Three Monkeys: West End

With my  crush for  West End and its funky eateries oddly enough  The Three Monkeys has never been a topic of a discussion in the Foreigner's Diary..and yet, it just seemed unnecessary to bring up  a West End Iconic coffee place that is so well known to the Brisbane crowd that even I have known about it for a while.

The Three Monkeys has been around since early 90s if not earlier, and  the menu probably hasn't changed much since, and the options perhaps are not as exciting and sophisiticated, as expected, but, realistically, who cares when there are all these cakes! :

• the place is open 7 days week from morning till late,
• the selection of teas and coffees is great and a Chai Tea is to die for... and the size of the bowl easily replaces dinner,
• the prices are more than reasonable
• and the most important reason for every 'respected' Brisbanite to  pay a visit to the 3 Monkeys - the ambience and the vibe of the place!

If you have been there before you may as well not  waste your time reading any further, as the rest of the post is dedicated to me raving on about the utter cuteness and uniqueness  of the West End Monkeys. 

To put it simply - Three Monkeys  is  a calm place. On the days when the world is particularly evil to you and you hate everybody   3 Monkeys  is peaceful and kind, even when the rest of the humankind is not , nobody there seems to be worrying or rushing - it is one of the few places in Brisbane, where you can come alone get yourself a bowl of cofee and get immersed in reading 50 Shades Of Grey a book ...
 

Design:   9/10

Drinks:   8/10

Food: 6/10

Service: 9/10

The highlight: Ambiance!

Disappointment: The food is on the ordinary side

Splurge: $

xoxo

The Foreigner

Brew CBD

Friday in the CBD is usually a day when everybody is Out & About, having 'catch up' lunches, coffees, and wines.  On a normal fifth day of the work week Queen street turns into a nightmare with crowds of people strolling along, window shopping, while you are running around like crazy bumping into every second jovial pedestrian.
Finding a decent, fairly quiet place for lunch in the CBD under those extreme conditions can be a bit of a challenge. And if the eatery serves tasty food, good coffees, wide selection of drinks and does not rob your bank account - you have discovered a hidden treasure! And Brew is undoubtedly the one!

Brew is one of those hidden gems that you will never find unless you look for it, and even if you do, you have to be curious enough to walk down the alleyway to find yourself inside a tiny coffee shop, funky, but minuscle with just one or two tables...Now, don't turn around just yet...paraphrasing a famous quote, the best things come to those who keep walking - going through the back door you will suddenly find yourself in a fairly spacious seating area with a few cosy couches, low tables and wooden benches - unique interior with its own, unconventional character.

Brew is always busy, particularly on Friday nights, hence the recommendation to start Friday afternoon 'beer o'clock' early and secure a convenient spot. The lunch menu is quite limited, but will be able to cater for the majority of the city dwellers with a selection of toasted sandwiches, salads and a couple of mains.

 My today's experience at Brew, however, was only limited to a 45 minute lunch catch up with  a girlfriend (big thanks to her for suggesting the place!) and consisted of a Green Salad and a Roibos Ginger Tea ( I am heaving a healthy month, in case you are wondering).
The food was nicely presented, fresh, slightly blunt in flavour but salt & pepper easily fixed the issue - overall lovely nutritious lunch, quickly served and of a decent size. Service was quick and attentive, despite the business. Overall only positive things to share, so you can safely head to Brew for your next coffee/lunch or after-work drinks!

Design:   9/10

Drinks:   8/10

Food: 7/10

Service: 9/10

The highlight: It is a hidden funky gem in the CBD!

Disappointment: Somewhat limited menu

Splurge: $$

To all  the fellow Office Plankton Workers: Happy Friday and xoxo

Julie