HOBNOB Set to Open in Unity Plaza

HOBNOB, the newest restaurant at Brooklyn’s Unity Plaza, announced it will begin Dinner service by reservation March 25. Lunch and brunch service will begin the week of April 4.

Roger Regulacion has been named as HOBNOB’s Executive Chef. He joins owners Ellen and Alan Cottrill, General Manager Ted Hayes and Beverage Manager Marlon Hall on the restaurant’s leadership team.

Regulacion, a native of Hawaii, earned his culinary degree from First Coast Technical College. He has cooked for national and local concepts alike, including Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion, Bistro Aix and Galangal Thai Cuisine. His mastery of diverse cuisines is an ideal fit for HOBNOB, where the menu reflects the restaurant’s theme of “global inspiration with local intentions.”

The 4,560-square-foot, 165-seat restaurant, located at 220 Riverside Avenue, Suite 110, will serve lunch and dinner, Monday through Friday, and brunch and dinner, Saturday and Sunday. A 20-seat private dining room is available for intimate group dining experiences and special events. Lunch and brunch dishes cost $8 to $16; dinner entrées range from $8 to $32. The bar offers 14 handcrafted signature cocktails, and beer and wine by the glass. Thirty wines will be available by the bottle.

Several details inside the restaurant were designed to encourage interaction between guests and staff, such as the eight-seat chef’s table and tableside bar cart cocktail service. The theme of “global inspiration with local intentions” also extends to the restaurant’s artwork, which includes a five-panel mural by Philadelphia-based artist Carol Soritz Shelkin, embellished with Murano (Italian) glass; an installation of 81 hand-blown glass balls created by Brian Frus, the Assistant Professor of the Glass Department at Jacksonville University’s College of Fine Arts, with assistance from students enrolled in the university’s visual arts program; and custom-built, undulating architectural pieces by local craftsmen, which hang from the ceiling to help absorb sound.

Great food, community and art are personal priorities to Ellen and Alan Cottrill, HOBNOB’s owners. HOBNOB represents a new venture in their portfolio of Jacksonville-based companies, including Millwork Design Studio, a kitchen design studio, and River City Contractors, a construction firm which has managed the construction and remodeling of several Jacksonville restaurants, including Sbraga & Company and the historic Seminole Club building, home to The Candy Apple Café & Cocktails and Sweet Pete’s Candy. Alan received culinary training from Cornell University and has many years of experience in the industry, while Ellen brings more than a decade of experience in working with local artists to plan events as the former Gallery Director of Fogle Fine Arts and art committee chair for the Patrons of the Hearts annual Artscapde gala.

“I’m a firm believer in the power of community building, and our decision to open HOBNOB at Unity Plaza embodies that vision perfectly,” said Ellen. “In opening HOBNOB we hope to provide Jacksonville with a place to come together with friends and enjoy the events happening in Unity Plaza, while showcasing Roger’s globally inspired menu in an approachable setting.”

To make reservations for dinner service, starting March 25, call 904-513-4272.

To learn more, visit HOBNOBwithUs.com or follow HOBNOB on Facebook , Twitter (@HOBNOBJax) and Instagram (@HOBNOBJax).