3 Monkeys Bar & Grill
By Dana Craig
Richmond Times-Dispatch
05/26/2005
I've never seen it, but I have a strong suspicion that there's a handbook on how to create a lucrative casual dining spot in the Fan. Chapter titles probably include Burgers and Baked Spaghetti: A Menu for Success, How to Use Dark Wood to Your Advantage and Pabst Equals Patrons.
These are the qualities that make many Fan joints so comfortable, so welcoming and so . . . the same. Don't get me wrong. I love washing down a club sandwich with a frosty pint of Legend. Those signature big wooden booths and smoky, dimly lit interiors are what keep me coming back.
I inevitably find myself ready to scream if I have to eat one more boring Caesar salad, but I don't want to break the bank at a pricier establishment just for more options.
I can now thank Johnny and Katrina Giavos (owners of Stella's and Sidewalk Café) and their partner, George Tsipas of Paul's Deli Restaurant in Williamsburg, for filling the void with 3 Monkeys Bar & Grill, a corner café with a big-city feel and a menu to match.
Open since November, 3 Monkeys maintains some "handbook" elements (cozy booths, black tin ceiling), but it adds hip avocado-green and golden-yellow walls, bold posters, touches of neon and a colorful menu with Mediterranean, Italian and Asian influences . . . all within the price range of its neighboring competitors.
During our Thursday dinner visit, the all-weather outdoor patio and weekday happy hour (4-7 p.m.) attracted a late-20s-and-older crowd: men in suits smoking, ladies sipping pink martinis and guys in shorts who appeared to have just woken up.
A small wine list ($5-$5.50 a glass; $18-$29 a bottle) and draft and bottled beers are available, but the specialty martinis ($7-$8) are a fun place to start. My Hear No Evil martini (Absolut Citron, melon liqueur, Triple Sec and lemon) had a cute plastic monkey hanging from the rim.
The eclectic menu and huge portions are what make 3 Monkeys stand out. Besides fries and onion rings (each $3), appetizers include saganaki flambé ($6) and clams and mussels in lemongrass broth ($7). Specialty pizzas baked on homemade dough ($7-$10) and sandwiches, such as the Monkey Burger ($7) with gorgonzola, avocado and bacon, take bar food to the next level.
Entrees feature shrimp and scallops in three-cheese macaroni ($15), grilled mahi topped with avocado, pineapple and cilantro salsa ($15) and nightly specials, such as pork osso bucco with porte fig demi-glace ($19). All are served with homemade flatbread and a big house salad.
We started with falafel sliders ($5) and grilled garlic shrimp on toasted corn muffins ($7). Tucked in soft pitas and topped with tahini, three fried chickpea patties had a wonderful cayenne-cumin kick and came with a pile of shoestring fries. The combination of sweet corn muffins and rich, garlic butter sauce was a delicious canvas for four tender shrimp.
For entrees, our party of five decided to try a little of everything. Grace's Asian grilled chicken salad ($8) was a delicious mix of slivered almonds, mandarin oranges, rice noodles and a spicy dressing made from Vietnamese nuoc cham (fish sauce, red chiles, ginger and garlic).
Plenty for a leftover lunch, Jon's grilled chicken Caesar sandwich ($7) was a tasty twist on the classic salad. (Extra points to the waitstaff for conveniently labeling and dating the to-go boxes.)
A thick layer of mozzarella and homemade deep-dish crust were the base for Eric's feta, spinach, onion and tomato pizza ($8). The mix of cheeses and toppings was luscious, but the 2-inch-thick crust was overwhelming.
Generously coated in Gorgonzola butter, Meghan's New York strip steak ($17) was savory and pungent. Garlic mashed potatoes and a seasoned vegetable medley came on the side.
My rockfish Mediterranean special ($19) was baked with feta, black olives, artichokes, spinach and langostinos (baby saltwater crawfish) and covered in a zesty roasted red pepper cream sauce. The same potatoes and veggies accompanied my fish. The toppings were wonderfully sharp, but their intensity, along with the highly flavored sides, overpowered the usually full-flavored fish.
I never pass on dessert, so we split a chocolate brownie sundae ($6). The night's other choices included a molasses chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich and New York cheesecake (both $5). Good but standard, the warm brownie turned four scoops of vanilla ice cream and chocolate, caramel and vanilla sauces into an enjoyably sweet soup.
The trendy atmosphere was fun and unique, but it also provided a few drawbacks. The music was so loud we had to resort to sign language to communicate. Seated between the door and the crowded bar, we spent most of the meal enveloped by a sea of chinos. Kudos to our skilled waitress for remaining unfazed.
The modern vibe and diverse menu successfully step outside the how-to handbook of casual corner cafés. But if the traditional Fan formula is more your style, take a few steps down the block. I'm sure the Giavoses wouldn't mind . . . as long as Sidewalk Café is your intended destination.