Monsoon

Monsoon Review

A small, serene space decorated with simple woven hats hanging graphically on a bright wall and black-and-white photographs, Monsoon serves delicious, upscale Vietnamese food to happy Capitol Hill locals—but you should definitely make the short trek here. Favorites, blending Vietnamese and Pacific Northwest elements, include wild gulf prawns with lemongrass, catfish clay pot with fresh coconut juice and green onion, and lamb with fermented soybeans and sweet onions. Homemade ice creams include lychee and mango, but the restaurant's most famous dessert is the coconut crème caramel. The wine cellar has nearly 250 varieties, including many French selections. Reservations are recommended. The weekend brunch—which serves traditional Vietnamese offerings, dim sum, and "colonial" favorites like French toast and eggs en cocotte—is divine, elegant, and more than worth the trip to this tree-lined residential stretch of Capitol Hill.