Cocktails and Small Plates at Monsoon in Bellevue

 

The Manhattan Sampler from Monsoon featuring three half pours. 

Monsoon in Bellevue is located on Main St. By the same owner as Ba Bar, this upscale Vietnamese restaurant is just right for any occasion. Whether you're celebrating something special, or just grabbing a drink and a starter, Monsoon feels right. My husband and I shared the Manhattan Sampler. This included three half pours of three different variations of the classic Manhattan cocktail. The three were Tip of the Day, Belle of the Ball, and Mezzanote Manhattan. They all tasted similar, with some subtle differences. The ingredients for all three were completely different, however. Go here to read the ingredients. 

To pair with our Manhattans we shared the Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings and the Bo La Lot. If you've ever had the wings from Ba Bar, you know they make some quality wings at their restaurants. The wings at Monsoon were great, but not as great as the wings at Ba Bar. I was impressed by the flavor of our other small plate. These had marinated flank steak which were wrapped around la lot leaves and then grilled. La lot leaves are featured in SE Asian food and are heart-shaped leaves. They tasted so fresh with the flavorful flank steak. 

They do feature a happy hour, but only Monday through Thursday in the lounge. I would recommend making a reservation, since they get so busy. We just popped in, but it was before 5 pm, and the host did let us know they needed the table at 6 pm. I loved the interior of the space at Monsoon and the flavors of the small dishes were incredible! 

Monsoon 

10245 Main St.

Bellevue, WA 

(425) 635-1112