Bai Tong Thai (Redmond)

The last time I was at Bai Tong, it was at their "original" location near Southcenter.  I put that in quotations because their actual first location was near the SeaTac (but no longer there).  For those who don't know, Bai Tong got its start due to the lack of Thai food available for the flight crews laying over in Seattle.  A former flight attendance for Thai Airways started Bai Tong for that purpose.  Now it has grown to multiple locations dishing up authentic and delicious Thai cuisine.  This time around we made it to the spacious Redmond location which was bustling during lunch service.

We decided to get a few  different items than last time starting with the Moo Dade Deaw (Thai Pork Jerky).  I've had this somewhat recently in Vancouver at Zab Bite and the one at Bai Tong was miles better.  Although each slice of pork was crispy and somewhat chewy on the outside, it was ultimately tender and almost juicy in the middle.  This made for easy chew while still retaining the essence of what pork jerky is supposed to be.  It was also well-seasoned with earthy, sweet and briny notes.  Of course the side of nam jim jaew added spice, sweetness, more brininess and tanginess.

The most photogenic item we had was the Meang Kum. I've had this a few times and usually it comes on a chaphlu leaves with all of the components already on top.  Meang Kum translate to "eating many things in one bite" and this is true here with shallots, peanuts, toasted coconut, lime, chilies, ginger and dried shrimp.  The version here was DIY and instead of chaphlu leaves, we had small spears of romaine lettuce.  We also found house-made Meang Kum sauce in the last square on the plate..  This was a fun way to eat and the flavors were intense with sweetness, brininess, tanginess, aromatics and spiciness.  This was a dish best shared and was great at whetting our appetites.

With our appetites completely ready for the dishes that were arriving next, we had an equally appetizing Tom Kha.  This was a particularly spicy and full-bodied version of the soup.  With the addition of coconut milk, Tom Kha is usually more mild-tasting and naturally creamy.  Hence, any spice involved is somewhat muted.  Not in this case, we got all of the good things in Tom Yum (like the galangal, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves) but with creaminess and plenty of heat.

Something that caught our eye on the menu was the Crispy Garlic Chicken.  The menu promised us juicy chicken with a crispy exterior.  Well, I am happy to report that they followed through with that promise as the chicken was indeed juicy and tender.  The relatively thin and crispy batter was seasoned with a sweet and garlicky glaze that took on the aroma from the fried basil.  They added some chopped red peppers mainly for color as I didn't get much in the way of impact from them.

We did end up doing a repeat dish because it was so darn good.  This was the Roast Duck Curry.  Just like last time, there was a half duck sitting in the red curry.  It featured tender cooked down duck that had rendered skin.  The red curry itself was rich and creamy (from the coconut milk) while exhibiting impactful heat and sweetness.  Adding lychees into the mix provided an extra burst of sweetness but the grape tomatoes help bring it back down with tanginess.

One dish that was a study in textures was the Garlic Fish Fry.  The fish was fried pretty crispy but in turn, the meat was a dry in most spots.  At the thickest portion, it was flaky and moist though.  This was to be expected as different thickness would cook at different rates.  Therefore, for those who like it crunchy, they can eat the belly and tail portions while the ones who want it tender, go for the main body portions.  As for the sauce, it was plenty garlicky with some peppery notes.

One of the tastiest dishes was the Thai Sukiyaki.  All I know is that Sukiyaki is a Japanese dish that is served in a shallow hot pot with meats, veggies and sometimes noodles.  This Thai version served at Bai Tong did not sit in a broth per se, but was stir-fried glass noodles with veggies and prawns with Thai Sukiyaki sauce on the side.  This was tangy, sweet, garlicky and full of umami.  This could've been due to the red fermented bean curd which also added rich saltiness.  Loved this dish, so much impact and the texture of the noodles were perfect.

Along with the duck curry, we had to order another repeat in the Crab Fried Rice.  The version they serve here was on point with chewy grains of Jasmine rice that were nutty and smoky from the intense wok hay.  Flavors were caramelized and despite this, the fried rice wasn't greasy (as they use a lot of oil generally to make fried rice).  There was ample fluffy crab to give texture and the mild pops of briny sweetness.  The rice itself was also well-seasoned.

