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What’s in a name? At Mnky Hse, not a consistent use of vowels, clearly. It’s meant to be Monkey – not Manky – House. The monkey theme continues within. Each table is scattered with plastic monkeys, the monkey logo is embossed throughout the restaurant, and the sounds of a monkey enclosure are pumped into the loos.
But enough monkeying around. Set across two floors in the heart of Mayfair, Mnky Hse is a Latin American restaurant-cum-bar-cum-club. Given the one-stop-shop approach, you might expect the food to be a bit of an afterthought – but, happily, that’s not the case. Starters of yellow tail tostadas and salmon aguachiles cured in mezcal (think Mexican ceviche) were deliciously fresh, while the octopus was beautifully tender and served with a perky chilli sauce (though the avocado purée didn’t add much). The sautéed potatoes with chimichurri sauce and spicy cauliflower gratin were a tad undercooked, while the beef tenderloin was served medium rare yet was somehow tough – perhaps thanks to the unnecessary heated platter it was served on.
All the dishes were beautifully presented but be warned: they cost a pretty penny and the portions aren’t overly generous. So if you fancy feeding time at the Mnky Hse, take my advice and wait until after payday.