Inspired by Shanghai's old-fashioned opium dens, this lounge bar offers up killer cocktails, Asian tapas and a setting decked out in antiques, wooden screens and mysteriously low lighting.
Remember the opening scene from
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom? You know, the one in the Shanghai opium den where actress Kate Capshaw sings
Anything Goes in Mandarin? Well, all this and more (except the song) await you at Golden Monkey.
With a penchant for Asiatic furniture, food and a little alcoholic indulgence, Golden Monkey is a decadent setting with plenty of Far East appeal. Try the Dragon Egg cocktail if you dare. It mixes Bombay Sapphire gin together with Limoncello, honey liqueur, Aperol and a Japanese sour plum. Alternatively, order up a Ladyboy which blends vodka and fresh lime together with Licor 43, chilli, kaffir lime and coconut.
The Asian tapas will keep you tiptoeing happily on the sane side of alcoholism, while table service will allow you to beg for more even after cocktail-induced lethargy has set in.
Golden Monkey is clearly much more than just a funky name to drop. From its maze-like interior featuring jade toilet tiles, to its Asian antiques and soft rendezvous-style lighting, this lounge bar is a reason to step off the main street and venture into Melbourne's back alleys.
Mark Gambino
