The Flying Monkey
Newington, Conn.
January 24, 2024
Welcome back to my search for the perfect Happy Hour in the Greater Hartford area! This time I found myself on the Berlin Turnpike in Newington, at The Flying Monkey, a neat bar and grill that leans heavily into its theme. The walls are covered with airplanes, both paintings and miniatures. Instead of happy hour, the restaurant hosts “Monkey Hour” Tuesday-Friday from 3 – 6 p.m.
I’d been to The Flying Monkey once before, on a date when it was located next to Brainard airport. Since then we’ve both moved on, and I thought it would be a good time to check out what was new in Newington.
I started the order off with an Asian Pear Martini, consisting of Absolut Pears Vodka, elderflower liqueur, Nigori unfiltered sake, simple syrup and fresh lemon. It was the recommendation of Bella, the waitress when I asked for something strong. I was incredulous at first because the martini went down smooth, with the flowery liqueur mixing well with the vodka. But it snuck up on me, and a few minutes after I finished it I could feel the telltale tingling in my cheeks and the sleepy grin spreading across my face to tell me I was tipsy.
Fortunately the food arrived just in time to combat the alcohol pooling in my stomach. My first plate was the BBQ Chicken Bomber. I liked looking at the flatbread almost as much as I enjoyed eating it. The flatbread was warm and crispy, which was a great contrast to the tender chicken drizzled in barbecue sauce. The fried onions took the entree over the top, with the saltiness and tanginess of the onions complimenting the sweet sauce.
With some food in my belly, I was ready for my second drink. I decided to keep the fruit theme going and chose a Boozy Blueberry Lemonade. This one was made out of Citrus vodka, fresh blueberry purée and lemon. I usually think that blueberries taste like dish detergent, but I wanted to give the menu a chance and try something different. I was glad that I did, because the drink was refreshing and not nearly as strong as the martini. Not a single hint of dish detergent.
The second plate was Spicy Shrimp, and it was exactly what it sounds like: butterflied crispy shrimp coated in Sriracha cream sauce. The crunch on the shrimp was very light, like an accent on the shrimp instead of smothering it in breading and grease. It also helped to absorb some of the sriracha sauce, which was actually quite spicy. The heat hit the back of my throat as it went down, which allowed me to enjoy the taste of the shrimp before I reached for the water.
I have to say, The Flying Monkey has made a strong case for being the perfect happy hour. The food was good and the menu was varied, and the drinks were strong and tasty. If you find yourself on the Berlin Turnpike, you can’t go wrong monkeying around at Monkey Hour.
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The Flying Monkey is open Tuesday-Wednesday 11:30 – 9 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday 11:30 – 10 p.m.; Sunday Brunch 10:15 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; and Sunday Dinner 3 – 8 p.m.
Jamil is taking the weekend off. See you next week!
