Tucked away at the entrance of East Hampton, the oversized hedges and looming red and yellow "JL" have caught our eye many times. Finally we took a chance to go try out this gem of a restaurant at the former the site of Peconic Coast. JLX Bistro in Sag Harbor's owner, Ed "Jean-Luc" Kleefield, opened JL East in 2003 to round out the group of restaurants, which also includes Jean Luc Restaurant in Manhattan. With so many choices, you palate will be anything but bored, no matter which end of the island you are on.

Turning into the parking lot, its hard to remember that this is just off Montauk Highway with the hustle and bustle of summer traffic not far away. The lush greenery provides an excellent sound barrier while infusing an airy tropical feel. This continued right through the front door as palm trees and exotic flowers spiced up the main dining room. They also have a beautiful outdoor patio, though with the recent spurts of rain, we opted to stay dry indoors in the spacious dining room.

Opening our menu, the sheer number of very tasty looking choices left our mouths watering. There is a plentiful selection of French cuisine mixed with local seafood choices, sure to have something for even the pickiest of eaters.

To start, we decided to try the Bistro Caesar Salad with oven baked crostinis, a generous serving of romaine lettuce, it was perfectly dressed to infuse the classic Caesar taste without filling you up with a creamy dressing before you even think about an entrée. The crostinis, a parmesan seasoned oversized crouton was a perfect compliment to the salad, if a little oversized. A salad worthy of a fork and knife, and worth a taste.

Next we tried the Cognac Scented Lobster Bisque. Local seafood in the Hamptons usually always includes each chef's take on this soup menu staple, and JL East does not disappoint. The ruddy bisque hit out noses before it even hit the table, and we couldn't wait to dig in. The cognac and seasonings gave it enough spice to keep the broth interesting while the generous chunks of lobster has us sopping it up with the sourdough table bread. The French infusion to a local favorite is defiantly a hit.

Finally off the appetizers list, we tried the organic Vegetable and Soba Maki Roll, with Sesame Crusted Tuna Sashimi. Sushi is a tall order in a French style restaurant. JL East is up to the task. These rolls are tasty enough to deceive the taste buds while the whole wheat noodles and vegetables are friendly to the waistline, especially after the succulent lobster bisque. The tuna sashimi was perfectly seared and coated in sesame, so moist and tasty, we hardly even touched the soy sauce as not to ruin the taste.

Eyeing the entrée selection, we took our waiter's suggestion of a very nice French cabernet, lightly fruity, but very smooth. The wine paired perfectly with our selection of the Filet Mignon Maitre d' Hotel, a grilled fillet of prime beef with a delicate truffle butter. The beef was melt in your mouth tender, and perfectly seasoned, paired well with tender asparagus and green beans.

We also tried the Macadamia and Pine Nut crusted Day Boat Sea Bass with a Riesling Beurre Blank. The Sea Bass was juicy, and the nuts gave it a crunch intriguing the taste buds. Its hard to go wrong with the smooth nutty flavor of a macadamia nut, and JL East showed us how mouth watering it can be when done right. The tender asparagus and green beans reminded us again that we are at the peak of spring and summer vegetables, and had no problem clearing them from our plate. JL East cooks them with such an eye for perfection, we're already eyeing the Grilled Vegetable Platter for our next visit. A delight for the vegetarian at any table, we're sure.

Having finished the cabernet, we opted for a rich vintage port to round out the meal as we turned our attention to the dessert menu. With all of the summer fruits and vegetables, we couldn't resist trying the Anjou Pear Tart Tatin a la mode. The cinnamon seasoned pear slices baked in a flaky crust was beyond exquisite, and the fruit makes it feel like a healthy splurge. Though the generous scoop of vanilla ice cream and butterscotch sauce made it delectable. At the suggestion of our waiter, we also tried the French chocolate cake. A dense morsel that would stop any chocolate lover in their tracks, the cake is the sophisticated cousin of the brownie. Despite the filling dinner we practically cleaned the plate. Men, take note – the way to your heart may be food, but chocolate like this is a quick shortcut to a woman's heart. Stay for dessert, and you won't be disappointed.

At the end of the meal, we took some time to sip some coffee and relax in the 'paradise-like' setting before reluctantly heading out. For those that can't get away for that French Caribbean vacation, we highly recommend JL East in East Hampton as a very tasty alternative. They are located at 103 Montauk Highway, and serve dinner Sunday through Wednesday from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 5 p.m. until midnight. Call them at (631) 324-1100 for reservations or more information.