. Work from home. Embrace the opportunity to live in a slice of paradise. Rent for $45,000 per month.

JAMESPORT

Design and build your dream home on this shy acre property with 2 boat slips on canal leading to the Peconic Bay. Separate waterfront area for your jet ski, kayak or 24’ boat. Pretty area with lots to enjoy nearby including an organic farmstand, wineries, beaches, restaurants and overall quiet that the North Fork offers. Short distance to the Hamptons too or better yet Go by Boat! $799,000

JAMESPORT

Come and relax in this attractive 4 bedroom, 3 full bath newly renovated open floor plan home with room for family and friends. Beautiful inground pool and expansive backyard oasis to relax and unwind, fenced for privacy. Wonderful deck for al fresco dining. Bright and spacious kitchen with center island. Full basement and attached oversized garage. Experience the North Fork and all it offers. Conveniently located to restaurants, and the Hampton Jitney. Turn key and move in ready! $899,000

WADING RIVER

Beautiful waterfront home directly on the Long Island Sound. Open floor plan with 4 bedrooms and 3 baths. Huge kitchen with access to sunroom and deck. Come enjoy the magnificent views and private beach from this wonderful Soundfront home. $1,300,000

Peach Fuzz, Pantone’s color of the year, is an appealing warm neutral, pretty much the color of a Provencal rosé wine but it can be extended out to cantaloupe, copper, nectarine, terra cotta, even orange. So we’ll be seeing it on paint and wallpapers, floor coverings, pillows, drapes, throws — even couches and carpets. “It’s a warm and cozy shade, highlighting our desire for togetherness with others… and a more peaceful future,” according to the color authority.

Tempting Touch

The Eve Fruit Bowl takes the color of the year literally by serving a handful of peaches. $265 jonathanadler.com

Peachy Blossoms

The Effie Bouquet brings tones of amber, apricot, orange, and pale cream into the home. $99 gracerosefarm.com

Deck the Walls Phillips Collection interprets the color of the year in copper in this Poppy Modern Reclaimed Metal Wire Flower Wall Sculpture. $819 kathykuohome.com

Wall Covering

Angel Dust Depression Era

Wallpaper metallic brings subtle peach tones into a room. 26”W x 8‘L (2 panels).

Homage to a Classic

Marie C Dorner has redesigned the original Hermes Floraly fabric for Ligne Roset to create: Togo Floraly for the 50th anniversary of Togo. With its soft, peachy, floral motif, the cotton velvet fabric recalls the spirit of the 70s. $3,320 ligneroset.com

From $396 fineanddandycompany.com

We All Scream for Ice Cream Vintage 1930s Cherry Blossom footed ice cream cups. $155 set of six westontable.com

Photo: Marcy Black Simpson

Dining by Design

BY BEVERLY STEPHEN

Four Twenty-Five By Jean-Georges

Photo: Nicole Franzen

Uptown, downtown, all around the town. Manhattan’s new restaurants, as designed as they are delicious, are ushering in a new era of refined dining.

METROPOLIS

BY MARCUS SAMUELSSON

The ceiling is the star at Metropolis by Marcus Samuelsson. “In most buildings, the floor is the welcome mat,” says acclaimed restaurant designer David Rockwell. “But coming up the stairs, the ceiling becomes almost like an embrace and leads you through the space.”

Visitors enter the underside of the Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC) 8-story marble cube up a grand staircase and are guided through the lobby and restaurant by Rockwell’s spectacular glowing ceiling in undulating Sapele wood (African mahogany) ribbons with integrated LED lighting.

The restaurant has no interior walls. The ceiling has places where the ribs drop down and create abstract chandeliers separating spaces such as a small performance stage, the bar, and the lounge. “Below that,” explains Rockwell, “the seating is broken up into smaller groups with banquettes with the goal of having many places for people to gather. This isn’t one big giant open room.

The restaurant has 130 seats but doesn’t feel that way because the seating groups become rooms within rooms.”

