Dishin': Pork Belly, Baby, at Monsoon East

We recently reported about Monsoon's "Alive @ 5" happy hour here in Seattle.

Well, talk about alive: Monsoon East is now open in Bellevue, and it's impressive. Siblings Eric and Sophie Banh have a new baby, and we had a chance to check it out right from the start. So different than the Seattle site, with a raw bar, beautiful furnishings, and better acoustics than in Seattle.

Some of the same menu items at both locations, but some delicious new items for Eastsiders - and those willing to travel to the Eastside. Our favorite so far: the caramelized kurobuta pork belly and whole shrimp claypot ($16). Worth the trip across the lake!