1776 by David Burke

[MetsFan5]

With top golf and other games. It opened today in Morristown. I have a reservation to go with my father for Saturday night.  The menu looks typical, but that isn’t a bad thing. 

Edited October 14, 2021 by MetsFan5 (log)

[MetsFan5]

The Top Golf suites are going to be a gold mine for them. Chef Burke was all over, talking to tables and explaining the whimsical names behind some of the dishes, we discussed a dessert. He’s an affable guy. I’ve met him years ago. 
 

  The service and host station need some work, but again this was only their 4th night in operation. The steaks were delicious and cooked perfectly. I didn’t have the appetite (nor did my dad) after 4 hours of watching my cousin play varsity football (go Green Wave for those in the know, they lost) and hiking all over the campus. 
 

It seems like they have a LOT of investors who are standing around posturing and being useless. That bothered me. But again all of this is a learning curve. I will definitely be back. And I’ll add pictures once my dad sends them to me. 

[MetsFan5]

So I’m going back Friday. My parents said the service seems to have improved they went earlier this week. 
 

I did learn that the lowest investment accepted is in fact, very low for a high end restaurant (along the lines of a semester of college tuition) which explains the insane amount of investors. 
 

 As long as the food and service are good, I will be happy. 

[gfweb]

Photos perhaps?

[MetsFan5]

49 minutes ago, gfweb said:

Photos perhaps?

I will take them tomorrow. Apparently technology is alluding my father at the moment. 

[scott123]

I'd love to hear additional feedback.

This is insanely outside my budget, but, if it's truly spectacular, I might be able to afford it maybe once a year.

The patent on salt aging made me chuckle- but it also piques my curiosity. 

[MetsFan5]

I’ve been back since. The pizzas and the burger were all great. The steak did stand out, but I was dining with a friend and she got a pizza and I felt it would be gauche to order a steak.

 

I do want to try one of their salt aged steaks. In town I’m also a fan of Roots and Rod’s but I think 1776 has potential to be even better. I’m fine dining solo but the bar there is always extremely crowded, and I prefer to dine at the bar when going solo. I may have better luck at lunch. 
 

 Are you local? Unfortunately it seems like most buildings more than say 50 years are being torn down and built into apartments. The rents are higher than Hoboken and the UES. It’s insane. 

[scott123]

7 hours ago, MetsFan5 said:

Are you local? Unfortunately it seems like most buildings more than say 50 years are being torn down and built into apartments. The rents are higher than Hoboken and the UES. It’s insane. 

 

I am local, yes.  And I have witnessed the transformation of Morristown- and I've seen my taxes go up dramatically. If this gentrification continues like it has, I might have to move. It's been great for the town, but it's horrible for lower middle class people like myself.  I meet a lot of people in my job who hear that I live in Morristown and tell me "Isn't Morristown so much fun!"  Sure, it's a blast- if you can afford it.  I lived in Hell's Kitchen during Dinkin and Giuliani, so I'm not new to this, but, Morristown's exponential development hasn't helped everyone.

[MetsFan5]

Morristown/ Morris Township has always had a high cost of living. I’m a fourth generation home owner (the only one in my generation) on my paternal side. I’m looking to purchase a townhome. 
 

On topic being that I am 41, I’m not about to go the the Office. The  Hops bar behind the Famished Frog has an incredible amount of craft beers.  Stirling Tavern has a large bar and good appetizers and a roof top bar. Roots is great for a steak or even a lunch— they have stone crabs. The Sushi Lounge isn’t the scene it used to be and their quality is solid. 

Edited December 6, 2021 by MetsFan5 (log)

[scott123]

21 hours ago, MetsFan5 said:

The  Hops bar behind the Famished Frog has an incredible amount of craft beers.

 

I'm curious have you ever come across cask conditioned ale in the area? I fell in love with real ale on a trip to the UK.  I found a place or two that had something cask conditioned years ago, but, it had a tendency to get a bit artsy with flavors- like blueberry tamarind. I mostly blame Flying Dog

[MetsFan5]

On 12/6/2021 at 11:16 PM, scott123 said:

 

I'm curious have you ever come across cask conditioned ale in the area? I fell in love with real ale on a trip to the UK.  I found a place or two that had something cask conditioned years ago, but, it had a tendency to get a bit artsy with flavors- like blueberry tamarind. I mostly blame Flying Dog

i know exactly what you’re talking about and have had cask aged beers. I’m just not remembering where— it may have been at the Stirling Tavern. I may be going to Hops this weekend and if I do, I’ll take pictures of their beer menu. 

[scott123]

8 hours ago, MetsFan5 said:

i know exactly what you’re talking about and have had cask aged beers. I’m just not remembering where— it may have been at the Stirling Tavern. I may be going to Hops this weekend and if I do, I’ll take pictures of their beer menu. 

Cask conditioned ale is incredibly labor intensive- and is only profitable with sufficient demand.  Once you tap a keg, it's only good for a handful of days, and then it's done.  This labor and financial risk are why it started becoming endangered in the UK- and why CAMRA (campaign for real ale), was formed, with the goal of promoting the craft and keeping it alive. 

