For years, Monday was the night I ALWAYS ate out because it was my night off, like all my wine retail and hospitality friends. I really enjoyed it. Where I live now in Porto, one of the best wine bars here - Prova - actually opens an hour later on Monday to accommodate all the wine trade that want to drink on Mondays. The owner tells me it's often the busiest day of his week.
I love going out for food in the week - it feels like a really sneaky treat!
though eating out last monday on the way to the ferry in Caen was nigh on impossible! and then lucked out with a really funky tiny Vietnamese restaurant so a double win , a monday and a great dinner!
We open Casa Lucia on a Monday in our little Italian hilltop town, we often get staff from other bars and restaurants as they are closed and in the summer months, we have a good takeaway pizza trade for the local campsite and people who don't want to be faffed with cooking....
So I don't get a chance to be anywhere else, but it's often a busy night for us.
Fiona, many thanks for yet another interesting piece. I can perfectly understand why restaurants, pubs etc close on Mondays and Tuesdays, but that does not help those who have a birthday, anniversary etc on those days / evenings. It loses the 'special' feel if you have to celebrate earlier or later for many. Hopefully the trend will soon be reversed to the benefit of us all,
We take the campervan out often on Thursday's and head back Tuesday to avoid the weekend traffic jams, but trying to find somewhere to eat post Sunday lunch till Tuesday or even Wednesday is often a task.
Just retired from running a pub and we didn't do food on Monday and Tuesday as early as 10 years ago, the maths didn't add up for where we were in a small village, the most we would do is 4 meals a night early week and the maths meant we would have worked at a loss. It sounds crazy, but actually we got busier the rest of the week and as the tables were concentrated on those days, it created a better atmosphere, rather than fewer tables dragged out over 7 days. The downside is that on my day off on Mondays, everywhere was shut, oh the irony! Towards the end I did wonder if I should have reopened just to provide somewhere for hospitality workers to visit on their day off. It comes to something when you start being grateful for McDonalds and Domino Pizza on your day off because every where else is closed.
On the point of eating at quiet times, we always book the quiet time slots, because we know how hectic the kitchen is at 7.30pm! The waiting staff have more time for you as well, rather than rushed off their feet. : )
I'm with you on dining out away from the weekend. As a singleton I also feel more comfortable dining at lunchtime too. Don't stand out as much as one of the 'sad guys'. Did you catch Jay Rayners short piece over the weekend on dining alone? As always a layer of humour makes the point. I've not come across the practice of some restaurants charging a single diner for two people although I do know of restaurants that won't take bookings for people dining alone. Anyway, I've just booked lunch for myself next Monday lunchtime at Panis my favourite Italian restaurant in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
definitely up for eating out on days other than Saturday. Only issue I have with Mondays which I know from having and running a restaurant (well my husband did so that sort of counts) is that supplies of fresh produce can be a bit thin - no fresh fish for example as the fishing folks are off for the weekend. Well they are in France anyway. so in the same way I am not a fan of Sunday brunches as am sure it's all scrambled leftovers from the friday/saturday servings..... But definitely love Tuesdays and thursdays to eat out as I reckon that's when deliveries - not always though - happen, the menus are fresh, and the chef is likely to be in less of a stramash in the kitchen. Thats just my take on it though, maybe others have different experiences ! a bientot Anne (not signing off with an x any more as Elon has bagged it...)
And another local Bristol restaurant, the excellent Noah’s had announced its opening Mondays too. Maybe this is more about economic necessity or taking advantage of people who are on a staycation
For years, Monday was the night I ALWAYS ate out because it was my night off, like all my wine retail and hospitality friends. I really enjoyed it. Where I live now in Porto, one of the best wine bars here - Prova - actually opens an hour later on Monday to accommodate all the wine trade that want to drink on Mondays. The owner tells me it's often the busiest day of his week.
