What should I see in Seattle's International District?
July 14, 2013 12:02 AM Subscribe
I have a day to kill in Seattle. I want to try the International District. What are your favorite things there?
I'm especially interested in Asian kitchen supply, both food and equipment. I also would like to try dim sum for the first time if there are any cool places. I am open to suggestions for things I would never have thought of.
I'm especially interested in Asian kitchen supply, both food and equipment. I also would like to try dim sum for the first time if there are any cool places. I am open to suggestions for things I would never have thought of.
I'm a big fan of Ambrosia Cafe, particularly for their hot jasmine pearl milk tea, and I always stop by Pink Gorilla to look at their game selection. Uwajimaya, recommended by miyabo, is my favorite grocery store ever, and it has a large selection of kitchenwares.
None of the dim sum places in Seattle really stick out to me, but I do love the hum bao stand in Pike Place Market - fresh, yeasty bread right out of the oven, filled with BBQ pork is amazing, especially if it's a bit chilly out.
posted by asphericalcow at 12:41 AM on July 14, 2013
None of the dim sum places in Seattle really stick out to me, but I do love the hum bao stand in Pike Place Market - fresh, yeasty bread right out of the oven, filled with BBQ pork is amazing, especially if it's a bit chilly out.
posted by asphericalcow at 12:41 AM on July 14, 2013
Uwajimaya is a good destination for ingredients and supplies. Not so much for food -- the food court is of the fast food variety.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:14 AM on July 14, 2013
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:14 AM on July 14, 2013
Uwajimayas prices suck. A lot of things there are so appallingly marked up it makes my jaw drop. If you want most of the same stuff at Viet Wah near the corner of jackson and 12th. Their humbow is amazing too, and super cheap. They are just a grocery though, and don't have much in the way of equipment whereas uwajimaya has tons.
Kinakuniya books is a separate story and actually pretty cool, but the grocery section(although interesting through being quite large) and the food court are a ripoff or just meh.
posted by emptythought at 2:05 AM on July 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
Kinakuniya books is a separate story and actually pretty cool, but the grocery section(although interesting through being quite large) and the food court are a ripoff or just meh.
posted by emptythought at 2:05 AM on July 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
KOBO, a gallery of crafts pieces made by artisans. KOBO occupies the old Higo Variety Store, which is one of the few businesses of Seattle's Japantown that managed to reopen post-WW2 (after Japanese American internment). I believe there is a small exhibit there of items that tell the history of Higo.
posted by illenion at 2:09 AM on July 14, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by illenion at 2:09 AM on July 14, 2013 [3 favorites]
Here's a rundown of other destinations in Seattle's Japantown.
posted by illenion at 2:16 AM on July 14, 2013
posted by illenion at 2:16 AM on July 14, 2013
House of Hong is the real deal. I've been fortunate enough to eat there with insiders and it opened my eyes to the amazingness.
posted by batmonkey at 2:17 AM on July 14, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by batmonkey at 2:17 AM on July 14, 2013 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Green Leaf might be the best Vietnamese restaurant you've ever tried.
posted by spitbull at 4:19 AM on July 14, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by spitbull at 4:19 AM on July 14, 2013 [3 favorites]
Have some Pho at Pho Ba.
posted by spinifex23 at 8:00 AM on July 14, 2013
posted by spinifex23 at 8:00 AM on July 14, 2013
The best bahn mi in Seattle is a little ways out from the downtown part of the ID, but totally worth the walk. Saigon Deli, on Jackson at Boren. OMFG, amazing.
posted by Sublimity at 8:09 AM on July 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Sublimity at 8:09 AM on July 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
Also--not a specific destination per se, but keep your eyes out for some sweet public art there. Dragons crawling down the light poles, the awesome fishes painted on the underpass at I-5.
