Industry legend Chris Cannon has been spending his time in New Jersey recently, busy with the five million dollar transformation of the Vail Mansion into a restaurant multiplex, Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen. The project is running fashionably late, but it will start opening its multiple restaurants inside on October 14, just in time to enjoy the grounds before it gets too cold. The space is classy, real classy. But there's also a touch of whimsy. A white moon man (think the MTV award statues) greets guests as they approach a grand staircase.
The Oyster & Wine Bar, The Vail Bar, will open first for dinner, along with the private events space the Rathskeller in the basement. Dinner service in the main dining rooms (upstairs has a fancy colonial feel, while downstairs is more modern) prepared by Alto and L'Impero alum Kevin Sippel will follow four or five weeks later. There are no menus yet, but expect farm to table American/Italian fare, with an emphasis on Jersey-made ingredients. The old mansion is big enough that guests might need a map, so take a good long look around and start getting acquainted with the space.
110 South Street, Morristown, New Jersey
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