Our last dish was also a repeat in the Pad See Ew.  Instead of tofu (our default choice during this trip), we asked for beef.  The result was a more robust-tasting version with lots of smokiness from the stir-fry.  The intense caramelized sweetness came through as well as the rich saltiness of the soy.  Noodles were not clumpy and al dente.  Beef was fairly tender for a lean cut.  Overall, this was another delicious visit to Bai Tong.  Food is prepared properly and their menu is diverse. The Redmond location is pretty busy, so best to come early or make a reservation.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Wok hay (the wok's breath) is on point here, providing smokiness and caramelization
- Generous portions
- Diverse menu

The Bad:
- Place is quite dark, mood lighting perhaps?
- One of the busier locations due to the lunch crowd, best to avoid peak times

Seoul Bowl (Lincoln Square)

This food adventure started by us being totally baffled as where to eat for lunch today.  Yes, that happens and especially when we didn't do any research, it made it just a bit harder.  We tried to hit up several spots but they were all completely full.  Serves us right for not making any reservations for a weekend.  We made our way to Lincoln Square in Downtown Bellevue and stumbled upon Seoul Bowl.  It is located in a really tiny food court and they go by a self-service ordering system.  That worked pretty well, but the food did take awhile to come out.

We decided to try out their Traditional Seoul Wings served on a bed of fries.  This was the 8 piece order, but there is also a 16 piece if you were hungry or wanted to share.  These took forever to come out and we actually had these last.  I found them to be quite crispy with somewhat rendered skin.  The meat was tender and moist but lacking in a bit of flavour.  Underneath, there were some skinny fries and they were crispy but not dry. 

We had 2 bowls including the Bulgogi Bowl loaded with beef rib eye, roasted corn, kale, pickled jalapenos, pickled radish, sweet Asian salad, sweet mashed potatoes, caramelized onion and kimchi cucumber.  Yes, that was a lot of toppings and it actually outnumbered the amount of rice underneath.  Suffice to say there was plenty of texture and flavors including crunch, tang and spice.  I thought the meat was tender and nicely marinated.  Only issue is that there was so much in this bowl, things got a bit wet. 

We also got the Spicy Pork Bowl with all of the same toppings.  By virtue of being spicy, the pork had more impact while being tender and moist.  I didn't mention the rice yet, but thankfully it was on the drier side which worked well with both the sweet soy and yum yum sauce.  Not to mention, this lessened the impact from all of the wet components.  It was basically eating all the banchan, rice and meat in one bowl.  We often do that anyways at Korean restaurants.

Lastly, we got more fries for some odd reason in the Cheese Fries.  These were just like the ones found with the wings but tossed in cheese powder.  They were crispy, but not as crispy as I would've liked because they were sitting for a bit while waiting for the chicken to cook.  The timing was a little off so these got a bit cold and soft.  I think the food at Seoul Bowl is completely serviceable and satisfying to most.  Maybe not my personal favorite, but did the job considering we were out of lunch options.

The Good:
- They really load up the bowls
- Wings were quite good
- Fair pricing

The Bad:
- Maybe the bowls are too loaded?
- Timing for the fried items are off

Shaburina

Okay, this is the third time I'm blogging about Shaburina...  I guess I really love the place right?  Well yes, but my kids love it even more so, therefore, I really have no choice but to pay them a visit every time I'm in the Seattle area.  Other people have the same thoughts because the place is usually quite busy and they have many accolades from local media.  This time around, I was with Jackie and she'd never been to Shaburina before.  Also, we were here to try their Wagyu & Kurobuta Course, which I've never had before!

So Shaburina is an AYCE Japanese Shabu Shabu.  There are elements that are "extras" to the meal that are more akin to other versions of hot pot, but for variety's sake, it is very welcomed.  You have the choice between a House Course and a Waygu Course that cost $39.00 and $55.00 (for dinner) per person respectively.  In addition, you have a choice of one from 5 different soup bases (one of which is a daily feature).  We had the 3 standard options including the Sukiyaki, Spicy Miso and Kombu as well as the featured broth being Tomato..  For me, I love the spicy miso and tomato.  They have more impact in my opinion with the tomato having concentrated sweetness and tanginess.  The spicy miso has that fermented depth and an appealing saltiness.  It isn't as if the sukiyaki and kombu aren't good either.  The sukiyaki has that salty sweet thing going on while the kombu is more subtle with definite umaminess.

So before we get to the meats, we have to talk about the Sauce Bar, where you have many options to create your perfect dip.  You have the usual soy, fish sauce, chili oil, vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha etc.. on the side in bottles while the main section has things like fresh garlic, cilantro, green onion, red chilis, peanuts, sesame seeds, fried shallots and onions.  In the large tubs, we found a sesame sauce, ponzu and a chef's sauce.

Adjacent to the sauce bar are 2 other sections of items you can grab for your shabu shabu.  The first one is mostly focused on Veggies with things like Shanghainese bak choy, crown daisy, Napa cabbage, spinach, tomato, onion, quail eggs, tofu, mochi, squash, corn on the cob, tofu skins, potato, mushrooms, wood ear, wonton and konjac noodles.  Things were vibrant and fresh as well as always replenished consistently.

