Meatloaf - The 1770 House, East Hampton, NY
If there is one person on Best Thing I Ever Ate who will rarely, if ever, steer you wrong, it is Ina Garten. Which is why, when you are among her stomping grounds in East Hampton, it is imperative that you spend as much time as possible frequenting her haunts.
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| Where Ina Goes, We Will Follow |
Possibly her top haunt of all time is The 1770 House, which is both a historic inn and a restaurant - the latter featuring both a classic dining room and a basement tavern. After being advised that Ina herself prefers the atmosphere of the tavern, Vodka naturally chose the same ambience for her inaugural 1770 House meal.
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| Never Before Has Basement Dining Been So Chic |
The tavern proves a bit treacherous to get to, due to a winding staircase that could most certainly take out anyone who's had a few too many martinis to her name. But once downstairs, it is all cozy charm - the perfect place to spend a snowy night while getting lit on cocktails which may or may cause you to be trapped in this basement until the end of time.
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| If "Comfort" Were a Restaurant, It Would Be the Tavern at 1770 House |
Vodka orders the meatloaf, because that is what Ina instructed, even though never, in the history of her life, has she chosen meatloaf as her restaurant entree.
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| Primarily Because the Staples of Her Dinners Are Booze, Cheese, and Carbohydrates |
Prior to the arrival of our main dinners, we are greeted by freshly baked, warmed rolls (delectable) and our chosen appetizers - the spicy Montauk fluke tartare and the autumn salad. The fluke is especially delightful, featuring a subtle smattering of wasabi over the top which brings a pleasing kick to the entire enterprise.
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| Who Knew the Tavern Also Doubled as a Sushi Specialty Mart? |
Onto the main event, the meatloaf itself, which Ina had featured on the THE CLASSICS episode of Best Thing I Ever Ate, is every good as Ina had promised. It's accompanied by potato puree, spinach, and a roasted garlic sauce which tastes undeniably like chicken broth (not a complaint).
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| The Heel of the Loaf |
While the meatloaf is indeed the best Vodka has ever had, it is, after all, still meatloaf, and while she would return to the 1770 House in a heartbeat, she would try one of the other staples of their menu.
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| Namely the Burger, and Even More Namely, the French Fries |
After indulging in the chocolate brownie for dessert, Vodka tippy-toed carefully up the winding Tavern steps, clutching a wine glass in one hand and a rose bottle in the other, and all three emerged unscathed.
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| Brownie A La Lantern Light |
As Ina herself would say, how easy is that?
The 1770's House Meatloaf: 4 stars
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