Richie Notars affinity for nautical style inspired Harlows waterfront design.

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Whereas the New York City original pays hom-

age to 1930s Hollywood glamour with stained-glass

windows, coffered ceilings, and a marble oyster

bar, Notar says that his South Fork incarnation will

celebrate the best of what Sag Harbor has to offer:

gorgeous views, locally sourced ingredients, and a

staff that can handle the 380-seat venue (200 indoors

with an additional 180 dockside).

Inside, Notar has bedecked the space with white,

nautical blues, and natural woods intersected by pops

of color, including original artwork by

Katherine Blackburne. Staff will be outfit-

ted in seersucker pants, white shirts, and red

Vans. I like clean, crisp design, meaning

I dont want to compete with the weather,

the salt air, and the boats, says Notar of

Harlow Easts coastal vibe, which he hopes

will influence his guests attire. This is your

chancewear shorts! he exclaims. Take a

break from the stresses of everyday life.

The easy atmosphere is an idyllic setting

for the seasonally inspired menu that Notar

aims to keep simple with dishes such as

branzino with wasabi stem gremolata and

crispy hearts of palm and a locally sourced

raw bar featuring Island Creek oysters and

seafood from Gosmans Fish Market.

Theres nothing wrong with going into the Nordic for-

est to forage for dinner, he says, referencing the famed

restaurant Noma in Copenhagen. But this is some-

place where you can have dinner on a Monday night

and return later in the week. Theres something on the

menu for everyone, but were pushing the envelope a

bit with bold and spicy flavors, citrus, and chiles.

No stranger to hospitality, Notar got his start as a bus-

boy at Studio 54; since then, hes picked up more than

his fair share of industry know-how from 19 years of

experience as managing partner of Nobu, which previ-

ously hosted a pop-up in Southampton. With the

formation of Notar Hospitality, he launched the original

Harlow in early 2013 and is on the brink of opening a to-

be-named venue in the former Lenox Lounge space in

Harlem this summer. Yet the allure of a Sag Harbor spot

was too tempting to resist. I appreciate the value of the

geographythe incredibly quaint, Victorian houses, says Notar. You want

to preserve the very reason why you come out here.

Open for breakfast pastries and coffee from midday and into the evening,

customers are welcome to stroll in any timea philosophy he learned from

Studio 54s Ian Schrager and Steve Rubell. Be hospitable or get out of the busi-

ness, says Notar. Its showtime. 1 Long Wharf, Sag Harbor, 725-5858 H

INSIGHTMidday meal: Im always looking for lunch at 3 oclock. I relish the days I can sit down with charcuterie, olives, and oystersall served family-style.

Favorite drink: An Aperol Spritz, served with an orange wedge and a green olive, just like they do in Italy.

I have an affinity for out East, says restaurateur Richie Notar, who first

summered in Montauk more than 20 years ago and has been drawn to

the South Fork ever sinceincluding two seasons overseeing Nobu at

Capri in Southampton. This summer he is opening a Hamptons outpost of

his sprawling Manhattan venue, Harlow East, in Sag Harbor in the former

B. Smith space on the Long Wharf.

Harlow in the HamptonsRESTAURATEUR RICHIE NOTAR OPENS A COASTAL TAKE ON HIS MANHATTAN HOT SPOT ON THE WHARF IN SAG HARBOR. BY MATTHEW WEXLER

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