David A. Mazujian's "The Front Burner": My Go-to-Feel-Good Restaurant

Written by David A. Mazujian

What are the ingredients of your go-to restaurant? What makes you want to return over and over again? It should hopefully be the food, but here’s a newsflash. It’s not just about the food. True, we go to restaurants to fill and warm our bellies. But we also frequent restaurants to quench our primal social needs. Our souls respond to the sincere smiling welcome. “How are you? So good to see you (again). Your favorite table? Gretchen has made an amazing corn soup this evening…” Our beings appreciate a familiar huggy welcome. Even the caregivers among us enjoy being coddled for a few hours over a meal. It is the hope of every restaurateur to get you in the door, order, order more, return and repeat - often. For me, Fresno in East Hampton has the right formula.

Why Fresno? Let’s start with the restaurant’s track record. Opened in 2004, the public has been voting for this restaurant with every check for over a decade. The majority of restaurants fail in their first three years! Seasoned partners David Loewenberg and Michael Nolan have ensured the success of each of their creations before launching their next baby. Fresno’s vintage is impressive; however, team Loewenberg/Nolan are proud owner/managers of even older, well-established Hamptons’ food anchors. Southampton’s Red Bar surfaced in 1998 and Sag Harbor’s Beacon came on the scene in 2000. More recently, Little Red capitalized on Red Bar’s success in 2011 and Bell & Anchor opened in 2012. These familiar East End eatery pillars, while different, possess common elements. Food and service are consistently outstanding. And good service is emphasized. Décor is sophisticated for our discerning crowd but still comfortable, warm and friendly. Then there’s the sparkle, the sizzle. More on that…

From the curb, Fresno appears to be a small, well-lit cottage, shingled in cedar. Taking its name from Fresno Place, upon arrival, Fresno sits on a quiet street, away from the hustle and bustle, but still close to the train station. And then there’s onsite parking! Hooray! Fresno’s street presence is unassuming, and almost fairy tale like, diminutive. Are you entering a cottage you read about from your childhood? Well not exactly, but open the door and you will enter that safe, cozy and friendly place.

Décor is critical to a restaurant’s success. Décor must work in harmony with the entire restaurant concept – the menu, the wine list, the service. Fresno’s décor can be best described as Northern California meets Tuscany. Fresno displays a bit of rusticity with exposed brick, wood beams and floors, and warm lighting. There is not really a bad seat in the house. Above the banquette lining one wall, are tasteful mirrors ensuring both sides of the table can take in the scene. Let’s admit it – when we go out, we casually (or not so casually!) look around. And while Fresno is not a scene, it is indeed scenic and usually electric. You could be dining alongside locals, co-workers, producers and other nomadic glitterati. Fresno attracts an energetic, lust for life crowd. Fresno exudes positive energy and you will feel it throughout the restaurant.

The long bar greets patrons to one side. Straight on is the very special seasonal outdoor terrace. Enter the bar area and you will find just that – the bar area. There is room to stand behind the bar without spilling over into the dining room – no derrieres grazing the unsuspecting patron’s hanger steak! Diego, the longstanding bartender, flashes his tall, dark handsome Latin smile, melting patrons’ ice cubes before their first sip. He is genuinely warm, attentive and maker of good drink.

Gretchen Menser’s menu reflects a consistently fresh and flavorful American sensibility. I emphasize consistently. Nothing spells restaurant death more than a great restaurant which can’t deliver consistency – in both product and service. Without it patrons don’t know what to expect and owner’s costs escalate. Delicious favorite starters are the crispy calamari, roasted beet salad and salmon tartare. The kitchen plates expertly. After many visits, the pan seared Scottish salmon over couscous in a wonderful elixir of a broth continues to satisfy. The pork osso buco and grilled hanger steak are always cooked to order and generously proportioned. A recent flavorful seasonal special was the striped bass over lobster corn salad. Prices are moderate for the Hamptons and you can even find a great burger and fries under $20 on the menu. Desserts are priced at $10.

What exactly is good service? Certainly not the well-intentioned “Hello, I’m Becky and I’ll be your server this evening….” Knowledge of the menu, remembering who ordered what, who has the food allergy and correctly reading the table are just some of the hallmarks of great service. Does this table enjoy a bit of engaged server chatter, or is this a private serious dinner? Please don’t prattle on about whatever if the table just wants to eat. Conversely, be prepared to engage if your patrons enjoy a bit of dialogue. And how well do you know the menu? Have you sampled all of the dishes? Don’t direct me to the more expensive entrees unless they’re really worth it and please disclose prices of specials upfront. Emily Post would instruct you to do the same. Are the water glasses topped off throughout the meal or must we ask? Can I keep my martini shaker within grasp until the ice melts? There are high and low maintenance patrons and servers need to adjust, adapt, display knowledge and find out what they don’t know. And let’s get our meal served at a respectable pace and simultaneously. And please do not start clearing the plates before we are all finished!

This is not an intentional rant, but service at some of Hampton’s finest just don’t always get it right. Especially during the summer, the swell of over-dressed patrons from other lands stresses out even the best of restaurants. Fresno scores consistently high on service, even during the summer on a Friday night. Servers make me feel good because they are real, informed, engaging yet professional and they care.

What defines Fresno’s sparkle – Fresno’s sizzle? Fresno is personal. Co-owner Michael Nolan still confirms reservations mentioning his name and yours, and will remember you when you arrive. What gives Fresno its energy? Without a doubt it is Fresno’s people – those well-trained folks who work so hard there and make it all look so easy. The mood and décor are comfortable, yet on the edge of softly tony. The food is abundant and just plain good. What better formula is there?

Fresno Restaurant

8 Fresno Place

East Hampton, NY 11937

631-324-8700

www.fresnorestaurant.com