By Christopher Howard
Whether by design or coincidence, this month we checked out a few local places with Japanese-inspired food (other than sushi — no offense to the wonderful world of sushi).
Rice Bowls Worth Returning For
In the Georgetown neighborhood for lunch, we visited Donburi Station (5503 Airport Way S., Seattle; 206-767-8075; http://donburistationseattle.com) to check out their “Japanese comfort food.” Their menu had many such options.
Donburi itself is a Japanese dish of rice topped with various meats or fish (or tofu for the vegetarian options). Choices at Donburi Station range from unagi (eel) to short ribs, plus more than a dozen other options, as well as various salads and sides like gyoza and Japanese-style pork curry. We tried the sukiyaki beef donburi and the unagi donburi with a side salad and a side of gyoza.
The sukiyaki beef tasted fresh and much subtler — for palates accustomed to Seattle-style teriyaki — and, we understand, is a more traditional rendition of the dish. The unagi was flavorful and paired well with their optional hot sauce. The side salad was a small green salad with cucumber and tomato slices and a liberal amount of a ginger sesame dressing. The gyoza were OK, but we would probably not order them again; there was too much dough with little filling in it.
We would not hesitate to order either the sukiyaki beef or the unagi donburi again, although there are so many other options to explore that it may be a while before we get back to these two.
Most of the patrons were picking up orders to go, which made for a busy counter during lunchtime. There are a handful of small tables with bench seating.
Donburi was a worthy stop if you want quick comfort food with a Japanese flair. Donburi Station also has locations in Fremont (called Fremont Bowl) and Bellevue.
Where East Meets West with Style
For dinner, we traveled off our beaten path to find Iconiq (1421 31st Ave. S., Seattle; 206-568-7715; http://iconiq
seattle.net), which blends Japanese and French themes in its food and presentation. This neighborhood gem appears inconspicuous from the outside, but the dining area inside has a marvelous sunset view overlooking the 12th Avenue bridge (or Seattle fault) gap. It’s a cozy place. The dining area is small, and this is paired with very friendly service.
We started with a seasonal special appetizer of stuffed squash blossoms and a baguette with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The squash blossoms were a good vehicle for the feta cheese and herbs. We quickly ate up this dish.
For main courses, we tried the Neah Bay King Salmon and the lamb. The salmon was accompanied by a tempura-fried squash blossom and was good, with a beautiful presentation of the squash blossoms and heirloom tomatoes over rice pilaf. The lamb had excellent flavor, accompanied by pickled cherries, bell peppers, and wax beans all atop of mashed potatoes. We would certainly return to order this again, though the amount of lamb itself was somewhat limited.
For dessert, we split the peach melba. Iconiq’s take on this traditional dish added almond crumble to the vanilla ice cream and raspberry coulis (and, of course, peach). We enjoyed this. Perhaps we were not feeling adventurous enough to try the alternative option of soy sauce ice cream (served with almond crumble and Fuji apples), but it is intriguing, and we may return to try it.
We took advantage of Iconiq’s corkage fee to bring our own wine, but they have a well-rounded selection of beverages to choose from, including sake if you wish to stay true to the Japanese theme. Overall, Iconiq is an excellent small neighborhood restaurant. But be warned, it comes with downtown prices.
More Options to Revisit
There are a few places we have already reviewed that fit this theme (Japanese-inspired without focusing on sushi) that are worth mentioning. Remember Kobuta & Ookani (121 15th Ave. E., Seattle; 206-708-7856; http://kobuta
andookami.com) from 2021, which we reviewed during its soft opening, and which now also has a Redmond location.
And a number of years ago, we reviewed Matsu (501 Stadium Place S., Seattle; 206-257-4259; http://matsuseattle.com). Since then, we have come to rely on it as a reliable place to meet before baseball or soccer games.
We will continue our search for creative Japanese-inspired dining options. Look for the sequel in a future Bulletin.
Dining Out is brought to you by Christopher Howard with the help of family and friends. Send any comments or suggestions to him at 206-669-6956 or chh@f2t.com.
