#PeachysPicks Peachy Picks #DrunkenMonkey Since 2013 #WhomYouKnow @DrunkenMunkeyNY by Arun Mirchandani and Chirag Chamin 338 East 92nd Street Upper East Side
It's not who you know, it's WHOM YOU KNOW and we know Arun Mirchandani and Chirag Chamin, equal co-owners of the absolutely FABULOUS Drunken Munkey in the best part of town, the Upper East Side.
The Drunken Munkey earned its first feature way back in 2014, and they were one of the best recent performers in Terrific Takeout post-covid and again they wowed us tremendously recently so we are pleased as punch to announce they have joined the ranks of Peachy's Picks! As time goes on it is increasingly difficult to join this group of seriously accomplished restaurants.
Peachy Deegan and Founder and Owner Arun Mirchandani
First of all, before we even eat, obviously we wash our hands. Most places could use a bathroom makeover, but not here. We LOVE the bathroom. Everyone knows from Chez Peachy we love bathrooms (especially Infinity Drain and their gallery at Ferguson!) and we obviously love football/soccer and when she was a student at UCC, Peachy had a Liverpool Jersey. Mover and Shaker Paul Rejer who knows everything about football/soccer as he is one of the best refs in the world tells us this is Liverpool. Obviously, it fits into the English colonial theme of Drunken Munkey.
The bathroom is clean and it has style and flair.
We love that they love THE BEATLES.
We love The Chandeliers.
We love the Monkey water bottles at the MUNKEY.
Note they changed the spelling of monkey in their name; even Peachy made the mistake of not realizing that at one point. The lighting is also great here and of course you are seeing unedited pictures by us. If you think some people have better looking food than others, it is because they have been intelligent enough and detail-oriented to invest in great lighting which matters.
We began with the chopped mango salad, which we adore and is entirely fresh. It is the only item with fresh vegetables (as in not cooked). Normally, it always comes dressed. Nearly always (except for Caesar when the dressing is authentic and proper) avid readers know Peachy does not want her salad dressed, and they were happy to comply. Green mango, cucumber, radish, roasted cashews, arugula and pomegranate pearls team up to brighten your palate for your Drunken Munkey experience start. Chili and cumin also come to the party and the dressing is composed of oil, lime and chaat.
Captain Will Mazur graciously greeted us the moment we walked in and was totally on the ball all night with flawless manners and perfect attention to detail and we also worked with Arun of course who was there, and he has been there for all three of our visits in person.
Arun went to school for hospitality and this puts him in a class above the average restaurateur to start with. His performance puts him in a class above that.
If anyone has seen the Cookie Monster near cookies, that is what Peachy turns into near Garlic Naan. She loves garlic and this is essentially garlic bread, Indian style of course. Railway Chicken is aptly named because it is just what you would get on a train across India (have you seen the Choo Choo Peachy playlist?), however, the dish varies from region to region depending on where you are geographically by train. The only geography you should be concentrating on is East 92nd Street because Drunken Munkey is a hidden gem we are letting you in on! This chicken curry is smashing and has wide appeal.
Even better is the Butter Chicken Tikka Masala, Peachy's favorite dish here and a clearcut bestseller. Arun tells us here, it is crafted in the old Dehli style with Tandoor-fired chicken in absolutely captivating tikka-masala sauce. Every bite is perfection and tender, flavorful chicken that is superior and all pinkies-out. The name of this place may be fun but we assure you it is all elegance happening here. And note, Peachy did not drink alcohol at all this time, just cranberry juice. Their cocktails which we have had before are sincerely smashing and have a lot of thought put into them, especially the creative names. You can sip on Lady Mountbatten (we believe this is Mover and Shaker India Hicks's grandmother), a Royal Enfield (motorcycle company) Sidecar and an Army and Navy cocktail, of course the ones that belong to the UK, not ours (see ours marching yesterday all Tartan with Alan Cumming). The list is truly extensive and equal to the culinary side of the menu in quantity and it includes two mocktails, teas, and soft drinks in case you want to be a Sober Munkey.
They have thought of it all here!
If it is a Friday in Lent or you simply want seafood, Malabar-Coast Shrimp Ruby is a triumph.
A perfect cocktail of lime, ginger and garlic is the marinade to amp this up to the proper flavor echelon that is further simmered in tomato and onion sauce embellished with curry leaf and mustard.
One of Peachy's favorite Indian foods is Chicken Biryani, and it is so fabulous here that it is our second favorite dish on the menu. Equally successful is the Raita that comes with it to dress it up: it's yogurt, chopped onion, tomato, cucumber, cilantro, mint, black salt, cumin and chili powder and provides a lovely, balanced contrast to the sophisticated chicken and rice that is slow-stewed and layered.
Biryani also comes in Lamb (Arun's favorite) and Vegetable.
This dish originated in Persia and was brought to India through Arab trade routes in the 1600's. The history on the menu is absolutely incredible and highly laudable and off the top of our head definitely in the top five menus that contain history of the Peachy's Picks.
That is really saying something especially considering their young age: they began in 2013.
The Black Daal Maakhni is a credit to Arun's mother, Vasanti Mirchandani who worked with Arun to craft this in an even more elevated fashion than it was previously, and this is what restaurants that win do. They work tirelessly to perfect what is already great. Slow-cooked for 24 hours, black and red lentils team up with garlic, fenugreek and cream and this placed third in Peachy's stomach for dishes this visit.
Finally, they even do Branzino: Armitsari-Masala Whole Fish is a majestic big branzino that luxuriates in a twelve spice rub grilled in complete fashion and charred in the tandoor. It is a must for all our poisson-acclimated readers and Arun's maternal grandmother, Nani, is the origin of the recipe for the Cashew Lemon Rice that perfectly sings backup. There are 45 indoor seats all the time and 12 outdoor seats starting soon. Be there!
Peachy Picks Drunken Munkey!
Drunken Munkey is Highly Recommended by Whom You Know.
Their website tells us:
OUR STORY
Colonialism in India is what first introduced the flavors of the sub-continent to the rest of the world. The rich ingredients and spices used in the kitchens of the Indian aristocracy were incorporated into the recipes brought by the European settlers and officers. “Memsahib’s cooking”is a hybrid style that evolved when the British “Lady of the House” asked her Indian household cooks to prepare traditional British dishes. Over time, the cooks incorporated rich ingredients and spices used in the kitchens of the Indian aristocracy into the recipes brought by the European settlers.
Through almost two centuries colonial rule, the British, French, Dutch and the Portuguese all had adapted variations of many of their own dishes which resulted in a distinct new cuisine – collectively referred to as ‘Anglo-Indian cuisine’ – by carefully blending European cooking techniques and recipes with local spices, ingredients and methods. Set apart from the most often seen “curry house” or “family buffet” styled formats, artisanal cocktails and authentic cuisine aim to provide an experience noted for its energy, hospitality and aesthetic design. Our menu reflects the rich heritage of Indian cooking influenced by the frontiers of the royal Northwest down to the fishing villages of the coastal south and showcases the best of this culinary tradition in an attractive 45-seat bistro format.
Here at The Drunken Munkey, we strive to recreate, and pay tribute to the legendary flavors, style and the ambience reminiscent of the famous cafes, bistros and music and supper clubs of ‘Old Bombay’ from the 1910's through the 1940's, while showcasing a touch of the old Raj.
