Maneki - International District

Maneki is an unpretentious Japanese restaurant in the International District that has been around since practically forever. Surprisingly, I had never been here before, despite my many years growing up in the Seattle area. Maneki is one of those places you come back to again and again because you feel like you are being welcomed into someone’s home and are about to eat authentic, uncomplicated comfort food.

The drawback with being around so long and deservedly earning respect in the community for great food is that Maneki is a much sought after restaurant by locals. Thus, reservations are almost a requirement if you don’t want to wait all night to be seated. Because Tom had been here before, he knew this inside information, and wisely called ahead. However, when we arrived, there was still a back-up in the line, and we ended up having to wait 15-20 minutes. While I was content to be there early, Tom got anxious waiting and watching everyone else eat before us. Thankfully, there was plenty of reading material set to the side by the waiting area to keep the reverse-punctual people occupied.

After being seated, we perused the large and varied menu which ranged from noodle dishes to sashimi. We ordered the salmon namban, takoyaki, vegetable sukiyaki and black cod collar.

The salmon namban was an excellent cold appetizer. The lightly breaded and fried salmon was marinated in an addictive namban vinegar sauce and accompanied by onions, lemon slices, green onions and grated daikon. The sauce had a refreshingly sour and slightly sweet taste that paired very well with the richness of the salmon.

Salmon namban

The takoyaki was just okay. The octopus was fresh and not too tough, but the dough didn’t seem cooked enough and didn’t have a crispy texture. Instead, it was just soggy and gooey. We thought Wann did a better job overall on the takoyaki.

Takoyaki

The vegetable sukiyaki was also just okay; I’ve had a much better version at Izumi in Kirkland. This was one of the rare dishes that Tom (surprisingly) didn’t really touch. All the elements were present – vegetables, clear noodles, mirin/soy sauce, cabbage and tofu – but something was lacking in the flavor department. The important balance between the sweet of the mirin and the saltiness of the soy sauce seemed to be off. In my opinion, even if meat isn’t used, a good sukiyaki will be delicious even with only vegetables. It’s the sauce that matters!

Vegetable sukiyaki

Lastly, the black cod collar miso was served broiled on the bone with a miso sauce. While this dish seems to be very popular, I didn’t like it. The slimy, unctuous texture of the cod didn’t have a very good mouth feel and the sauce didn’t do much for this bland fish. I wouldn’t order this again.

Black cod collar miso

One of the best features of Maneki is the reasonable price for the food – the bill was under $30, including tip. The salmon namban alone was enough to make me want to come back again, even if the other dishes were mediocre. There are plenty of other dishes to explore on the menu, so I’m sure another review will be in order in the near future

Maneki
304 6th Avenue South (between Jackson Street & Jefferson Street)
Seattle, Washington 98104
(206) 622-2631

Serious Pie - Belltown

There’s something about eating with people who enjoy experiencing food; it just makes everything taste better when fellow diners are on the same foodie wavelength. Enter Tom Douglas’s pizzeria, Serious Pie, for dinner with foodie friends.

Very reminiscent of Mario Batalli’s Mozza in LA, Serious Pie has a similar vibe in terms of its loud, homely atmosphere. Although Serious Pie does not take reservations, you can put your name on a list and the staff will call you when a table opens up. Our wait time was pretty long – over an hour – so be prepared for a Serious Wait. We decided to eat dessert first at Dahlia Lounge Bakery and thoroughly enjoyed the mini triple coconut cream pies. The bakery was wonderful, but a little small, and sitting outside started getting uncomfortably cold, so we went to the bar at Lola to stay warm.

Eventually, we were summoned over to Serious Pie and were seated. The space inside the restaurant was invitingly warm from all the firey ovens. One thing I could have done without was the extremely cramped seating on the communal bench tables. You are literally within inches from somebody else no matter which direction you turn, unless you happen to sit next to the wall. Another thing I could have done without was the snippy, hipster waitress who seemed like she was in a perpetually foul mood throughout our meal. However, I kind of don’t blame her since she had to wade through the crowd and hot air each time she brought out dishes or drinks; it probably isn’t one of the most pleasant experiences to have to endure for hours on end.

