Ah, Seattle! Let’s just cut it short and figure that for the last 400 words, I’ve rambled on and on about how great it is to be back in a multicultural society! Also, let’s skip the argument about how Europe actually IS multicultural by asking, with obligatory snark, “Our Alpine small town is multicultural compared to what, exactly? One of those compounds in northern Idaho? That place in Papua New Guinea where the people live up in those tree houses?” Um, okay.
Okay, now that we’re through with that…
Ah Seattle!
Taking the enthusiastic recommendation of our neighbors to heart, we headed down to Mekong Grocery on Rainier Avenue. I needed to pick up a few Asian ingredients for my kitchen and I was jonesing for some Trung Nguyen coffee. This ramshackle little market appears to employ about a dozen workers. While we were there the produce section was being restocked by a woman in a green apron and rubber gloves. She unloaded cardboard crates of mystery greens while carrying on a high volume conversation with the guy at the other end of the aisle — who was also involved in moving around crates of unidentifiable merchandise.
The produce looks great here and it’s cheap, too. There are also the required 1000 kinds of noodles, but surprisingly, not the kind I was looking for. This market is primarily Southeast Asian, and as such, not so many Japanese products are available. No problem, they do have a staggering array of pickled vegetables in jars and the pickled ginger here is cheaper than I’ve ever seen it. Mekong doesn’t have everything, but for your Thai, Vietnamese, Cambodian cooking and excellent prices on greens, it’s great.
While I’m on the subject of Vietnamese food, we rejoined the Jackson Street eaters last night. We cruised down the hill and stopped at the Pacific Rim shopping center. New Kowloon was hosting two large weddings and the place was packed with families in their fanciest evening wear. (Aside: I’m always gobstruck by the beautiful Vietnamese girls in their towering high heels. How do they do it?) The place we wanted to go to was closed, but there’s a third restaurant there and we were all hungry so a decision was made.
Mai Thao is another one of those big charmless places with excellent cheap food. The tofu rolls had lots of fresh greens in them. The crepe was crispy and delicious and again, served with a pile of fresh greens. My entree — the vermicelli noodle bowl with fried tofu rolls — was perfect and the pork rolls also got a high rating. The other two entrees were so so — the vegetarian hot pot and the shrimp fried rice. We broke with form and ordered dessert, too — flan and coffee ice cream. The flan wasn’t that good, but the coffee ice cream was a big winner. Delicious. And a bargain, too, 18 dollars a head — this included the appetizers, beers, tip, and tax.
Mai Thao is at 900 Jackson.
Sounds so good 🙂
You’re making me miss Seattle all that much more. It is enough that the area around here reminds of the great northwest, with the exception of the weather, which from up there I would take over this weather any day.
Don’t look at the city pics, Dan, just don’t. It won’t help.
Thanks for the tip, now I’m dying to eat! I’ve never been to Seattle, but I definitely want to visit now. Reading blogs is certainly not hurting my wanderlust any!