Morris area restaurants open Christmas day
Why cook for hours and clean for days when you can spend Christmas celebrating with family without the stress and work?
Whether you celebrate the birth of Jesus or are just enjoying a day off from work, many area restaurants are looking for your business on Christmas day, offering full and limited menus, specials and soup-to-nuts dinners.
Ruth's Chris Steakhouse
"We make sure it's a very special day for our holiday diners, '' said Mary Dutton, general manager of Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in Parsippany, which draws big Christmas crowds each year. "It's decorated nicely for the holidays and it's a wonderful atmosphere for celebrating Christmas.''
Dutton said the 300-seat dining room is open 365 days a year, and Christmas is no exception. It's been her experience that most diners on Dec. 25 are there to celebrate the holiday in a relaxed, enjoyable way.
"Ruth's Chris is a special-occasion restaurant for many people and the fact that they bring their families here for Christmas fits into that special occasion reputation we have,'' she said. "We are fully staffed and operational and our staff is excited to serve our guests on Christmas.''
Ruth's Chris offers American steakhouse fare and features a bar. Located in the Parsippany Hilton Hotel, it is open from noon to 9 p.m. and features a three-course price-fixed dinner for $43.95 or $53.95. An a la carte menu starts at $26.95 for an entrée.
Strip House
At the Strip House restaurant in Livingston, Christmas day draws a big crowd, for good reason. "People don't want to cook or clean up,'' said David Brothman, assistant food and beverage director at the restaurant, located in the Westminster Hotel. "There's a lot of appeal to going out to dinner on Christmas.''
Executive Chef Bill Zucosky has specials planned for Christmas at the Strip House, including a Bone-in Prime Rib served with Stilton Cheese Popovers and a Horseradish Crème Sauce. A featured dessert is the Homemade Warm Apple Strudel with Cinnamon Ice Cream and Carmel Sauce. Prices range from $24 to $49 per entrée.
"We have white tablecloths,'' said Brothman. "We're an old-school Manhattan steakhouse without the travel, and the service is top-notch here.''
Holiday crowds won't cause patrons to be rushed, Brothman insists, noting that the turnaround time for tables there is two hours — longer for large parties. "If I get a rush, I'll put more servers on,'' he promised. "It's a great way to spend a holiday.''
Asian cuisine
Chinese restaurants are typically busy on Christmas day with diners taking advantage of plentiful choices and a relaxing atmosphere. Morris County offers so many choices, including Hunan Taste, Denville, where Hunan, Szechuan and Mandarin cuisine may be ordered from the regular menu on the holiday. Entrees at the authentic Chinese restaurant, located at 67 Bloomfield Avenue, are priced from $13.20 to $19.95, and include such favorites as Peking Duck ($21.50 or $36.95), Filet Mignon Chinese Style ($25.50 and General Tso's Triple Fragrance ($23.95).
In Morristown, Cottage II Hunan and Szechuan Cuisine welcomes Christmas business. Open from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. the 50-seat dining room is never empty, said Jessica Yang, a cashier and hostess at the restaurant, located at 127 South St. "We get quite a few people on Christmas,'' she said. "Quite a lot of Jewish families come in for dinner. They don't want to stay in the house. We take care of them.'' The restaurant offers the complete menu on Christmas and is a BYOB establishment.
Also in Morristown, Mehndi Restaurant, at 88 Headquarters Plaza, and Ming II, its twin located just next door, are open from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and 5:30 to 10 p.m. for dinner; (973) 871-2323. Mehndi offers traditional Indian fare, with entrees ranging from $12 to $25, while Ming II dinners are priced from $16 to $26.
Other Morris restaurants
For a list of other New Jersey restaurants open on Christmas day, visit www.foodio54.com. Some other Morris area restaurants offering full and limited menus on Christmas include:
Melange Restaurant, 353 Smith Road, Parsippany (973) 884-4200: Thai Cuisine is offered in Melange, which is open from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The menu features such Thai favorites as Spring Rolls, Satay, Pad Thai and Red Curry dishes. The BYOB restaurant offers entrees priced from $12 to $20, appetizers and desserts.
Blue Morel Restaurant and Wine Bar, Morristown (973-451-2619): Local, regional, organic and sustainable farms are used to create a true farm-to-table experiences at this Morristown wine bar and restaurant. A price-fixed menu is offered for $68 per serving from 12:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Tsuru, 413 King George Road, Bernardsville, (908) 580-0666: Offering traditional Japanse fare, Tsuru is a BYOB restaurant, open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Christmas day. A full dinner menu is offered, with entrees priced from $15 to $25. A special dinner for four is offered for $85.
Marjan Fine Persian Grill, 84 Speedwell Ave., Morristown (973) 889-8884: With a 42-seat dining room, this unique restaurant is ready to serve on holidays, from noon to 10 p.m. With no liquor license, guest are encouraged to bring their own bottle. Diners can get an appetizer, entrée and a dessert for about $25. Additionally, a price-fixed menu is available for $32, which includes an appetizer, salad, main course, dessert and a beverage.
Got an eatery to recommend? Email eabreu@dailyrecord.com
Are you staying at home and baking or cooking? Send us your holiday food photos for a reader gallery. Email to eabreu@dailyrecord.com. We may also contact you for inclusion in a future story about Morris home cooks. Happy holidays!
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