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food

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.

Monsoon on Urbanspoon

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28 Comments

  3. DSK Steph
    January 19, 2012 / 9:56 pm

    I've been wanting to visit Monsoon! I think I might take a trip up the hill once the weather clears up. 🙂 It's snowing still in downtown Seattle!

    Reply
  4. Yeji
    January 19, 2012 / 9:59 pm

    I want to be on..all over..that coconut cream pudding…

    Reply
  5. Mangotatoes
    January 19, 2012 / 10:09 pm

    Ahh, I am salivating because of your pictures! The squid dish looks amazing. I'm definitely putting it on a list to try if I ever go to seattle ;]

    mango

    mangotatoes.blogspot.com

    Reply
  11. Cindy
    January 20, 2012 / 1:40 am

    The food looks so so SO incredible! I love pics of your food adventures…and living vicariously through them

    Reply
  13. -marta
    January 20, 2012 / 5:06 am

    I love your top and that pudding for dessert looks delicious!

    xx

    Reply
  16. Arden
    January 20, 2012 / 10:04 am

    Oh, yum. Yumm!! xx

    Reply
  18. Sabina
    January 21, 2012 / 1:31 am

    Wow everything looks so amazing. (Though I'm not a fan of tofu, it actually looks kinda appetizing here.)

    Reply
  19. Meisha.Style
    January 21, 2012 / 1:54 am

    looks very yummy! pudding is my favorite!!

    Reply
  20. eggtartbox
    January 21, 2012 / 5:58 am

    Ah, so much food goodness in these photographs, everything looks so scrumptious! It's always really interesting when restaurants take traditional dishes and put modern twists on them and Monsoon sounds like it was quite successful in that. Hope that you have a great weekend! xx

    Reply
  21. le sorelle
    January 21, 2012 / 9:26 pm

    Oh my gosh that dessert looks and sounds incredible!!

    Hope you have a lovely weekend! 🙂

    -j
    sorelle in style

    Reply
  25. Christina
    January 22, 2012 / 3:01 pm

    Hi Carolyn! The flan look so yummy! It's definitely one of my favorite desserts too :] I'm such a fan of your blog! Fashion and food!

    xx
    Christina

    Reply
  27. alex
    January 26, 2012 / 1:39 am

    overall everything was good, the squid gave me food poisoning though last time i was here.

    Reply

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