Went to Monsoon over the weekend and tried out one of the evening’s specials: an entire grilled sea bass stuffed with lemons and herbs. The server took out the spine but kept the head on at our behest (love those cheeks), and then we went to town scraping away fluffy hunks of filet. Things can get a bit bony—you do need to take care to avoid swallowing any. Still, the dish makes for a fun feast that’s out of the ordinary.

I want more, but I can’t for the life of me recall seeing this on other menus around town. Anybody have some suggestions?

Psst: When you order this, ask your server for sprigs of mint, glass noodles, and full lettuce leaves. In the lettuce spoon up the noodles, then add a mint leaf or two. On top of those plop a healthy serving of fish. Roll it up and dip in a spicy vinegar dressing. It’s a delicious trick I learned in Thailand. Think of it as an Asian taco.