Jiving Monkey Cafe is a Vietnamese fusion cafe / take away restaurant, tucked into a little group of shops in St Peters. The shops have their own car park, making it easy to stop right out front.
You can't miss it, vibrant signage and decorative birdcages as well as indoor outdoor seating reassure you that you are in the right place.
Take a seat, the menu's are on the tables, and when ready, you order up at the counter (cash only).
The menu spans South East Asia, including Thai and Vietnamese.
There are several vegetarian options both in the entree's and mains.
The inside is neat and decked out in earthy tones with a splash of colour on the red ceiling. I particularly liked the stools topped with fur cushions.
Tables are set simply, with faux-plants.
The Pad Thai Chicken ($12.50) was a solid example of the dish, according to my dining companion.
My Vietnamese Tofu Salad ($9.90) had a tangy dressing and numerous strips of deep fried tofu, topped with grated carrot and cucumber, corriander and crushed roasted peanuts.
Underneath was a bed of mesclun lettuce, which didn't seem to fit with the Asian theme. It almost filled me up but I'd describe it as light, healthy, and carb free.
I'd saved room for the Sticky Black Rice with Coconut Pudding ($2) as advertised up at the counter, and after my light lunch certainly had room, but upon trying to order was told that unfortunately it's only available at night time.
A cheerful and quick lunch dining option if you are after something healthy and light on the run. read more