Top Puget Sound-area restaurants to try, according to a local foodie’s personal favorites

I am grateful to the Seattle food scene for all the yummy food I’ve consumed over the years and for the cool people I have met. And after hitting 20K on Instagram, as a token of thanks, I wanted to highlight some of my personal favorites for dining in my free time. I took care to select restaurants from different cuisines.

Kin Len Thai (Fremont)

Kin Len Thai is one of my personal favorites. It was the venue I had chosen to celebrate earning my M.Ed. and for moving into my own place. They take care to properly show the full range of Thai cuisine and offer selections not found at most other Thai restaurants. It is very affordable, as most dishes are under $18, and you can get multiple meals out of one portion. Happy hour is a steal as most dishes are under $11. Make sure you try their battered chicken red curry as it is my favorite dish in all of Seattle!

Kobuta and Ookami (Seattle and Redmond)

I had the privilege of visiting Kansai for a week in December and yearn for authentic Japanese food daily. Kobuta and Ookami is where I go when I have those cravings. They are famed for their large plates of pork cutlet rice, better known as Katsu. Their special-edition Unagi Katsu was one of the best dishes I have ever had in my life. Their tomato and cheese katsu, katsudon, and katsu curry are all a must-try too.

Make sure to drown it in their delicious house-made sauces. You will understand why people line up before it opens once you taste them for the first time.

A+ Hong Kong Restaurant (International District)

I am a native Hong Konger, so my comfort food is HK-style cafes, better known as cha chaan tengs. They are renowned for providing tasty and filling food at affordable prices in bustling settings. There are a few in the Seattle region, but my favorite one is A+ Hong Kong Restaurant.

It is most reminiscent of home for me as all the staff speak Cantonese and they have all the classics. My favorites are claypot rice with Chinese sausage, chicken à la king, and baked seafood rice with cheese. Make sure you drink some HK milk tea or iced lemon tea with your meal.

Lady Yum (Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland)

All good meals must end with good desserts, and Lady Yum is my favorite dessert chain. Lady Yum specializes in macarons, which are French meringue cookies available in a variety of flavors.

They usually have more than 20 different flavors to choose from. My favorites are s’mores, shindigs, honey lavender, and toffee flavors. Get a glass of bubbly Martinelli cider to pair with your macarons, and it is the perfect way to end the night.

Asian Family Market (Tukwila)

 

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I usually recommend restaurants, so I wanted to highlight my favorite grocery store, Asian Family Market. It is perfect if you are looking for an affordable grocery store with plenty of options to choose from.

My favorite part is that they offer selections from every major Asian cuisine and carry products you can’t find at other grocery stores in the region. The rewards system they use also offers many great deals.

The secret to their success is their innovative use of Vori, a grocery store operating system. This is what allows shoppers to choose from a higher-quality selection at the same prices as other grocery stores. Asian Family Market is the spot if you want to make your own dining experience at home!