Monkey Bar - Blog

 

 Invited here to attend the pre-inaugural bloggers meet by communication 2.0 team. Like to thank here Shahbaaz Zaman for suggesting my name to them. 

So Monkey Swings to East. But who is this Monkey? Let's find out : Monkey Bar is India’s first gastropub brand owned by Olive Cafés South Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of Olive Bar and Kitchen Pvt. Ltd, one of India’s premier stand-alone restaurant brands. Olive Bar and Kitchen Pvt. Ltd., in partnership with award winning chef Manu Chandra and hospitality operations expert Chetan Rampal, set up the first Monkey Bar in Bangalore in April 2012. It subsequently opened in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi in 2013. Monkey Bar later opened its doors in Indiranagar, Bangalore and in Central Delhi-Connaught Place in 2014 and Mumbai in 2015. Entrepreneur Avantika Saraogi is the partner for Monkey Bar, Kolkata. In a short span of time, the brand has been recognized both nationally and globally as a unique F&B destination that is set to revolutionise the concept of dining out in India. Conde Nast International Gold Standard 2013 and Time Out London and Singapore listed the gastropub among the must visit places in the world; Times Food Guide awarded Monkey Bar, Bangalore, the Best Bar 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015; Time Out Food Awards 2014 awarded Monkey Bar the Trendiest Restaurant. Monkey Bar Delhi has also won the award for the Best Bar in Delhi at the Times Food & Nightlife Awards 2015 and 2016! Monkey Bar Bombay also won the award for the Best Cocktails in Bombay at the Times Food & Nightlife Awards, 2015. Having firmly established itself as a quality dining out destination in Bangalore (Indiranagar), and in Delhi (Vasant Kunj and Connaught Place), and Mumbai (Bandra), Monkey Bar opens its doors to the people of Kolkata in 2016. 

 Location : Monkey Swings to 6 Camac Street on the 9th floor of fort knox building. 

 Décor : Well Décor was purely retro and classic. Just like a Gestro Pub should be. On One side they have Bricks wall with menu frames written in cool style. On other side we have Glass wall from where we can see the City Of Joy and some of it's monuments like Victoria Memorial. There is something very beautiful about this glass wall. We cannot see only city of joy from here but also see the beautiful & ravishing Weather and Climate change of kolkata also. Sometimes there Sun rays which gives inspiration, sometimes there Cloudy & Rain which gives Romantic environment, sometimes there yellowish which gives friendship feel and in dark there is closeness. So that's really amazing to have your Drink and Snacks in that environment. One corner we have cool looking retro bar. Sitting was comfortable and cool looking. Lightning were ravishing and very amazing. One side of top there is a painting of classic Kolkata ambience. They also have rooftop open gardened smoking area. 

 Ambience : Ambience was more than amazing. we all the foodies spend fun loving time there. All the Staff, management and owners were very entertaining, fun loving guys and very friendly. We entered there as different groups but we need to sit separately as our drink named chit. this concept was really amazing. because of this we get the opportunity of meeting other food bloggers and also we spend more time in eating because we're not sitting with our old friends. We take part is quiz. shares our journey with other foodies. in short we spend a quality time. Hospitality was really impressive. they take care of us very well. Service was fine and Presentation was ravishing. The Glasses of Drinks and the Plates in which we served were pickup professionally. 

 Now let's move of to the thing for which we're Invited that is food tasting. Let's start with drinks first. On the Menu we have some refreshing cocktails to taste and from my special request they made me the mocktails version of that. So i tried the same drinks but without alcohol. Start with the reviews now and with reviews i'm also hinted you how the drinks tastes with alcohol too. - 

 * Mangaa - Mangaa was an traditional bengoli refreshment. It was adopted by Monkey Bar Kolkata for the people of Bengal. It was Simply an Aam panna drink made with Raw Mango and sweet lime with added some Cumin and salt. It has a tangyness of Kachha aam and lime. A tangy and little spicy Summer Cooler refreshment which is vodka based in cocktail giving more refreshment. served in classy bhaand shaped Ceramic pot.  

 * Copper Monkey - Copper Monkey was the Signature drink of monkey bar. Made with Orange juice and Passion fruit syrup with added some mint leaves and bitters. where a bitters is traditionally an alcoholic preparation flavored with botanical matter such that the end result is characterized by a bitter, sour, or bittersweet flavor. Mint leaves gives the refreshment and Oranges & Passion fruit gives little tangy and sweet flavour. This mocktail tastes really delicious and in Cocktail it was 100 Pipers Deluxe based which gives a amazing mixed taste of sweet, tangy and sour. as it's name it was served in Copper Jar. Garnished with orange slice.  

 * Mad Men - It was my Personal favorite drink from the menu. I loved the taste of this mocktail a lot. personally recommended. Mad Men is a drink which made with the unique combination of Coffee bean and Orange juice shrub tonic with hint of rosemary. delicious refreshment giving the amazing taste of coffee with some tangyness of orange shrub and refreshment of rosemary. In cocktail it was whiskey based which utmost the flavour. Served in ravishing cocktail long glass. Garnished with lemon cutout.  

 * Pack-a Punch - Pack-a Punch is also a signature drink of Monkey Bar. This drink deserve a title of Pure Cocktail. A sour and little tangy drink made with Apple juice and Thyme Shrub with added some cinnamon. In Cocktail version it was Rum and Brandy based but tastes was nearly same Sour and little tangy. Cocktail consumers enjoyed it more than the Mocktail consumers. served in pure medium beer glass. Garnished with Apple Slices and Thyme Leaves.  

