Chef

Seth Caswell

"You can get lamb, beef, or chicken, but I usually get the lamb with extra hot sauce and no onions."

"It's light, so it's the perfect start to a meal. You can sit down completely famished, order a Tamarind Tree roll, and it's at your table immediately. It's a fresh roll with a fried wonton wrapper inside, and their sauces are good. It's solid."

"These oysters are served with a momiji ponzu mignonette that's out of this world. It's one of those things where you order half a dozen and then they're gone, and then you're sad because you want to eat more. The mignonette has just the right amount of acid and the scallion adds just enough extra kick without adding heat. When they're available, I also love the Shigoku oysters."

"I go in for their hot pot, but when I order, the server looks at me and says, "You want pork bun, right?" I always get it. It's like a meal in itself, but they do it right. They use fresh steamed buns, and the pork filling is good."

"Hands down, this is the best sandwich in Seattle. It's a real old-school haunt with live jazz and a friendly owner. Few people in Seattle make it up to this sandwich shop, but it is worth the trip to 198th."

"This is the way pizza should be: simple and barely adorned, it allows the diner to taste the delicious dough. The best ingredients are used, but perfectly sparingly."