The Iconic Jimmy Seas Pan Pasta Reopens – New Owners, Same Menu In Oak Bluffs

As you walk down Kennebec Avenue in Oak Bluffs, you might notice the smell of roasted garlic. It’s not a figment of your imagination. It’s the famous roasted garlic from Jimmy Seas Pan Pasta.

Jimmy Seas reopened its doors on Wednesday, July 16th. Though it has new owners, Lisa Brown-Huff and Will Caffey (Vineyard Pizza and The Pizza Place), most of it is the same ole Jimmy Seas.

Lisa and Will didn’t want to change much, Jimmy Seas was great the way to was to them. It was one of Lisa’s favorite restaurants.

They loved the food, the casual atmosphere, and the homey feel of it all, and now they are thrilled to be a part of this iconic Vineyard restaurant.

The “New” Jimmy Seas

Though they are busy with the pizza shops, they wanted to own a restaurant. This is the first time the owners bought someone else’s concept. So it’s a little tricky trying to recreate it, but they have some great support staff.

Chef Scottie Blu is back in the kitchen. Chef started working at Jimmy Seas back in 1997. He trained with Jimmy for over three years and knows the recipes inside and out. And incase you were wondering, blue is his signature color, check out his hat.

For him, Jimmy Seas reopening could not be better. Being in the kitchen is like being home. However, this “home” has undergone a serious renovation.

The whole kitchen area has been completely redone. It’s sparkly and clean. Chef Scottie feels like he’s a kid in a candy store. You can see his happiness.

The kitchen was abuzz with prep when I went, since the doors were opening in a couple of hours. Even owner Will was in the mix, prepping carrots.

I ask Chef Scottie if that was the roasted garlic I was smelling and he said indeed it was. It’s his best advertising. It roasts in the oven at a low (undisclosed) temp for four hours, tempting people all afternoon. Love that smell.

While I was there, Chef Scottie was working on the Roasted Red Pepper salad, so fresh and colorful. In the background you could see a huge pan of the Bolognese for the Ziti Bolognese — beef, tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots, mushrooms, and fresh herbs, topped with parmesan and pecorino romano cheese.

I think the chef saw me eyeing the pot, and offered me a bowl, thank goodness. Just being surrounded by the smell of Italian food was like torture.

Too bad the roasted garlic had more time to cook or I might have had to dive in!

What’s New & What’s To Come

The menu at the moment is pretty much the same, recreating the Jimmy Seas that so many love. In the future, there will be a picatta, marsala, some parm items like eggplant parm, and lasagna.

Something that is very new and cool is the fact that Jimmy Seas is now a year-round restaurant. Whoohoo, another option for dining, and talk about comfort food.

Also, Chef Scottie plans to add more casseroles to the fall and winter menu.

There are also plans to have a number of items farm-to-table, They use a lot of fresh ingredients in the dishes, so the chef figures why not have it come from the Island. That can only make it better.

The interior looks just like Jimmy Seas but with some new chairs and a couple new tables. Things may change a bit in the front room, but for now, it’s like walking into Jimmy Seas as you knew it.

The beer and wine list is not yet finalized. Lisa and Will got the liquor license the Tuesday before opening day. So, perhaps one or two of your favorites may appear on the list.

I love that Jimmy Seas is back open, and that the place is pretty much the same. The smell of garlic, the line out the door, the house salad and bread that comes with the pasta.

It’s one of those places you have to visit when here.

As far as the food, you have to get the roasted garlic, though your significant other may not like you as much the next day, and I love, love, love, the Butternut Squash Ravioli with sage cream sauce.

I gain three pounds when I eat it, but it’s a dish I truly crave.

Chef Scottie recommends his Frutti di Mare — one of his favorite dishes to make. There’s a bit of everything in it, calamari, scallops, shrimp, clams, and mussels in a red sauce over linguini. He never tires of making and eating this Jimmy Seas specialty.

Jimmy Seas Pan Pasta is open seven days a week from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.- ish. Come hungry and ready to eat, all year long.

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