I love the ID and I sure do miss it.
posted by Sublimity at 8:11 AM on July 14, 2013
I love the ID and I sure do miss it.
posted by Sublimity at 8:11 AM on July 14, 2013
Illenion's comment about Higo and the disruptive influence of WWII on Seattle's Japanese community prompts me to suggest that, if you have a car and want to work off some of the fantastic food you will be eating, take the drive down Rainier to Renton and visit Kubota Gardens. Totally blows away the Japanese Garden in the Arboretum (which you also have to pay to enter, whereas Kubota is free.) Breathtakingly lovely and with similarly complex history.
posted by Sublimity at 8:16 AM on July 14, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Sublimity at 8:16 AM on July 14, 2013 [2 favorites]
I find Uwajimaya to be fairly generic for kitchen supplies and probably not worth the money. On the outside of the Uwajimaya building is a small ramen place that's pretty good. Samurai Noodle.
- House of Hong does have dim sum. It's not the best, but the ID doesn't really have the best dim sum.
- Green Leaf does have absolutely amazing Vietnamese food. It does not disappoint.
- For some of the best sushi in the city, you can go to Maneki or Tsukushinbo
- The Panama Cafe is a great coffee / tea place, and it also has a basement that is filled with items that were left by Japanese who were being interned during WWII. It's quite remarkable.
- If you're willing to walk, head up Jackson (away from the waterfront). After you cross under the freeway, you'll find mom-and-pop shops filled with foods and supplies. You'll find great products in these stores.
- At 12th and Jackson, you'll find the grocery store Viet-Wah, which has a both a food section and a cooking section. It's not touristy; it's where local Asians buy their food. I stock up on tamarind candy there.
- Also at 12th and Jackson are a half dozen Vietnamese bakeries. You can find banh mi or cream puffs for cheap.
- There are also great foot massages at 12th and Jackson. $20-$30, and they do full body (clothed) massages. Sooooooooo good.
- For the best eats at 12th and Jackson, try the Malay Satay Hut (get the roti canai) or Sichuanese Cuisine (their potstickers are amazing).
- You can also learn more about the history of the ID at the Wing Luke Museum.
Have fun!
posted by frizz at 8:55 AM on July 14, 2013 [3 favorites]
- House of Hong does have dim sum. It's not the best, but the ID doesn't really have the best dim sum.
- Green Leaf does have absolutely amazing Vietnamese food. It does not disappoint.
- For some of the best sushi in the city, you can go to Maneki or Tsukushinbo
- The Panama Cafe is a great coffee / tea place, and it also has a basement that is filled with items that were left by Japanese who were being interned during WWII. It's quite remarkable.
- If you're willing to walk, head up Jackson (away from the waterfront). After you cross under the freeway, you'll find mom-and-pop shops filled with foods and supplies. You'll find great products in these stores.
- At 12th and Jackson, you'll find the grocery store Viet-Wah, which has a both a food section and a cooking section. It's not touristy; it's where local Asians buy their food. I stock up on tamarind candy there.
- Also at 12th and Jackson are a half dozen Vietnamese bakeries. You can find banh mi or cream puffs for cheap.
- There are also great foot massages at 12th and Jackson. $20-$30, and they do full body (clothed) massages. Sooooooooo good.
- For the best eats at 12th and Jackson, try the Malay Satay Hut (get the roti canai) or Sichuanese Cuisine (their potstickers are amazing).
- You can also learn more about the history of the ID at the Wing Luke Museum.
Have fun!
posted by frizz at 8:55 AM on July 14, 2013 [3 favorites]
When I visited, I went to Maneki -- outstanding salmon and an excellent, creative salad.
Uwajimaya and Kinokuniya (not Kinakuniya :)) are interesting if you don't live in a place with similar stores. I don't think I actually went into that Kinokuniya, but they usually have a good selection of cookbooks in English, plus tons more cookbooks and magazines in Japanese.
And Pink Gorilla was fun.
posted by wintersweet at 10:03 AM on July 14, 2013
Uwajimaya and Kinokuniya (not Kinakuniya :)) are interesting if you don't live in a place with similar stores. I don't think I actually went into that Kinokuniya, but they usually have a good selection of cookbooks in English, plus tons more cookbooks and magazines in Japanese.
