Blown Away By Monsoon

About a week ago Patrick and I received an offer to try out Babylon’s hottest topic, Monsoon, before their official opening.  We are HUGE fans of the other Bohlsen Restaurant Group locations.  Our family has been going to Teller’s for years and the thought of their Train Wreck Mashed Potatoes and a steak will get me moving and in the car in record time.  This past summer we also got hooked on Verace.  We love to go there on date night for a drink and some small plates outside in their patio area.  Needless to say, we were thrilled to test out the new BRG venture before the rest of our friends and family. 

The actual space looks amazing.  It feels like many of the places that I have thrown or attended events in the city.  Very clean lines, modern furniture, up-lit walls and windows… and somehow trendy yet historical at the same time.  The integrity of the building is maintained and still very evident as you walk up to the front doors of the old Bank of Babylon.  The inside feels like you’re on vacation.

The bar was very busy and looked to be a great time.  I’m going to reserve my official review for when I can actually belly up to the bar for a bit… without the baby bump in my way (literally and figuratively). 

We arrived right at our reservation time of 7:15, and were led up the open, wide staircase to our table on the second floor.  When we sat down, there weren’t too many other tables occupied--- but that changed quickly.  When we left nearly every seat was taken and there was a lot of exciting people watching to partake in.  A few things that we learned were to ask for a table either near the railing so that you can see down to the first floor and watch the bar scene, or a table in the back of the second floor so that you can see the action in the kitchen.  There’s a big window, similar to Verace, which allows you to peek in and watch the crew work their magic.

The only issue that we really had was that our table was very dark.  There were tons of bulbs in a cool looking fixture above us, but I still had to take out my phone and use the light from it to read the menu.  I noticed another party next to us using a flashlight.  Before we even had a chance to ask, a hostess or manager popped over to tell us that there was a last minute issue with the lighting system right in our zone, which is controlled by computer.  The whole floor had experienced an issue just before opening for service and this was a temporary adjustment until they could fool around with the settings and get it back to normal.  With that cleared up—and without even having to ask—I was happy to continue on with our meal and not whine about that detail as I may have otherwise done.  

Our wait staff was great and it did seem like they had all hands on deck.  This was totally understandable since it was presumably the soft opening and everyone was learning the needs of their role.  Nobody was standing still, we were always able to grab someone if we needed anything, and I was absolutely shocked at how much everyone knew about the menu.  Not that we were quizzing them, but we really like to get recommendations and try new things… especially in brand new places!

If we were testing them, they passed with flying colors because our meal was out of this world.  I was sort of apprehensive about what I’d eat since I am somewhat limited in my diet options.  I used to be a twice-weekly sushi eater, but that’s on hold until June.  Patrick will pretty much eat anything, as long as they can hold the cheese and mustard so I never worry about him finding something.  Anyway, we started off with Pork Sticky Buns.  I have had them many times in Chinatown and at small places in the city, but these were far and away the best I’ve ever had.  They were spicy and doughy with the perfect kick of spice and cooling cucumber mixed in.  I could eat a meal of just these buns and be more than happy. 

For our main courses I had General Tso’s Chicken and a side of pork-fried rice, which are both take-out staples in our house. The names of these dishes don’t do them justice. They are so far from the to-go quality that I think they should be called something special.  With this pregnancy, I haven’t been able to eat poultry very much due to a random (but apparently common) food aversion.  This was an instant craving when we walked in to Monsoon and I couldn’t wait to try it.  I was not disappointed and ate far more than I probably should have.  The chicken was juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside with a decent amount of spice in the sauce.  Patrick ordered the Monkfish entrée, which is a newfound love of his.  He actually has a thing going with my father where they are each trying to find the best monkfish dinner.  Apparently Patrick has thrown down the gauntlet and declared himself the winner based on this meal.  It was absolutely delicious. 

I know that there are a few hang-ups that I’ve heard around town about this opening.  The first is that it’s another restaurant coming to the business district.  That is true, but I challenge you to go just for a drink and see if you still don’t see how this place is worth having in town.  The experience is special and it is a place you can pop in for a drink with friends at the bar, or go with a big group to celebrate something… anything.  The next is that it’s another sushi joint.  While I think I’ve been pretty clear in outlining how we thoroughly enjoyed our experience without a bite of sushi, I do think that their offerings looked phenomenal.  I almost don’t want to dispute this claim because… well, more for me. We are already planning my first night out here after the baby is born: Sushi, wine, great food and all within walking distance of our house.  It’s safe to say that we were blown away by Monsoon, and will make our way back sooner than later!