Montauk. With its high ceilings, chandeliers, slate floors, flickering fireplaces, and baby grand piano, this ornate hallway leads you straight to the blue awning-covered doorway of Montauk’s newest Italian restaurant, “Tre Bella.”
Owned by two long-time friends and chefs, Rick Hutton and Richard Coy, of Queens, Tre Bella seats about 80 people in both its indoor and outdoor patio spaces. The indoor room has wide windows overlooking the Montauk Manor’s beautiful lawn and swimming pool, and also features a small, intimate bar. The outdoor patio is perfect for these warm, romantic summer nights, sitting under umbrellas on the terrace.
Rick and Rich, who work as co-chefs in Tre Bella’s kitchen, told us how they have been best friends since childhood, growing up in Howard Beach. They also own two other restaurants in Queens, Aunt Bella’s on 46-19 Marathon Parkway in Little Neck, which they have owned for 33 years, and Aunt Bella’s of 6402 Fresh Pond Road, in Ridgewood, which they have owned for 17 years.
They opened Tre Bella (which means “The Third” restaurant) on Memorial Day Weekend, as “a combination of Northern and Southern Italian cuisines.”
Our goal is to be here 12 months a year, and on weekends in the winter,” said Rich Coy. “We always liked Montauk, where we vacationed a lot, and we’ve rented here since 1984.” Richard’s daughter, Katelynn, also helps out, as the manager and hostess.
My dining partner and I chose to sit indoors, since the night we went to Tre Bella was cool and rainy. Our lovely waitress Sarah, from Ireland, came right over, and brought is a frosty gin and tonic and a glass of Chardonnay. We perused the menu, happy to find a long list of Italian delights—from antipastos, fried ravioli, Minestrone, and salads, to Marsalas, Parmigianas, and Scallopines, to a wide assortment of pastas, seafood, meat, and eggplant dishes.
It was hard choosing even the appetizers, so Sarah brought us a taste of several—including the succulent baby baked clams, topped with a rich butter and breadcrumb mixture; the mussels marinara, in a zesty red tomato sauce; and a lovely dish of tomato, mozzarella, red peppers, olives and fresh basil. And since we were forgoing our diets for the evening, in this Italian heaven, we had to try their garlic bread, which is great for dipping in their homemade sauces!
We shared some entrées, consisting of a hot and spicy Shrimp Fra Diavolo, served with large shrimp and hard clams, in a perfectly prepared red sauce, and some Penne A La Vodka, which was in a thick and rich sauce. The Chicken Marsala was the best I have ever had, tender chicken bathed in a brown marsala sauce with mushrooms, that melted in my mouth.
We hardly had room for a Cappuccino, but we ordered a few, and couldn’t resist Tre Bella’s amazing dessert menu, consisting of an assortment of cheesecakes, tartufo, and ice cream truffles.
Katelynn explained how we could choose from three kinds of cheesecakes, and we tried the Raspberry Fudge Cheesecake, which has raspberry sauce on top, and chocolate on the bottom, and is very tasty and delicious. There are also three kinds of ice cream truffles, and we chose the Amaretto Nut, with rich amaretto ice cream on the inside, and nuts and whipped cream on the outside, which was sinfully good!
Tre Bella has a full bar and they are working on their new wine list. They are open every day, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., as well as room service, pool service, and take-out. Tre Bella is located at the Montauk Manor, at 236 Edgemere Street in Montauk. Reservations are recommended, by calling 668-2322. Visit their website at www.trebellarestaurant.com.
