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.
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| 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:
