From Monsoon East to Barrio

Economy, scheconomy. With the amount of new restaurants sprouting in downtown Bellevue, it makes us forget about the "r" word. Well, someone still has to drink, eat and be merry.

Monsoon East
Siblings and co-owners Eric and Sophie Banh share their vision with Monsoon East by bringing contemporary Vietnamese cuisine using local fresh ingredients. "We're not reinventing anything," says Eric. "Monsoon has existed in Seattle's Capitol Hill for ten years and we want to continue to give people good value, unique experience and authentic flavor."

Photo by Joann Aquino

The 3,500 square foot restaurant offers minimalist décor with Vietnam-meets-the-Pacific-Northwest vibe. Growing up, it was not atypical for the Banh family to eat a customary pho soup for one meal and fried eggs with baguette for the next. This diverse palette reflects in their menu with items like caramelized pork belly and shrimp clay pot; tamarind soup with tomatoes, bac ha and fresh fish; and duck confit rolls with mustard greens, mango and peanut sauce. The wines on the list come from Washington, Oregon, California, France and Germany, thoughtfully paired well with their food. The happy hour— available daily from 3 p.m.-6:30 p.m.— is a great way to sample the menu with $1 oysters from the raw bar, $5 small plates and $4-$6 beer, wine and concoctions like jackfruit cocktail, sparkling basil seed and sweet plum.

10245 Main Street
Bellevue, WA 98004
(425) 635-1112
www.monsoonrestaurants.com

El Gaucho
At City Center Plaza, El Gaucho makes a mark with its classy old-glamour style. With a lofty tiered dining room, high ceilings, expansive windows, alluring bar and wine cellar, along with their staff decked out in tux and suit, the statement says sophistication all the way.

"El Gaucho Bellevue is what would be the love child of El Gaucho in Belltown and Waterfront Seafood Grill (also a MacKay Restaurant)," says president and COO Chad MacKay. "It has the same feel with high windows and interaction with the outdoors."

Open since late November 2008, the elegant steakhouse offers its signature 28-day dry-aged certified Angus beef, fresh seafood from sustainable sources and tableside preparations of Chateaubriand, Caesar salad and banana foster flambé. The only El Gaucho of four locations currently serving lunch, this venue is an ideal place for power lunches or simply to watch the action.

10903 NE 6^th Street
Bellevue, WA 98004
(425) 455-2715
www.elgaucho.com

John Howie Steak
In September 2009, John Howie will open John Howie Steak at The Bravern, a mixed-use development covering about 1.7 million square feet of 8^th Street and 112^th Avenue NE. The restaurant, encompassing about 9,000 square feet on Level 1 of The Shops at The Bravern, will rub elbows with Neiman Marcus, Jimmy Choo Shoes and other luxury retailers offering a smorgasbord of indulgence to folks on the Eastside.

Photo courtesy of John Howie

"There's no other steakhouse in the Puget Sound that is chef-owned and chef-driven, and that's what sets us apart," says owner and chef John Howie. Besides steaks and chops, John Howie Steak will also offer fresh seafood, poultry and side dishes made with seasonal produce from local farmers and foragers.

Chef Howie who also owns Bellevue's Seastar Restaurant and the newly opened restaurant with the same name in Seattle's Pan Pacific Hotel remains optimistic in this climate. With two new restaurants this year, Chef Howie with confidence says, "Quality restaurants, products and service will survive in this economy." Cheers to that.

www.seastarrestaurant.com
www.thebravern.com

Wild Ginger
Over at Two Bravern Court, one of The Bravern's residential towers, Wild Ginger will cover about 14,000 square feet of the mixed-use project. The Bellevue location will have an identical concept as the Seattle restaurant and offer Wild Ginger's signature pan-Asian cuisine, says co-founder Ann Yoder.

By September this year, Bellevue shoppers and residents can look forward to various grilled satays, fragrant roast duck and other celebrated dishes without crossing the bridge.

www.wildginger.net
www.thebravern.com

Artisanal Brasserie & Wine Bar and The Artisanal Table Pizzeria Tapas Wine Bar
Chef Terrance Brennan of New York City's Picholine and Artisanal Fromagerie, Bistro and Wine Bar, will open two restaurants in The Shops at The Bravern this September. Artisanal Brasserie & Wine Bar and The Artisanal Table Pizzeria Tapas Wine notes the first national expansion of Chef Brennan's celebrated Artisanal brand.

Chef Brennan was named "Best New Chef" by Food & Wine magazine in 1995 and is a five-time nominee for "Best Chef: New York" by the James Beard Foundation. The Artisanal Brasserie will offer contemporary French cuisine and a wine and cheese bar featuring fine handcrafted cheeses staffed by a professional fromager. The Artisanal Table—an upscale pizzeria, tapas and wine bar— will prepare food using sustainable, wild, organic, local and artisanal products, most of which will be sourced from the Pacific Northwest.

Barrio, Purple and Bliss from the Heavy Restaurant Group
On the retail level of the 42-story Bellevue Towers, the Heavy Restaurant Group will launch the fourth Purple Café & Wine Bar, a second Barrio restaurant and the dessert café Bliss, by mid-summer 2009.

"The Bellevue Purple and Barrio will be similar to the Seattle locations," says founder and owner Larry Kurofsky. "It will have the same feel, design and architecture build out, but it will adapt to the space it's in." Like its Seattle siblings, the use of metal work, wood and candles will be manifested through the furnishings and surroundings.

Seattle Barrio photo courtesy of Barrio

The new Purple's wine list will be even more comprehensive than the downtown Seattle, Kurofsky noted. And the Eastside Barrio, unlike its Capitol Hill sister, will offer lunch luring the business crowd. "We're very excited for the lunch market in Bellevue. It's a good place for it," adds Kurofsky.

Expanding beyond the sweets, Bliss will also feature some savories and will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Anticipate fancy, traditional and interactive desserts along with each meal.

Though some may be nervous to start a new restaurant in this economy, Kurofsky who is opening three says, "We feel good about it. We're aware of what's going on." He adds, "People want a good experience and are discerning about where to go. We just have to be the best we've ever been."

www.thepurplecafe.com
www.barriorestaurant.com
www.heavyrestaurantgroup.com

Recent additions to the Bellevue food scene also include Toscano at The Bellettini, Top Pot Doughnuts on NE 9^th Place, and Pearl Bar & Dining and Palomino both in Lincoln Square. With much excitement, upcoming restaurants include Paddy Coyne's Irish Pub (winter 2009) in Lincoln Square, Chantanee Thai Restaurant & Bar (winter 2009) in the Key Center Building, Tangerine Thai Cuisine (February 2009) at the Bellevue Galleria, Boom Noodle and Blue C Sushi (spring 2009) in Bellevue Square, and Neiman Marcus' resident restaurant Mariposa (September 2009) at The Bravern.

Bellevue Palomino, taken by Joann Aquino

Joann Natalia Aquino/February 2009

Joann Natalia Aquino is a freelance writer covering food and wine, travel, lifestyle, fashion and the arts. She can be reached at missaquino@gmail.com