The other section consisted mainly of Seafood and Noodles.  We found beef meatballs, Spam, fish tofu, fish meatballs, chikuwa, imitation crab stick, sliced wieners, fish cake, shrimp, baby octopus, bay scallops and clams.  As for the noodles, we had instant ramen, wide vermicelli, udon and fresh egg noodles.  Next to it, there was also house pickled vegetables and kimchi.  These were all good in appearance and also great in the hot pot.  The clams were buttery while the egg noodles were great a soaking up all of the delicious broth.

Now we get to the meat of the meal, literally.  For the House Course, you have Beef Shortplate, Beef Chuck, Pork Belly and Pork Shoulder.  As you can see, these were sliced razor thin, so cooking them took literally seconds.  That also meant that they were super tender and easy to eat.  So easy that you can down quite a few of these.  Fortunately it is AYCE!  For the Premium Course, we found Wagyu Shortplate, Wagyu Brisket, Kurobuta Pork Belly and Kurobuta Pork Butt.  Now with both courses at the table, it was not hard to figure out which one was better.  The meats were just that much more buttery and that much more flavorful.  However, I've been super satisfied with the house course in the past.  Therefore, it really depends what you want.  I would say if you want the full experience though, go for the Premium!

Always, to end the meal at Shaburina, you get Soft-Serve Ice Cream to finish. Creamy and almost melty, the soft-serve is purposefully sweet, aromatic and cold.  The last point is important as it helps soothe the tongue and mouth after a hot pot experience.  Oh and what an experience it is!  I've never been disappointed with Shaburina and this time was no different.  In fact, getting the chance to finally try the Premium Course, I came away even more happy!  I can guarantee that I will be right back here in the near future!

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Quality food
- Love their soup bases, especially the spicy miso and tomato
- Meats are tender, whether it be House or Premium

The Bad:
- Tables are a bit tight on space with 4 or more burners going 

Lil' Jon Restaurant & Lounge

Gosh, we haven't met up with Lola and Scout since pre-Covid times.  You see, they live in Seattle and well, during the border shutdown, it was a bit difficult to head down South.  Yes, I have been across the border a few times since it opened up, but just didn't get a chance to meet for eats (hey that rhymes...).  Finally, we made plans to do so and they suggested a classic diner in Lil' Jon out near Factoria.  With vinyl booths and counter seating, I would say that this place has diner written all over it.

I was pleasantly surprised at the reasonable pricing given that food costs are out-of-control these days.  Taking advantage of that, I went for T-bone steak, that came with a choice of soup or salad to start.  I went for the Cream of Potato Soup and it was a hearty with lots of tender potato cubes.  I found it having the right viscosity being thick, but not so much that I couldn't drink it.  Flavor was mild, but was well-seasoned.

Behold, my 16oz Choice T-Bone Steak.  I asked for it to be prepared medium-rare and it came exactly like that.  Of course the tenderloin portion of the steak was a touch more rare, but that was expected and frankly, welcomed.  I found the seasoning to be spot on as it was flavorful on its own.  I found the meat to be quite tender.  The side of mashed potatoes were smooth and velvety while the brown gravy wasn't too salty.

As for Viv, she went for the Bacon Cheeseburger with 1/3 lbs patty, shredded lettuce, tomato, pickle, American cheese and bacon.  This looked impressive, but ultimately was quite average.  Despite sporting a large meaty patty, it was dry and somewhat chewy.  However, the bacon was crispy and the produce was fresh.  On the side, the fries were not bad being crispy with plenty of potato texture inside.

My son decided on his favorite with the French Dip featuring thinly-sliced roast beef on a French roll with au jus on the side.  The best thing to describe the roast beef is that it resembled Arby's.  So if you are familiar, the roast beef at Arby's is marinated to the point where it is very tender and almost ham-like.  Now I'm not saying this was necessarily a bad thing here if you enjoy that texture.  Just be aware it wasn't very meaty.

My daughter had the Turkey Melt with roast turkey breast, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayo on grilled sourdough.  I thought this was fairly standard and definitely serviceable.  I liked how they didn't slather the bread with a stick of butter.  Hence it wasn't overly greasy and oil-soaked.  It was still crunchy though.  Nice balance of ingredients and it ate rather moist inside.

Scout went for one of the classics here in the Chicken Fried Steak featuring breaded cube steak topped with country gravy.  He has had this before and enjoys it partially due to the gravy.  It has a nice consistency where it is creamy while not being too greasy nor floury.  As for the steak itself, the coating is crispy while the meat is moist and tender.  This was also served with a side of mixed veggies.

