• Monsoon

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  • White Veg-options
Lacto
Ovo
Delivery
Take-out
Vietnamese
Non-veg

Serves meat, vegan options available. Vietnamese home cooking in a modern, elevated setting located in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids. Offers vegan vegetable rolls, tofu Monsoon vermicelli (minus fish sauce), vegan tofu coconut curry, tofu lemongrass stir fry and various vegan side dishes. Open Mon-Thu 4:00pm-9:00pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am-10:00pm. Closed Sun.


Venue map for Monsoon
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1 Review

First Review by TurnipForPlants

TurnipForPlants

Points +2261

Vegan
11 May 2024

Best Vietnamese in Grand Rapids

Monsoon is a fairly new addition to downtown Grand Rapids, and it is a much appreciated one. In a downtown that seems to struggle to find continual business, Monsoon has found its stride as a top high-end destination in downtown GR.

I have visited Monsoon a few times since its opening, and it feels like it has finally caught its groove. It now serves liquor and has scrapped most of its lunch options to focus on elegant dinner dining. The omission of being open on Sunday perplexes me, but that is not out of course for the Grand Rapids restaurant scene.

Monsoon offers a few vegan dishes and many side dishes that can be made vegan. In its current menu, I recommend the Tofu Coconut curry. It is savory and sweet with that nice creamy coconut milk finish. It has it listed as spicy but I did not feel any spiciness from the dish. Its addition of potatoes and eggplant help set it above other curries around the area. But, the highlight is the tofu. It is some of the most uniquely cooked tofu I have ever had.

While visiting, the head chef stopped by every table. I had to ask him how he crafted the crispy sensation of the tofu and his secret. He said the trick is he uses tapioca flour as the base, and that he pan fries it twice. It makes for a very "bread" heavy dish, which I typically do not like, but when prepared by this expert chef, it creates a spectacular take on tofu I highly recommend to experience.

Monsoon has had a bumpy start, but by pushing through it has elevated itself to a position of top-tier Grand Rapids restaurant. If you are looking for a fine-dinning restaurant for two, I highly recommend checking out Monsoon.

Pros: Some vegan options, Modern and elevated atmosphere, Head chef introduced himself to tables

Cons: Not entirely vegan




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