My Blue Heaven

[September 19th, 2007] A recent Sunday night visit to former jazz club the Blue Monk (3341 SE Belmont St., 595-0575) found a lonely-looking basement stage barren of musicians and what used to be the best seats in the house replaced by pool tables. But big-screen TVs don’t mean it’s not a jazz spot, right? And neither does the modern rock blasting from upstairs speakers. Right. OK, the Blue Monk isn’t really about jazz anymore—but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth paying a visit. You could do much worse than the blue mood lighting and list of $7 fancy mixed drinks (try the Ruby, a fresher twist on the old vodka cran, packed with lemons and Chambord) on a rainy Belmont Street evening. Then there’s the food: slightly spendy (around $9-$14) but delicious pastas and meat dishes with spiffy presentations. Jealous vagrants will glare through the big front windows while you live the high life. Man, wait till they see that big-ass brownie and ice cream ($6.50), a meal fit for…like, three people. Yessir, you could do a lot worse than the Blue Monk, jazz or no. CASEY JARMAN.