Shinya Shokudō

As many times I've been in the Seattle/Bellevue area, I do not recall ever doing something late night.  That would include activities in addition to eats.  This was about to change as Jackie and I were checking out some Japanese Izakaya at Shinya Shokudō.  Located right in the heart of Bellevue, it is open late until 1:00pm and offers up a full menu of share plates and also an array of drinks.  

About those drinks, we had a few of them including the Chillchee, Osmanthus Breeze and Shinya Choco Cloud.  Definitely on the sweeter end of the cocktail spectrum with these, but at the same time, they didn't skimp with the alcohol.  Hence, it still packed quite a wallop.  I loved the Chillchee the most as I love lychee and that definitely came through.  I thought the Shinya Choco Cloud was more of a boozy milkshake.

We a great selection of chicken parts (mostly offal) in the Tori Horumon Combo.  We got 2 each of the cartilage, heart, upper heart, gizzard and liver.  This was more about textures than anything else.  There was the crunch from the cartilage, chewy bounciness of the hearts and gizzards while we had the creaminess of the liver.  They were lightly grilled where we had some smokiness.  I would've liked a bit more char on everything but the liver.

To compliment our first set of grilled skewers, we added the Seafood Combo consisting 2 each of Shrimp, Salmon, Hokkaido Scallops and Eel.  I thought the shrimp were perfect being bouncy and still juicy.  Although not looking like it, the salmon was fairly moist.  Couldn't say the same about the scallops as they were overdone.  Eel was perfectly buttery and smoky.

To get a taste of some appies without ordering every one of them, we opted for the Small Dish Set.  This featured Chicken Karaage, Tamagoyaki, Salmon Sashimi, Takoyaki, Wakame Salad and Hotate.  Nothing particularly amiss with this as things were pretty standard and serviceable.  I did think the salmon and hotate were texturally on point and tasted fresh.

On that note, it wasn't a surprise that the Chirashi Don was good since it featured the same salmon and scallop sashimi.  It also added salmon toro to add a rich butteriness to the bowl.  A big dollop of ikura provided pops of briny sweetness.  That same ikura was great with sweet and creamy Hokkaido uni in the Temaki.  The Foie Gras Temaki was rich and buttery but nicely tempered by the chewy sushi rice.

Honestly, we weren't going to order the Spicy Vegan Ramen, but it came highly-recommended.  Well, I do have to say it was pretty darn hot!  Yah, it was spicy and kept my tongue busy for awhile.  Now I like spice, so it didn't bother me.  That was probably the best part because there was not meat for me.  LOL.  Noodles were al dente while bamboo shoots, corn and tofu were there to compliment.

Not that we didn't have enough food already, but we also had the Curry Katsu Omurice.  This was a fairly large dish with plenty of rice underneath a thin blanket of egg.  I would've liked it less cooked but it worked for this application as there was plenty of moisture from the earthy and sweet curry.  The pork cutlet on top was lean, but still tender with a crispy panko crust.

One of the best deals we found on the menu was the Sukiyaki for $20.00.  Served in a small hot pot on a butane burner, we found sliced beef roll with vegetables, mushrooms, tofu and shrimp.  We added udon for an extra charge.  Nothing complex about this dish, but it was a lot of food cooked in a rich soy dashi broth.  Beef was buttery tender while the shrimp had a meaty snap texture.

We had one more rice dish in the Unagi Don, that featured 2 large pieces of soft and buttery glazed unagi.  Rice was chewy and dry enough to withstand the moisture from the eel.  Again, for $21.00, this wasn't bad for so much unagi.  Overall, our experience at Shinya Shokudō was good considering the portions sizes and reasonable pricing.  I wouldn't classify it as a classic Izakaya as the menu trends more towards bigger dishes and Kushiyaki.  But it is good for what it is and is open until 1:00am to satisfy your late night cravings.

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

The Good:

- Ample portions

- Inexpensive

- Decent eats

The Bad:

- Not really an Izakaya in the authentic sense, but it is good for what it is

- More aggressive char on some of the skewers

Ā Mā Chicken Rice

Ah yes, Hainanese Chicken aka Chicken Rice is a dish that is popular in most parts of Asia.  It originated, as the name implies, in the Hainan Province of China.  Through travel, it has spread across SE Asia and has morphed into different versions.  Yet, the basic premise is the same, poached chicken served with chicken oil rice and all the condiments (which are similar or different depending on the location).  It seems like a simple dish, but as you know, those are the type of things that you can easily mess up.  Our latest food adventures has brought us to Ā Mā Chicken Rice in Redmond.  This is a Cambodian restaurant and hence this is the version of chicken rice that we got to try (among other things).

So let's get right to it with the Chicken Rice accompanied by the aforementioned chicken oil rice, sweet chili sauce and what I like to call "crack sauce" made of fermented soybean, sugar and ginger.  Very reminiscent of Nong's Khao Man Gai in Portland (albeit the Thai version).  At the table, there was also the classic ginger & scallion condiment as well as chili crunch.  I found the chicken oil rice to be super delicious with enough seasoning and aromatics for impact.   The rice itself was not mushy while not being hard either.  The dark meat chicken was buttery and succulent while flavourful on its own.  Best thing to dip the chicken into was the crack sauce as it was a bit of everything with some spice.  However, the ginger & scallion condiment was a classic match too, especially since it was mostly ginger.

For those who wanted something a bit different, yet still technically qualify as chicken rice is the Crispy Chicken Rice.  So the rice for this was exactly like the previous dish, therefore it was an excellent base to start with.  On top, there was a considerable amount of deep-fried chicken breast.  As much as it was white meat, it was still tender and almost juicy.  On the outside, it was plenty crispy with a fairly thick coating.  To compliment the fried chicken, I thought the fermented soybean sauce to be the best match.  It really brought the chicken to life with sweet and savoury elements.

Another dish we had which was on point was the Phnom Penh Noodles.  If you have ever been to Phnom Penh in Vancouver, you will be very familiar with this dish.  It comes in both dry and soup form, where we tried both.  I personally love the Dry Phnom Penh Noodles myself as the flavors are more concentrated.  Consisting of rice noodles mixed with a sweetened soy sauce, the bowl was full of liver, ground pork, shrimp, green onions and fried shallots.

The soup version of the Phnom Penh Noodles sports the basically the same ingredients except instead of the soy mix, everything sat in a hot broth.  I felt the broth was clean, sweet, a bit meaty and slightly briny.  Noodles were still al dente despite sitting in the hot broth.  It soaked up some of the flavors and tasted good on its own.  However, I enjoyed using the chili crunch to amp things up a bit.

Other than the chicken rice, the other best dish of the meal was the Ā Mā Dried Noodles.  These had thinner and firmer egg noodles that were topped with ground pork and dried shrimp, dried mushrooms and a piece of that fried chicken.  This was so savory and full of umami.  Noodles had a nice elasticity and chew to them.  Overall, the food at Ā Mā Chicken Rice is delicious and well-prepared.  Portions are good and the prices are reasonable.  Great for a casual meal any day of the week.

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

The Good:

- Delicious

- Reasonable pricing

- Ample portions

The Bad:

- Super busy and a wait for a table is normal

- Tight seating

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