I love going out for food in the week - it feels like a really sneaky treat!
though eating out last monday on the way to the ferry in Caen was nigh on impossible! and then lucked out with a really funky tiny Vietnamese restaurant so a double win , a monday and a great dinner!
We open Casa Lucia on a Monday in our little Italian hilltop town, we often get staff from other bars and restaurants as they are closed and in the summer months, we have a good takeaway pizza trade for the local campsite and people who don't want to be faffed with cooking....
So I don't get a chance to be anywhere else, but it's often a busy night for us.
Fiona, many thanks for yet another interesting piece. I can perfectly understand why restaurants, pubs etc close on Mondays and Tuesdays, but that does not help those who have a birthday, anniversary etc on those days / evenings. It loses the 'special' feel if you have to celebrate earlier or later for many. Hopefully the trend will soon be reversed to the benefit of us all,
We take the campervan out often on Thursday's and head back Tuesday to avoid the weekend traffic jams, but trying to find somewhere to eat post Sunday lunch till Tuesday or even Wednesday is often a task.
Just retired from running a pub and we didn't do food on Monday and Tuesday as early as 10 years ago, the maths didn't add up for where we were in a small village, the most we would do is 4 meals a night early week and the maths meant we would have worked at a loss. It sounds crazy, but actually we got busier the rest of the week and as the tables were concentrated on those days, it created a better atmosphere, rather than fewer tables dragged out over 7 days. The downside is that on my day off on Mondays, everywhere was shut, oh the irony! Towards the end I did wonder if I should have reopened just to provide somewhere for hospitality workers to visit on their day off. It comes to something when you start being grateful for McDonalds and Domino Pizza on your day off because every where else is closed.
On the point of eating at quiet times, we always book the quiet time slots, because we know how hectic the kitchen is at 7.30pm! The waiting staff have more time for you as well, rather than rushed off their feet. : )
Still sticking with Twitter..
We don't generally eat out during the week as there are little ones in the family who go to bed early.
Please could you use a colour other than orange in your newsletters, as it's not easy to read for those who cant see very well.
Thanks for an enjoyable newsletter.
We've (almost) stopped going out at the weekend, choosing to cook something luxurious at home instead (with all the time we have to prep).
A good steak, some nice shellfish (or both) and a nice bottle of vino (two nights in a row is no burden, and very reasonable).
Love going out during the week (nice pub suppers or an Asian fix), and restaurants not bulging.
Maybe we're just getting older. LOL.
Pete.x
Agree not keen on X
I often want to eat out on Mondays, having cooked over the weekend but then I often want to eat out as I love every thing about restaurants!
I'm with you on dining out away from the weekend. As a singleton I also feel more comfortable dining at lunchtime too. Don't stand out as much as one of the 'sad guys'. Did you catch Jay Rayners short piece over the weekend on dining alone? As always a layer of humour makes the point. I've not come across the practice of some restaurants charging a single diner for two people although I do know of restaurants that won't take bookings for people dining alone. Anyway, I've just booked lunch for myself next Monday lunchtime at Panis my favourite Italian restaurant in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
definitely up for eating out on days other than Saturday. Only issue I have with Mondays which I know from having and running a restaurant (well my husband did so that sort of counts) is that supplies of fresh produce can be a bit thin - no fresh fish for example as the fishing folks are off for the weekend. Well they are in France anyway. so in the same way I am not a fan of Sunday brunches as am sure it's all scrambled leftovers from the friday/saturday servings..... But definitely love Tuesdays and thursdays to eat out as I reckon that's when deliveries - not always though - happen, the menus are fresh, and the chef is likely to be in less of a stramash in the kitchen. Thats just my take on it though, maybe others have different experiences ! a bientot Anne (not signing off with an x any more as Elon has bagged it...)
And another local Bristol restaurant, the excellent Noah’s had announced its opening Mondays too. Maybe this is more about economic necessity or taking advantage of people who are on a staycation