Monday, June 25, 2012

Monkey's Uncle Tavern Beer Dinner



I miss my cat, Napoleon. He was one of three companion selected for me one day while living in the Caribbean. We had ventured over to the Animal Shelter to take one home and while there, my heart had itself been taken by three little cute fur-balls who made it clear they felt we would be quite acceptable to them as “servants”. I couldn't make the choice because I would feel horrible about leaving the other two behind. I told companion to make the agonizing final decision as I retreated to our vehicle - with tears in my eyes.

About 15 minutes later, he emerged carrying a box and I was sad, but curious, about the outcome of his feline deliberations. I knew I wouldn't sleep well for awhile, thinking of the other two little kittens left to uncertain futures.

Companion opened my door and handed the box to me. As he walked around the Isuzu Trooper we were driving at the time, I peeked inside to see which kitten had won the Cat Lotto and I was surprised and overjoyed that he had decided to take all three! … I hugged his big ol' neck and he explained that he knew we both would feel a little odd driving off, leaving two wondering why THEY didn't qualify – plus, he said, he figured I would talk about the other two so much when we got home, he'd have to drive back up there anyway, so this was his idea of saving gas and time.

The three kittens soon had names – Alexander (Alex), Whitaker and Napoleon (Nappy). Unfortunately, Alex had a congenital defect and traveled to the Rainbow Bridge just a couple of weeks later. Whitaker (a solid black cat) and Nappy (a silver-blue Blue Russian) were inseparable and those two enriched our early-stage relationship in so many ways. As they grew, they never fought and always slept sprawled all over each other. So cute!

Sadly, two years later and a few days after Hurricane Marilyn, Whitaker went missing (we think hopefully cat-napped by the folks living down the hill from us), so Nappy became our only feline companion for the next three years.

Fast forward a handful of years and Nappy made the journey to the States as we relocated there with all our belongings.

Nappy passed on to join Alex just a few months before we moved to Jacksonville and I realized that over the first twelve years of Nappy's life, he had had to endure twelve moves – 12 moves in 12 years – brought on by our career circumstances, opportunities and changes in fortune (up & down). Nappy lived to be 16 and was only brought down by feline diabetes. Otherwise, there is no telling how long that rascal would have lived. Like I said, I miss him.

I realized Nappy had learned to adapt – to change – and that innate ability allowed him to survive. It seemed to us he was always scowling, only tolerated us humans (since we served him) and had a disdain for all things … well, not “Nappy-related”. However, he always wanted to be around us and left alone by our other critters, the number of which grew over the years. Again, Nappy adapted to his ever-changing environment.

Einstein once said, “The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.”  Good ol' Albert was not talking about Nappy, of course, but of humankind. This translates easily into various business axioms and one can certainly cite examples of businesses which adapted to change and others which did not (“There will never be a market for personal home computers”).

The concept of adaptability came to my mind while learning of the history of the Monkey's Uncle Tavern (1850 S. 3rd Street – Jax Beach – 904.246.1070 ) as I prepared to visit there for a special event on Thursday (May 17). In business since 1985, the owners have been involved in the bar and restaurant business for 50 years.

Carolyn Lowrey Graham of Brown Distributing had invited me and companion to the first Craft Beer Dinner at that establishment, one which we had seen (but never visited) when shopping at HomeGoods, located in the same shopping center.

We had left early and stopped by Engine 15 Brewing Co. to enjoy a couple of their brewery's offerings and we made sure we left in time to make it to the Craft Beer Dinner in time.

Arriving 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the event (6:30 pm), we were still able to find a convenient parking place close to the Monkey Uncle's Tavern front door.

Entering, I was expecting a smokey atmosphere but I was pleased to note no lingering pungent odor – a slight hint, yes – but not repugnant, at all. There was a noticeable crowd at the bar and I soon noticed Carolyn arranging things in the right rear of the business.

We had our choice of the designated tables and we chose to sit at the same table as Carolyn, who was up and down all evening, describing the beer and assisting staff in whatever they needed.

