There are two types of people in this world…those who love Monjuni’s, and those who hate Monjuni’s. And there doesn’t seem to be a middle-ground among the two. Some say it’s the sauce, others say it’s the place. But love them or hate them, Monjuni’s has become a staple in Baton Rouge cuisine. What makes this place so special is a matter of the beholder. All in all, through good and bad, it has been a regular spot of ours for several years now. So let’s talk about Monjuni’s, one of my favorite Italian restaurants.
THE FOOD:
The menu at Monjuni’s is as simple as it is delicious. A quick two-pager featuring some pasta dishes, some sandwiches, and a few extras. The sandwiches are good, but the muffalata is, by far, one of the best I’ve ever had. Moving on to the pasta. If you’ve never had the pleasure of dining at Monjuni’s before, I’d recommend the sampler. It’s a great summary of the more popular dishes on one plate (even the muffalata!!). Diner’s seeking more intricate fare can check out the entrees such as the Eggplant Parmesan or the Shrimp Arora. I believe the secrete to these wonderful dishes is the sauce. Now, some people find the sauce is too sweet. But I actually think it is just right. I like to think of an Italian restaurant’s sauce as its own personal signature to each dish… the make-or-break element if you will. The food up to this point is almost perfect. But… perfection is not easy to attain. And for Monjuni’s, the desserts are where things kind of start to drift. We don’t normally give a lot of weight to the dessert menu, but we do give it some. The desserts at Monjuni’s were, at one time, just as top-notch as the food. But we’ve noticed that, as of late, the desserts just aren’t what they used to be. For example, the cannoli… it was my absolute favorite item on the menu. I don’t often order dessert, but if I was eating at Monjuni’s, you could bet there would be a cannoli involved at some point. However, the last few times I’ve ordered it, what I received is far from what they previously serve. The once wonderful Italian dish stuffed with sweet ricotta and chocolate in a delicate pastry tube, is now three small, stale (and somewhat flavorless) little cannolis, garnished with rainbow sprinkles. Really Monjuni’s?? RAINBOW SPRINKLES?? I am not an 8-year-old girl and this is not my birthday!! Another lost favorite seems to be the limoncello dessert. It was a favorite of the Mrs., but seems to have all but vanished from their selection. The remaining desserts are ok (I do like the almond cake). But they just don’t seem to have that elegance that they once possessed. All things considered, we give the food at Monjuni’s a solid 9/10. Would have been a solid 10/10, but RAINBOW SPRINKLES!… I digress.
THE SERVICE:
Someone once said that “into everyone’s life, a little rain must fall” and I can’t imagine a better way to describe the service at Monjuni’s. While the years have shown us great service time and time again, our more recent visits would indicate that the rains are indeed approaching. Be it new servers learning the ropes, or just a lack of organization and oversight, the service has shown a noticeable decline. While there are some who do a great job, there are others who are just awkward, or slow, or just plain inattentive. For the latter I suggest better training. Customers don’t want to hear about server rotations when they request to sit in the dining room in lieu of the lobby. They don’t really want to hear loud conversations and yelling in the server area while dining. And the question “Did he forget about us??” should never come up at the table. For the most, they do their jobs. And that’s all we can really ask for. But I only hope that this is a passing shower to revitalize what was once a great dining experience. For the service we give a score of 7/10.
THE PLACE:
One of my favorite things about Monjuni’s has always been the ambiance. The grapes and Turkish style lamps hanging from the ceiling, the stuff on the walls, the worn but charming interior. It always seems to invoke a sense of nostalgia for me. I’m really not sure why. Makes me think of my grandma’s old house from when I was little. Monjuni’s has achieved a delicate balance of relaxed and elegant that most places miss the mark on. It’s laid back enough for a week-night dinner with the family, but still nice enough for a night out with a significant other (or even a first date). Whether at lunch or dinner, I’ve always felt at ease and relaxed while there. I can’t say that I’m fond of the front lobby area with the booths and wobbly tables. But I’m sure some may find the atmosphere appealing. For the ambiance, we give Monjuni’s a score of 9/10.
THE VALUE:
As far as value for your dollar, Monjuni’s absolutely delivers. The menu prices are well within reason for the top quality cuisine you receive. Are they the cheapest?? No, but they are good and worth the what you spend. And, you can bet that there will be left-overs to take home! For value, Monjuni’s receives a score of 9/10.
Without a doubt, Monjuni’s is one of my favorite places in BR. As mentioned before, it works for the family, or for that someone special. The food and the atmosphere are what many restaurants in the area should strive to achieve (except for the rainbow sprinkles, I’m still mad about that). For all of their ups and downs, Monjuni’s gets a final rating of 4.25 out of 5.0 cannolis (or stars, table legs, etc).