We ordered three pizzas to share between the four of us: penn cove clams, house pancetta and lemon thyme; house salumi, walla walla onions and sardegna; and the meatless arugula special (each pizza ranged in price from $15-16). We also ordered a bottle of the barbera ($38).

Penn cove clams, house pancetta, lemon thyme

House salumi, walla walla onions and sardegna

Arugula special

The pizzas were actually fairly substantial as I would have had trouble finishing one by myself. The crusts took up a disappointingly large percentage of the pizza, but it was a nice bubbly, crisp crust. Unfortunately, the clam pizza was too salty for my liking; the salumi one was better with thin disks of salumi draped over the top. I preferred the special with the arugula since it had a fresh, light taste and was not overly salty. I thought the barbera paired nicely with all three pizzas and made dinner, well, even more enjoyable. Since the pizzas all had so much crust, we found ourselves with excess pieces. Our fellow foodie diner suggested we ask for olive oil and parmesan cheese to use with the extra crust, and it was a great idea!

I would definitely return to Serious Pie again, especially to try the pizza with the cherry bomb peppers and sweet fennel sausage and the one with chantrelles looked interesting as well. Just remember that you shouldn’t expect an in-and-out type of dinner as this place demands that you experience and savor it for both its good points and its quirks.

Serious Pie
316 Virginia Street
Seattle, Washington 98101
(206) 836-7388 (no reservations taken)

Genki Sushi - Queen Anne

Sometimes you get a craving for sushi, but you don’t want to pay the high prices commanded by the good stuff. So you go to places with decent, cheap sushi and eat to your heart’s content.

Seattle is full of kaiten (revolving) sushi establishments which feature inexpensive specials to entice sushi-hungry patrons, and Genki Sushi is no exception. Located in the QFC on Mercer, Genki is a kaiten sushi chain similar to Blue C. Most of Genki’s US locations are concentrated in Hawaii and the chain recently migrated over to the mainland to Seattle.

My initial impression of Genki was that it was a modern, bright and clean kaiten sushi bar, albeit a little lacking in customers on a Sunday during lunch. They had typical rolls with cool sounding names and the more traditional nigiri; one difference was that I saw hand rolls making rounds on the line. There were also some interesting cream puff and coffee jello desserts. I even saw the much maligned natto making periodic appearances, untouched during our entire visit.

Sushi making the rounds.

Even better were the $1 yellowtail nigiri specials – I mean that’s 50 cents per piece - unheard of! I got several of those and a couple salmon nigiri plates. Both were surprisingly fresh. The yellowtail was buttery, although not as soft as I would like. On the other hand, the salmon was very soft and buttery. I also liked the size of the nigiri – not too big and not diminutive. The rice was pretty standard, if not a little too vinegary, but at least it wasn’t stone cold as in other kaiten places I’ve gone to.

We all know the name of the game at kaiten sushi is to compete with your fellow diners to see who can create the largest stack of plates. While I only ended up with maybe 5 plates, and Tom’s friends had around 7 each, Tom clearly took home the award with 9 plates. Apparently, he claimed that his record was double that, but I’ll believe it when I see it!

The aftermath.

For decent, fresh and cheap nigiri, I would definitely make my way back to Genki again – but next time I’ll come on an empty stomach and see if I can up the ante on who can stack the most plates.

Genki Sushi
500 Mercer Street (between N 5th Avenue & N Taylor Avenue; inside the QFC)
Seattle, Washington 98109
(206) 453-3881

Assaggio Ristorante - Downtown Seattle/Belltown

Assaggio has been around for many years, and it's known for its good Italian food and warm and welcoming owner. Many years after my first visit, I had the chance to go again in September. Expectations were high! Assaggio is not too far from the Westin Hotel, nestled in or between more hotels. It is at the edge of Downtown and Belltown where I don't know where one ends and the other begins. Tom Douglas' Lola is right on the corner of the same block and "out there" to the point where I almost mistook Assaggio as an extension of Lola - but I kept my eyes open!

My friends and I went for lunch on a Saturday. Except for a few other small parties, they had one big group in the middle of the "cozy" restaurant. Strategically placed mirrors and the large windows enlarge the room, but if you focus on the placement of the tables...it's a little too close to comfort for me. But that's just me. The painting on the walls seem a little overdone (might I even say kitschy?), but I'm here for the food. We first ordered appetizers: "Vongole" (Clams, garlic, oregano, white wine) and the Calamari fried in lemon and parsley.

