Dark Horse Restaurant Lives, Works, and Plays at Corner of Peconic and East Main

While talk about revitalizing downtown Riverhead remains a constant dialogue, the conversation is nothing new to Dee Muma, owner of .

"Twenty-two years ago, we attended a meeting about getting downtown on its feet," she said. "By the end, the universal themes were to have somewhere you could live, work, and play in the same area. And the fastest way to get people back to a semi-deserted area is to put food there."

After spending the last ten years running with husband Edwin Tuccio (and more recently, Dark Horse Catering), Muma has added to that theme and moved next door, to the corner of E Main Street and Peconic Avenue. The Dark Horse Restaurant, which opened softly in September, celebrates its grand opening on Wednesday.

Moving with Muma next door is executive chef Jeff Trujillo, a Culinary Institute of America graduate who ran Tweed's kitchen before running Dark Horse Catering, the resturant's off-premesis catering company. Dark Horse Catering naturally blossomed into the restaurant, with an identity all of its own.

"I guess the general catch-all phrase these days is 'American eclectic,'" Trujillo said, describing the cuisine at Dark Horse Restaurant. "By-and-large, what we're trying to do is lower the price and getting as much local produce as possible. I get a great bunch of ingredients and then I go to work."

Indeed, no entree on the dinner menu exceeds $19. While sides must be ordered seperately, the option at least remains in the hands of the customer to order, or not to order.

As far as getting customers to come in the door, Muma faces similar challenges she did ten years ago with Tweeds - namely, vacancies up and down Main Street (46 percent of available spaces, according to the 2010 Long Island Index). A recent stabbing at Casa Rica, at 65 E Main Street, offered a glimpse into a different kind of challenge far beyond the control of Dark Horse.

However, she remains optimistic for the future of downtown Riverhead. As far as Casa Rica goes - which she calls the "exception rather than the rule" - just last week its alcohol license was summarily suspended by the State Liquor Authority. And while vacancies may line Main Street, Peconic Avenue at the very least has high hopes. And even Main Street, she points out, has a 100-room hotel on the way. Not bad.

Summerwind, a 53-unit workforce housing and retail property penciled for Peconic Avenue across from Grangebel ark, will play into Muma's - and several sustainable living experts' - concept of live, work, play. In addition to the restaurant, Muma also designed five duplex units on the second and third floors of 1 E Main Street. The units contain one bedroom on the third floor with more open space on the second for a small business practice, art studio, or any other function.

It's a far cry from twenty-two years ago.

"There is so much momentum going on downtown," she said. "Grangebel Park. The Culinary School. The hair salon. The greek restaurant is expanding. And there's more to come."

A lot also remains to be done, she also points out. How to get there remains the eternal question.

Dave Kapell, the former Greenport mayor who oversaw the bayside village's revitalization during his 13 years as mayor, said more than restaurants will be needed for the area to thrive.

Kapell listed public safety, a concerted effort of local government, a central 'theme' in the area to sell to investors, and a shrinking of the business district - to leverage supply and demand and create open space - as a few keys to Greenport's success.

One major factor in the Dark Horse revitalization was $150,000 in a Main Street grant Muma received to redevelop the building.

"Government has to make it worth people's while to fix buildings," she said. "There are plenty of good ideas out there. We just need people to want to do it. If the town promotes redevelopment, it's a win-win for everybody."

Click for a review of Dark Horse Restaurant.