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Restaurant: The Brass Monkey (銅猴子)

The Brass Monkey's BBQ chicken pizza. PHOTO: DAVID MOMPHARD, TAIPEI TIMES

In what country did Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) meet Dr. Sun Yat-sen (孫中山)?

That doesn't seem like the kind of question you'd expect someone to ask at a sports bar. But The Brass Monkey, which opened at the end of February, isn't what you'd expect from a sports bar. That's because it's more of a sporting restaurant and the Pub Quiz in which that question was asked is only one of the events that sets The Brass Monkey apart from the many dining establishments along Fuhsing North Road and makes it Taipei's most exciting new restaurant for the Commonwealth crowd.

Of course, most of the Monkey's off-menu fare consists of rugby, football and hockey matches shown on a theater-sized screen at the rear of the restaurant, but this is also a cultured establishment that last Saturday held its own dragon boat "races" and gave the proceeds from the evening to charity.

The Wednesday prior to that was the Monkey's first Pub Quiz, which had contestants drumming their knowledge of classical music (Who composed the Carmina Burana?) and popular culture (What were the names of the lead actors in the television show CHiPs?

Address: 166, Fuhsing N Rd, Taipei (北市復興北路166號) Telephone: (02) 2547 5050Open: 5pm to 1am on weekdays, 5pm to 3am or later on Fridays and Saturdays Average meal: NT$200, not including drinks Details: Credit cards accepted

Last night was the first of the Monkey's Thursday night Ladies Nights. There's no possessive apostrophe at the end of "ladies" because, while ladies get free vodka drinks until midnight, the men get to watch go-go dancers "bring it LA style" to hip-hop, R&B and old-school. This last event might not fall into the culture category but you get the idea: There's more to The Brass Monkey than beer and "footie."

There's also food: pizzas, pastas, sandwiches, Chinese cuisine and "drinking partners" for those who just want something to munch while the game is on. Most everything I've tried in the half-dozen times I've been has been good, but it hasn't always been consistent.

After falling in love with the Monkey's steak sandwich (diced prime rib between toasted foccacia bread!), I went back for it only to find the bread wasn't toasted and the prime rib wasn't diced.

Afterward I met one of Brass Monkey's shareholders, Richard Harnetty, who had a good piece of advice: "This is a Western place. If you don't like it, send it back." Other items I've tried are the southwest chicken sandwich, satay sticks and the South African meatloaf -- none of which would I have dreamed of sending back.

A pull of Carlsberg will cost you NT$160 and one of Guinness costs NT$220. Bottled beers start from NT$140, spirits average NT$150 and most of the Scotch is NT$200 per glass.

Best of all, despite the fact that there's no service charge, the service is among the best -- and friendliest -- to be found in town.

ANSWERS:
Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) met Dr. Sun Yat-sen (孫中山) in Japan. The Carmina Burana was composed by Carl Orf. Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox played, respectively, Francis Poncherello and John Baker on the TV series ChiPs.
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