My friend Deb grew up in Northeast Philadelphia and introduced me to a lovely little cafe called "Three Monkeys". This restaurant is a contradiction in cuisine styles and tastes. The cafe is set up in three sections. You can enjoy fine dining in the elegant Ridson Ferry dining room, featuring candle-lit tables with a Victorian era setting. The bar area features a turn of the century hand-carved bar. You can order from their selection of microbrews or appropriately named drinks such as a "monkeytini" or "horny monkey ale". But my favorite area of Three Monkeys is Monkey Court. This outside patio area is just what you need to relax, unwind, and enjoy being outside of a cubicle, four walls, and air conditioning. Monkey Court is like a taste of Key West, with twinkle lights in the trees and signs hanging on the fences. Enjoy sitting under an umbrella at one of their tables or converse and watch the latest game around the Tree Bar.
Monkey Court offers typical pub grub such as burgers, sandwiches, and salads but you can also get their regular lunch and dinner options like wasabi crabcakes or calamonkey. I lunch their often with my friends Deb and Sharon. We have tried different selections from their menu, but we seem to go back to our favorites; Deb and I get the french dip and Sharon gets the salmon salad. The french dip consists of thinly sliced roast beef with melted provolone cheese on a croissant. The sandwich comes with a bowl of au jus for dipping and a side of either fries or side salad. The sandwich is delicious and I'm always happy if au jus is dripping down my fingers (I enjoy being a sloppy eater)! Serving the french dip on a croissant, rather than a roll, makes this classic lighter and less filling. Sharon seems to enjoy the salmon salad and rarely leaves any to take home. The salad is mixed greens with a house-made vinaigrette. There is a nice big piece of grilled salmon on top. Sharon breaks it up and mixes it in so she gets salmon in every bite. The food is standard bar food, but it is always tasty, fresh, and served hot.
One of the things I love about having sandwiches and salads is that there is usually room for dessert. Three Monkeys offers some wonderful goodies; we usually get three desserts and share. They offer a variety of desserts of the day, but always have Monkey Bread. This gooey cinnamon pull-apart cake is wonderful! I'm always hoping that one of the desserts of the day is something chocolate. Since both Deb and Sharon are chocolate-lovers (and I'm not), they will concentrate on that dessert and leave me more Monkey Bread!
Three Monkeys Cafe
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| Three Monkeys is also opened for Breakfast and offers Weekend Brunch Specials |
Philadelphia, PA 19113
215-637-6665
www.3monkeyscafe.com
1 comment:
I've eaten at this location and the food and ambiance are fantastic. The salmon salad is delicious and it's totally understandable why Sharon would finish it all. Besides, the omega fat is great for your health! Maybe one day Diane and I will run in to each other.
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