Skip to content

There’s a Reason This Japanese Comfort Food Joint is Always Packed for Lunch

Home-style Japanese food has proved popular in a neighborhood full of lunch options.

By Chelsea Lin January 4, 2018

MoonsKitchen-12

This article originally appeared in the December 2017 issue of Seattle magazine.

There’s no shortage of lunch spots in Belltown. Still, the tables at this new Japanese restaurant, which opened last spring, are full at midday. And it’s not because of flashy décor or trendy dishes (though there is a very photo-worthy sundae served in a flower pot).

Instead, Moon’s Kitchen provides a cozy, casual respite while serving large portions of homespun Japanese dishes. The menu marries Seattle-ized standards such as chicken or salmon teriyaki ($9.50–$12.50) and requisite poke bowls ($13.50) with more traditional Japanese dishes like takoyaki (a fried, savory doughnut hole of sorts with bits of octopus, $4.50) and rich tonkotsu (pork broth) ramen ($10.95). Dressings and sauces are all made from scratch; skip the cloying signature salad dressing flecked with kiwi seeds in favor of the honey miso or sesame varieties.

If you can’t find a seat, opt for takeout, which is quick—just order at the back counter. And, as with all Belltown restaurants, there’s much less competition for a table at dinner. 

Moon’s Kitchen
Belltown, 2211 Fourth Ave.; 206.420.1302

 

Follow Us

Palace Kitchen Celebrates 30 Years

Palace Kitchen Celebrates 30 Years

The Belltown staple still feeds the city after 10 p.m.

After the last tickets come off the rail, floor mats are hauled out to be hosed down, oven hoods are scrubbed, aprons come untied, and someone counts the drawer. It’s a familiar ritual in restaurant cities everywhere. When the shift ends, cooks and servers go looking for a drink and something to eat. For three…

Protein Without the Pressure

Protein Without the Pressure

In her new cookbook, Seattle author and dietitian Rachael DeVaux keeps healthy eating grounded in real life.

Rachael DeVaux is not afraid of beef. That might sound obvious, but in a wellness culture still haunted by plain chicken breast and low-fat everything, her enthusiasm for grass-fed ground beef feels almost radical. The Seattle-based New York Times bestselling author, personal trainer, and founder of Rachael’s Good Eats has built a following of more than 3.5…

Restaurant Roundup: Nordic Cuisine and a Brazilian Brick-and-Mortar

Restaurant Roundup: Nordic Cuisine and a Brazilian Brick-and-Mortar

Here’s what was served up recently in the Emerald City.

Monday nights are worth celebrating—you made it through the first day of the week, so why not treat yourself to a delicious meal? Unfortunately, but understandably, plenty of restaurants are closed. But at these spots, not only are the kitchens still serving, the quality doesn’t drop off post-weekend, providing a perfect opportunity for a surprise…

Whisky in the Wild

Whisky in the Wild

Good spirits.

Over the summer, Westland Distillery announced a new offering, inspired by Washington State. Made in Seattle and taking cues from the Northwest outdoor lifestyle, Watchspot Whiskey blends eight-year-old Westland American Single Malt with grain whiskey from America’s heartland, resulting in a pour that has notes of toasted grain, milk chocolate, biscuit, apricot, and cherry pie….