What a great city for Asian food! From super sushi restaurants to fantastic pho joints, we’re never more than a stone’s throw away from great noodles, rice dishes and other treats from the east. Selecting the top five Asian restaurants is a big challenge, but here’s my current cream of the crop (in no particular order).
Bamboo Garden: Chinese food in Seattle is primarily Cantonese, which I find a bit boring (and don’t get me started on the dismal state of dim sum). So I send you over to the Eastside, where you can find some spicy Szechuan fare. Bamboo Garden, with its “Walk on the Wild Side” Menu, just edges out Szechuan Chef. My pick: a dish called “The other parts of the pig” (pictured).
Joule: Seif Chirchi and Rachel Yang make magic at this “East meets West” restaurant with strong Korean influence. I’ve enjoyed beef tongue kimchi, spicy beef soup, and chocolate covered liver mousse—and I’m always excited to see what they’ll work up next. Sit at the counter for an eye-opening and mouth-watering experience.
Green Leaf: There’s endless debate about Tamarind Tree versus Green Leaf. Tamarind Tree’s got a broader menu and classier atmosphere, so it’s nicer for a formal outing, but Green Leaf’s casual feel and sweet service makes it my charming choice. The lotus root salad and duck soup are among my favorite dishes.
Malay Satay Hut: I go bonkers for the bold flavors here. So many must-order dishes: roti canai, dry-curries baby squid, pork chops, mango chicken or shrimp, belachan green beans. Really, you can’t go wrong here. Avocado smoothies help counter the heat if you can’t handle it! (NOTE: Per my 3/25/10 posting, the quality has sadly slipped, and I’d no longer include Malay Satay Hut in this list of top Asian restaurants.)
Kisaku: Forget about spicy tuna and California rolls. When I’m looking for high-quality fish, I turn to Nakano-san at Kisaku. Order omakase and he’ll take good care of you. Bincho maguro zuke (soy-marinated albacore) and hotate konbu jime (kelp-marinated scallop) demonstrate the skills of this superb sushi chef.
Fair at best. Definitely overrated. First of all, they don’t know how to make xiao long bao correctly. The wrappers always leak. And despite the name, the food doesn’t feel very Shanghaiese. Especially compared to all the great Shanghai restaurants in Richmond/Vancouver.
A stroll through last weekend’s Dragon Fest in the Chinatown-International District gave me a first opportunity to try the Tokyo Dog food truck. Recall that last year, Gourmet Dog Japon’s takoyaki-like Kabuki dog taught us a lesson about dressed wieners. At Tokyo Dog, the common…
This week, Serious Eats posted my round-up of best ramen bowls in Seattle. An excerpt: Showa is a fun little izakaya with a funky little kitchen that serves up some surprisingly excellent ramen. The secret has something to do with blended pork fat that yields…
Cha-kaiseki made me realize that I’m not Japanese. Of course, I already knew that, but many of my friends have joked that I must be Japanese, as there’s so much I appreciate about the cuisine and the culture. Or so I thought, until I encountered…
On the heels of my return from Tokyo, where I restrained myself in only eating four bowls of ramen in eight days, I’m excited to see Seattle’s ramen scene on the rise. We’re not likely to see certain items like niboshi (dried sardine) broth in…
With food trucks a-travelin’ and pop-up restaurants a-poppin’, a lot of people are talking about different dining options these days. As for me, I like the idea of kitchens cooking just about any time and any place. Preferably preparing anything interesting. Just over a month…
The International District’s Bush Garden, approaching its sixtieth birthday, has a storied past that includes celebrity visits and sukiyaki dinners. Unfortunately, the restaurant is in decline, bolstered by karaoke nights and liquor sales more than its cuisine–which is nothing to write home about. Still, settle…
There’s been a recent profileration of Japanese pastries and confectionaries in the Seattle area. Fuji Bakery and Café de Lion are garnering rave reviews, with Fresh Flours, Fumie’s Gold, Setsuko Pastry, and Hiroki among others worth exploring. In contrast to Western cakes and candies and…