THE DRIVER’S SEAT RESTAURANT
When I was in the Hamptons last month, trying to chill and re-group, part of that plan was catching-up on the area’s eateries, since I hadn’t been there in almost three years! I was waiting in the car while my friend, Lauren, ran into a store, and I saw a restaurant across the street, Driver’s Seat, that was calling to me.
The interior, front to back. All photos by Karen Salkin.
So, the very next night, with only one meal left to go in that town, that’s where we went. The front half of the building, where the bar is, was built in 1888! The current owners have lots of old-time photos on the wall and I could have spent the whole night just looking at them!
But, of course, we were there to eat. And that we did, in spades! The food was great. I usually review as a party of four, to bring you more opinions, but, as this was the off-season, and not a lot of our peeps were in town, we powered on as a reviewing duo, though we ate enough for four!!! No lie.
Lauren, a semi-local, told me that Driver’s Seat is known for their blender drinks, crab casserole, fajitas, and chili; we tried the latter two, so I can understand their popularity.
Lauren ate all the chili, saying it was “perfectly-seasoned, with big chunks of beef and not too many beans,” which is how we like it. [At a classy friend’s house party once, the hostess came into the kitchen as I was carefully choosing just the beef from the pot, and leaving the beans that would have been in the portion I was taking. (With a spoon, of course!) Horrified, she told me to just throw my share of the beans away because otherwise the rest of the chili would have “ a disproportionate number of beans!” I love that term. And…she was absolutely correct!]
The chicken quesadilla.
In other appetizer news, Lauren also loved the “fall-off-the-bone” barbecued spare ribs. She declared them “delicious and tender,” with “great sauce,” and said she was going back for more soon. Her husband told me she was still raving about them a week later!
I chose the gigantic chicken quesadilla, which is listed as an appetizer, but is really a perfect meal unto itself! Even though Lauren ate one quarter of it, I was really stuffed to the gills when I polished it off, happily.
Walnut and goat cheese salad.
We shared the walnut and goat cheese salad, which was delicious. Loved those oranges in it! The medium order was gigantic and, again, enough as a meal by itself.
It was really hard to eat more, but, since I knew I wouldn’t be back in that area for awhile, and I really love to know as much about each menu as possible, we tried two entrees. (For you, of course!)
My mouth is watering right now just looking at this filet mignon platter!
My filet mignon was delish. Lauren kept raving about what “an excellent cut of meat” it was! The whole plate was beautiful, with lots of unexpected sides. In addition to the baked potato that I chose, there was a giant chunk of grilled butternut squash, and a generous helping of perfect asparagus wrapped in julienned red peppers. Very colorful, and admired, display.
The fajitas. Notice the steam rising from the plate!
But the piece de resistance was the shrimp fajitas. We loved them!!! (And we rarely agree on anything, especially what Lauren dubs my “junior wardrobe.”) In addition to the nice-sized shrimp themselves, the presentation of accompaniments was lovely. And we applauded that the dish was served piping hot and steaming, the way that fajitas should be served and often aren’t.
Of course, all of this meant that we had absolutely no room for dessert. So, never wanting to leave a stone unturned, we took two home to try the next day, when they would be more appreciated. The chocolate volcano cake was the winner, but the carrot cake came in a very close second.
Add to all of that the wholly pleasant, homey service we had from our waitress, Corrine, and the manager, Dawn, and you have a lovely, non-pretentious night out in the Hamptons.
66 Jobs Lane Southampton Village, New York 631-283-6606 www.thedriversseatrestaurant.com
