by Kristen Wile

Former Rare Roots Hospitality chef Jonny Cox has opened the doors on his debut concept, Seaboy. The Cornelius seafood restaurant takes on the vibe of a New England coastal home, a result of both the decor and the fact that the restaurant is a quaint historic house.

Guests are now able to book traditional tables, with seats at the chef’s counter opening up in the next week or so. There, Cox will interact with guests as part of a tasting menu experience dubbed “Dinner with Jonny.” The chef’s counter takes inspiration from Cox’s days at Dogwood Southern Table in SouthPark, where “Dinner with Jonny” was born at the bar seats along the restaurant’s kitchen. Cox says he always enjoyed the interactions that took place while cooking for guests there, and that interaction is something he brings to Seaboy’s upcoming $75, three- or four-course tasting menu.

The Seaboy menu features the style of creative seafood dishes Cox became known for as chef at Fin & Fino, including a rotation of raw oysters served with house-made hot sauce and cilantro mignonette, grilled octopus with pistachio romesco, and scallops with rock shrimp risotto (pictured above).

Overseeing the beverage program is Winter Voss, who worked with Cox at Dogwood in SouthPark before joining the team at Supperland and, more recently, Rosemont.

Read our earlier coverage of Seaboy here.