After a few months of setup in the former pharmacy location at 1723 NW Market, Monkey Bridge Vietnamese Cuisine opened today. It will probably be another couple of days before they're serving beer and wine since liquor license applications have been backed up. It sounds like a lot of permits have been slow going for new restaurants and bars lately. This family run business had hoped to open in January but just got through some of the final hurdles.
We stopped in for a quick bite today and would have lingered longer if the wine had been available. The decor and the staff were both welcoming and the couple of dishes we tried were very flavorful. What can you expect to find? If you're looking for Phở, they offer several options (including vegetarian) in a more comfortable atmosphere than other neighborhood spots. They also offer Bánh mì sandwiches, several salads and a range of noodle and rice based dishes like Ginger Chicken, Lemongrass Tofu, and Vietnamese Rhubarb and Beef.
Their dinner special entrees featured salmon and sea bass and looked like they'd be worth a splurge (in the $15 range) on a night when I'm hungrier. Most of the other menu options cost
between four and eight dollars.
Besides the atmosphere and great prices, I was impressed by the descriptions on the menu, particularly the fact that all the soups actually specified what type of broth they contained. This is rare and really helpful for picky eaters like myself who avoid the chicken and beef ones.
The rumors are indeed true - Mr. Spot's Chai House is changing owners. We wondered what would happen to the chai brewing business. Luckily, one of our neighborhood readers emailed Jessica and sent us this update on the beloved Chai House.
We learned from our pals at My Ballard that there is new hope for the Sunset Bowl. Avid bowler Jim Bristow has started a web site called Save Sunset Bowl! They are looking to keep it open as long as possible and require the new owners to incorporate a bowling alley in the new design. We are so excited about this grass roots effort and encourage you all to help out. Really, take a stand before it's too late.
Universally, not enough attention is paid to the fruit accompanying a drink. It's pretty common to get a slimy lemon or a browning lime but even we have our limits. This week we reached an all time low at the Copper Gate when my second drink was returned with the same mangled fruit from my first drink. Yuck. Can'you you afford a new glass or fresh fruit?! I pointed this out to my pal and she showed me the lemon in her drink that came with the Sunkist sticker still attached. Boooo! Maybe you should spend more time thinking about making good drinks instead of thinking about boobies - which now seem to adorn every wall in the place.