And Pink Gorilla was fun.
posted by wintersweet at 10:03 AM on July 14, 2013
Tamarind Tree Restaurant, Panama Hotel for Tea, Wing Luke Asian Museum, keep an eye out for dragons on light poles.
posted by Good Brain at 1:53 PM on July 14, 2013
posted by Good Brain at 1:53 PM on July 14, 2013
Seconding Kinokuniya! If you like notebooks, pens, washi tape, and tons of other fun books and magazine and stuff, go there.
Momo and Kobo are great shops, and right next door to each other. The woman who runs Momo is super sweet.
I had the best salmon lunch at a Japanese place called Tsukushinbo. Very close to Momo and Kobo.
posted by sucre at 2:29 PM on July 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
Momo and Kobo are great shops, and right next door to each other. The woman who runs Momo is super sweet.
I had the best salmon lunch at a Japanese place called Tsukushinbo. Very close to Momo and Kobo.
posted by sucre at 2:29 PM on July 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
Right across the street from Uwajimaya is Daiso, the japanese $1.50 store. Tons of small ceramics, crafting supplies and japanese general goods for $1.50 (unless clearly marked otherwise!). Load up here for kwaii goodness!
posted by tipsyBumblebee at 4:09 PM on July 14, 2013
posted by tipsyBumblebee at 4:09 PM on July 14, 2013
Seconding Momo, both as a great shop and with friendly people there. I bought maybe $10 worth of notebooks and when she heard it was a present she gift-wrapped them beautifully, for free.
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:12 AM on July 15, 2013
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:12 AM on July 15, 2013
Response by poster: Back from my trip and I can report that Green Leaf was amazing. I mean, seriously, I would make the trip into Seattle again just to eat there.
Uwajimaya's was a bit disappointing as their kitchenwares section really wasn't all that great and didn't offer much that a serious Western-style cook doesn't already have in their kitchen. I was hoping to look at a few styles of steamers and they only had a bamboo rice steamer and I didn't even see the pot you usually stick it into. Meh.
Kinokuniya was pretty cool. Lots of very good graphic design books. Yes, please.
I think Daiso must have moved as we couldn't find it. We poked our heads into KOBO but didn't really stay long. Very nice things for sale. I also had a bubble coffee drink at some anonymous place, my first experience with the whole bubble tea thing and it was a delight.
We ate supper at House of Hong but I think it helps to go there with someone who knows how to work the menu. I was not impressed but I doubt they pull out all the stops for two people who reek of tourist.
On the train back to SeaTac, I finally noticed Viet-Wah for the first time. I also noticed all the cool shops around it and will plan on a stop and shop the next time I am in town.
Great advice guys!
posted by Foam Pants at 12:44 AM on July 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
Uwajimaya's was a bit disappointing as their kitchenwares section really wasn't all that great and didn't offer much that a serious Western-style cook doesn't already have in their kitchen. I was hoping to look at a few styles of steamers and they only had a bamboo rice steamer and I didn't even see the pot you usually stick it into. Meh.
Kinokuniya was pretty cool. Lots of very good graphic design books. Yes, please.
I think Daiso must have moved as we couldn't find it. We poked our heads into KOBO but didn't really stay long. Very nice things for sale. I also had a bubble coffee drink at some anonymous place, my first experience with the whole bubble tea thing and it was a delight.
We ate supper at House of Hong but I think it helps to go there with someone who knows how to work the menu. I was not impressed but I doubt they pull out all the stops for two people who reek of tourist.
On the train back to SeaTac, I finally noticed Viet-Wah for the first time. I also noticed all the cool shops around it and will plan on a stop and shop the next time I am in town.
Great advice guys!
posted by Foam Pants at 12:44 AM on July 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by miyabo at 12:22 AM on July 14, 2013 [8 favorites]