Sophie and Eric Bahn

Passionate, pragmatic and detailed

Last month, Eric and Sophie shared their thoughts on how Monsoon began and gained loyal customers. This month, we'll find out more about their food, Eric's Baguette Box concept and his new restaurant opening in May 2011.

Eric's theory on food evolution is that peoples' palates get better as they're exposed to good food. A restaurant they used to love hasn't gotten worse, their palate is just better. Sophie and Eric also continue to evolve. Everything they use improves their food as a whole: oil, meat, herbs. "In culinary school, they teach the basics," says Sophie. "The rest you learn on your own. We get our lolot leaf from Hawaii. The California lolot leaf is too sturdy and hard because of the hot sun. In Thai food, it is eaten raw. We grill the leaf around meat because it brings out the flavor." They make pho (pictured above) for lunch, just for fun. Fun for them means simmering oxtail and beef bone with marrow for two days. "All the flavor is extracted after six hours, then we're just reducing it. We grill the Wagyu beef before it goes in the soup," explains Eric. Sophie gets her black peppercorn (used with great result in their crab feast on Sunday and Monday, Seattle location only) from Vietnam because they wait for it to mature instead of picking it early. She roasts and grinds it herself. She buys herbs in small amounts and shops for them herself, needing to see if they're good enough. "I'm very picky." They buy expensive wood ear mushrooms. "The Northwest has good mushrooms and we also use those," says Eric.

Sophie is also the procurer of fish. "If you buy fresh, you have to be busy. Otherwise, you lose it. You have to care for fish like a baby. We ice all protein every night." They're very picky about fish as well, getting catfish from Idaho because it is raised on a bed of rock and is tender. Catfish from Alabama is raised in the mud and has a harder texture and muddy smell. It just won't do. They buy the same quality fish as "mainstream" restaurants. "We want people to think of Monsoon when they go out, not just as a Vietnamese restaurant," says Eric.

In some instances, they follow custom. For instance, noodles are not served at night. "In Saigon, it stops at 3 p.m.," explains Eric. Even if it is more costly, they make a dish right. For instance, all ingredients in their simple salad are shredded, taking more labor. The one thing they don't make in-house is their weekend dim sum in Seattle. "In China, it was only for the wealthy because it is so labor intensive," says Sophie. "It's a very special skill. We buy ours from a chef who has been making it since the age of 14."

Wanting to open a second Monsoon, they looked in many areas, finally deciding on Bellevue. "Like Capitol Hill in the beginning, I didn't know the Bellevue area," says Eric. "It has been a good choice. It was hard opening in 2009 with the recession, but people are finding us now." Eric handles the front of the house in both locations, Sophie cooks. "We both go back and forth between the restaurants," says Sophie. "We have a very good cook in Bellevue. I show him how I would do it, we work together and he gets its. We're very lucky to have him. He knows food and has a lot of experience."

Monsoon East's bar

Monsoon Seattle has been called the "Riesling House" for all the Riesling wine available. The wine list is extensive with over 100 wines and mark up is minimal. "In 1985, I went to Germany," recalls Eric. "I went into Dairy Queen and the orange juice was $3. The wine was $1. I tried it. It was not good. But that's where it all started. I've learned from distributors and importers and we have a wonderful list. We have fewer Rieslings in Bellevue and more reds. Honestly, I think wine makes our food better. And all our wine is food friendly. We encourage our chefs to learn about wine. If they understand balance, they understand food."

In 2004, Eric started Baguette Box on Capitol Hill, a Vietnamese sandwich shop, and followed with another shop in Fremont. "It is about simplicity," he says. Simplicity, as always with Sophie and Eric, is not actually simple. Great thought goes into how the handmade sandwiches can have the best flavor. He has brought local chefs in to taste the sandwiches and make comments. "I'm receptive to change and want to offer the best. The last time they made only one suggestion which we accepted and otherwise they said ‘leave it alone.' So Baguette Box will stay as it is, probably just with the two locations." Eric and his friend Terence own Baguette Box Fremont. The Capitol Hill location has recently been purchased by a husband and wife team. "They are almost more like investors as they are running the identical Baguette Box philosophy and vision," says Eric. "In fact, I am still there to coach for better execution and quality control."

Eric's next project is Ba Bar ("Ba" means father in Vietnamese) on 12^th Avenue near Seattle University on Capitol Hill. "Our father introduced Sophie and me to yummy Chinese and Vietnamese food at a young age. Now I want to do more with what's in my subconscious—things I can do without thinking and that bring back childhood memories. I remember in 1975 when the Communists cut off all culture in Vietnam. Culture is what life's about. With Ba Bar, I want to give some fun back to young people, give a cultural lifestyle. It will be a neighborhood place and will set a standard with all sustainable and organic meat; casual food that is respectful of mankind and animals. There will be cheap beer and happy hour. The look will be casual industrial and comfortable. We'll be open from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. every day, and to 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday."

Sophie and Eric expect this to be the biggest year ever for Monsoon. "Early last year we were slow, this year it hasn't been slow. We've been busy every day," says Sophie. Eric says, "I joke with friends that if I'd grown up here, I'd be working at Microsoft or Boeing. But I know if I was, my heart wouldn't be singing."

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Click here to see part 1 of this story

Connie Adams/May 2011