Working in downtown Seattle once meant that teriyaki for lunch was never more than a block or two away. In fact, one of the first editions of this column 18 years ago reviewed teriyaki shops in Seattle, and we could barely scratch the surface of the options available. Now, when even The New York Times acknowledges there is a “Seattle Style” teriyaki, ironically, it seems hard to find.
We are setting out on a two-part search for where to get teriyaki near downtown Seattle in the post-Covid era. Oddly, the inspiration for this quest was not teriyaki, but a side dish at a trendy noodle restaurant.
We stayed in Little Tokyo on a recent trip to Los Angeles. As a matter of convenience we walked across the street to Daikokuya Little Tokyo (327 First Street, Los Angeles, 90012; group.bishamon-ten.com/daikokuya/littletokyo) to discover we had stumbled upon one of Los Angeles’ hottest informal dining establishments. We were able to squeeze in at the bar that overlooks the open kitchen; there was also a limited number of indoor tables and outdoor tables.
We ordered a special combination of their Daikoku Ramen with a small chicken teriyaki bowl. This combo also came with a small salad. The ramen was excellent, flavored with a soy sauce that was subtle, not overpowering, and had pork belly, bamboo shoots, green onions, bean sprouts, and a whole marinated boiled egg. The flavors were well balanced, and one can taste why this is such a popular ramen. The side salad was a chopped cabbage salad with a sweet vinegar dressing and good for balancing the meal.
But our favorite was the side dish, the chicken teriyaki bowl, which tasted like the best of our memories of teriyaki in Seattle. Actually, now that we have begun sampling them back home, I can say the flavor in LA was similar but more subtle; teriyaki often is not subtle. We would certainly return to have this dish again and to sample more items on this menu.
If you are in the downtown area of Los Angeles, Daikokuya is worth the short detour. And they have four locations, so check them out even if you are not in Little Tokyo. Expect a line when you get there. Gluten-free noodles are available.
And so, that teriyaki side dish inspired us to revisit where to get teriyaki in Seattle. Once ubiquitous, commentators were bemoaning the “slow death” of Seattle’s teriyaki scene 10 years ago.
Toshi’s Teriyaki is credited with being the originator of Seattle-style teriyaki in Lower Queen Anne, near the Space Needle. Toshi Kasahara still has a restaurant but in Mill Creek, not downtown. There is a Toshi’s Teriyaki in Laurelhurst but it is not affiliated with the original and not close to downtown. We started our search in central Seattle on Capitol Hill, which has a healthy concentration of teriyaki establishments.
Attracted by the name, we started with Teriyaki Madness (111 15th Avenue East, Seattle, 98112; 206-328-0144), a block south of the intersection of 15th and John.
There is a Teriyaki Madness chain that ties itself to Seattle, saying “Some people say you can take the sea out of Seattle, but you can’t take out the teriyaki,” and spreads the image of Seattle teriyaki to its 100-plus locations, from Oregon to New Hampshire and even El Salvador — but this Teriyaki Madness is apparently not part of the national chain.
Despite the name, Teriyaki Madness has a fairly diverse menu with yakisoba, bowls, fried rice, and even katsu. They confided to us that, even at their Capitol Hill location, teriyaki is not their best seller. We were there for the standard chicken teriyaki which comes with a side lettuce salad, two scoops of rice, and a very generous portion of chicken. Gyoza was available at an extra charge.
The chicken was mostly white meat, moist, and adequately covered with a sweet and not too salty teriyaki sauce. The salad dressing was the fairly standard sweet, slightly mayonnaise-flavored combination. The portions, especially the meat, were sufficient to feed two — you can expect to have leftovers unless you are sharing the meal.
Teriyaki Madness seems to do mostly take-out business, with curbside pickup available and a Monday curbside discount for those interested. But there was ample indoor seating at tables and the window counter. All of the tables were clean even right after the lunch rush. We were quite satisfied with the chicken teriyaki and with the experience overall. We will go back to try other items on the menu.
Two blocks north on 15th, we found Moli Bento (316 15th Avenue East, Seattle 98112; 206-325-8630) nestled into Kaiser Capitol Hill’s North Building. Moli Bento also offers several non-teriyaki items, such as yakisoba noodles and katsu.
The chicken teriyaki arrived atop what appeared to be a double helping of white rice and a small lettuce salad. The chicken was cooked appropriately to be tender, but the sauce was very salty.
The place is small, and the clientele was more dine-in than take-out. The tables were not completely clean, as in sticky, even though we were there before the lunch rush.
Both of these options are a short ride from downtown on several bus routes, but not directly on the light rail. Neither restaurant had a gluten-free teriyaki option — most of the sauces contain gluten.
Between the two options we checked for this neighborhood, we clearly have a preferred choice in Teriyaki Madness. And, our initial impression is that teriyaki is not dead in Seattle. It has just spread out from downtown.
Next month, we will continue our search for the best places to get teriyaki in Seattle, including the rare gluten-free variety. If you have a favorite, or other suggestions, please send them to Christopher Howard at chh@f2t.com or 206-669-5956.
