Monsoon - Seattle, WA

Coming to Monsoon in Capitol Hill was a lucky stumble.. we had intended to go to a restaurant across the street but it wasn't open yet (got really hungry at 5pm.. feed me!) but I'm glad to have landed here. Ever since our trip to Vietnam, we've been even more obsessed with the cuisine, and Monsoon gave it just enough of a modern twist yet preserved the traditional flavors I love.

Green papaya salad with grilled wagyu beef, rau ram, and caramelized shallots. This salad is one of my favorite starters, the fresh ingredients combined with a lightly tangy dressing just open up your appetite. The grilled wagyu beef was so tender and added some warmth to the dish.

Grilled Monterey squid stuffed with duck, basil, and jicama. I love how the entire squid was preserved, so beautiful.. though I'm sure beauty is in the eye of the beholder and a lot of people would be grossed out by the intact tentacles..

Crispy organic tofu with lemongrass, sweet onions, and roasted Shiitake mushrooms. Maybe because I love my mom's fried tofu, but it's really so simple and delicious especially sautéed with tons of garlic.. though I'm convinced that anything with tons of garlic would be tasty.

Barbecued Carlton Farm pork spare ribs in ginger, hoisin, and five spice. The meat fell off the bone, was just right sweet, and went well with the pickled jicama and carrots.

Half portion of wokked soft noodles with oyster mushrooms, duck egg, green onions. Hints of all the ingredients with a smokiness from the wok made these noodles work as a complement to the other dishes.

Coconut cream pudding for dessert. It had the consistency of flan, and flan is one of my favorite desserts ever + coconut.. can't go wrong.