Raymond Floyd & Mayor Rudolph Giuliani

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The SeaSon’S 50 BeST DreSSeDA BeAchside cookout

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gaStronomic delightS and the cloSe of the Summer SeaSon. by matthew wexler

Saffron garganelli with lobster, corn, micro basil, lemon olive oil, chiles, and mint at topping rose house.

The last vestiges of summer are finding their way onto Tom Colicchio’s menu at Topping Rose House (One Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Tpke., Bridgehampton, 537-0870; toppingrosehouse.com).

Saffron garganelli pairs lobster and corn with a touch of Fresno and jala-peño chiles for a kick. Fresh mint, micro basil, and a drizzle of lemon olive oil complete the dish. Chef de Cuisine Kyle Koenig says the pasta’s shape is as integral to a successful dish as the sauce. Paccheri—a short-cut, wide-tube pasta—is an ideal vehicle for arugula pesto, fava beans, and walnuts, which snuggle into the crevices for a flavor-packed bite every time.

Patience is a virtue for dishes like the risotto ai frutti di mare at Sant Ambroeus (30 Main St., Southampton, 283-1233; santambroeus.com). Technically not pasta, Arborio rice is cooked with the slow addition of fish stock enriched with white wine and shallots. Calamari, clams, king crab meat, scallops, mussels, and shrimp are added at the end, along with a vibrant drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Housemade pastas are prepared daily and include ravioli di spinaci e ricotta, filled with fresh spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, and fresh herbs, and a simple sage and brown butter sauce is a delicious reminder that fall is around the corner.

It is said that a restaurant’s gnocchi is the barometer by which all other pasta dishes can be measured. Light-as-air dumplings are the result of exper-tise in the kitchen, and Nick & Toni’s (136 N. Main St., East Hampton, 324-3550; nickandtonis.com) has it mastered. “There is no potato in them, and we use only enough flour to hold them together,” says Chef de Cuisine John Baron. The delicate dumplings forgo a heavy sauce and, instead, are

combined with diced prosciutto, locally sourced broccoli rabe, butter, and a generous sprinkle of Gorgonzola cheese, which melts into the dish.

Doppio (126 Main St., Sag Harbor, 808-3444; doppiorestaurants.com) brings the flavors of southern Italy to Sag Harbor under the watchful eye of Executive Chef Louis Barresi. Capellini with cockles, leeks, lemon, and white wine captures the simple flavors of the sea while the dramatic presen-tation of squid ink tagliolini with Portuguese octopus, saffron, and uni cream (sea urchin) is a bolder take. Both dishes feature Calabrian chiles, which originate from Italy’s “boot” and pack a wallop of balanced heat, smokiness, and fruity notes without overpowering the pasta.

Executive Chef Pietro Bottero from The Patio at 54 Main (54 Main St., Westhampton Beach, 288-0100; thepatiowhb.com) incorporates culi-nary inf luences from throughout Italy, years working at Mario Batali’s Babbo, as well as his first-generation Italian-American father. The home-style cacao é pepe is a traditional Tuscan-style dish—a simple combination of pecorino cheese, black pepper, and rigatoni pasta. Bottero elevates it based on an experience he had in Rome with the addition of black truff le purée. The restaurant’s unofficial signature dish is the house-made pappardelle with braised steak ragu and parmi-giana sauce. Slowly braised skirt steak, which simmers away with red wine and aromatic vegetables until stewlike, clings to the wide noodles. “For me, it’s all about fresh pasta,” says Bottero. “Lots of people don’t take the time to make it by hand. And there’s nothing like a loving, slow-cooked sauce.” H

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