Audio By Carbonatix
Ever worked at a restaurant? It’s kind of the worst. Terrible hours. Crazy customers. Second-degree burns all over your hands and forearms.
The restaurant industry doesn’t play around.
So Danny Serfer wants to help, and that’s why he’s officially kicked off a late-night menu and extended weekend hours for Miami’s industry folk.
Think of it as the new late-night hangout with a special menu, a care-free vibe, and “jhorts.”
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“When I go home at night, I always say to myself: ‘I wish there was a place like Blue Collar open now,'” the modest chef/owner says. “But it turns out I own Blue Collar and I could make that happen.”
Hot damn, chef. Nothin’ like an epiphany to brighten up the nights of hundreds of overworked industry people.
On Fridays and Saturdays, BC’s hours will be extended, and late-night will run from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.
We know, we’re excited to see the hot dates rolling in and out of nearby motels that late on the weekends too.
But if the people-watching isn’t alluring enough, perhaps the fried chicken ($15), jambalaya ($15), oysters ($3 each), and fried smoked Gouda ($9) will.
Those items will be offered exclusively on late nights, in addition to a select few regular menu items, including shrimp ‘n’ grits, burgers, and the daily braise.
Late-night eats aside, Serfer hopes the menu and extended hours will draw as many regular patrons as it will industry peeps. “We are really trying to have this be a lot more casual and fun,” Serfer says, clearly unaware of how casual and fun his place is already. It’ll “sort of just be like hanging out with each other in my kitchen.”
Serfer says he wants the ambiance to be so laid-back that guests can feel free to “hang out in the kitchen with the staff, at the counter, or just walk around.” So don’t be surprised if you stroll in one night to a heated game of behind-the-line Twister and tables and chairs moved to the side for intense arm-wrestling. OK, that’s a joke, but we can dream.
To go along with the relaxed feel, “jhorts” (jean shorts) will be incorporated into the staff’s uniforms. Serfer has gradually begun adding them to the dress code during the day, and we can vouch from personal observation that they look just as awkward as they sound. But that’s the best part.
There will be an occasional jhort-cutting ceremony similar to the one that took place over the late-night’s soft opening last week.
Industry people will enjoy 10 percent off their check and two-for-one Narragansett.
Serfer says he’s considering calling the new hang-out time “BC After Dark,” but we’re partial to “Overtime.” Got better ideas? Let him know in person when you visit Blue Collar this weekend.
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