We’re actually not surprised to hear that the Arbor, one of Marc Rowan‘s Hamptons restaurants, is in contract to be sold. The place seemed like a dud from the start.
Starting with the name. A friend of ours, at the time, complained, “Arbor? That’s what they think a Montauk restaurant should be named? Why not something a little more seaside than a bunch of trees?”
Then there was the food. We ate there, and while the fare was acceptable, for us the highlight was the bread basket. That’s not the way it should work in a nice restaurant.
Finally, there is the location. While the designers did their best, and we did like the arbor of trees, etc, outside, the location–right off the LIRR platform, more or less–was a definite negative.
We always want Montauk businesses to succeed, so we were saddened but not surprised by the dearth of cars in the lot by the restaurant. We hope the next business there will thrive.