Highlawn Pavilion Restaurant, West Orange, NJ:
A Restaurant Review
Highlawn Pavilion Restaurant
Eagle Rock Reservation
West Orange, NJ
Website
Highlawn Pavilion Restaurant Highlights
Fare: New American
Price: Expensive
Food Quality: Well executed n menu using fresh farm-to-table locally sourced food.
Service: Professional, well trained, and attentive
Ambiance/Decor: Upscale, with stunning scenic views of the New York City skyline and Eagle Rock Park.
Overall Rating: 3 Stars -- Classified as an upscale "Chef-Inspired Fine Dining" restaurant. (* Note - See below restaurant classification for details)
Note: Four star Rating System from 1/2 Star = poor to 4 stars = Best in Class
Noise Level: Moderate - High
Dress: Upscale Casual
Recommended For: Diners who enjoy creative well prepared American food in an upscale destination restaurant with scenic skyline views.
Not Recommended For: Budget minded diners who prefer casual dining in a less formal setting with lower menu prices and larger food portions.
Recommended dishes: When available, The Chatham Cod, New England Style with Applewood Smoked Bacon, Cockles, Corn, Diced Potatoes, Celery Root, Carrots, and Wild Mushrooms; The Roasted Rack of Lamb with porcini crust thyme sauce; and The Loin of Venison, with roasted fingerling potatoes and a root vegetable.
Liquor: Good selection of wines and specialty cocktails. Bar scene is vibrant.
Restaurant Review
The Highlawn Pavilion is one of Northern New Jersey's top restaurants offering diners an exceptional scenic view with outstanding food.
The striking view of the Manhattan skyline is only the beginning of an exceptional dining experience. The impressive view is complemented by Highlawn Pavilion’s creative, well prepared American fare. It is a turn-of-the-century Florentine-style pavilion that has been beautifully restored to European grandeur.
The Highlawn Pavilion is a fine dining experience with all the amenities of fine dining, without the stuffy atmosphere.
This is a restaurant to choose as a place to bring visitors from out of state, or to celebrate a special occasion, or for a romantic dinner for two.
The dining room is exceptionally large, and at times noisy. If planning a romantic dinner, ask for a table near the window.
During the warmer summer months dine on the Highlawn Pavilion restaurant patio with scenic views of the New York City skyline and Eagle Rock Park. Enjoy lunch or dinner under the stars.
The kitchen is run by Executive Chef Tristan Tevrow achieved fir formal culinary training at the Institute for Culinary Education in New York City. He honed his culinary skills at Cafe Grey in Manhattan, and later as sous chef at the Highlawn Pavilion before taking over as Executive Chef
The menu at the Highlawn Pavilion is inspirational. attractively presented, --- prepared using eco-friendly, fresh farm-to-table locally sourced food from the Knowles family farm.
The Highlawn Pavilion is open for holidays on Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve.
* Description of Restaurant Classification - Chef-Inspired Fine Dining:
- "Old World" with sophisticated and romantic décor.
- Priced higher than other upscale restaurants to cover the cost of the added amenities.
- They are chef driven by chefs with impressive credentials including formal culinary education and skills honed at award winning restaurants.
- Committed to high quality food ingredients such as imported items not available in the supermarket, with emphasis on local seasonal farm-to-table produce, wild caught seafood, & meats without the use of antibiotics and growth hormones.
- The wait staff is rigorously trained --- professional, knowledgeable, and attentive. Has an alcohol menu with high end wines and specialty cocktails and with a staff knowledgeable in wine pairings.
- Additional amenities include linen and fine China table settings, carpeted flooring, chandeliers, and complimentary sorbets, dessert chocolates, etc.
- Patrons tend to be older, more formally dressed, with high incomes.
The most popular upscale restaurants in New Jersey, classified into three categories include; Chef-Inspired Fine Dining, Chef-Inspired Casual Dining, and Contemporary Casual.
learn more about the three types of upscale restaurants and how reviews are created.
(updated:January 2021)