Melanie & Jessica
Melanie and Jessica were our effective, energetic and gracious servers – a safe bet would be they are very popular there at Monkey's Uncle Tavern! … smiling and proactive in checking on us to see if we wanted anything, they both are quite advanced in customer service!  … Tory was in charge of beer-slingin' and he did a great job in making sure every patron received his or her allotment of fine brews. I look forward to speaking with Tory more in the future about the bar and future plans for it.

Chef Michael Ayres
Carolyn was kind enough to introduce me to Chef Michael Ayres (Chef Mike), newly arrived at Monkey's Uncle Tavern with vast and impressive experience at several upscale dining establishments including serving as Executive Chef at 11 South Bistro & Bar in Jacksonville Beach.

Even though Chef Mike was quite busy and very focused on the successful execution of the event, he was gracious enough to spend some time answering my questions and his plans for future adventures there with Monkey's Uncle Tavern. Professional, educated and personable, it was an honor to take part in this event and be given the opportunity of speaking with him.

With the increased demand for smoke-free environments, ownership of Monkey's Uncle Tavern are considering new options for those customers preferring environments without the lingering essence of burning cigarette tobacco while staying committed to their long-standing customers who enjoy a smoke while drinking at the bar. It is certainly important to “dance with who brung ya'”, as my grandmother used to say – and illustrates how dedicated the ownership, management and staff have become, through adaptation, to broadening their offerings to better serve the public. Keep in mind, they also have a liquor store – right next door! … the best of all worlds!

As a future update, I will provide any detail Monkey's Uncle ownership and management will allow concerning their future plans. For now, suffice it to say that whatever direction they take, the Greater Jacksonville Brews & Chews scene will reap the benefit. I am SO excited! ...

For those of you who were unaware of the event, had other commitments or decided not to attend, I provide the menu pairings for the Craft Beer Dinner – not to tell you that you missed out! - but to give you an idea of which direction Monkey's Uncle Tavern will be heading in the future:


Passed Hors d' oeuvre












Thai peanut crusted satay with minted grapefruit dipping sauce 
Cisco Bailey's Blonde Ale (Nantucket, MA)

1st













Crispy crab cake Porcupine with Garlic saffron aioli
Native Florida Lager (South Florida)

2nd













Seared Atlantic salmon with grain mustard and baby arugula 
Twisted Pine Raspberry Wheat Ale (Boulder, Colorado)

3rd













Mango lacquered Pork Tenderloin, fingerling potatoes, and crisp haricot vert 
Coronado Islander IPA (southern California)

Fin













Hot Chocolate Cake Surprise with sea salt caramel
Red Brick Porter (Atlanta, Georgia)

Yes, it was that good!
Not your average bar menu, huh? … yes, I know this was a special event – but for those of you familiar with Monkey's Uncle Tavern, you wouldn't have ever predicted such a menu (even given the fact this was a Craft Beer Dinner) from Monkey's Uncle, would you? … this represents a new horizon for Monkey's Uncle Tavern – another option for their customers – one focused on the ever-growing demand for quality brews and chews pairings in the Greater Jacksonville area ... Adaptation at its best! … at $40 per ticket, this has to be the deal of the year in Jacksonville! … no other venue offered that much top-quality Chews at that price – and then to “throw-in” the beer? … an outrageous value!

Carolyn working hard, as always!
Carolyn, Chef Mike and the owners all worked together to create this presentation for the delight of those attending the dinner – and they succeeded beyond any expectations!

The Thai peanut crusted satay was amazing – and I was dancin' the Fawn Marn Mong Kol when I learned seconds were available! … bring 'em on, Melanie and Jessica, bring 'em on!

The Crispy crab cake Porcupine was phenomenal! … the tennis ball sized piece of heaven had only problem – it wasn't the size of a basketball! ... So good it brought appreciative tears to my eyes!

The unique grain mustard accompanying the seared Atlantic salmon was described by Chef Mike and he indicated American mustard has been processed way beyond recognition in relation to “true” mustard which is still appreciated by those “across the pond”. The salmon was superb, by the way!

