11/24/2001

Monma is a Japanese restaurant specializing in dishes that you cook yourself at your table over a small barbeque grill. Typically, these consist of different marinated meats, and comes with rice or vegetable side dishes. I'm not Japanese, but it must be pretty authentic, since it is frequented by notable Japanese players from the Mariners like Ichiro Suzuki. Not bad, for a small out-of-the-way restaurant in Redmond!

We sampled several different kinds of meats: Marbled Beef, Tenderloin, Chicken, Pork, and Shrimp. Of those, the Marbled Beef was my favorite, beating out even the Tenderloin. All the meats were well marinated and flavorful. Since you cook your own food, you have only yourself to blame if the meat comes out overcooked. We also tried Bipinba, a vegetable side dish - a little exotic.

While the food quality was good, my main gripe is with the quantity. The portions are very small for the price, so be prepared to order a lot or not go home stuffed. If you're trying to stick to a diet, this might be a good place to go. So keep this place in mind if you want a taste of Tokyo, but aren't in the mood for sushi.

Bottom Line: Good food, but small portions.