This Barbecue Is Making Waves in Seattle
A pivot by a Central District restaurant team introduces some of the best ribs in the city
By Chelsea Lin January 25, 2019
This article originally appeared in the February 2019 issue of Seattle magazine.
This article appears in print in the February 2019 issue. Click here to subscribe.
Open since July 2018, cheery barbecue oasis Central Smoke is a departure in concept for restaurateurs Sophie and Eric Banh (of Monsoon, Ba Bar and Central Smoke’s previous incarnation, Seven Beef). Fans of the siblings’ signature Vietnamese flavors—such as fermented black vinegar and aged fish sauce—will find dishes to love here, too, thanks to executive chef Mike Whisenhunt (formerly of Brimmer & Heeltap).
But the sleeper hit is the Texas-style barbecue, which goes shockingly well with the likes of fried rice, papaya salad and sweet-and-sour pickles. Order the smoked pork spareribs ($22 for half rack, $39 for full), rubbed with chili powder, cumin, cayenne and brown sugar, spritzed with apple cider and bourbon, and cooked for hours over a combo of mesquite and post oak woods. Each bite is caramelized and tender, pulling away from the bone without falling off it. Central District, 1305 E Jefferson St.; 206.328.7090
Follow Us
Restaurant Roundup: Remembering Legends and Late-Night Tacos
Here’s what was served up recently in the Emerald City.
A lot of Seattle stories seem to be coming to a close as we near the year’s end, with some iconic eateries going out on their own terms and others fighting to survive. Sadly, we’ve also lost some truly outsized figures on the culinary scene, including Ms. Helen Coleman, the “Queen of Seattle Soul Food,”…
Restaurant Roundup: Holiday Cheer at SLU BRU, StarChefs, and Kabul Closing
Here’s what was served up recently in the Emerald City.
Fusion food has an innate ability to bring us together. In the blending of two (or sometimes more) cultures, new perspectives are unlocked and we are all better for it. Esquire is in agreement, as the magazine has selected Lupe’s Situ Tacos, a Mexican-Lebanese taqueria in Ballard, as one of the 33 best new restaurants…
Counter Culture: Sansonina Ristorante Italiano
An Italian escape hiding in Renton.
Tucked just off Rainier Avenue, across from a Safeway, Sansonina Ristorante Italiano—which opened early in 2019—is the kind of place you drive past for years without noticing until you walk through the door. Once inside, the outside world dissolves, the hum of traffic fades, and suddenly you’re not in Renton anymore. You’re in a dimly…
5 Things to Eat in December
This month’s assignment: Take the pressure off.
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,…