 * Toast of Calcutta - This drink is made of the people of kolkata specially for bong people by Monkey Bar. Gondhoraj lemon based drink with a hint of lemon tasted just like Gondhoraj lemon sour and little tangy. In cocktail it was Beefeater Gin based where Beefeater is a brand of Gin and Gin is a spirit which derives its predominant flavour from juniper berries. Tastes really good Bong people gonna loved it. served in Oval shaped Glass. Garnished with Gondhoraj Lemon slice and Basil Leaf.  

 * Hipster Smash - The Mocktail version is Rooh Afza based with Cucumber and Elderflower Spritz and hint of Watermelon and mint juice. This tastes very refreshing and delicious. a perfect summer cooler. Cocktail version is Vodka Based with hint of Rooh Afza and other ingredients were same. Yes it was refreshing too but taste was not that good. Some mixture of sweetness and sourness doesn't go well this time. Served in Martini glass and garnished with rose petal.  

 That's it with the Drinks they all were very refreshing and delicious. Now let's move on the Food department. We have five Veg Dishes in total to taste which were reviewed below - 

 * Kerala Red Rice Salad - Red Rice Salad was an Traditional Kerala Dish. Kerala people way of cooking is totally different from North and East Indians. They Used Spices just for the aroma and North & East Indians use spices for Spicyness and taste. Red Rice Salad made with Red Rice which grown in Kerala and some other parts of south India with hint of Indian Spices just for the aroma and some Baby Spinach, raw mango, dry coconut, Peanuts and pomegranate seeds to make it more delicious and they garnished it with upmensinkai which is salted dry chilly all the way from Karnataka. It was simple looking heavenly delicious salad. Highly recommended a must try. personal favorite.  

 * Mac & Cheese Croquettes - Crispy and Crunchy heavenly delicious Croquettes made with Stuffed Broccoli & Peas in Cheesy dough with little tangyness & spicyness of salsa & Chilly Mayo. fried till golden brown and served with Chilly mayo. very tasty snack. recommended this too. personal favorite garnished with raw mango, onion & tomato slices and coriander leaves.  

 * Med Platter - This was an traditional mediterranean mezze platter which has number of delicious dishes combined together like : 

 # Veg Falafel - Falafel is a lebanese deep fried patties made from white chickpeas (Kabuli Chana) and fava beans. It was Crispy, Crunchy, little Spicy and very tasty. 

 # Spinach & Cheese Filo Parcels - Triangular shaped Filo sheet wrap stuffed with Spinach and Feta & Mozzarella Cheese with hint of spices and some olive oil baked it oven till crispy. very tasty and healthy snack. totally love it. 

 # Hummus - Hummus is a Levantine and Egyptian food dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas (Kabuli Chana) & some other beans, blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. It was very delicious in taste garnished with red jelly sauce on top. 

 # Smoked Baba Ganoush - Baba Ganoush is nothing but Baigan ka Bhartha which is made with grilled eggplant that's mashed and mixed with indian Spices, garlic & Ginger paste and some olive oil. taste was heavenly delicious. it's my all time personal favorite dish. garnished with pomegranate seeds, coriander leaves and Charcoal Smoke in a closed glass jar. 

 # Roasted Peppers blended in a way with indian spices that it's tastes like Aachar and some black & green olives with Labneh a was a type of yogurt which tastes little sour & salty and some Pita Breads (Naan/Kulcha). 

 They all tasted very delicious and presentation of the platter was ravishing.  

 * Smoked Beetroot & Beans Galouti - Mouth Melting heavenly delicious Galouti made from the amazing combination of Smoked Beetroot and red beans tasted amazingly delicious with base saffron coated mini taftan and on top garnished with sliced beetroot, coriander leaves and sprinkled chat masala. served with Mint & coriander chatni.  

 * Baked Brie - Out of the menu dish for vegetarians to taste. Brie is a soft cow's milk cheese. Baked brie in puff pastry takes "rich and luxurious" to a whole new level. very easy to make all you do is wrap a wheel of brie in a thawed sheet of puff pastry and bake until golden. It's taste heavenly delicious. crispy from outside and hot, melting and fully cheesy from inside. garnished with caramelised nuts and fruits on sides.

We done with the foods now. so let's quickly move to the last course of meal i.e. Desserts in which we have couple of delicious Desserts reviewed below - 

 * Gondhoraj Lime Tart - Dessert specially made for the people of bengol by Monkey Bar. A tart which looks like a pie made with Lebu (Lime fruit) Curd on centre with top torched meringue frosting and with a base of Pistachio cake with cookie crust and on sides lemon & mint gel and zest. taste was very delicious tangy, sweet and very little sour. garnished with sugar coated rose petals.  

 * The Snicker Bar - Here comes the dish which steals the show. nothing can better then that. The heavenly delicious and unique dessert which is loved by all. This Showstopper dessert made with Milk Chocolate Ganache on centre with a base of dark Chocolate micro cake and topped with hazelnut praline cream and salted caramel gel. garnished with thin dark chocolate on top and heavenly delicious hazelnut cappuccino Ice Cream on side.

That's it with the review folks. Before rapt the 

show i like to thank again Monkey Bar Management and Team Communication 2.0 for this wonderful delicious experience and also the staff and waiters for serving us that delicious cuisine. 

 I have a blasting experience here. Monkey Bar is a Must try place. I personally recommending you guys to must visit here and enjoy the time.