For, me cask ale is like pizza prepared from dough, and all other beers are frozen pizza. Sure, a frozen pizza might taste the same a month later as it did when you bought it, but you pay a huge price in quality when freezing.  The price you pay for pasteurizing beer is equally as gargantuan.  But, without pasteurization, it's super short lived- and very easy to screw up.

You don't really find it here because, not only do you need to have someone motivated to put in the effort, but they really have to know their stuff AND they have to have enough customers that understand the intrinsic value of it to make it profitable. 

Ever been to the Long Valley Pub? It's been some time, but I used to enjoy the food there.

[MetsFan5]

Gotcha. Perhaps I haven’t had a genuinely cask conditioned ale. I think I may bypass Hops, simply because I’m going on a first date and unless you know Morristown, this time of year can be a nightmare to try and learn how to find Hops and where to park, etc. 

 

I have been to the the Long Valley Pub but that was about… 23 years ago and back then I was underage. Now you couldn’t pay me to drive to Schooley’s Mountain. I did it often when I was young and dumb. 
 

  I’m thinking of Prospect Tavern for a first date. I think they have karaoke which I loathe but it could be a good, legitimate reason to escape if said date isn’t going well. While I have a car I use Uber or Lyft if I’m going out. Particularly if I’m going to Morristown. 
 

  I’d really like to go back to 1776 and try the clothes line bacon despite it being gimmicky and a salt aged steak. Unfortunately the bar there gets extremely busy and sitting at the bar is my preference while dining solo. I may try to go mid afternoon next week. 
 

The menu at Jockey Hollow has never really appealed to me. I respect that they require proof of vaccinations. The menu to me just falls flat. I’d love to live in one of their condos but have yet to find an extra million laying around. 😂 Plus I’m in the middle of a divorce. 
 

  But if you want an eating buddy, let me know. There are some very decent BYOBs like South and Pine around. I also appreciate old school restaurants like The Grand Cafe. I refuse to drive into town during this time of year and just Uber the whole 2-3 miles I go to my salon or on dates, etc. 

[scott123]

On 12/9/2021 at 2:49 AM, MetsFan5 said:

The menu at Jockey Hollow has never really appealed to me. I respect that they require proof of vaccinations. The menu to me just falls flat. I’d love to live in one of their condos but have yet to find an extra million laying around. 😂 Plus I’m in the middle of a divorce. 
 

  But if you want an eating buddy, let me know. There are some very decent BYOBs like South and Pine around. I also appreciate old school restaurants like The Grand Cafe. I refuse to drive into town during this time of year and just Uber the whole 2-3 miles I go to my salon or on dates, etc. 

Are the condos at Jockey Hollow really a million bucks?  Yowza, that's a lot for a condo.

Do you know how, in Seinfeld, Jerry's father would like gifts more if they were better deals- and his favorite were items that were stolen?  Well, that's kind of my approach to food.  I'm on an eternal quest to find the most possible bang for my buck.  And these days, it's an uphill battle.  

If you could slum it a bit, I'd love to do a meal sometime  

Speaking of slumming it, Masago, in Morristown, has cash only half price sushi.  I'm not sure if I'd consider it a great deal, but, for Morristown, it's pretty competitive. It looks like Minado (Morris Plains) is done, so cheap sushi is even harder to find now.

[MetsFan5]

On 12/14/2021 at 11:34 PM, scott123 said:

Are the condos at Jockey Hollow really a million bucks?  Yowza, that's a lot for a condo.

Do you know how, in Seinfeld, Jerry's father would like gifts more if they were better deals- and his favorite were items that were stolen?  Well, that's kind of my approach to food.  I'm on an eternal quest to find the most possible bang for my buck.  And these days, it's an uphill battle.  

If you could slum it a bit, I'd love to do a meal sometime  

Speaking of slumming it, Masago, in Morristown, has cash only half price sushi.  I'm not sure if I'd consider it a great deal, but, for Morristown, it's pretty competitive. It looks like Minado (Morris Plains) is done, so cheap sushi is even harder to find now.

Update @scott123

 

 

Those condos are now around 1.75. Real estate in the area is obscene. 

 I’ve been back to 1776 a few times. They have a pre-fixed “power lunch” which is three courses for $29.76. I haven’t ordered from that. Their lunch menu is ok but completely void of steaks which bewildered me. They also have a 2% up charge for using credit. It’s clearly stated on the website and menu so that doesn’t bother me. 
 

Last time I was there I ordered oysters-/ I think they were beausoleils and whomever shucked them was either pressed into doing to or just an asshole. Every oyster had large chunks of shell. It was really unpleasant. I would have said something but I was treating a friend and didn’t feel it would have been appropriate.
 

I also don’t get why they have a “sushi” menu. It’s Morristown. There’s a lot of decent sushi places. Give me a nice cut of well aged, well seasoned and perfectly cooked steak (which they have) and I am happy. The sides are bordering being obnoxious. 
 

That said, the cocktails are solid although the bar is frequently backed up, they have some interesting wines and have a lot of events— I know they’re having a wine dinner soon. 
 

 Be prepared to pay $10 for valet parking (as a woman alone I do not like the adjacent parking garage by Ming and Mendhi) but I avoid that by taking an Uber for less and not having to wait. 

 

The desserts are awesome. Whomever is their pastry chef is super talented. 

Edited June 13, 2022 by MetsFan5 (log)