The ceiling is designed to be more than aesthetic. Above the Sapele timbers is perforated metal with acoustical absorption. Unlike many fashionable New York spots, “You can have a conversation and actually talk to your guests,” says Rockwell.

Because the $550 million PAC is the final edifice to be erected on the World Trade Center site 22 years after the tragic events of 9/11, it’s regarded as a symbol that New York is back.

Rockwell explains that it was a particular challenge “to create a place with a sense of occasion that the building merited.” He lived in TriBeCa when the towers fell and has been involved in redeveloping the World Trade Center site “from day one.”

“I think they knew my two great loves were theater and hospitality,” he says. Rockwell’s resume includes numerous restaurants such as Zaytinya, Nobu, and Wayan, as well as Broadway sets for such musicals as She Loves Me. He called in from Chicago, where he was

working on set designs for Boop! The musical Likewise, chef/restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson says he considers it “a huge privilege and honor to be part of the cultural center. Because of where it’s located and the history, we want to make a restaurant inspired by the city.” Samuelsson had cooked at Windows on the World shortly before 9/11 and was involved in feeding first responders. “This is coming full circle.”

Samuelsson has been in the city for 25 years and feels like a true New Yorker. He has been “chasing flavors” here since 1994, when he first arrived at the high-end Scandinavian restaurant Aquavit and became the youngest chef to receive three stars from The New York Times at the age of 24. The diversity of race and culture was both thrilling and comforting for the Ethiopian Swedish chef. He has said that New York was the first place he truly felt at home. The multitude of flavors he chased are an inspiration for the Metropolis menu.

When looking for his executive chef “it was about creating a New York restaurant with someone who had ties to New York,” Samuelsson says. Fortunately, executive

Arctic Char at Metropolis

Photo: Andy Thomas Lee

Metropolis By Marcus Samuelsson Photo: Adrian Gaut

chef Ed Tinoco, a Queens native who spent a decade as culinary director of the highly acclaimed Alinea in Chicago, was looking to come home.

Together, they are collaborating on a menu that pays homage to the city’s incredible diversity of immigrants.

A popular snack is fried olives with everything seasoning. “We were thinking through a bagel and what comes on top of it,” explains Samuelsson. Flushing-style oysters are served with XO sauce. “It’s the XO sauce inspired by that community,” says Samuelsson, “there are a lot of Chinese notes to that sauce.” The lamb trio, neck, sausage, and tenderloin, nods to the West African community in Harlem and the Bronx.

CAFÉ CARMELLINI

Step into Café Carmellini and you could be stepping into the Gilded Age. Magnificent chandeliers hung from double height ceilings, white tablecloths, uniformed waiters. This is what nice restaurants used to look like. The 5,000-square-foot restaurant is located on the ground floor of the new Fifth Avenue Hotel, which was originally designed in 1907 by the renowned New York architects McKim Mead and White who

built the Morgan Library and the Brooklyn Museum. The elegant restaurant was once the mansion of a prominent socialite.

Swedish designer Martin Brudnizki underlines the breath-taking height of the cleanings by planting two sculptural trees in the middle of the dining room. Guests sit comfortably in blue velvet booths surrounded by rich wood paneling and beveled mirror panels which reflect the golden glow of orb lighting. Balcony seating provides a bird’s eye view of the main dining room.

The refined atmosphere is befitting for Carmellini’s return to fine dining. “Café Carmellini is my love letter to New York City. I want it to become a destination for New Yorkers and visitors to the city to feel transported, celebrated and warmly welcomed,” says the chef who has spent the past 30 years cooking in the city at highly acclaimed, although more casual restaurants, such as Locanda Verde. Here guests will feast on Lobster Cannelloni & Osetra, Red Snapper ‘Meunière,’ Rabbit Cacciatore, and Duck Tortellini.

