The Monkey Cat Restaurant resides in an historical building on one of California’s oldest historical highways in historic downtown Auburn, California.
So what do you do when you co-owned and operated one of San Francisco’s most famous restaurants, Fior d’Italia, and you want a new and different challenge? Well, if you’re Jim Bril, you head to scenic Auburn, California above the valley heat and below the Sierra snow and open the Monkey Cat restaurant. Yes, legend has it that the Monkey Cat was this elusive animal searched far and wide by wildlife explorers. Thanks to Jim Bril, it or at least the restaurant bearing its name is now easy to find just a minute off of Interstate-80. Situated in the art gallery section of historic downtown Auburn, this is a fun spot with great ambiance, attentive, friendly service, mouth-watering food and drink, and good values.
Meat, fish, pasta, salads, or appetizers, you can’t go wrong at the Monkey Cat. I much enjoyed the pesto and pasta and a well-mixed Martini. This is a fun place, comfortable with a classic historical rustic nature about it for this is an historical building right on the street that was once the main thoroughfare west to gold fortune and eventually San Francisco.
This is fine dining that won’t melt your wallet, yet you can also savor wines from the best local ones and beyond. I was particularly impressed with the friendly, attentive service and ambiance – friendly yet not overwhelming, a place to slowly enjoy your eating and drinking experience.
Centrally located in the Gold Country just below the snow line, and just a wagon trip from Sacramento, Auburn became known as the “Jumping Off” spot for miners. There remains today several tasty reasons why its Monkey Cat eatery should be a jumping off spot for you as well!
The mini bar at the Monkey Cat as well as the indoor and sometimes outdoor dining options are sufficient reason to “jump off” and linger longer there!
