c/o The Maidstone :

There are some meals that are never meant to end.

I knew this immediately walking into the Living Room restaurant in c/o The Maidstone, a boutique hotel in East Hampton. I arrived with pages of notes to ask the chef about his slow food cooking techniques, his use of local produce, and how his food reflects the creative spirit of a hotel like the Maidstone. Chef James Carpenter answered these questions not only with words – but with his food. All of it lovingly prepared and beautifully presented. 

The Menu
I like a restaurant with a story, and the evening began by reading about the slow food philosophy of the Living Room that is provided on the menu. Whether your curiosity is piqued about the Swedish specialties on the menu or you’re looking for something more traditionally satisfying, you will be torn between many items on this menu. 

There are many signs of a talented chef, but one particular skill is taking an ingredient I’m not usually drawn to, and reinventing it. This was the case with the herring that appeared on Swedish Smorgasbord. Herring would not usually be at the top of the list of things I want to keep eating, but the flavors here were beyond tasty. A grain mustard sauce that accompanied the variety of Swedish specialties was so delicious I would have taken a jar home.
 

Other hits of the evening included homemade pork rillette ravioli with a tomato bacon broth. Every bite of this dish was savored and every ounce of broth was soaked up by a crusty piece of bread. I couldn’t resist sampling the sauteed seasonal forest mushrooms with toasted brioche and flavored with brandy. At the suggestion of our excellent waiter, for my main course I chose the Swedish lamb meatballs with ricotta dumplings and kale — simply divine. My dining companion enjoyed a sweet potato puree with her grilled pork tenderloin that she called, ‘one of the best things to ever pass my lips’.
 

Appetizers  $11 - $18

Entrées $27 - $38

Desserts $9 - $12
 

Wine Parings

A meal this special deserves special wine. That is the job of the sommelier, Kelly Matis and a job she does quite well. We were happy to try some local Long Island wines by the glass to accompany the different courses of our meal, and she always let us try a taste first before committing to the full glass. This is a prime example of service making a substantial difference in the quality of a meal.
 

Elegant Ambience

The Living Room restaurant gets many more things right beyond the food and the service – I loved the long, tapered candles adorning the tables. The funky print on the chairs gave the restaurant a whimsical atmosphere, and unlike the city where tables are packed so close you can hear your neighbors whisper, here we had space to breathe. Plenty of space. With no one waiting for our table, we could take our time on every bite of this memorable meal. 

That’s worth traveling to the Hamptons for.
 

The Hotel*

More than 150 years old, the Greek Revival at 207 Main Street has served many owners, each in a unique way suited to the era. 

Constructed just before the Civil War by the Osborne family, the current structure has foundations dating from the 17th century. For much of the 19th century, the building was used as a tannery, and first took in overnight guests while their saddles were being repaired.
 

In the mid-1920s, the home began service as a full-time inn and became known as The Maidstone Arms. Newspaper columns in the ensuing decades announced the seasonal residency of a rotating roster of socialites, and the inn became a fashionable destination as East Hampton grew into a world-famous summer colony.