I’ve heard every standard Seattle pleasantry and curiosity there is in my time living away from the Emerald City. Guess what? They’re all true. Yes, it rains a lot. Yes, we have incredible coffee – a joint and some coffee isn’t called a Seattle Speedball for nothing. Yes, we are the home of the Space Needle, and, no, it’s not there for any practical purpose. Would you believe me when I say that there’s a whole class of men in their fifties and sixties that are still hung up on the Grunge scene? What I want to know is why no one ever talks about our unique blend of cultures that dominate the eating scene up there.

Finding great Asian food in Seattle is like finding water when you fall off of a boat. We’ve got great teriyaki (a Seattle invention) and pho joints on almost every corner, which are always a good idea on a rainy day. Dim Sum restaurants are always open past the bars, especially in the International District. The ID is one of my favorite places in the city for nightlife. It’s inundated with places for late-night-bites, places to drink, karaoke spots, and right next to SODO where a lot of great clubs are located. 

My favorite haunt from the last few times I visited is Itsumono. Located on Jackson St. near King St. Station, this family-run gastropub puts care into their menu of mostly Hawaiian and Okinawan-inspired food and handcrafted cocktails. 

Entering through the hole-in-wall exterior you’re immediately transported to Okinawa, to a place with a wood-forward interior and Japanese art. Itsumono itself means regular, a nod to the regular customers who keep coming back. Wanting to have a fresher take on Japanese than just sushi and ramen, Itsumono takes care to create fresh ideas in Japanese-American cuisine with a weekly-rotating menu that keeps that people coming back, as you never know what dish is going to become your favorite every week.