Monsoon Bistro & Bar / Upper Level Parking Next to Macys — Restaurant in Holyoke

I was really looking forward to trying Monsoon Bistro in Holyoke after a glowing recommendation from a close friend, but my experience left me thoroughly disappointed. Our meal began on a sour note with a series of lackluster appetizers. The fried tofu was nothing short of a letdown—extremely bland and seemingly drowning in water, completely lacking the flavor you’d expect. The only saving grace was the edamame, which was decent enough to remind me why I like simple, well-prepared dishes.

The soup dumplings fared only slightly better, with a broth that was passable; however, the meat inside was utterly off. Its texture was disturbingly similar to raw ground meat, which made the whole dish unpalatable.

Moving on to the entrees, the problems only multiplied. The General Tso chicken was over fried to the point of being a crunchy disappointment, and it had little to no flavor—an utter culinary misfire. The Mongolian beef was another major letdown: not only was it significantly overpriced, but it was also devoid of any distinctive taste, making it a regrettable choice. The drunken noodles, which I had high hopes for, were served soggy and, like everything else, utterly tasteless.

If that wasn’t enough, the service and overall dining practice also left much to be desired. Although Sam, our server, was pleasant and did his best under the circumstances, the overall way the kitchen handled the orders was frustrating. The dishes arrived all at once, crowding our table to the point where we could hardly enjoy what little we could taste. The questionable speed of the delivery—almost as if the food wasn’t being prepared to order—only added to the disappointment.

In the end, what should have been a promising meal turned into an experience that wasted both my time and money. I cannot in good conscience recommend spending anyone’s hard-earned money here unless improvements are made...

I have been dying for a nice Chinese food restaurant in the area and after wanting to come here for way too long we finally made it today. I wish I had tried it sooner. It’s by far the best Chinese food we’ve had in the Valley, far and away, and I’d argue better than the restaurants we’ve tried down in Hartford. They also have Thai, Filipino and Malaysian dishes, with entire menus dedicated just to Ramen and Dumplings. The soup dumplings had a hearty, flavorful broth, with lusciously steamed pork inside. My husband had the Peking Duck with pancakes and scallion/cucumber/carrots, which could be assembled into little rolls for delicious bite size consumption. The skin was crispy and the duck was luscious. We split a pomegranate scorpion bowl, which was extremely well made- the perfect balance of fruity and sweet, without being cloying. It had fresh mango, blueberry, cherry, orange and lime mixed in. The service was phenomenal- we sat at the bar and the supervisor who attended us asked us if we knew the best way to eat the dishes and if we wanted to know. We both said we did and learned how to enjoy the dishes without a mess! She was really nice and made the whole experience all the more enjoyable. The ambiance was extremely nice, and the prices were reasonable. We will be back with family and friends, don’t miss out...

A friend and I had lunch here last week. In a mall. I had drunken noodles and Elliot had curry chicken and potatoes. Both were very good. The service was spot on…we are both restaurant veterans. The supervisor, Ann, came to speak to us after we ate to check on everything. She was most welcoming. Tonight I convinced three of my friends to join me at Monsoon Bistro. Ann remembered me from last week…always impressive. Sam was our server. We sit two appetizers. Chicken satay and soup dumplings. The chicken was very tasty. None of us had ever had soup dumplings before so Ann instructed us on the proper way to eat them. Thank goodness. They were exceptional. Everyone was very happy with their meals. I can’t remember the names of what they had so I will only comment on my Crispy Thai Chicken. They had plenty of veggies and a tasty sauce. Even covered in sauce they stayed crispy throughout. If you spend $50 you get a complimentary dish of sesame chicken. You would think yawn but these were definitely the best sesame chicken I have EVER had.

The restaurant has white tablecloths. Unusual for an Asian restaurant, especially in a mall. Do not go here thinking about American Chinese food. In addition to real Chinese cuisine they have Thai and Malaysian dishes also. Authentic food.

Highly...