CAFÉ BOULUD

The beloved Café Boulud reopened in

December much to the delight of its many fans who were mourning its demise last May. The new location at 100 East 63rd Street is much closer to the newly reinvigorated midtown restaurant scene. It reopened in partnership with the hospitality division of BARNES International Realty.

The stylish space designed by Jeffrey Beers International features Art Deco and vintage accents throughout. Diners will be comfortably ensconced on velvet green banquets under vaulted ceilings. The black and white tile and varnished wood flooring is original as is the decorative clover shaped molding. Mirrored panels, sculpted bronze, gilded copper, and polished stone add additional accents. The restaurant also features a selection of works by famous European artists curated by Galerie Murlot.

The elegant space may even signal a return of a dress code of sorts. The website states “business casual attire is strongly recommended. Athletic or leisure wear is not permitted, and gentlemen are not permitted to wear shorts or sandals in the dining room.”

The original Café Boulud, for which the New York café is named, was opened by Boulud’s grandparents over 100 years ago outside of his hometown, Lyon, France. Boulud opened

Café Carmellini

Café Boulud in New York City in 1998 and has since expanded the brand to locations in Palm Beach, the Bahamas, and Toronto, with a new Beverly Hills location expected to open next year.

“Creating a new home for Café Boulud has been my focus and priority for the last year,” says Boulud, alluding to the special place this restaurant holds in his heart. “The restaurant will be a vibrant celebration of my French roots and love for New York.”

What’s to eat? Will the signature black bass in crisp potato crust (Daniel’s upmarket riff on fish and chips) be on the menu? You batcha! It will be in the traditional section along with a glazed sweetbread with ginger jus. A rotating seasonal section will change with offerings such as grilled salmon with citrus and roasted Pennsylvania duck with persimmon jam. A curried rainbow carrot tart with shallot compote will star in the vegetarian section. Thai dishes such as a peekytoe crab soup with pickled ginger flower and a roasted pork tenderloin with pork belly, sweet potato and kale will open a global section called Le Voyage. Executive chef Romain Paumier rides the range. He was most recently sous chef at Restaurant Daniel and prior to that sous chef at the previous location of Café Boulud.

Executive pastry chef Katalina Diaz, also a Restaurant Daniel alum, will turn out classics

such as a molten chocolate cake with salted caramel and mint lemongrass ice cream and a “baked” Mont Blanc with chestnut ice cream, ginger sorbet, and Swiss meringue.

FOUR TWENTY-FIVE BY JEAN-GEORGES

An architectural masterpiece is the perfect showcase for Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s award-winning cuisine at 425 Park Avenue, the first full-block office building on New York’s grand boulevard in over 50 years. Designed by Pritzker laureate Lord Norman Foster, the 47-story building takes its place as an urban icon nearby the Seagram Building by Mies van der Rohe and Lever House by Gordon Bunshaft. The message here: Midtown is back!

The restaurant occupies the first two stories of the tower. Diners enter through the cocktail lounge with awe inspiring 45foot ceilings on the first floor and ascend a sweeping staircase to the mezzanine dining level. The 80-seat dining level features a glass fronted kitchen showing the chefs at work. The timber-paneled dining area cantilevers over the lounge creating a more intimate environment at the bar. A 24-foot painting by the celebrated American artist Larry Poons animates the wall behind. A bespoke collection of furniture designed by Foster + Partners is made in walnut and burgundy leather.

This has been called a full circle moment for Vongerichten who began his New York career at Lafayette in the now demolished Drake Hotel diagonally across Park Avenue in 1986 and received four stars from The New York Times in short order. He made waves by abandoning traditional meat stocks and creams, relying instead on the brighter flavors from vegetable juices, fruits, light broths and herbal vinaigrettes. The young Alsatian native who had trained with such esteemed chefs as Paul Bocuse, Paul Haeberlin, and Louis Outhier was soon one of the chefs driving the American Food Revolution and now has 62 restaurants worldwide. At 425, he will rely on veteran chef Jonathan Benno, an alum of Per Se and Lincoln, to execute a menu befitting the grand space.

