Arbor in Montauk kicked off in late May, a little more than a week before Memorial Day. Although it was still ironing out some kinks when I visited, Arbor has a lot going for it, including a gifted French chef, some Mediterranean-skewed dishes and a bright, airy, sunken dining room with wrap-around half walls that allow gentle tropical breezes to flow over guests.

Though this hip newcomer is a standard issue Montauk restaurant in many ways, it’s a handsome upscale spot serving sophisticated, pricey dishes that are cooked with a knowing hand and meticulously presented. The gifted executive chef is Pierre Sudre from southern France. After his culinary education in France and stints in its Languedoc-Roussillon region, he was a chef in Sofitel hotel kitchens in Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami.

Cucumber and watermelon salad, Goodale feta, seabean and raita dressing

Starting off, the crusty chunks of bread here are among the best around, but if you want a second basket, you’ll probably have to ask for it. Although there is no appetizer section on the menu, a spectacular salad of kale, quinoa, pickled radishes, cauliflower and almonds shot through with roasted garlic dressing ($12) is recommended. So are the small plates that can be shared by two diners as a starter. The gambas (three grilled shrimp skewers, $16) with anis flambé are lovely and briny in equal measure. Even better are the three soft lamb short ribs ($14) that can be sucked off the bones.