Best Asian Restaurants: Taiwanese
Northwest by Far East: the Insider’s Guide to Asian Food in Seattle
Facing East
Walk into this glossy downtown Bellevue bistro and find a well-oiled machine in full thrum, as dozens of sure-footed servers dance out beautiful renditions of that dazzling cultural hybrid known as Taiwanese cuisine—lots of pork, lots of dumplings, lots of fermented stuff, lots of fried stuff, lots of five-spice, lots of shellfish. Lots of satisfied sighs.
Who’s here Stylish young Taiwanese on dates.
Don’t miss Rich, authentic beef noodle soup. A dreamy pork “burger,” featuring fatty morsels of marinated pork with cilantro and peanuts and hot and sweet sauces inside a pale, sweet moon of a bun.
Pssst Their love of fermentation does not extend to adult beverages, alas.
Facing East, 1075 Bellevue Way NE, Ste B2, Bellevue, 425-688-2986
Henry’s Taiwan
Under the China Gate on King sits a cozy eight-table homage to the warming home-style pork dishes, noodles, and stinky tofus of Taiwan. This is real-deal street food—the oyster omelets, beef noodle soups, toothsome dumplings, and scary meats (“intestinally interesting,” chuckles the menu) of Taiwan’s night markets, executed with precision.
Who’s here Tough call which is the prevailing language during lunch hour, Taiwanese or—this close to high-tech Pioneer Square—technospeak.
Don’t miss Stinky tofu is the headliner, but we confess a bigger weakness for the crispy fried pork chop with mustard greens and a soy sauce egg over delectably glutinous purple rice.
Pssst Remember Henry from Wallingford’s dazzling Rocking Wok? Same guy.
Henry’s Taiwan, 504 S King St, International District, 206-624-2611 and 549 156th Ave SE, Bellevue, 425-213-5392
NEXT: Best Thai
Published: February 2011
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