George Stephanopoulus and I …

… ate at the same restaurant last Friday night: Nick & Toni’s in East Hampton. The quintessential power restaurant on Long Island, the thing that always impresses me about Nick & Toni’s is their “honesty” – maybe that’s why the corporate name is Honest Man. (The group also runs the solid Rowdy Hall, Townline BBQ and La Fondita in the Hamptons as well as Nick & Toni’s Café on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.) And when I say “honesty” what I mean is humility in how they treat their customers (and employees) as well as authenticity in the menu and plate presentations. Is there better food on Long Island? Sure. It all depends on what one fancies too. But here’s what I found interesting on Friday night: ABC-TV’s and Good Morning America’s George Stephanopoulos was there with his kids and wife (he with in

a jacket and tie), while in the backroom, were four separate tables of local business types (a lawyer, an insurance agent, another chef and a marketing type) all dressed down, all yucking it up.

It’s a down-to-earth restaurant despite catering to the likes of Colin Powell, Steven Spielberg, Alec Baldwin, Martha Stewart, Russell Simmons and Sarah Jessica Parker. (They’re regulars.)

Their Caesar salad is a classic – perfectly dressed and plentiful. The penne alla vecchia bettola with spicy oven roasted tomato sauce has never left the menu since the restaurant opened in 1988 – it’s properly spicy and always consistently satisfying. One diner ordered Berkshire pork paillard with prosciutto di Parma, sage, braised

escarole and black ceci beans; the pork was moist and flavorful. (Plate cleaned.) Another had house-made ricotta gnocchi with lamb stracotto and fresh mint – which I promised myself I’d order next time.

For dessert, they offer a rather large sharing tartuffo (the size of a large softball), which the three of us split.Yum. For the tea purist, know that they serve loose leaf Harney tea in individual pots. Nice touch – just like Stephanopoulos’ jacket and tie.

Go. Especially in the off-season. They also offer a 3-course $30 prix fixe as well as a two-course “Film & Food” promo which gets one a complimentary United Artists movie ticket!

Tags: Alex Baldwin, Colin Powell, George Stephanopoulos, Good Morning America, Honest Management, Martha Stewart, Nick & Toni's, Russell Simmons, Sarah Jessica Parker, Steven Spielberg, The Hamptons

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