Added: July 7, 2005, 9:50 am

Turtle Crossing - A BBQ Lover's Haven in East Hampton

By Nicole B. Brewer

On a busy Saturday evening a friend and I stopped in to a laid back restaurant - Turtle Crossing. As we parked the car the mouthwatering aroma of barbeque filled the air and drew us inside. A few neon turtles welcomed us as we walked through the door - we knew this was like no other restaurant in the Hamptons. The cool and cozy Southwestern décor and breezy atmosphere is so welcoming. No attitude here. And no reservations, jackets, or ties required.

After perusing the menu we simply couldn't decide where to start, everything was tempting our taste buds. We ordered a few martinis - Apple and Hampton - as we took some more time to decide between the appetizers. The choices were so varied and included Zucchini Chips, a Basket of Artichokes, Quesadillas, salads, and cornbread.

To begin our feast we enjoyed a sweet and spicy sample of Crispy Onion Strings, Turtle Crossing signature Quesadillas with caramelized onions, guacamole, and mango salsa, the Basket of Artichokes (love the plum sauce!), a few Jalapeno Buttermilk Hushpuppies which were crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, and the Chili Seared Shrimp with guacamole and roasted corn relish on a crispy tortilla chip which had a rush of spice with a sweet finish. Then came the corn! The Char Grilled Corn on the Cob is dusted with Cotija Cheese and Chili Powder - a meal in itself that made us crave more (and the recipe!). All starters and small plates are between $7-$12 and well worth every penny.

Moving on to Large Plates and Platters choices lip smacking choices included a Chicken Wonton Salad with peanut dressing, Pan Seared Chili-Crusted Tilapia, BBQ Mango Salmon with baby spinach and roasted plantain black bean mash, Enchiladas, Wraps, and an endless selection of BBQ.

Two warps that caught our eye and top our list of things to have on our next visit included the Thai Chicken with spinach, rice, mango, cucumbers, peanut salsa, and lime sour cream and the Spicy Shrimp Warp with rice, beans, scallions, corn relish, guacamole, salsa, and lime sour cream. Priced between $12-$24 these Large Plates and Platters are perfect for date night, dinner and a movie night, or Hubby is cooking let's get take out night.

Chicken Enchiladas with green chili sauce

We chose a few more martinis - which are made to perfection - and our waitress, Kim, helped us decide on Chicken Enchiladas with green chili sauce served with a Spring Green Herb salad with Tomatillo Citrus Dressing. The salad dressing is so light and the flavors are so unexpected - I wish they bottled the stuff because I'd love it at home!

Then came the BBQ Platter - oh baby can these guys barbeque! After each succulent bite of chicken, ribs, brisket, and pulled pork we exclaimed "Oh this is good", "Try this next", and a few standard "Oh my God this is so good" were thrown in for variety. We truly couldn't decide which was the best of the bunch. The BBQ sauce tasted different on each bite and was both sweet and spicy and not at all overpowering. Best of all the sauce was not drowning the meat, which is a pet peeve of mine with so many other restaurants. My dinner companion is from the South and considers herself a BBQ expert, as do most Southerners. Melissa remarked that she had, "Not had BBQ this good since I left South Carolina. It's so good and tender, it falls off the bone!" The cornbread that accompanied the platter was sweet and could be served with ice cream and coffee for dessert.

We ended our smorgasbord of tasty delights with a Marble Swirl Brownie topped with freshly whipped cream, rich vanilla Haagen Dazs ice cream, and chocolate sauce. The deceptively light and moist brownie had a rich flavor and didn't leave us feeling overstuffed after the first bite. We actually finished each delicious bite. This was only one of the homemade treats on the dessert list that ranges in price from $2-$8.

Mama Lee and Friends play every Friday night from 5:30pm - 8pm

Turtle Crossing has a very loyal customer base that loves the atmosphere as well as the menu. The outdoor dining patio is perfect on a breezy summer evening. You might even be lucky enough to catch a little live music. There are nightly specials as well as a kid friendly menu in this very family friendly restaurant.

Party Packs and take-out are popular with locals and you can phone or fax over your order to save some time. I wouldn't have the will power to wait during the ride home to eat, but when you pass a dew beaches on the way home an impromptu picnic might just be the perfect way to spend an evening. These Party Packs include your choice of Chicken, Ribs, and Brisket, cole slaw, baked beans, cornbread, and BBQ sauce with dinner for 8-10 people for under $100. Trust me when I say that you can't make a meal this good at home for under $100!

Celebrity clients like America's Sweetheart Katie Couric even pick up the take-out themselves. We hear that movie Maestro Steven Spielberg is another big fan. And sexy vixen Kim Cattrall was a frequent visitor last summer.

Celebrity clients like America's Sweetheart Katie Couric even pick up the take-out themselves. We hear that movie Maestro Steven Spielberg is another big fan. And sexy vixen Kim Cattrall was a frequent visitor last summer.

Salsa and guacamole are so beloved that they are sold by the pound and the famous BBQ sauce can go home with you in regular or hot varieties so you can enjoy the Southwestern tastes at home. And to the epicuriously challenged - they cater! For parties large and small they'll come over and do it all from start to finish!

Turtle Crossing is a sweet and spicy blend of flavors with a relaxed attitude and unbelievably reasonable prices serving the Hamptons since 1994. Chef Arthur Wolf and owner Stanley Singer will have you begging for more. Well worth the trip through Hampton traffic. And remember you can pick up take out for that long drive back to the city on a busy Sunday night. We can't wait to go back!

Turtle Crossing, 221 Pantigo Road, East Hampton, 11937, phone 631-324-7166, fax 631-324-7253, www.turtlecrossing.com.

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