Monkey Barcredit Photo Credit: Frank Oudeman

Cuisine Evolutionary Chinese

Address 60 East 54th Street, NYC 10022
between Park and Madison

Telephone 212.838.2600 Fax 212.838.4595

Date Established June 2007

Owners The Glazier Group

Press Contact: http://whodoespr.com
Executive Chef Chris Cheung

Hours Lunch: Monday-Friday 12pm-2pm
Dinner: Monday-Saturday 5pm-11pm
Bar: Monday-Friday 12pm-1am; Saturday 5pm-1am; Sunday 5pm-10pm
Menu Dim Sum and Cold Dishes: $9-$18
Barbeque: $16-$23
Wok: $7-$28
Dessert: $9

Cocktail Program A unique selection of tea-infused beverages. Highlights include Lemon Howler (Mint Tea Vodka, Lemon, Ice Tea) and Simian Sling (Apple Cinnamon Infused Gin, Sweet and Sour)

The Space Designed by Stephanie Goto
Dining Room: 125 seats; Bar: 50 seats

Private Events Contact Cheryl Kahn Brocco at 212.608.7400

House Policies Dress is business casual, corkage fee, all major credit cards accepted, wheelchair accessible, reservations accepted

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Monkey Bar Goes Asian With The Arrival of Chef Chris Cheung

By Nancy Walman

Award-winning website, Punchin-dot-com, features the Walman Report and reviews of restaurants, travel, wine and theater. Peter, Penny, and Mathew Glazier of The Glazier Group have brought chef Chris Cheung to the Monkey Bar and with him, a new spin on the old standard.

Cheung worked in a number of New York’s top kitchens including Nobu and Jean-Georges, so his “Evolutionary Chinese Cuisine” showcases traditional dishes and flavors updated with a light touch and modern techniques and ingredients. Highlights include Mini Short Rib Spring Rolls with with Truffled Sriracha; Ho Fun Noodles, Short Ribs, House-Made Abalone in Oyster Sauce, and the “Leading Players” Sweet Barbeque

Glazed Black Cod, Shanghai Bok Choy (above) and Crispy Duck Breast with Lychee, Mandarin Oranges, Sriracha Hoisin. The cod is a three star dish and the duck is almost as good.

Creations like

Steamed Chinese Buns with a Liquid Foie Gras Filling (above), look and read great, but don’t quite work. A sip of one of Monkey Bar’s liquid refreshments, like Mint tea-infused vodka, Lemon, and Ice Tea (many of the libations are tea-based) and a look at the vibrant red mural with monkeys set in a landscape of shadowed trees will make you a happy camper, as will the marvelous take on “Giant Fortune Cookies” that end the meal.

Designed by Stephanie Goto, who previously lent her skills to the design teams behind New York City’s Morimoto and Buddakan, Monkey Bar’s interior was recently reenergized and modernized. Goto left the iconic murals and Parisian-cast monkey sconces in place and updated the space with luxurious materials that call to mind the boite’s glamorous heyday.

Photo credit: Frank Oudeman

Copyright 2008 by Punchin Intnl. All Rights Reserved

Dinner Menu

COLD
Fuji Apple Salad, Lemon-Ginger Vinaigrette
9.
Kaffir Lime Leaf Curried Chicken Salad
11.
Grilled Scallops, Oysters, Truffle Essence
18.
Yellow Fin Tuna Salad, Mango Dressing
17.
Salad of Baby Vegetables, Chili-Lime Dressing
9.

BARBEQUE

Sweet Chili Glazed Baby Back Ribs
16.
Char Sui Berkshire Roast Pork, Pineapple Jam,
19.
Sweet Barbeque Glazed Black Cod, Shanghai Bok Choy
23.
Sichuan Pepper Crusted Salmon, Meyer Lemon Marmalade
21.
Crispy Duck Breast, Lychee, Mandarin Oranges, Sriracha Hoisin
24.
Sweet and Sour Cashew Chicken, Moo Shu Wrap
21.
Mini Burgers on Bao Buns, Curly Taro Fries
17.

DIM SUM

Steamed Sui Mai Dumplings Mapo Tofu Sichuan Pork
9.
Steamed Chinese Bao Buns, Liquid Foie Gras Filling
17.
Mushroom Congee Soup, Sweet Bao Puffs
10.
Grilled Tuna, Carmelized Daikon Cake
18.
Mini Short Rib Spring Rolls,Truffled Sriracha
10.
Classic Cantonese Shrimp and Pork Potstickers
9.

