A New Owner for Jackson Pollock’s Old Dive Bar and Other Hamptons News

It’s only January, but people are already making moves in the Hamptons restaurant scene. Marc Rowan, co-founder of private equity firm Apollo Global Management, has taken another East End space. The billionaire, who transformed Duryea’s in Montauk to much acclaim, has co-opted the former Doppio restaurant at 126 Main St. in Sag Harbor.

He will open Lulu Kitchen & Bar in April. Philippe Corbet, a former chef at Bouley, will oversee the kitchen with a wood-burning oven as a focal point. “There is a trend of chefs going back to simple preparations in a wood-burning oven,” says Steven Jauffrineau, who manages Rowan's restaurants. “There are a dozen different woods that influence the profile of the food, and we are experimenting with them all now.'“

A vegetable port au feu will be on the menu, as well as market fish, a surf and turf of baby back ribs and lobster, and lamb chops with zucchini succotash and a port wine reduction. Lulu, which will be open year round, will also serve pizza.

In other Hamptons happenings, Dan DeSmet, a former bartender, and his wife Charlene have taken over Wolfie's Tavern, a one time haunt of Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning that closed last year due to a rent issue. The couple will morph the historic spot at 15 Fort Pond Blvd. into Springs Tavern, which will feature seasonal American pub fare prepared by Michael Ruggerio, who was a sous chef at Nick and Toni's.

Finally, last month, Maurizio Marfoglia unveiled the second location of his popular Dopo La Spiaggia at 31 Race Lane in East Hampton.