Chowvel:Traveling to Eat

Review
If you hear Chinatown, the first thing that doesn’t come to mind is Banh Cuon. Nestled in a small strip mall in Chinatown lies Hoan Kiem, which is known for its banh cuon. Banh Cuon is rice based crepe filled with some sort of meat and vegetables, usually served with fish sauce and garnished with cilantro, cucumbers, and pork meatloaf. This place is also known for it’s Pho Ga or chicken Pho. The broth is hearty and homemade. If you’re feeling a cold coming down, stop by Hoan Kiem and grab a bowl, it’s tastes better than any medicine you’ll ever take. The hours are a bit inconvenient since it closes early for dinner hours, but a nice spot for a quick weekend lunch.

Review
To get to Bainbridge Island, take one of the ferries that take you from the port of Seattle over to many of the small islands just outside of Seattle. If you have a car, transport your car over as well to drive around and explore the island a bit. The island is home to a small pedestrian friendly mall and tucked in a busy little corner you can find Emmy’s Vege House which is a Vietnamese food stand that’s strictly vegan. Order up your food at the window and they’ll throw some vegan kabobs on the grill. The kabobs are a bit too salty for my taste, but it does have the same texture as regular meat kabobs. Change it up a bit and if you find yourself on this cozy this little, stop by and have a try.

Review
Vietnamese are known for their Pho and Spring Rolls. There are so many other great types of cuisines in the Vietnamese cultural menu to choose from. The broken rice dishes are good and other soup dishes are always a good choice and Green Leaf is one restaurant that does these other dishes right. If you are tired of the typical Vietnamese dishes, go to Green Leaf to try something else. It’s a bit on the outskirts of downtown Seattle, but worth a slight detour. Try the Hu Tieu soup, it’s rice noodles mixed with a plethora of seafood proteins.

Review
Chinatown restaurants usually close pretty early, even on the weekends around 6pm or even earlier. If you’re in the area or don’t want to drive out to the San Gab for Vietnamese or Chinese food, Chinatown has some decent options. Amongst all the Chinese spots in Chinatown, there are a few Vietnamese establishments that provide great tasting food as well. Thien Huong is a cool little spot in the the Far East Plaza. Remember to bring cash and try the Bun Bo Hue when you get a chance.

Review
A clean Vietnamese restaurant at least from what the eye can see. The usual menu and plates of items are found here, but the one thing I tried and found pleasantly tasty wa the Bun Bo Hue. Bun Bo Hue is a spicy rice noodle soup dish, usually served with slices of beef and some sort of pork, usually part of a pork leg. This time, the pork was in the form of pork meatloaf, which is pretty cheap to make and put in. After going through the meat, the most important element was next, the spicy soup. Having a solid bowl of Bun Bo Hue is pretty hard to find and this place has a great tasting soup. After a night out on the town, we all know pho hits the spot, but try some Bun Bo Hue for a change, maybe the after effects of the night before will make you forget about the not to friendly neighborhood that the restaurant is located in. Remember to stop by the XXX arcade for some interesting entertainment, if you’re 18.