All hail the lobster roll

Northeasterny wannabe East Hampton Sandwich Co. docks in Snider Plaza

East Hampton Sandwich Co., specializing in "handcrafted" sandwiches, opens September 12 in Snider Plaza. The owner has a rather Northeastern-sounding name: Hunter Pond.

According to a release, Pond wants to serve "elevated sandwiches using the finest ingredients in a stylish, comfortable atmosphere." We sure hope "elevated" means the sandwiches are floating over the table or maybe suspended on a scaffolding made of tiny toothpicks.

Continuing with the Northeastern theme, the menu features an "authentic" lobster roll -- always aspired to, yet so rarely achieved -- described as having both knuckle and claw meat, chives, split lobster tail and microgreens. Another sandwich called the hot cheese and short rib has white American cheese, sliced short rib, caramelized onion and arugula. Roast beef comes with spinach, feta cheese and purple onion, plus a red pepper and chive horseradish sauce. (Boy, that's a lot of flavor notes in a single sandwich.) The $9 cheeseburger comes with Beecher's white cheddar and a marinated lettuce shred with sriracha Dijonnaise.

We sure hope "elevated" means the sandwiches are floating over the table or maybe suspended on a scaffolding made of tiny toothpicks.

Sorry, vegans, but the vegetarian options both have cheese, so there's no sammy for you. One version has asparagus and Gruyere; the other, goat cheese and avocado. If you're anti-bread, you can get the sandwich filling in a salad version plopped atop spinach, Italian mix or romaine. If you're pro-alcohol, East Hampton serves beer and wine. Sides include potato chips and slaw, both $3 a pop, and grilled asparagus. East Hampton also does a seasonal soup, which is currently a New Englandy corn chowder.

Pond is proud to brine the meats in-house; salad dressings, soups, sides, desserts and sauces are also made on the premises. But breads come from Empire Baking Co., which is wise, because Empire breads are hard to beat.

Alex Urrunaga of Plan B Group did the interior design; you may know the firm's work from Oak and Bolsa. This design is based on a traditional beach home, comprising a color palette of yellow, gray and white, with red accents and lots of "shiplap." Here's a photo, in case you need a reminder that shiplap is a rough-surfaced tan wood.

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Bubbly News

Perry's launches rare private-label champagne at Dallas-area locations

Perry's

Perry's Steakhouse Champagne

Champagne lovers seeking a rare new sip of the real thing can hit Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille, the Houston-based restaurant chain, which is celebrating its 46th anniversary in an especially bubbly manner: with an exclusive new Perry’s Reserve Premier Cru Champagne.

According to a release, Perry’s has collaborated with the family-owned Maurice Philippart Champagne House, who've been crafting fine Champagne in France since 1827, to produce its own brand name grower’s Premier Cru from the esteemed village of Chigny-les-Roses near Reims.

The result: a Perry's label Carte d'Or Premier Cru, offering a golden hue and fine bubbles, with notes of white flowers and a citrus finish.

Perry's began offering it in July at all locations including Dallas at 2100 Olive St., Frisco at 2440 Parkwood Blvd., and Grapevine at 2400 W. SH-114.

Doing a special house label wine is not new for Perry's; they already have a Perry's-labeled chardonnay as well as a rose, made for them by California wineries based in Sonoma and Monterey.

But the Champagne represents a different kind of partnership, says Perry's chief strategy officer & chief marketing officer Lesa Sorrentino.

"We partnered with Maurice Philippart because they claim eight generations of tradition, and when we sat down with them, we loved the wine," she says. "They're entrenched in French culture and in the Champagne region where they're a recognized name. But they're not as well known in the U.S. We're the first importer to partner together with them, and we were excited not only about the opportunity to showcase this historic house, but also for the opportunity to create a premier cru with them."

Founded by Maurice Philippart, the house began as a small-scale operation, with Maurice focusing on cultivating his vineyards in Hautvillers, a village famous for its historical association with Dom Pérignon. The estate’s vineyards are primarily planted with the three main Champagne grape varieties—Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay—each contributing to the house’s distinctive blends.

At Perry's, the Champagne is available by the glass, in a standard 5-oz pour as well as a larger 7.5-oz pour, and is also available by the bottle, for $130, a relative steal by bubbly standards.

"We really wanted to offer premier cru quality at an approachable price point," Sorrentino says.

However you order, you'll get a complimentary Perry's Champagne Biscuit, a delicate, crisp cookie dusted in powdered sugar. It's their version of a centuries-old confection called the Biscuit of Reims, also called Biscuits Rose, also called just plain old "pink champagne biscuit."

The biscuit — which has a unique texture … airy but crunchy, a light rose color, and a delicate flavor — is a tradition that that dates back to the 1600s. You're encouraged to dunk it into the Champagne or tea, with its main appeal seemingly that it's pink.

"It's a fun adventure for us that also highlights the fact that Champagne is more versatile than many people realize,” says Perry's Beverage Director Paige Stroud. “It’s not just a toast at the start of the evening. We’re showcasing how beautifully it pairs not only with the seafood but also our signature steaks and our famous pork chop.”

If you act fast, you can sample Perry’s Reserve Premier Cru Champagne as part of a Reserve Anniversary Wine Flight for $20, which includes three 2-ounce pours of Perry’s Reserve Premier Cru Champagne, Chardonnay and Rosé for a broader tasting experience — but it's available only through July 31. The Champagne and the pink biscuit will be available indefinitely.

wine