We ended things off with a few orders of their pie.  Although they are frozen pies, we found them to be more than acceptable.  Of the ones we ordered, I enjoyed the Cherry Pie (pictured above) the most as it had a nice tangy sweetness.  The crust was not exactly flaky, but it had a nice firmness to it.  We also had the peach, which was just sweet enough, however, the chocolate cream pie was too sweet for me.  Overall, Lil' Jon is a no fuss, ol' school diner that serves up predictable eats.  There are a few gems such as the T-Bone Steak and Chicken Fried Steak, but the other items were pretty average.  Yet, for the reasonable prices they charge, I think you will be satisfied (especially if you pick the right items).

The Good:
- Well-priced
- Surprising food if you pick the right dishes
- Excellent service

The Bad:
- Pick the wrong dishes, and they are pretty average

Shaburina

It was almost exactly one year to the day that I had last dined at Shaburina in Redmond (more like Bellevue).  So why am I blogging about it again?  Also, why did I revisit a restaurant, especially one out-of-town?  Well, we really enjoyed out last visit and just like Mr. BBQ out in Fullerton, we just had to go back.  Featuring all-you-can-eat Shabu Shabu, there are 3 options for dinner: Buffet Bar Only ($30.00), House Course ($39.00) or Premium Course ($55.00).  We went for the mid-priced option (like last time).

Included in the price is your choice of broth including original Kombu, Sukiyaki, Creamy Vegetable, Spicy Miso or the broth of the day (Mala).  I went for the Spicy Miso and yes it did have a kick, especially when it began to cook down.  I would say the spiciness did overshadow the fermented taste of miso.  Viv tried the Mala and it was less spicy and had more of a smokiness.  The kids had the Sukiyaki and Kombu where they were naturally mild compared to the spicy choices.  They weren't too salty which was good.

Similar to many hot pot-like places these days, there is a Sauce bar.  Here, you can create your own signature dipping sauce to compliment your food.  There are many options including Jingisukan, Chef's Special (looked like a sesame soy), Ponzu, Rotating Sauce (looked like a spicy vinegar) Sweet Chili, Goma Tare and various bottled items such as vinegar, sesame oil, sriraccha, chili oil and soy.  Of course, we find things like cilantro, green onion, fried garlic, fresh garlic and chili peppers as well.

Onto the meats, we actually asked for less to start because the last time, we had all 4 options per person and it was a bit too much.  They included Beef Shortplate, Beef Chuck, Pork Shoulder and Pork Belly.  I guess we were hungry this time since we got 6 sets of 4 when we were done.  We loved the shortplate as it was fatty and tender while the pork belly was just as fatty.  Overall, the meats were good.

The Buffet Bar consists of 2 sections including the predominantly vegetable and vegetarian-focused portion.  In addition to leafy greens, potato, tomato, squash and corn, we also find quail's eggs, tofu puffs, wood ear mushrooms, tofu and vegetarian wontons.  Everything here is fresh, well-organized and always refilled.

At the other side of the bar, we find an array of items including imitation crab stick, meatballs, Spam, shrimp, clams, baby octopus, bay scallops and various noodles including instant ramen, udon, mung bean noodles and egg noodles.  I believe this is a rather generous assortment of items that compliment the meats well, especially for the price.

At the end of the meal, we were served a Soft-Serve Ice Cream Cone to go.  Last time, the machine was broken, so we weren't able to try this.  I would say the ice cream was moderately creamy with a strong taste of vanilla.  It was the perfect thing to cool things down from the boiling soup (especially the spicy ones).  Overall, it was a delicious return visit to Shaburina and it won't be our last.  Prices are reasonable for the quality of food while the service is top-notch.

The Good:
- Reasonably-priced
- Good quality
- Excellent service

The Bad:
- Even though we got a bigger table this time, it is still a bit tight for space to put your plates, sauces and drinks

Donburi Station

Way back, a few years  before the pandemic, we had tried out Fremont Bowl in Seattle.  Located in the Fremont (hence the name), this lil' Japanese donburi joint offered up large bowls with lots of toppings at a reasonable price.  Furthermore, those toppings were not only plentiful, they were good quality and delicious.  A recipe for success right?  Well, they've opened 2 more locations under the Donburi Station name.  I've been to the one in Bellevue before, but this time around, I'm going to blog about it.