We all loved both! The calamari was not heavy on the breading nor the grease. They were also tender and not at all chewy. The mark of fresh calamari! The clams were tasty and had a little spicy kick. The broth itself was buttery, full of flavor and a little on the salty side - nothing that some bread couldn't fix! I like it salty, so I pretty much drank/ate all the broth. At the bottom of the bowl, we found a slice of bread that had soaked up the broth. Soggy and salty. Almost inedible. I learned that my love of salt does have a limit! Would I order these starters again? Yes, yes, yes!

For entrees, I ordered the special for that day which was the beef tenderloin with red wine risotto and mushrooms. My friend had the "Ravioli Cappesante". I can't remember what our third diner had and the picture didn't turn out great, so I will refrain from commenting on his dish. He did seem to enjoy it though!

Beef Tenderloin Risotto

"Ravioli Cappesante" (Cheese filled ravioli, sea scallops, green onion, saffron cream)

The "meat risotto" was just all right. A little bland. Nothing on the plate really stood out. My love of steak disappointed me a little that day. However, my friend's ravioli was just awesome! The scallops were tender and fresh. The ravioli oozed insidey goodness and the sauce was creamy. This is comfort food. I felt warm, happy, relaxed...blissful even! I'm pretty sure that as I took the bite, I looked at the ceiling, sighed (actually, my eyes may have been closed!), and mmmmhh-ed until I finished. Would I order this again? Definitely!! But I will pass on the special.

I noticed on their website that they serve osso bucco for dinner, so I will have to make another trip to Assaggio. But maybe this time, I will not let years pass by before I return.

Assaggio

2010 4th Avenue

Seattle, Washington 98121

(206) 441-1399

Wann Japanese Izakaya & Black Bottle - Belltown

After successfully booking it to the International District in time for Tom to acquire his new pride and joy – a Tom Bihn laptop case – we had to figure out where to eat. We opted to head over to Belltown to find somewhere doing happy hour. Umi Sake House had a 25-30 minute wait, so we walked over to Wann, which was strangely almost empty.

Since Tom had been here before, I let him do the ordering: sashimi, takoyaki, corn croquettes, yam frites, a spider roll, potato wedges sprinkled with seaweed and warm sake. He later regretted not ordering some kind of salad because pretty much everything except the sashimi was fried. No matter – all the food was tasty artery-clogging goodness!

The sashimi plate had fresh slices of maguro, salmon and hamachi. I especially liked the buttery soft hamachi. The spider roll was decent – I’d have preferred rice with a slightly warm temperature, rather than cold rice.

Sashimi plate: maguro, salmon and hamachi

The takoyaki arrived with the bonito flakes still writhing on the plate. My only complaint was that the octopus pieces were a little too dense and chewy in texture. Other than that, the takoyakis were great!

Takoyakis

The yam frites were accompanied by a sweet soy-based sauce and the potato wedges had an interesting seaweed coating that I enjoyed. Both arrived at the table hot and crispy. The corn croquettes had an irresistible crunchy exterior and creamy potato and corn interior.

Yam frites

Tom was highly impressed when it came time for the bill to show up; the entire meal cost a little less than $30.

“This is how much food should cost!” He stated emphatically. I had to agree.

Wann did not have any dessert options on the happy hour menu, so we walked over to Black Bottle for the chocolate cake with vanilla gelato. The cake was essentially a chocolate lava cake, drenched in a very sweet caramel sauce, with the gelato nestled inside. It was visually striking in its construction, but we thought the cake was too sweet and the texture seemed almost grainy to me.

My new goal is to find a place that has extraordinary desserts, because, thus far, we’ve been denied the pleasure of enjoying a really good dessert to close our meal. The search continues…

Wann Japanese Izakaya
2020 2nd Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98121
(206) 441-5637

Black Bottle
2600 1st Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98121
(206) 441-1500

Gourmet Noodle Bowl - International District

Many times, my go to places for food are not necessarily ones that I find reading food blogs or searching through Yelp, but are suggested to me by word of mouth. A good friend of mine, Quynh, got lost in the ID one day and just randomly stumbled on Gourmet Noodle Bowl. She loved the Taiwanese food there so much that she kept telling me about it and eventually I went there with her. She said to get the braised beef noodle soup and I obliged and tossed aside my aversion for eating meat for one day. Man, was I thankful that she brought me here, because the soup was awesome!

