Review: Fēniks in Southampton
Lobster corn bisque with butter-poached lobster and miso corn flan at Fēniks in Southampton. Credit: Yvonne Albinowski
Fēniks (pronounced "phoenix") is the Croatian spelling of the mythical bird that is reborn from its own ashes. It is also an apt metaphor for chef Douglas Gulija’s latest Southampton venture, a departure from The Plaza Cafe, which he and his wife, Andi, opened in 1997 and shuttered last year.
Fēniks
Range of entrees: $35 to $125 (for a Snake River Farms American Wagyu strip steak); $285 for tasting menu
Accessibility: Stairs to upstairs lounge.
Attributes: Celebrations, date night, dine at the bar, new for 2026, tasting menu
Reservations: Required
75 Jobs Lane, Southampton
At Fēniks, it’s the chef’s tasting menu, served at a six-seat counter and prepared by Gulija himself that shines. Priced at $285 for eight courses that will change regularly, ours started with a tin of Siberian caviar accompanied by three bites — a potato pavé crowned with Wagyu tartare, a lobster tarragon pillow, and an oyster. Top these treasures as you please, or eat the caviar on its own, either way, an impressive start. What follows is a perfect experiment in seasonality and creativity, every mouthful meticulously layered in both taste and texture. Recent summer plates included colorful spring salad and shaved black truffles, scallop crudo with passionfruit ponzu, Cara Cara orange slices and pistachios, a tower of local tuna and lump crabmeat over avocado-wasabi mash; spring pea soup with a poached Scottish langoustine; grilled asparagus with a lobster-morel ragu, and a Colorado rack of lamb, perfectly cooked, to finish.
The dining room is a dark, chic bi-level space adjacent to the counter, and seats 20. It’s there that an a la carte menu featuring many of the tasting’s offerings, as well as classics from Plaza Cafe, including a plancha-seared local calamari on hummus and day-boat scallops on sweet-corn polenta, can be enjoyed.
Credit: Yvonne Albinowski
Notable dishes
Plancha-seared local calamari on hummus, day-boat scallops on sweet-corn polenta, Colorado rack of lamb
Tip:
The tasting menu is worth the splurge, but if you prefer a la carte, many of the dishes on the tasting are available as entrees. For cocktails and bites in swank digs, head upstairs to Skip’s Lounge, where a roster of elevated bar snacks are on offer and reservations aren't required.
Other a la carte dishes may include tagliatelle with Montauk red shrimp, asparagus, pea greens and pancetta in lobster mascarpone sauce, a Jurgielewicz Farms duck breast in a five-spice sauce, or halibut over risotto. Don’t skip dessert; we’re partial to the pistachio creme brulee. The wine list is impressive, highlighting some lesser-known Croatian bottles, and pairing options for both a la carte and tasting menus are available. Gulija realizes that his prices are steep, but he is mindful of some advice he once got from celebrated chef Thomas Keller: "Value does not relate to price — it’s what you get for the price." In our opinion, a lot.
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A global freelancer who has checked her suitcase to raise her young daughter on her native Long Island, Marie Elena will always make time for good mezcal, even better tacos and killer conversation. Preferably, in a corner bar seat. She can be found on Instagram at @mariesworldeats.
