This city is layered in rich history, most of which will never be uncovered. How often do we find ourselves walking down a familiar street, staring at something new and wondering, what the hell used to be there?
So for a place to patiently uncover the buried history of a physical space in order to help it transition with intention is like a deliberate homage to the city, and thus the people within it.
The Monarch Theater Restaurant used to be a theater called The Collapsable Hole, a rather avante-garde, artist-owned production that took over the space of a former rundown garage in 2000. And after 13 years of inspiring the neighborhood through stories, songs, and scenes, with one final collapse of the curtains, the theater moved on while the space begged for the debut of another performance.
Brooklyn restaurant veterans Lawrence and Ayako Elliott (of The Rabbithole notoriety) took notice, feeling the allure of the space, and dreamed of a two-story love child that would exhibit both their passion for delighting the diners of Brooklyn and their joint artistic and culinary prowess.
And during what became a 3-year cocoon stage, the owners painstakingly breathed life into the dream that would finally become Monarch Theater Restaurant in February of 2019. The name, while both paying homage to the history of the space, also felt fitting given its proximity to a neighboring cinema and live music venue, and inevitably speaks to their joint appreciation for old black-and-white Asian cinema.
Their patience, appreciation, and imagination for the space is felt in every inch of the interior, and this delicate-yet-seductive aesthetic is what initially attracted us to the place. Standing outside, looking into the windows made me feel as if I’d been transported back in time, to the gilded age of theater where a hundred performances became a thousand stories in a million moments, captured.
Stepping inside, I saw how the bold, theatrical theme is playfully and artistically balanced; a busy, tile-patterned floor juxtaposes the stark white walls. A dramatic, vintage-inspired staircase bisects the delicate dining room. A jungle of plants basks in the mid-afternoon sun while black-and-white emulsioned onlookers stare back, frozen in time, in dramatic photos. A life-like papered wall is interrupted by a buzzing neon sign demanding that you and everyone else present eat more noodles. The second-floor balcony, the one the owners initially envisioned, stands boldly and sacredly as an outdoor oasis, looking out onto a perpetually bustling Brooklyn street corner.
Given the elegant interior, we felt slightly ashamed that what initially brought us into the space was a meager sandwich board with the words “ginger chicken dumplings” sketched rather hastily upon it.
Pleasantly and inevitably, the food took center stage during our stunning experience at the Monarch Theater Restaurant. Here’s what not to miss, culinarily.
What to Eat at the Monarch Theater Restaurant
Chili Cabbage
Start here to warm up your palate to the dynamic flavor adventure you’re about to experience. Bold and fresh, with just enough depth from a smattering of roasted peanuts and sneaky fried onion, it made us realize that this is the way all salads should be.
Onion Roti with Cashew Curry
This felt like the most familiar, comforting dish we experienced, which was appreciated. Straightforward, savory and delicious, you’ll be happy it’s part of your table.
Agedashi Mushroom
Lightly fried with sweet potato flour, this complex little mushroom is somehow both crisp and soft and dances in a pool of soy and something slightly sweet, making it my favorite performance of the starters on the table. Don’t miss it.
Pan Fried Ginger Chicken Dumplings
The initial temptation that brought us into the Monarch did not disappoint. These were both the most elegant and delicious dumplings I’ve had in recent memory; savory, seductive little pillows topped with microgreens and paired perfectly with what should be (if it isn’t) a very, very secret sauce recipe. Absolutely do not miss this integral part of your experience here.
Sweet and Sour Pork
This is a pork belly that you no longer recognize. It’s like the pork belly that defiantly says, “Fine then, I’m going OUT!” and then slips into a sassy little number you didn’t even know it had and dances boldly out into the night without looking back. Resting dramatically on a plate with its new hip friends Hijiki and Hibiscus, it has all the elements to be the standout dish of the meal. Take notice.
Cod in Coconut Lime Broth
By far the most beautiful presentation of cod I’ve ever seen, and a perfect, light balance to the more intense dishes in our experience. Order this to feel better about yourself and to see how far the chef can (and does) stretch his limits here.
Spicy Minced Pork Noodles
The dish you won’t be able to stop thinking about days later, and for good reason. Spicy and intense, it’s hard for them not to take center stage at what became quite the dramatic omnivoral experience. They also, fortunately, were neither too heavy nor too overwhelming to the other dishes on the table. This is a must-order.
What to Drink
We started with cocktails, which we found perfectly balanced yet punchy enough to keep us interested. I was tempted to indulge in the Solong Luang Probang, an elegant blend of Absinthe, Giffard, and Creme de Violette that I’m confident I wouldn’t soon forget, even if tempted to drink 5 more.
My partner in drinking (and life) chose the Night Market, a dangerous blend of a Japanese beer distillate (read: nearly grain alcohol concentrate, from beer), coconut, lemongrass and black pepper that felt oddly more elegant the more we sipped.
And as we did, we were lucky to sidle up next to Jason Mezydlo at the bar, the beverage director and resident wine expert who was in the process of tasting and testing the next round of mostly natural wines to add to the list. We couldn’t help but inquire about the particular appeal and rather nuanced names behind the cocktails that were beginning to elude us. He then revealed his passion for and extensive knowledge of Southeast Asia, and thus the flavors, spices, and pairings that go best with what could be intimidating flavor profiles.
As we sat and experienced dish after surprisingly unintimidating dish, he let us sample enough wines to know we’ll be back soon to see what he selected, and to drink our way through Southeast Asia, cocktail-ly. Although in the end, we were pleasantly surprised by his very approachable recommendation of the Beer Lao, a drinkable Vietnamese beer he jumps through hoops to import, partially for nostalgia and wholly for its perfect pairing ability with nearly every dish.
The Monarch Theater Restaurant is an unexpected performance amid a street of seasoned neighborhood standouts. This performance-space-turned-restaurant is reminiscent of the gilded theater age with a noticeable penchant for urban panache. Its ambiance will draw you in, but its bold, exotic menu and elegant tiki bar cocktail list will keep you coming back for more, and often, long after its much-anticipated debut.
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