In continuing with the tradition of word of mouth recommendations, I kept telling Tom about Gourmet Noodle Bowl and we met up at the ID to taste the wonders of braised beef noodle soup.

Finding Gourmet Noodle Bowl is a little tricky; it’s in between Lane and Dearborn on 8th. Tom said that a more helpful description would have been to say it’s next door to the Crawfish King, so there you go for a useful landmark, assuming one knows where Crawfish King is.

When we started to order the food, the waitress was very friendly and helpful, suggesting various dishes for us to try along with the soup. Since I had never ordered anything beyond the soup here, I was curious to see how the rest of the food on the menu tasted. We ordered the braised beef noodle soup, some kind of greens (which I unfortunately was not able to recognize and which the waitress only described as similar to bok choy), chicken dumplings and duck.

The braised beef noodle soup was a little difficult to transfer from the one big bowl into our individual smaller bowls and I ended up splashing Tom with soup and speckling his shirt with broth. Eventually, the noodles and broth made it into their respective bowls and I thought the soup was a little lacking in salt and the distinctive savoriness that I had remembered from prior visits, but the house-made noodles were a nice al dente texture. On the other hand, Tom would have preferred the noodles to be cooked more.

Braised beef noodle soup

The greens were pretty forgettable - drenched in oil, soggy and just plain not good. The duck, which apparently is a very popular dish, included the bone and was extremely tough and chewy. I honestly could not figure out how to eat the duck – first I tried biting off a piece, but it was impossible, then I tried using my chopstick and finger to tear off something, then two chopsticks – the darn thing refused to come apart! I had a “Pretty Woman” moment during my failed attempts to pull something off where Julia Roberts was trying to figure out how to eat the escargot and it ended up flying onto another table. Not wanting to experience that movie moment in real life, I gave up and declared the duck inedible.

Greens (right) and duck (left)

When the dumplings arrived, we were instructed to eat them as soon as they were placed on the table. The skin had a nice smooth, soft texture and the filling contained of a wonderful ginger chicken. We both agreed that the chicken dumplings were delicious and worth getting again.

Chicken dumplings

Overall, the dishes are hit and miss at Gourmet Noodle Bowl. We noticed that almost everyone else in the restaurant had ordered the hot pot, so we’ll most likely return sometime to try it out.

Gourmet Noodle Bowl
707 8th Avenue S (between Lane and Dearborn)
Seattle, Washington 98104
(206) 264-8899

Palomino - Downtown Seattle

A good friend of mine invited me to see Wicked with her friends several months ago. Unfortunately, someone else in the group couldn't make it and so he kindly offered his ticket for anyone else to use. Tom was the lucky recipient of the extra ticket and so the review of the pre-show dinner at Palomino naturally had to show up on this blog!

Palomino definitely has some good points: they validate parking all night on Saturdays, the location is pretty accessible and easy to find and the service is pretty attentive. However, since this is a food blog, I don't think its much of surprise that I thought Palomino was pretty much Cheesecake Factory fare, yet slightly more upscale.

I ordered the summer ravioli, which was presented as two ginormous raviolis slapped onto a plate with a sea of various vegetable shavings as garnish. The ravioli stuffing wasn't very flavorful and the pasta itself was kind of dry. For my drink, I had a tiramisu martini, which was probably the highlight of my dinner, although it tasted more like chocolate than coffee-flavored to me. My friend ordered the linguini and clams, which she thought was over-salted and Tom had the lamb shanks which he said was just okay.

Summer ravioli

Linguini and clams

As a place to eat before a show, I'd have to say that Palomino is a great place to come due to its location and parking validation advantages, but not especially for the food. As for the show, Wicked was the most creative musical I have seen so far (although the number of musicals I've seen is admittedly limited). We had a great time at this memorable show, even if the food was not so memorable.

Palomino

1420 Fifth Avenue, Suite 350
Seattle, Washington 98101
(206) 623-1300