Indian restaurants haven’t traditionally been thought of as places to have a cocktail and linger at the bar but Andrew Abraham, owner of Mona, which opens May 9 in New Rochelle, hopes to change that.
A true son of the city — he grew up here and stayed for college (shout out to Monroe University) — he spent his childhood in Indian kitchens (his parents are the founders of Shirley’s, the takeout spot next door he now owns). He also ate the food of New Rochelle. Which is why Mona, his new 50-seat space, is Indian-forward, but with a variety of the fusions he grew up with.
The “modern Indian” menu, he said, “is basically how I grew up trying different cuisines and blending it with my parents’ food.” (His mom, for the record, is Shirley.)
It’s also Kerala-forward, based on the southern Indian state his family is from. Mona, in fact, means son in his native language of Malayalam. “It’s the son’s iteration of Shirley’s,” he said as well as a nod to both restaurants being a family affair. Shirley’s still does a brisk business but this new spot, with its industrial vibe, sophisticated cocktail program and outdoor beer garden, set to open later in September, is his version of the next-gen family business (his parents retired in 2020).
“Everyone knows Shirley’s and knows how we elevated the takeout experience there,” he said. “I want people to come to Mona and enjoy our dining experience.”
Mixing tradition with fusion at Mona in New Rochelle
Appetizers and entrees designed for sharing are the primary focus of Mona with dishes like Drunken Goan mussels, Shrimp Moilee, Butter Chicken, baby potato korma, samosas, empanadas, wings, lamb chops, Paneer curry, and beef fry. There are also a few Shirley’s favorites like Kerala fried chicken sliders with chaat tots and Street Masala Dosa (crispy fermented rice-lentil crepe filled with spiced potato masala, served with coconut chutney and sambar)
Abraham is staying true to Kerala traditions which means direct to heat cooking, lots of spice and less creams than you’d find at Northern Indian restaurants. There’s also beef (because they’re Catholics) and the use of coconut milk in sauces.
Because there’s no traditional Kerala cuisine — “It’s always adapting,” he said, with Indian food taking on the cultures it’s been around — there’s room for modern interpretations. Which is where the cocktails come in.
“That’s why the bar is 30% of the space,” stressed Abraham. “We want people to hang out.”
To elevate Mona’s mixology program, he turned to Julio Enriquez, a seasoned cocktail professional and founder of Feel Good Booch. A former bar manager at Blue Hill at Stone Barns who has consulted on numerous beverage programs across Westchester and Fairfield County, Enriquez developed a lineup of libations designed to complement the food’s spice profiles.
Among the options: a lychee martini using vodka infused with bay leaf, a mango lassi rum punch, created because Enriquez loves Mona’s mango lassi, an old fashioned that incorporates cumin and clove, and a Kerala Mango Pickle aperitivo with Hayman’s gin, Dolin Blanc and saffron liqueur that’s finished with orange bitters and a hint of mango pickle.
Another standout — exclusive to Mona — is a Golden Mango Shandy, with bourbon, lemon and turmeric honey, made with Maanga cardamom pilsner, a beer created specifically for Abraham at New Rochelle’s 18th Ward Brewery. (Look close and you can see his likeness on the can holding cardamom and a beer). The mango forward beer, with accents of cardamom, recently won first place in the experimental category by the New York State Craft Beer Competition and is sold in cans to-go from Mona’s.
Enriquez also created a cocktail made from kallu, a fermented coconut wine traditional to Kerala. The Toddy Bay Colada uses the wine as a base spirit along with a blend of rums, pineapple and ube. It’s also sold on its own from CocoKallu, a Bronx-based company (less than a year old) that’s all about the time-honored wild fermentation process passed down through generations.
Mona’s mod décor is designed for lingering
As much thought that went into the cocktails and food also went into the space, which Abraham has been working on for the last two years. The building, which his dad bought in 2015, was originally used for Shirley’s catering but when the pandemic happened, it sat vacant. It also, said Abraham, looked a bit like an office.
“COVID changed a lot,” said Abraham, who at the time was working as the director of nightlife at Monarch Rooftop in Manhattan. That’s when he decided to rejoin the family business and embark on what would be a years-long project transforming the space. The result is an open plan minimalist vibe with exposed structural elements like a wood drop-down ceiling side by side with a finished white one, dark mauve and hunter green walls (meant to separate the dining area from the cocktail area), purple banquettes and a 12-seat bar that anchors the back part of the room.
A mural — coincidentally created by a New Rochelle artist named Mona (full name Mona Balgobin) — further divides the two sides of the room with a light and dark duality highlighting an Indian warrior from ancient times. Signage by the mural explains that it was created using mixed media and was “crafted with intention and love.”
Cheers to a beer garden to come
As both a second-generation restaurateur and steward of a second-generation space, Abraham has more in store to meet the expectations of today’s diners. A large beer garden will open in Mona’s backyard later this September along with a parked food truck called Tikka Trompo. The truck, which will remain stationary, will serve sliced, spit-grilled meat stacked on a vertical spit, similar to the gyros and tacos of the Middle East and Mexico but with Indian flair.
“It’s our street meat version, in tacos,” said Abraham.
The area, once a vacant lot, now includes a garden where Abraham grows cucumbers, serrano peppers and mint — key ingredients used in both the kitchen and the bar. And to come: an outdoor bar where Enriquez’s cocktails, among other drinks, will be served.
Once complete, it will be its own separate destination, said Abraham, as well as a natural place to send guests after dinner.
If you go
Address: 15 Leroy Place, New Rochelle, 518-253-9180, monanewro.com.
Hours: 4:30 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights; for Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hours are subject to change and may eventually expand to lunch.
Good to know: You can buy cans of 18th Ward’s Maanga Mango pilsner direct at Mona. There’s also a private party space for up to 25 which, when not used for events, will be a podcast area where Abraham will showcase how to make specific dishes.
Parking: At the municipal lot across the street; there’s also valet parking at two of the nearby buildings.
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Jeanne Muchnick covers food and dining. Click here for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram @jeannemuchnick or via the lohudfood newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Second generation Westchester restaurateur gears up for his first spot
Reporting by Jeanne Muchnick, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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