If a dietary requirement affects where you can eat, contact Three Monkeys before booking and explain it clearly. Use the current menu to identify dishes you would like to discuss, then ask the restaurant about the ingredients and preparation for those specific choices. A category label or food photograph cannot confirm suitability on its own.
This guide is a way to organise that conversation. It is not an allergen list or a promise that every request can be accommodated. The restaurant needs to assess the actual request, the current ingredients and the available preparation before you decide whether a meal will work for you.
Explain the requirement rather than relying on a label
Terms such as vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free can be useful starting points, but the practical details matter. Say which ingredients you avoid and whether your request is a preference, a religious requirement or an allergy-related concern. You do not need to put personal medical details into a public comment to make that clear.
For a group, identify how many diners have each requirement. One guest's request should not be lost inside a message that mainly discusses the birthday cake, arrival time and preferred view. Put the essential food questions together so that the team can respond to them directly.
If an answer is unclear, ask for clarification before paying for a reservation that depends on it. A booking note records what you have requested; it does not by itself show that the kitchen has reviewed and accepted the request. Keep the restaurant's response with the other details you need for your visit.
Use the menu to make the discussion specific
Open the current menu and select a few dishes you would genuinely like to eat. Give their full names when asking questions. That is more useful than asking whether the entire restaurant has something suitable, and it reduces the chance of discussing a different dish with a similar name.
Read beyond the main ingredient. A vegetable dish may still have a sauce or seasoning that matters to your requirement. On this menu, some dish names explicitly mention oyster sauce, egg, dried shrimps or shrimp paste. Treat those descriptions as reasons to ask further questions, not as a complete ingredient declaration.
The photographs can help you recognise a dish, but they cannot show every component. A filling, stock, dressing or garnish may not be obvious in the image. Likewise, a photograph of a plain-looking side does not establish how it is finished or prepared for service.
Ask about the whole preparation
Discuss the main ingredient, sauce, stock, garnish and any accompanying dip. If you are asking about an adjustment, find out whether it can be made for that dish and whether it changes what will be served. Removing a visible topping is not necessarily the same as changing ingredients used earlier in preparation.
For an allergy-related concern, ask the team about preparation and possible cross-contact as well as ingredients. Only the restaurant can explain what it can realistically do in its kitchen for your request. Do not treat this article, a general FAQ or an older message as a guarantee for a future meal.
For religious dietary requirements, specify the standard that matters to you and ask what can be verified. Do not assume that a dish without a particular meat establishes certification, sourcing or separate preparation. If the answer does not meet your needs, resolve that before committing to the visit.
Keep the request clear when planning a shared meal
Shared dishes are convenient only when everyone understands what has been ordered. Decide whether a guest needs a separate dish or whether the group wants to choose food everyone can share, then discuss that plan with the team. Do not assume that moving food between plates settles a dietary requirement.
When one person is organising the reservation, ask them to pass on the exact request rather than a shortened version. The diner with the requirement should have an opportunity to confirm the answer. A clear message avoids the situation where one guest believes a dish has been checked while another believes the question is still open.
If you are also choosing a celebration package, discuss its food-related components separately. A cake, dessert, drink or included extra may need its own ingredient check. Confirm both the main meal and the package items rather than treating approval of one as approval of everything on the table.
Reconfirm on arrival and when ordering
Let the person taking your order know about the requirement, even if you discussed it before the visit. Refer to the specific arrangement or dish that was confirmed. This helps connect the earlier conversation with the order being placed now.
If your preferred dish is unavailable or an ingredient has changed, ask the team to reassess the alternative. A replacement is a new choice and may need different questions. Do not assume that a dish in the same menu category has the same ingredients or preparation.
Keep any follow-up focused and practical. Ask what is known, what can be checked and what cannot be promised. The purpose is to make an informed dining decision, not to turn an uncertain answer into reassurance that the restaurant has not given.
A short message you can adapt
When contacting the restaurant, include your intended visit date and group size, the requirement you need considered, and two or three menu items you would like to discuss. Ask for confirmation of the ingredients and preparation relevant to those items. If you already have a reservation, send the booking reference through the restaurant's direct contact channel.
Can I rely on a menu category alone?
No. Use it to find possible choices, then check the full dish and preparation with the team. Categories are a navigation aid, not a personalised suitability assessment.
Is a request in the booking notes confirmed?
A note communicates the request. Seek an explicit answer for anything essential before relying on it, and reconfirm when ordering.
How do I contact Three Monkeys?
Use the contact page for the current phone, email and WhatsApp details. Once the food questions are resolved, compare the seating areas and check availability for the visit you want.
