There’s a lot of talk about rebirth and rejuvenation around this time of year. I like to think that a smaller version of growth happens within us regularly. It shows up as quiet sproutings, rooting underground that we fail to notice until they bloom. If we are to follow nature, the season shows us that…

Those in the restaurant industry have always faced unspoken challenges. Their stories are often kept behind the fold. Today, we’re hearing more personal accounts of wage theft, abuse, harassment, and a mountain of trauma in an industry built to nourish, celebrate, and commemorate.  How does one server, one restaurant take on changing the industry when…

With the National Shutdown strike that took place on January 30 to protest ICE, many small restaurant owners found themselves debating whether it was possible to close on a Friday, typically one of the busiest days of the week. Restaurants across the country, already struggling with tight margins and rising costs, have been further rocked…

It was a long wait to get into Kabul, Wallingford’s longtime favorite Afghan restaurant. This was the last week of service before it shuttered. I have passed by this place for years and even worked at a restaurant across the street. Kabul’s mural of the National Geographic Afghan Girl cover—an image that has come to…

There’s something about the end of the year that adds pressure to everything we do. Despite all the talk of holiday cheer and “merry and bright,” heightened expectations can bring a sense of weariness. We’re fretting over feasts and gatherings while working fervently to tie up loose ends—gifts, work, everything—with a pretty bow. Each month,…

Seattle has many foodie groups on social media, but I have a soft spot for Seattle Halal Foodies, started by Mehrab Shahriar in 2019. When Shahriar moved to Seattle nine years ago, the halal food scene was small compared to other U.S. cities. Perhaps because of its underdog nature, I found this group to be…

My mother’s food follows the teachings of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which advocates eating specific ingredients and dishes to ease us into seasons and build resilience during transitions. I believe this is a practice we can do intuitively with all cuisines. Whether you’re cozying up to a cocktail or pulling your first sweater of the season…

Just as we began to have our doubts, the heat comes on strong; a flush of tomatoes hit the vine, and things start to feel like summer just as autumn creeps around the corner. Nothing is predictable. I am aware—and often guilty—of the tendency to hunker down with sameness when the world feels unstable, when…

Since recipes aren’t usually subject to copyright, every dish has potential for nuance and creative interpretation. Dishes come alive when they’re tweaked and adapted to new environments to suit the taste or preferences of different individuals. This evolution is what takes a recipe from mere formula to lasting memory. Let’s not use the F-word; instead,…

The unexpected find is a rare thing in this world, where it seems all great things have been TikToked by folks more savvy, more persistent than me. But dining out is not about this type of rat race. Luckily, I find there are still many surprises in every neighborhood: underrated dishes that become my new…

Seattle doesn’t have one reigning sandwich, but that hasn’t ruled out sandwich shops from taking root and becoming key players in our food scene…

It’s common this time of year for year-end roundups touting the newest, “best, most exciting” restaurants, but looking ahead to 2024, I want to hone in on a different set of restaurants redefining what it means to eat local in Seattle. 

So often around this time of year, our attention turns to the holiday feast — the giant bird, abundant sides, and numerous pies — such that we forget how everyday meals can be regular opportunities to treat ourselves. Family-owned restaurants are returning to classic recipes and bringing a sense of comfort and ease to our…