Favorite
At Cully Central, a friendly little beer bar in the fast-growing Northeast Cully neighborhood, the suds are local and the food is from 7,000 miles away—from Laos, a small Southeast Asian nation sandwiched between Vietnam and Thailand. Pop by for lunch or dinner and you’ll see neighbors demolishing paper plates piled with grilled beef brisket and sticky rice, or tackling fiery Read more...
Favorite
Points for truth in advertising at downtown Chinese operation Stretch the Noodle, which specializes in, yes, noodles—hand-stretched, pulled, double-bounced and thumped all day long by Xuemei Simard inside the homey cart she runs with her husband Duane near Mama Mia Trattoria on Southwest 2nd and Washington. On a bone-chilling winter day the lunch wait for Simard’s dishes, a tight list of stir fries, soups, and jian bing Read more...
Favorite
Ichiza brings pan-Asian vegan small plates and oolong tea service to Goose Hollow, recreating the flavors and recipes of owner Cyrus Ichiza’s childhood. Ichiza uses traditional “slow food” techniques and tasty mock meats distributed by Cyrus’s aunt to craft dishes like vegan chicken adobo marinated in coconut vinegar black soy sauce. It’s possible to order one large entrée, but you’re best Read more...
Favorite
After a fire destroyed this cultish PSU food cart in 2015, its eclectic Asian fusion rose from the ashes last year in a tiny hole in the wall abutting a 76 gas station on the south end of downtown. While it’s no longer a cart, it’s still freaking adorable, all white brick and little potted flowers. Fried chicken and larb Read more...
Favorite
The unofficial national dish of the Philippines gets a fittingly simple presentation at this very casual Foster-Powell family restaurant (and party-platter takeout standby). The perfectly simmered chicken and vinegary, garlicky sauce need no adornment, just enough rice to soak up the liquid so no drop goes uneaten. For a shot of color, though, end the meal with ice cream–topped halo Read more...
Favorite
Wares, the condensed reincarnation of NE Fremont’s Smallwares, is officially open and cranking out orders of fish-saucy fried kale and candied bacon at its new NE Sandy location. The short, newish menu is still finding its footing, but we’re into the surprisingly mild Sichuan noodles, tumbled with ginger-flecked sausage and sweet grilled pineapple. Read more...
Favorite
This spice-simmering cart imports the heady flavors of “Straits Chinese” cooking found along the western coast of Malaysia. Dishes thrum with heat, tang, and shrimp paste funk, from a generous bowl of noodles in smoldering, turmeric-stained coconut curry to the Malay version of chicken nuggets—juicy bites marinated in eight secret spices and tossed with punchy soy-lime sauce. Read more...
Favorite
Boke Bowl, fast food edition. From the five-item menu, order the “chix sando,” with devilishly spicy fried chicken nestled in a soft, buttery bun with tangy kimchi-slaw. Don’t forget a side of caramelized brussels sprouts and cauliflower—a staple of the Boke mothership—complete with smoky bacon-flavored tofu and a fish sauce dressing. Read more...
Favorite
The sister bar of Besaw’s, the ancient brunch staple recently moved to sleek new digs on NW 21st, is a dreamy, bitters-fueled Bali Ha’i, where a wicker motorcycle looms over a bar specializing in low-alcohol coolers and little Southeast Asian–tinged plates. The pink-and-gray-hued spot’s tall tables and hidden mezzanine are perfect for fun happy hours or low-pressure dates. Grab a Read more...
Favorite
When Erik Van Kley flew the coop at beloved Little Bird in early 2015, who’d have guessed that the talented chef would return with a vibrant detour to the American South by way of Asia. His new industrial- cozy space—so close to its namesake tracks that train whistles soundtrack your dinner—excels in clever, flavor- packed plates of what he terms Read more...