Chef Michael Ayres
Companion and I both moaned in delight when we tasted the mango lacquered Pork Tenderloin – mango and pork? … are you kidding, me? … how did they know these are two of my favorite things? … scrumptious! … lacquer me ecstatic!

Yeah, go ahead Chef Mike , pour on the final goodies – the Hot Chocolate Cake Surprise with sea salt caramel ,,, *moment of respectful silence* … decadent and the perfect finish to this incredible meal, the only “surprise” for me and companion was that I didn't go around to the other attendees and steal/beg more of the dessert from them.

Detailing the brew experience, I offer the following descriptions from the breweries' websites:

Cisco Brewers Bailey's Blonde Ale (Nantucket, MA)
A hoppy blonde ale. Plenty of domestic hops give this beer distinct character and a huge floral nose. Bailey's is a past recipient of a gold medal at the World Beer Championships. - Note: 5.3% ABV

The Native Brewing Company Florida Lager (South Florida)
The Native Lager is brewed with the finest German malts, German hops and a classic Germain yeast strain which produces and exceptionally smooth tasting golden lager.  Not too light and not too heavy this beer finishes with absolutely NO aftertaste.  Cool and refreshing yet flavorful... enjoy one anytime you want to feel like a Native.

Twisted Pine Brewing Raspberry Wheat Ale (Boulder, Colorado)
Raspberry Wheat Ale is an unfiltered wheat beer that is refreshing and perfectly balanced with a crisp tartness. Raspberries meet the nose, leading way to a clean creamy texture. Pours a golden color with a nice white head. The flavor is subtle, yet very distinct. A popular beer that will bring back your best summer memories all year ’round!  - Note: 5% ABV

Coronado Brewing Company Islander IPA (southern California)
Named after Coronado Island, our original India Pale Ale is a liquid expression of hometown pride. Cascade, Chinook and Columbus hops combine to provide an explosive burst of piney bitterness and luscious notes of apricot, grapefruit and mango that are sure to evoke imagery of swinging palms and sun-kissed shores. - Note: 7% ABV, 75 IBUs

Red Brick Brewing Company Porter (Atlanta, Georgia)
Intense dark copper color with a thick, intense foam with some brown color effects. Rich aromas of treated coffee of good persistence, very straight forward beer on the nose. Attack in the mouth shows some bitterness with a moderate acidity. Aromatic characters of roasted coffee beans with delicate spices. Finish is long on intense bitter cacao flavors.

Carolyn had been describing each course's paired beer and Chef Mike provided the mouth-watering details of each food item at various times during the event.

Upon conclusion of the meal, both thanked the attendees for coming to the Craft Beer Dinner and all of us gave them a rousing and well-deserved round of applause! … everyone involved in the planning and execution of this event did a remarkable job.

Good times always go so fast and this was no exception. Great food, tasty beer, warm fellowship and a common enjoyment of something new and special made this evening so very memorable.

There are new exciting chapters of Monkey's Uncle Tavern history to be written in the future. If it's been awhile since your last visit – or you've been holding off due to smoking policy – ADAPT a little, check out the beginning of a new environment – and behold the impressive metamorphosis taking place right now – at Monkey Uncle's Tavern! … you'll be sayin', “Well, I'll be a Monkey's Uncle … Tavern customer – from now on”.

My heartfelt appreciation to Carolyn Lowrey Graham for inviting me to the dinner, to Melanie and Jessica for being gracious hostesses, to Chef Michael Ayres for an AMAZING and delicious menu, to Tory and the rest of the crew at Monkey's Uncle Tavern for providing an exciting and memorable Jax Brew Bitch experience!

Most significantly, I present the “Napoleon Award” to the owners of Monkey Uncle's Tavern for having the insight and dedication to their customers and our community to embrace the concept of adaptation in order to satisfy the changing desires of their Greater Jacksonville area patrons.

Undoubtedly, Nappy would have instructed me to extend to you a sincere and most deserved, “Well done!”.








To view more photos from Monkey's Uncle Tavern, visit the link below:

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