BYLINES BY SCOTT

HAMPTONS LOCAL GREG GROSSMAN OPENS OREYA WITH A FOCUS ON ‘RIVIERA’ FARE

East End local Greg Grossman comes home, bringing a taste of the Mediterranean to Southampton with his first own venture, Oreya.

You’ve had multiple jobs as a chef out East. How does it feel to open your own place?
It is an incredible feeling to finally own my first restaurant in the Hamptons. We were met with a huge amount of hardships this summer, but now that we are open, I feel that we are really doing something special. There is no better feeling than having the friends and family [I grew up with] come in for dinner and tell me how much they loved everything, along with the locals who are so genuinely pleased that we have opened something of this caliber in the marketplace.

What are some of your signature dishes?
The concept for the restaurant began as we tried to reinvent classic “Riviera” fare… The large plates bridge the gap between the à la carte seafood offerings of storied Greek restaurants such as Milos and Avra, while being more approachable and fun than those of a fine-dining restaurant. Our tempura figs with stracciatella cheese, fig jam, basil, and grilled bread is one of our best sellers, along with our crudos (the hamachi carpaccio is my personal favorite), and crispy octopus with kumquat, minted sorrel granita, and pistachio oil.

Where do you love to shop for ingredients out East?
Round Swamp Farm in East Hampton; I still have memories of walking into the walk-in refrigerator produce section with my father and shopping every day. I love Breadzilla in Wainscott and will find any excuse I can to get a simple shrimp sandwich on squishy bread from there.

Favorite summer cocktail?
I’ve been on a Campari kick this summer. We have a great cocktail on our menu called the Tickled Pink, which is Grey Goose, Campari, grapefruit oleo, lemon, grapefruit bitters, and rosemary, topped with soda water. It’s super refreshing. 281 County Road 39A, Southampton, 500-9055

Read the Article at Hamptons-Magazine.com HERE.