Monkey Thief opens in Hell’s Kitchen
Partners Avi Singh, Rishi Rajpal, and David Muhs, who are behind Sama Street in Brooklyn, have created a second bar in Hell’s Kitchen.
The bar is inspired by the trio’s upbringings and travels throughout Asia, with cocktails and small plates inspired by the flavours of China, Vietnam, Thailand, India and more.
The site has 60 seats and features expansive windows and plenty of greenery, complemented by copper adornments and a bright purple neon sign. The bar is anchored by a custom painting of a macaque monkey by artist Eileen Coyne.
The cocktail menu has been created by head bartender Muhs, with signature drinks including 7 Long Years, which is a best-seller at Sama Street and riffs on a Spicy Margarita, made with sesame oil, Tequila, green chilli, pineapple and lime.
The Major Tom reimagines Tom Kha soup in cocktail form, with gin, shochu, lemongrass, ginger, chilli, coconut cream, cherry tomato and fish sauce, while the Holy Trini-tini is inspired by the ‘holy trinity’ of Chinese cooking, blending roasted garlic and spring onion gin with ginger vermouth, garnished with pickled ginger and spring onion.
Meanwhile, the Duck Hunter features white rum, salted plum, Aperol, apricot, and ginger, and the Kulfi Flip is a take on the frozen Indian dessert, made with Cognac, Montenegro amaro, pistachio, rose, cardamom, egg, and cream. The Lychee, No Lychee is a Lychee Martini-inspired cocktail made with vodka, white rum, shochu, jasmine and grapefruit.
Monkey Thief also offers cocktails on tap, including Keepin’ it Kosho, a carbonated Gin Highball featuring MSG, tomato water and yuzu kosho, and the Nitro Espresso Martini, made with vodka, yuzu, cold brew, and Sherry.
Non-alcoholic options include Buckwheat Bubbly, made with buckwheat tea, lychee, tomato water and verjus,and Barely Sunkissed, with orange cordial, Japanese soft drink Calpico, and vanilla.
Drinks will be accompanied by corn nuts with housemade zaab seasoning, while other snacks include beef tartare with a quail egg; fries with chaat masala and hot and sweet sauce; and calamari with togarashi. Larger plates include skewers, dumplings and fried chicken.
This week, as well as Monkey Thief, New York will welcome a third Dear Irving site.
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