Dinner could start with a chicory salad with persimmons, squid and octopus a la plancha, or sauteed langoustines in their shell. Mains continue with steamed black bass and winter mushrooms, organic chicken breast with black truffle crumbs, and charred duck breast with roasted Caraflex cabbage. Desserts will include Honey Crisp apple spiral, dark chocolate mouse and caramel custard.

Beverly Stephen writes about design, food, travel, and lifestyle. She is co-owner of Flavor Forays, a culinary travel company.

Café Boulud

Photo: Bill Milne

“Baked” Mont Blanc at Café Boulud

Photo: Bill Milne

For A Pop Of Color, Stop Into These North Fork Restaurants

The worst of winter is now behind us. On the horizon: outdoor dining, beach weather, rosé all day. But wait! All this time, as the cold weather has bloomed outside, pushing us indoors, have we not been waiting for the return of color to our plates and glasses? The North Fork is back in the swing of spring, bringing all the colors of the rainbow to your plate. Here’s where to embrace a brighter palette right now.

Now celebrating their 73rd year, Aquebogue’s Modern Snack Bar offers North Fork diners’ delicious home-cooking, with a twist. If the neon lights on the exterior aren’t enough color to get your blood pumping, check out one of the restaurant’s colorful dishes inside, like pink-hued lobster bisque, one of the signature dishes, or the Reuben, a mélange of colors (sauerkraut, dressing, and hearty rye bread make this one of the more vibrant sandwiches on order). Even the turkey dinner, served with crimson cranberry sauce, is a visual symphony to behold. Paired with a playful and colorful cocktail, like the modern mai-tai — Captain Morgan, Malibu, lime juice, pineapple juice, and orange juice — it’s a colorful meal you won’t want to miss out on.

BY HANNAH SELINGER

Mattituck’s Love Lane Kitchen, a warm and inviting place to dine as the weather is becoming more forgiving, has plenty of vibrant dishes on the menu to signal the start to spring. The chicken avocado mango salad hits all the right notes — and plenty of the colors of the rainbow — with bright green avocado, orange mango, red onion, and red leaf lettuce. Flavors come together with a mouthwatering cilantro-lime dressing that’s as beautiful to look at as it is to eat. The Baja fish tacos — a trio, made from mahi mahi — come with purple cabbage, mango salsa, and verdant jalapeño mayonnaise. It’s a dish that will make you go: mmm.

At the Dimon Estate, in Jamesport, the deep red beet salad is augmented by orange segments, pea green pistachios, snow white goat cheese, maroon bacon, and a hearty helping of arugula, making this salad one of the most colorful around. But the grilled, bone-in pork chop is close on the dish’s heels, with burnt sienna sweet potatoes, Kelly green roasted broccoli rabe, and a stunning

horseradish-dill sauce that marries both aesthetic and palate.

Finally, head to Lucharito’s, with branches in both Mattituck and Greenport, for the pop of color you didn’t know you needed. Not only do these Mexican outposts offer some of the most vibrant décor in all of the North Fork, but their food is colorful, too. Try the sun-yellow Mexican street corn, served off the cob with chipotle mayo, cotija cheese, cilantro, and lime; the carne asada tacos, which come with a tangle of green cilantro, wedges of lime, a sprinkle of red onion, red radish, and salsa verde; or the vegetable-centric veggie grande nachos, which offer up a rainbow: onions, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, jalapeños, sour cream, guacamole, beans, salsa fresca, and cheese. Wash it down with a candy colored Jarritos soda for a meal that’s too colorful to take your eyes off of.

Dimon Estate

Love Lane Kitchen

SHERI WINTER PARKER

PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL - 2024

NORTH FORK SALESPERSON OF THE YEAR - 2023

DEAL OF THE YEAR NORTH FORK - 2023

TOP COMMERCIAL DEAL EAST END - 2023

#1 NORTH FORK AGENT BY VOLUME - 2005-2023

73.5 MILLION