Monkey Thief Delivers as a Hell’s Kitchen Drop-in for Playful Cocktails

The team that brought Brooklyn Sama Street serves up creative drinks with panache and a dash of humor in their first Manhattan location.

Monkey Thief has arrived in Hell’s Kitchen. alex_staniloff

If you find yourself looking for a pre-dinner drink somewhere near West 47th Street and Ninth Avenue without catching the chaos of Times Square, Monkey Thief, which opened Tuesday, Oct. 8, could be it. Casual yet over-the-top, the sister bar to Greenpoint’s Sama Street draws inspiration from the owners’ South and East Asian roots. This isn’t a spot to mull over a sophisticated wine list or immerse in a languid dinner. Instead, it’s an upbeat hang for out-of-the-box umbrella drinks and lavender foam, tequila in a tea bowl and a mystery drink served with a dime bag full of prosciutto. As I write this splattering of beverages, it sounds a little ludicrous, but overall, it is, in fact, well executed.

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Monkey Thief, defined as an “adaptable, playful and mightily resourceful creature,” is the second endeavor for co-owners Avi Singh, Rishi Rajpal and David Muhs. The illustrated food and beverage menu swirls through the cultures that Singh and Rajpal, childhood friends from New Delhi, have experienced during their lives. Singh, who moved around Romania, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and the U.S. throughout his youth, reconnected with Rajpal, who is Indo-Chinese, in New York City around 2016, after college. In 2019, they joined forces to honor their heritages and travels through a mutual love of food with the opening of Sama Street.

Holy Trini Tini. alex_staniloff

At Monkey Thief, they continue to do so without taking themselves too seriously. With Muhs, head bartender at Monkey Thief, at their side, they mix up cocktail versions of Thai coconut soup, the “holy trinity” of Chinese cooking (garlic, ginger and scallions), duck sauce, and a rose-cardamom Indian dessert—all of which can be accompanied by some small plates with big flavor.

A younger crowd buzzed in and out, filling most of the seats at Monkey Thief’s grand opening. The one-room space is anchored by tin ceilings and tiled walls, both deep teal, in addition to large columns covered in hundreds of old pennies and décor inspired by India, China, Thailand and Vietnam. Despite the modest size of the space, the vibe shifts based on different lighting. Thatched pendants emit a warm yellow glow above the bar, highlighting a painting of what I can only imagine is the Monkey Thief himself, perched naked in his graying concrete jungle with a Kiwi and Peel cocktail in hand. The wall opposite the entrance, with its washroom doors marked by wooden Mahakala masks, illuminates red light, while the back corner booths bask like a Bangkok nightclub in phosphorescent blue.

The décor is inspired by India, China, Thailand and Vietnam. Alex Staniloff

Four male servers and a bartender felt their way through the first-night frenzy with well-armed descriptions of dishes, drink recommendations and a sense of humor. I was intrigued by the Monkey’s Booty, the craft cocktail menu’s mystery drink, which rotates weekly. To open, Muhs departed from Asian influence for a funky spin on Italian prosciutto e melone (many of the drinks are inspired by classic foods from Asian cultures). Melon-infused gin is served like a martini with a side of prosciutto “floss” packed neatly, not weighed, into a dime bag (I know you’ve been wondering about that dime bag). The server hummed a cautious chuckle as he relayed the information.

Partial to Mexican liquor, I opted for one of the six cocktails on tap and the 7 Long Years signature chili-sesame margarita that made its way from Sama Street. Price is Raita comes quickly with a mouthful of smoky mezcal, a tongue-tingling pop of carbonation and a single ice cube the size of a New York City skyscraper. The sweetness of pomegranate and pineapple is eloquently cut with chaat masala to create a funky, spiced pink drink that knows what it’s doing. 

7 Long Years. Alex Staniloff

Mocktails share the spotlight with their alcoholic cohorts and are another testament to Muhs’ skillset. The on-tap Soba Sally is a champagne spinoff with more layers: juicy lychee, tomato water, a tart verjus and earthy buckwheat are lifted by bubbles rising to the top of the flute. The bar also offers a tight selection of beer, Brooklyn-sourced sake on draft, wine and some more non-alcoholic options.

The food menu, divided by raw options, snacks, skewers, small plates, rice sides and two desserts, is designed to supplement the cocktails—but not necessarily the other way around. Of all the items, I highly recommend the half-dozen oysters at market price (I ordered a second helping). Light, small, sweet and bright, these babies were the perfect start and looked like some iridescent mermaid meal under the neon “monkey thief” signage above my table. The best part was the accoutrements: a hibiscus mignonette and a thoughtfully appointed nam jim made with cilantro, garlic, lime juice and fish sauce to be doused on each half-shell with a pinch of fried shallots.

The oysters were up there with the top items on the menu. Alex Staniloff

Other noteworthy dishes include the baby Bok choy (a serving of four, each about two inches long for $9), which were nicely textured with a spicy, creamy chili confit, soy and crunchy peanuts. I enjoyed the grilled coconut salad ($14): three hand-held baby gem lettuce cups with fresh citrus, crispy fried shallots and a welcome punch of heat from the creamy chili dressing. For something heavier, the croquettes—deep fried, salted and filled with smooth mashed potato, amul cheese, mustard seed and curry leaf—were fun. 

For dumplings, I’d rather go somewhere in Chinatown that’s less vibey and more my-grandma-made-these level quality. The dough-to-filling ratio is right, but the powerful earthiness of the ground lamb would be better situated with warm, deeper Indian spices, as it overpowered the sweet chili-ginger soy dipping sauce.

Croquettes. Alex Staniloff

All cocktails and mocktails are $18, with small, shareable plates between $4 and $18 (minus a large fried chicken platter for $24 or $38)—ideal for the Thief’s target crowd to split the bill without counting pennies. Though, there’s plenty to count if you’re seated near one of those columns.

Monkey Thief Delivers as a Hell’s Kitchen Drop-in for Playful Cocktails