By Taylor Smith 

Blue Morel Restaurant and Wine Bar, located at 2 Whippany Road in Morristown, offers New American cuisine, a sushi and raw bar, and more than 70 wines by the glass. The culinary farm-to-table experience is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with an extended breakfast on Sundays until 1 p.m.

Chef Thomas Ciszak (executive chef/partner of Chakra Restaurant in Paramus), uses local, regional, and organic ingredients from Northeastern farmers to elevate classic comfort dishes like Braised Short Rib, Lobster Raviolini, Smoked Berkshire Pork Chop, and Vegan Coconut Curry. 

A special Sunday Supper Menu is offered every Sunday from 4 to 9 p.m. (with oysters at half price). Black Truffle Tagliatelle, Lamb Bolognese, Chili Cinnamon Chilean Seabass, and Pistachio Crusted New Zealand Venison are just a small sampling of the menu items. 

In terms of comfortable gatherings, Blue Morel’s convivial setting can’t be beat. The 18-seat Wine Room is perfect for private dining, and the Westin Governor Morris Hotel’s newly-renovated and elegant rooms can accommodate up to 400 guests for business and social events. 

General Manager Richard Ramos notes that the cocktail menu is extensive, with an impressive 80+ whiskeys available. Why not accompany that handcrafted cocktail with Iberico Jambon, Blue Morel Fries, Tuna Tartare, Mushroom Quesadilla, or Hummus served with Turkish flat bread and olives?

On June 25, Blue Morel will host a special event honoring celebrated New Jersey chef and television personality Anthony Bourdain. In his memoir Kitchen Confidential, Bourdain recalled how his fascination with the language of food began during childhood trips to France. Blue Morel will be serving different varieties of oysters in homage to Bourdain’s accounts of the transcendental experience of eating oysters pulled straight from the sea on a French fisherman’s boat. A dozen oysters accompanied by sparkling wine will be served for a flat rate of $45. For each order, Blue Morel will donate $5 to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (https://afsp.org). For reservations, call 973.451.2619. 

For more information, visit https://bluemorel.com.