By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

MAYLENE–After nearly six months of being unoccupied, the former location of the Fox Valley Restaurant known for its famous crab cakes will soon reopen as another fine dining restaurant on the outskirts of Helena.

The Fox Valley Restaurant closed its doors in Maylene on June 24, after being open for several decades and now, after months of renovations and hard work, chef Reza Bavali and his business partners are set to open a new fine dining establishment in the same location.

Choosing to keep the Fox Valley name because of the reputation the former restaurant built, The Restaurant at Fox Valley will open sometime around New Years and will offer French, classical Italian and Mediterranean food.

Bavali said the restaurant will have a strong emphasis on the “quality of food and service and not cutting corners.”

“As far as the food is concerned… it’s going to be quality,” Bavali said. “I don’t compromise on that.”

Bavali has more than 40 years of experience in the food and beverage industry and will serve as the executive chef at The Restaurant at Fox Valley.

Bavali has worked at restaurants and hotels such The Club, The Wynfrey Hotel, the Omni International in Baltimore, Four Seasons Hotel and the Warwick Hotel in Houston and more.

Some of the dishes the restaurant will offer include chateaubriand steak, jujeh kabab, chicken parmigiana, moussaka and more. The restaurant will also offer a full bar with a variety of high end wines. Another new addition will be outdoor patio seating.

Bavali said the opportunity to open the fine dining restaurant came when he got a call from his business partner.

“Nasser, my partner called me and said he was looking for a restaurant to purchase and he called me and said ‘this restaurant is available I want you to go look at it,’” Bavali said. “I came down here and talked to the landlord and he showed me the restaurant. I said it’s a good location and they had a good reputation before so I got interested in it. I give them the credit for creating a path for higher end quality food rather than a fast food place. It made my job easy.”

The restaurant will accommodate both walk-in and reservations, but Bavali recommends making a reservation on weekends.

The Restaurant at Fox Valley will be open Monday through Thursday for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner from 6-10 p.m. The hours for Friday and Saturday will be 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch and 5-11 p.m. for dinner. The restaurant will be closed on Sundays but there’s a chance the restaurant will open for Sunday brunch in the future.

The restaurant is currently in the process of hiring for all positions. Anyone interested should apply in person at the restaurant located at 6745 Shelby County 17.

For more information on the restaurant, visit Facebook.com/The-Restaurant-at-Fox-Valley-2011229375788130/.