NEW RIDGEWOOD BAR ENTICES CUSTOMERS 4 The Courier sun • december 18, 2014 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com WITH BELGIAN BEER SELECTION BY SALVATORE LICATA [email protected]/@Sal_Licata1 Ridgewood just got a little more Belgian. The Monk bar, located at 68-67 Fresh Pond Rd., opened on Dec. 6, and owner Joe Figliolia is looking to expand the tastes of customers who may not be familiar with the uncommon names and styles of beers and ales they serve. “Ever since I tried my first Belgian beer, I fell in love,” said Figliolia. “They aren’t the types you chug. It’s more like a fine wine you sip and enjoy.” The bar had eight varieties on tap and over 25 types of bottled beers. Figliolia and co-owner Dan Berkery handpicked each beer themselves based on which brand they think tastes best for whichever style it is representing. Moreover, The Monk has designated each of their eight taps to a different style of beer. Berkery said the names on the taps will change from time to time but that he wants his patrons to have a chance to always have their favorite style of beer on draft. “Sometimes you walk into a regular bar and they have three of four of the same style of beer on tap,” said Berkery. “We wanted to make sure we had a mix here so everyone can enjoy their beer freshly tapped.” Figliolia and Berkery chose to go with strictly Belgian types of beer because they feel it is the best type out there. They said the Trappist monks were known for making the best beer and that each is made with natural yeast, not cultivated, and Belgium-grown hops. They’ve only been open for about two weeks now, but are already impressed with the knowledge of beers many of their customers have. “A lot of people really know what they’re talking about over here,” said Figliolia. “I tell customers about beers and some of them teach me a thing or two.” Figliolia lived in Ridgewood in the 1980s, and he and Berkery were childhood friends. He reminisced on the solid neighborhood Ridgewood was when he was growing up there and said it has only gotten better since. He talked about how the new, younger crowd coming in, mixed with the older generation, makes the neighborhood diverse and welcoming. From left: Co-owners of The Monk, Dan Berkery and Joe Figliolia. THE COURIER/Photo by Salvatore Licata He wants his bar to have the same feel. There is no TV, just background music so that people who come in can have conversations and get to know one another. “I want this bar to be a welcoming place for all who come in,” Figliolia said. “People can try new beers and have some fun while doing so.” ONDERDONK & SONS, THE CORNER BAR IN RIDGEWOOD WITH A FEW MEANINGS BY SALVATORE LICATA [email protected] @Sal_Licata1 At first glance, a bar named Onderdonk & Sons is fitting for an establishment that opened up on Onderdonk Avenue in Ridgewood. But the bar’s name doesn’t just refer to its location. Brian Taylor opened the bar, located at 566 Onderdonk Ave., the weekend after Thanksgiving. Before finding his corner, Taylor was working full time searching through Ridgewood for the perfect location. What he found was more than a location on an oddly named street. He stumbled onto a lost story that seemed even more fitting for a tavern’s name. In his research, Taylor came across a Bishop Onderdonk who was an evangelical minister in the 19th century. Taylor found out that Onderdonk was the subject of a scandal involving relationships with several women and was suspended from his duties as a bishop. Taylor found the story fascinating and went ahead to name his new bar after Onderdonk — the man, not the street. He also admitted that the name does have a cool sound to it, which made him like it even more. “I always liked history, and the word Onderdonk and its historical nature just made it an easy pick,” said Taylor. The new spot is described by Taylor as just a regular neighborhood bar. Before he opened, Taylor was expecting to have a full spirits license to serve a wide variety of drinks and liquor. But that request was denied in favor of a license limited to beer and wine. The bar also does not have a sign outside indicating the name of the establishment. Taylor said he wants to keep it that way to kind of stay off the radar, which he later jokingly admitted is a view that would lead a business to its own demise. But that did not stop him from a hot start once he opened. Taylor said the crowds have been larger than expected for only recently opening his doors. He didn’t even throw a grand opening party. He offers a wide variety of beers and wine and will soon be adding burgers and a brunch menu. Taylor, being a man who likes history, has filled the bar with touches of the past. The floor throughout the bar is largely the original wood that he discovered after ripping up five layers of old flooring. He has a juke box playing mostly country music and the blues, a refrigerator behind the bar dates to the 1930s, there’s a vintage telephone booth in a corner, and an old mirror is set up above the bar. He and his wife and business partner Louise Favier live in Manhattan, but they felt a calling about opening a bar in Ridgewood. He described Ridgewood as a “solid neighborhood” and wanted to provide its residents with a place to go 365 days a year. He admires the tight-knit nature of the community. But he gets a laugh out of so many people who come into the bar and say they lived around the corner — if they all actually did, there would be a massive high rise there instead of historical attached houses. “We’re just a bar,” said Taylor. “I’ve been thrilled with the start and hope we will continue to grow organically.” THE COURIER/Photo by Salvatore Licata
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