Monday Flavor

ELE TRAN of Ele and the Chef enjoys the food and service at FARM Bluffton on industry Mondays.

The most maligned day of the week o ers chefs and restaurateurs a chance to dine out

Written by FEIFEI SUN

MONDAY TYPICALLY MARKS the return to work, but for Savannah’s beloved service industry, it’s typically a well-deserved day off. With many of the city’s best restaurants closed at the start of the week, dining out can prove a trickier task for chefs and restaurateurs alike. We asked five of them to share their go-to Monday spots (and their triedand-true orders, too).

ABOVE: Ele Tran’s go-to order? The Lady’s Island oysters. BELOW: Cocktails from Rancho Alegre Cuban Restaurant

ABOVE: Chef Nick Wilber spills: Bella Napoli offers half-price wine for food-and-beverage industry workers. BELOW: The carne asada plate at Rancho Alegre Cuban Restaurant Bull Street Taco’s shishito and steak tostada

KAY HERITAGE, owner, Big Bon Bodega “I love Bull Street Taco (1608 Bull St.) because their great owners, Jon and Sharon [Massey], truly care about their guests — and it shows in their products. The fried caulifl ower is one of my favorites. You have the crunchy texture of caulifl ower with a hint of spice. And their street corn? What do they even put on those things! Crunchy corn smothered in basil cream and Cotija cheese — such a fun and delicious way to eat corn on the cob. I usually get their house margarita to sip in between bites.”

KYLE JACOVINO, chef, Pizzeria Vittoria “When my lady and I go out, we like to hit up Husk (12 W. Oglethorpe Ave.) for Monday night dinner. We love to get the heritage pork and charcuterie, but other than that, we let Executive Chef Chris Hathcock send whatever else he wants. Everything is locally sourced and executed in such a smart way. Our go-to casual meal is at

Amigos Latin Taqueria (12333 Largo Drive) — you can’t go wrong with the al pastor and carnitas tacos.”

MAJO LAPREA

RODRÍGUEZ, chef, Troupial “I always visit

Rancho Alegre Cuban

Restaurant (402 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.) on Mondays. I love the Pineapple Filled with Seafood entrée, coff ee and the Banana Dream dessert, a deep-fried pastry roll made with sweet plantains, cinnamon and queso fresco. Otherwise, you can fi nd me at Savoy Society (102 E. Liberty St.) after 4 p.m. I love the cocktails and the vegan hot dog — so tasty!”

NICK WILBER, chef, The Fat Radish “Bella Napoli Italian Bistro (18 E. State St.) is my go-to spot for spoiling myself with good, Jersey Italian pastas and half-off wine for industry people. For an ace hole-in-the-wall spot, it would have to be Panaderia La Canasta (1545 E. Montgomery Cross Road), a fantastic Mexican bakery in a strip mall next to a vacuum store, with a lowrider out front. The tacos and sopes are amazing, and if you’re lucky, they may have some menudo [soup] left over from Sunday. What more could you ask for?”

ELE TRAN, restaurateur, Ele and the Chef “As a restaurateur and mother, it’s a challenge to decide what’s for dinner after a long day of work. One of my favorite restaurants for industry Monday is FARM Bluffton (1301 May River Road, Bluff ton). The service is top notch, and the food gives a bold tribute to Coastal traditions. My favorite dishes are the Lady’s Island oysters and the shrimp pancake, cooked with broccoli, carrot and shitake mushroom.”