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From the moment he got the keys to the 151-year-old farmhouse at 291 Bayport Ave., Blue Point restaurateur Justin Tempelman set his sights set on Thanksgiving Eve.
“The goal from very the beginning was to be open on Thanksgiving Eve,” Tempelman said today, announcing that his newest eatery, JT’s Farmhouse, will open for business for the very first time at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 27.
We’re talking less than 48 hours. And we’re also talking America’s biggest bar night of the year.
“We have really pulled the rabbit out of the hat getting this done,” Tempelman said, noting the efforts of his ownership team and staffers. “And (preparations) are going to be a race to the finish line.”
Wednesday will be what is called in the industry, a “soft open,” Tempelman said. But not that soft.
He explained that the opening menu will feature some of the Farmhouse’s signature dishes, along with “light bites” and a fully stocked bar featuring 22 beer taps. Plus, two bands, Albums We Love and Funkin’ A, will perform live on a new raised stage in the bar area.
Tempelman anticipates a big crowd.
The Farmhouse will catch it’s breath on Thanksgiving, staying closed for the day, before rebooting and re-opening at 4 p.m. on Friday. Rhythm Kings will perform on stage that night.
The restaurant will also open at 4 p.m. on Saturday, and feature the band Roots Foundation. Brunch will be served on Sunday, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., with live music from Sayville-based Nick Russell.
After closing from Monday, Dec. 2, to Wednesday, Dec. 4, the Farmhouse at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5, will launch its full lunch and dinner menu — cooked up by Executive Chef Shane LeBlanc, a JT’s Farmhouse partner who most recently served as executive chef at the Park Avenue Tavern in New York City.
“We are so excited,” Tempelman said. “This is such a great thing for the neighborhood.”
Tempelman in July teamed up on the JT’s Farmhouse endeavor with Blue Point Brewing Co. co-founder Peter Cotter (who will govern the tap line selections), purchasing the shuttered Grey Horse Tavern, which closed in June after an 11-year run at the property.
Tempelman, a chef by trade who also owns JT’s on the Bay and JT’s Café, both in Blue Point, has blended the charm of the old farmhouse with carefully selected improvements that include the brightened aesthetics of the wrap-around porch, a redesigned lounge area, and two completely renovated spaces devoted to the history of Bayport and history of the farmhouse, itself.
