If you build it, they will come.
These were the words of Monsoon restaurant chef and owner Eric Banh during a recent Saturday morning brunch at his Bellevue restaurant, Monsoon East.
The Saigon native opened the first Monsoon restaurant with his sister and business partner, Sophie Banh, on Capitol Hill in 1998.
This past December, the brother and sister team moved across the bridge to open a second restaurant in Old Main in Bellevue.
Monsoon East offers a blended cuisine influenced by Chinese and European cooking traditions and boasts a full bar with happy hour not offered at the Capitol Hill location.
Another bonus for Eastsiders is the new addition of a special brunch menu offered at Monsoon East, with tempting dishes including sesame seed beignets with five spices, syrup and banana cream ($7.50); berkshire pork and shrimp sausage ($4.50); and milk poached eggs with prawns, mussels, clams, a grilled baguette and olive oil ($15).
The interior design of the restaurant echos the fine-tuned details that goes into every dish found on the menu.
“Details are everything,” Eric Banh explained. “Without details, life would be very bland.”
From the stone floor to the artwork hanging on the walls in sets of three to represent the three regions of Saigon, Eric Banh’s passion for authenticity transcends every inch of the restaurant.
“Where we shine is the food,” Banh explained. “The esthetic of the restaurant is beautiful, but ultimately, it is the food that brings people back time and time again.”
With the re-introduction of the traditional weekend brunch, Banh enlisted the talents of Chef Nathan Crave, previously of Spring Hill.
On the weekends, Crave goes next door to purchase dough from Belle Pastry and hand rolls the beignets to ensure freshness. Crave continues to experiment with traditional brunch menu items giving them a modern twist such as the brioche french toast he creates, topped with caramel honeycrisp apples and cinnamon custard ($10).
“You have to love food and wine to work here at Monsoon,” Eric Banh said. “Sincerity and passion are two things that can’t be taught. Nathan has both of those qualities and it makes him an excellent chef.”
Eric Banh hopes to bring back the spirit of weekend brunch and community gathering.
“The idea of spending time with family and friends around a table and enjoying good food is a staple that we hope to bring back to this community,” he said.
Brunch is served at Monsoon East on Saturdays and Sundays, from 10 a.m., to 3 p.m. Monsoon East is located at 10245 Main St. in Bellevue. For more information, visit www.monsoonrestaurants.com or call 425-635-1112.
Lindsay Larin can be reached at 425-453-4602.
