How to Kickstart your Monday.
The Strong Buzz has the cure for the beginning of the week blues
Friends,
Here’s something that may shock you. I am a fan of Mondays! I know, I know, you must think I am bananas (who are we kidding, I am bananas), but in my custody-sharing world, I don’t have my kids on Mondays and Tuesdays, so these are the days I can get the most wrtiting done, and the nights I tend to go out. (Don’t get me wrong, I love my nights with the kids too, but those tend to be me cooking, or taking them to one of their faves like Daigo, Haenyeo, or Act One for Thai food and Karaoke).
Now, my friends at Eater are helpful for keeping track of what restaurants are open on Mondays (thank you Melissa McCart!), but I’ve come across some great Monday nights specials from 50% off wine lists, to Monday-only off-menu items that I wanted to share here in case you might fancy starting your week with some delicious food, warm hospitality, and a break for the wallet.
Mangia!
Magnificent Wine Lists at Big Discounts at Francie and Stone Park Cafe
If you like wine (and you know I do), I have two great ways to drink exceptional bottles at a fraction of the price.
Francie’s John Winterman is taking 20% off his entire list every Monday for the month of March! If you’ve not been to Francie for chef Christopher Cipollone ‘s menu of marvels, it’s flawless in every way and you will have the best and most delicious evening ever. You can reserve online but you can also just forget that and email John directly, john@franciebrooklyn.com, or call 718.218.7572, and tell them I sent you! (But definitely don’t mention the time I came in and had eaten a gummy and could not eat or speak, let’s forget that.)
Finally, my buddy Josh Foster, who I met back when we worked at Tribeca Grill together, has had the Park Slope favorite Stone Park Cafe forever, and he does 50% off all bottles on Mondays. This is insane. I had a crazy bottle of Burgundy a couple of weeks ago when my friend Melissa was in town from the Netherlands. We caught up at the bar over a great meal (the menu is New American, Greenmarket-driven fare), and then went to The Moth at the Bell House, so it was the best night ever.
And at Clinton Hall (51st location) flip a coin on Monday nights, and if you call the correct outcome your drink is free. All night long.
Pasta and Reggae at Adrienne’s
My friend Chris Keegan, who owns Adrienne’s, the coastal Italian spot out on the water in Rockaway, does a fun Monday night special: half-off all pasta with live Reggae from 6pm-9pm. I love the food here, and might have a tough time deciding between Chef A’s Rigatoni Bolognese (Whipped Ricotta, Grana Padano) and the OG Spaghetti & Clams (Preserved Lemon, Nduja Butter, Pork Pangrattato), so I may just get both.
Finally, the wonderful women at Cecily are making Sundays and Mondays very special with their Bubbles and Bunnies event: a fried rabbit leg for $17 with a glass of champagne for $16 -- currently Moncuit 'Delos' champagne. I’ve written about Cecily before, first because Chef Zach Frieling (Jupiter and The Four Horsemen) is doing a great job on food, a seasonal vegetable-forward collection of fare like porcini “chicharrones” with egg yolk; mackerel toast with parsley, red onion, and garlic aioli; butter beans with braised collards, sweet onions, and sourdough bread; and a roasted half chicken with Castelvetrano olives, wheat berries, and pomegranate.
I’m also a fan because they’re doing business a bit differently, prioritizing hiring employees locally from the surrounding community, offering staff purposeful profit-sharing and ownership opportunities and more to empower their team with an active, long-term role in the business. So check it out! Walk-ins are always welcome, reservations are encouraged via OpenTable as this special is limited.
Sounds like the perfect way to kickstart Modnay!