WOK

Ho Fun Noodles, Short Rib, House Made Abalone Oyster Sauce
16.
Wok Seared Sirloin Steak, Chili Garlic, Creamed Chrysanthemum Spinach
28.
Spicy Lobster Kung Pao, Chinese Sausages in a Yukon Potato Birds Nest 28.
Wok Sauteed Vegetables, Crispy Taro, Chinese Miso Curds
13.
Salt and Pepper Shrimp, Chili Peppers, Ginger, Scallions
25.
Trio of Rice: Jasmine, Ginger and Garlic Hoi-Nam and Sticky
7.

All Food Served Family Style
Chef: Chris Cheung
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Bio: Chris Cheung
Executive Chef, Monkey Bar

It’s rare that a person’s career is destined from the year he was born; yet as Chris Cheung was born in the year of the Monkey, it’s only fitting that he has assumed the Executive Chef role at Manhattan’s Monkey Bar.

Born and raised in New York, the tastes of Chinatown were a large part of his childhood. His grandparents lived on Mott Street and some of his earliest memories involve his grandmother’s home cooking. Says Cheung, “When my grandparents emigrated from China, they brought with them the down-home style cooking from Toi San, their village. I can still remember those first vibrant bites of my Paw Paw’s pork and steamed salted eggs. I am constantly trying to match the richness of her chicken wings with oyster sauce in my own cooking!” These childhood flavors exposed Cheung to the glory of cooking and he was hooked from first bite.

After graduating with honors from the New York Restaurant School in 1992, Cheung’s first job was as a prep cook at Vong, Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s visionary Thai restaurant. Cheung worked with Vongerichten for six months before moving on to work the Garde Manger position at JUdson Grill under esteemed chef Ed Brown. In fact, it was Chef Brown who led him to his next job at “a new Japanese place” named Nobu opening in downtown Manhattan. Cheung started as a line cook during Nobu’s opening week. Stimulated by the creative environment, he rose to Sous Chef within a year, during which time the restaurant received a 3 star review from The New York Times. Having absorbed a wealth of Japanese cuisine, he was eager to return to and further explore the world of relatively undiscovered upscale Thai food. After a stint at Typhoon Brewery (named Best Thai Kitchen by Gael Greene), Cheung returned to the Jean-Georges empire as a member of the opening crew of Jean-Georges in 1997. He worked alongside such esteemed chefs as Wylie Dufresne, Didier Virot and Jehaingir Mehta, and was amongst the kitchen staff when the restaurant received 4 stars from The New York Times.

Looking to expand his reach and step to the next level in the kitchen, he accepted his first Executive Chef role at Thai Grill before moving on to the Pan-Asian Celadon, where he received 1 star from The New York Times. Next up was Ruby Foo’s, where, as Executive Chef, Cheung managed two dim sum kitchens as well as two sushi bars for nearly 1,000 diners each day. Ruby Foo’s also provided him with the business acumen needed to open his own restaurant. He realized that dream in 2001 when he opened Tiger Blossom, the Pan-Asian restaurant that he conceived and built. After receiving media acclaim from The New York Times, Daily News, and Time Out New York, the September 11th tragedy struck, leading to the devastation of downtown New York and the restaurant closed shortly thereafter. Cheung considers the closing of Tiger Blossom one of the most formative experiences in his maturity as a chef-it was a time in his life that he realized the scope of his responsibilities as a business owner.

After much soul searching, Chueng jumped back into the food world, partnering with friends to open Little Bistro in Brooklyn. The New American standout became a local favorite, earning a 20 food rating in the Zagat survey. Drawing upon the success of Little Bistro, they opened Almond Flower Bistro in Manhattan’s Chinatown in May of 2006, where Cheung focused his attention. While at Almond Flower, he utilized his background by calling upon family members to share recipes and tips, in particular his uncle, who had owned a small dim sum coffee shop and shared classic Cantonese dishes such as chow fun and har gow. In fact, while at Almond Flower, Cheung honed the evolutionary Chinese cuisine he now serves as Monkey Bar. By using traditional Chinese ingredients and techniques and combining his background cooking different types of cuisine, he lightens and modernizes the classics into refined dishes. He is thrilled to have come full circle by marrying the tastes of his youth with his expertise in the kitchen. When not at the stove at Monkey Bar, he enjoys spending time with his wife and young son.

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About The Glazier Group
The privately held Manhattan-based Glazier Group, run by Peter, Penny and Mathew Glazier, owns and operates premiere culinary properties including Monkey Bar, Michael Jordan’s The Steak House N.Y.C., Strip House (NY, NJ, TX, FL, PR and NV) and Old Homestead Steak House at Boca Raton Resort & Club. In addition, The Glazier Group catering locations include Twenty Four Fifth and Bridgewaters in Manhattan as well as all food and beverage at The Westminster Hotel in New Jersey and The Reach Resort in Key West. With innovative menus and distinctive atmospheres, The Glazier Group owns properties that cater to all senses.

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