Greeted by smiling staff, my mother and that I walked into the Stone Creek Inn, an upscale restaurant located in the small town of East Quogue with high hopes. With its old-fashioned atmosphere, we feel snug and homey as we sit in a corner near the window, looking at the plush garden in front of the inn. The very first thing we noticed was the friendly and courteous staff. They were all so happy and kind to us, and it was really genuine.
Tuna Tartars
Before we ordered, we were surprised to be served truffle eggs topped with shaved black truffles. When I tell you that this is the most incredible creation I have ever seen, I’m not kidding. The top of the eggshell is carved into a pretty perfect circle, with the truffle and black truffle eggs inside the shell. It is a work of art; I nearly did not want to eat it so as not to spoil the beauty! As I ate it I assumed, ‘Wow, cooking is actually an art.” Not only did it look incredible, it was decadent. It was so good. The texture was rich and the truffle and egg combination made my mom and that I grin from ear to ear (literally).
Grilled Octopus
For starters, we split the tuna tartar served with fresh ginger, soy sauce, scallions, wasabi caviar and Lavash crackers and grilled Portuguese octopus, which was served with grilled tomatoes, fingerling potatoes, lemon confit and Taggiasca olives. Both are to die for. The tuna was presented like a work of art (again) on my plate and had just the proper amount of soy sauce and wasabi. It melted in my mouth. The grilled octopus is even better. The consistency is brilliant and baked to perfection. We wondered if our dinner could get any better than this.
Bison Steak and Truffle Potatoes
For dinner my mother ordered bouillabaisse and was really excited to try it. The bouillabaisse contains an exceptional combination of local fish, mussels, prawns and lobster in a seafood broth. The lobster was very watery, as was the rest of the seafood. It contains just the proper amount of spices to tickle our senses. For my entree, I ordered the bison steak, served with truffles and baked potatoes in a creamy sauce. I’ve never eaten a steak like it before. It was juicy and tender, and seemed to have soaked up the sauce. I am unable to stop eating. The potatoes were cooked to a perfect crisp, as were the mushrooms. It was by far probably the most incredible meals I’ve ever eaten.
RICOTTA MOUSSE
Strawberries, Aged Balsamic Reduction, Black Pepper
Just when we thought we could not eat another ounce of food, the dessert menu arrives. We were served ricotta mousse, with strawberries, aged balsamic reduction and black pepper. I was skeptical about trying a dessert with a balsamic reduction, but it was absolutely perfect. It’s creamy, rich, thick, and sweet, and it makes our tongues water. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and tangy; call it heaven.
Rock Creek Inn offers cooking classes at the top of the inn. Great for an upcoming vacation gift, you can find out more about these classes online or by calling their number: (631)-653-6770. Thanks to Stone Creek Inn for a memorable dining experience!
