How Monsoon and Ba Bar Transformed Seattle’s Vietnamese Food Scene | Eater Seattle

"For a fine-dining take on Vietnamese food, I choose Monsoon — known for dishes like catfish claypot and crackly imperial rolls and widely regarded as the obvious choice for diners seeking a more refined vibe than a neighborhood pho joint. Opened in 1999 by siblings Eric and Sophie Banh with money borrowed from family, Monsoon became Seattle’s first Vietnamese fine-dining restaurant, bringing Chinese-influenced Vietnamese dishes served family-style with rice and Northwest ingredients. Signature plates have included steamed halibut with vermicelli noodles and black beans, spicy cumin lamb (made with Sophie’s fermented soybeans), and spring rolls stuffed with Dungeness crab; wild mushrooms such as chanterelles and morels and heirloom tomatoes also featured on early menus. The restaurant drew lines within weeks of opening and received praise from critics, though money was tight at first and family pitched in (Eric’s mother rolled imperial rolls). Over time Monsoon became profitable and even opened a second location in downtown Bellevue in 2008. Some dishes have changed: wild mushrooms are harder to source and are no longer on the menu, and the heirloom-tomato beef dish was removed because of rising costs. Sophie remains in the kitchen most days, obsessively tasting for quality control." - Jade Yamazaki Stewart