The Brass Monkey Introduces New Food Items October 18, 2006 55 Little West 12 th street Written by Shareshten Senior Photographed by Linus Gelber

Forget making your own traditional Hot Totties this holiday season and spice things up with the Brass Monkey’s new toast-worthy drink menu. The Monkey has created an inventive drink menu (thanks to their staff of cute Irish bartenders) for whiskey lovers and tea totalers alike. And the Monkey has also revamped their food menu with new items that are tempting enough to satisfy even the snooty judges on Bravo’s “Top Chef.”

Try the “Whiskey Infused with Cinnamon and Cranberries.” It has a warm cinnamon flavor and cranberry garnish. “The Port, Grand Marnier and Honey” was my favorite. Sweet port is actually quite nice when served hot; who knew?

Perhaps you need an after dinner pick-me-up in which case the “Carrot Cake Coffee” can subdue sleepiness. It’s a perfect mixture of Khalua, Baileys Irish Cream, Goldschlager, coffee and cream. Another favorite is the “Chocolate Cake Coffee” containing Absolut Citron Vodka, Frangelico, coffee and cream.

For those who love whiskey and want the pungent taste, there is “Whiskey Infused with Orange and Cloves.” The cloves are imbedded in the orange peel (a warm, unique garnish) and served with Powers Irish Whiskey.

The food menu is extensive and well balanced ranging from traditional Irish dishes to American favorites. The Fish ‘n Chips are a new addition. They are served traditional European style. The flounder has the light crispy taste that has made Fish ‘n Chips so popular abroad. The batter on the fish is light, flaky and virtually tasteless so the flavor of the flounder is not overwhelmed. The mussels are not new, but an all time house favorite. They are deliciously served in a tomato and poblano sauce with garlic aioli and French fries on the side. Brass Monkey’s BBQ Ribs are savory and sweet, served in a homemade bourbon sauce with sides of mashed potatoes and baked beans. The Beef and Guinness Pie and the Shepherd’s pie are classics, too good to pass up. And for their vegetarian customers, the Monkey has introduced a new veggie burger.

For traditional Irish taste, try the Bangers and Mash and the Full Irish Breakfast! The Bangers and Mash consists of authentic Irish farmhouse sausages served with creamy potatoes and topped with onion gravy. The Full Irish Breakfast is a taste of everything with Irish sausages, bacon, black and white pudding, fried eggs, beans and toast. And this breakfast is served all day.

The menu prices range from $5 to $14, making a full plate of food in Manhattan affordable.

Joe Carbonetti and Sean Cunningham opened Brass Monkey two years ago last June and they have worked diligently to create fun seasonal drink and food menus. They created their new drink menu with the help of some of their Irish bartenders who said things like, “my father used to drink this…” The Monkey features twenty draft beers, sixty bottled beers, and nineteen scotch/whiskeys. It is the perfect place to enjoy a good dinner and have a few winter drinks. Cheers!