Before we got to the donburis, I decided to get some greens into my meal (even though it was mostly iceberg lettuce).  This happened to be the Seafood Salad topped with ebi, imitation crab meat and masago.  On the side, there was some ginger vinaigrette.  This was a fairly large portion of salad and in fact, quite a bit of creamy imitation crab.  Hence, this ate rather hearty and there was enough ingredients for the lettuce, tomato and cucumber.

For my son, it was without a doubt he would order the Chirashi Don consisting of tuna tataki, Atlantic salmon, unagi, ebi, akami, negitoro and escolar (in lieu of hamachi this time).  As you can see, this was a hearty portion of fresh fish atop a large bowl of sushi rice.  This is no different than the one we've had at Fremont Bowl.  I've had this recently myself back in January and I can attest that it more than enough food for one person.

For myself, I went for something cooked in the Mixed Katsu Donburi with both chicken katsu and tonkatsu. Now one piece of katsu would've been sufficient, but with 2 of them, I was plenty satisfied.  Of course the chicken was more juicy and tender, but the pork was also decently moist.  On the outside, the panko was fried until golden brown and crunchy.  On side, there was some tangy and sweet tonkatsu sauce.

Viv ended up with the Volcano Donburi sporting spicy salmon, spicy imitation crab salad and masago.  Again, they weren't shy with the ingredients.  Hence each bite of chewy sushi rice was evenly balanced by the texture of salmon and imitation crab.  I wouldn't say this was exactly spicy, but with Japanese food, spicy is an accent flavour that doesn't overwhelm a dish.  That it did here with just a slight bite with the sweetness of the other ingredients.

My daughter ordered the Aburi Sake Don with sea salt and yuzu koshu.  This was lightly-torched hence no charring, but then again, there was no "sauce" to caramelize either.  Beyond the initial firmness of the salmon, the inside was buttery and soft.  The whole thing was rather mild-tasting except for the slight tanginess of the yuzu.  As you can see, Donburi Station serves the same favourites as Fremont Bowl, but with much more available parking.  A good spot for lunch if you are in the area.

The Good:
- Generous amount of toppings
- Tasty
- Reasonably-priced

The Bad:
- Not the biggest place, so might be packed during peak times

Shaburina

So here we go with another AYCE in experience while I was in Bellevue.  This time around, we decided on Shaburina, which is a "Japanese-style" Shabu Shabu.  I put this in quotations because authentic Shabu Shabu would have far less ingredients and only one type of broth.  However, I'm glad that they extended the format with different broth options and many things to choose from at the buffet station.  For the non-Wagyu option (House Course), it is $39.00 per person inclusive.  I found this to be a fair price and a good value with all things considered.

Each person has their own personal hot pot (with the heating element built into the table) with a choice of Broth.  I ended up choosing Spicy Miso while my son had the Sukiyaki.  Both Viv and my daughter chose the featured broth of the day being Chicken & Scallop.  Predictably, the most impactful of the 3 was the spicy miso as it did have a kick (not scorching hot though) with the fermented flavour of miso.  Sukiyaki was pretty basic and only good for those who aren't adventurous.  The best was the chicken and scallop as it was super sweet with savoury elements.

Without even needing to ask, everyone received all 4 meats including Rich Beef, Lean Beef, Rich Pork and Lean Pork.  If you were wanting to take full advantage of the other ingredients at the buffet station, then you might want to share the meats to start rather than having a full serving for each person.  We struggled to finish it all.  Now the rich cuts look alarmingly fatty, but rest assured, they were sliced thin so after cooking it wasn't too bad.  In fact, that made the meats more tender and buttery.  I actually loved the lean pork (looked like shoulder meat) the most though as it was strangely the most succulent.

I was actually quite impressed with the Buffet Station as it included a good variety of ingredients including shrimp, clams, baby scallops, squid, quail eggs, spam, tofu puffs, various fish cakes and meatballs, wontons, different types of noodles and kimchi.  As for the veggies, they consisted of Shanghai bak choy, chrysanthemum, napa cabbage, spinach, sprouts, tomato, squash, green onion, white onion and corn.  Again, plenty to choose from and things looked fresh.

Lastly, there was the requisite Sauce Bar that sported ponzu, sweet chili, sesame sauce, cilantro, jalapeno, Thai chili, garlic, peanut, fried garlic, white onion, green onion, fried shallots, sriracha and a variety of oils.  If you look at the picture, you'll notice a soft-serve ice cream machine.  Well, you do get an ice cream cone when are finished, but it wasn't available the night we ate there. No biggie though as we enjoyed the broths and the fresh ingredients that came with it.  This is a place we will be visiting again.

The Good:
- Delicious broth
- Good quality ingredients
- Great service

The Bad:
- Tables are far too small for all the plates, sauces and ingredients