Restaurants in Kirkland

The tables at Shilla Restaurant can get really hot, at least as hot enough to sear a slice of meat. Each tabletop grill allows diners to become the masters of their fate, flipping over slices of bulgogi beef, calamari, pork belly at their own discretion. The chefs do quite a bit of work, as well, rolling more than 30 varietals of maki and cooking up an expansive menu of Korean cuisine. After they assemble bowls of bibimbap and sautéed spicy kimchee, waiters take out dishes to salivating guests seated in a in a sleek, monochromatic dining room. Beneath geometric paper lamps, these guests can counteract bites of spicy Korean entrees with sips of house sake and wipes from their furrowed brows.

Soybeans that make the journey to Hosoonyi Korean Restaurant have a tasty future ahead of them. The young beans, once matured and fermented, are infused with hot pepper, pulverized into paste, or strained and aged to make soy sauce. Not many restaurants make their own soy sauces in-house, but Hosoonyi’s team prefers to individually monitor the flavors to ensure that they retain their beneficial nutrients and pair perfectly with the eatery's specialty Korean cuisine. The flames of a Korean-style barbecue fire pork, rib-eye steak, and chicken, and a cushion of steamy rice supports the vegetables, beef, and egg that comprise classic bibimbap. Pancakes veer from their traditional breakfast role by incorporating stalks of green onion, slices of squid, and refusing to get out of bed until lunchtime. The restaurant's authentic selection has caught the eye of media outlets such as Sunset Magazine, the Seattle Times and Seattle Met, which lauded the popular sundubu jjigae—a soft-tofu soup brimming with seafood and kimchi—as "pungent, filling, and satisfying."

Although Ayutthaya Thai Restaurant & Bar first opened its doors to Capitol Hill in 1985, its roots stretch back much further than that. The Zagat-rated eatery takes its name from the ancient capital of Thailand, and the menu finds similar inspiration in traditional Thai culture. The chefs rely on decades’ old recipes as they make five different kinds of curry in-house, and create dishes of pad thai wrapped in egg that embrace a culinary tradition that has become increasingly rare. To round out the menu, the chefs also wok-fry fragrant combinations of garlic, basil, lime leaves, ginger, and pineapple, forging entrees like the bathing rama, which the Seattle Times hailed as “a bit of peanut-sauce heaven.”

The aroma of smoked pork belly draws guests into Butcher Shop Café, a butcher shop that sells fresh cuts of meat as well as café food such as sandwiches, burgers, and barbecue ribs. A case containing foie gras, duck confit, and Nueske's bacon rests next to a café, which serves a menu of burgers made with fresh-ground American Kobe Beef, hot dogs, and Carolina-style pulled pork shoulder. With advance notice, butchers can fulfill customer requests by smoking suggested meats and carving beef slices into birthday messages.

After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, pastry chef Anita Ross moved to Seattle and began selling crepes out of farmers’ markets. The year was 2004. Over the next four years she built up a following with her sweet and savory crepes stuffed with roasted duck, apple confit, wild mushrooms, and a variety of other seasonal items. In that time, Anita also forged strong bonds with local fishermen and farmers that have served her well since opening Anita’s Crepes in 2008. She’s able to use the finest organic ingredients in her crepes, many of which are made with the traditional Britanny blend of buckwheat and bread flours. And several of her meats and cheeses are imported from countries that have fertile soil for growing beef plants and mozzarella ball trees. Anita channels France specifically when catering to special events, preparing her crepes on the spot much like the street vendors of Paris.

Though lunchtime showcases classic Mexican dishes such as flautas, enchiladas, and quesadillas, Las Brisas' dinner menu features a whole new level of inspiration and taste. For more than two decades, the kitchen—under the direction of Chef Ricardo—has churned out inventive Latin-fusion cuisine that draws on flavors from the Mexican coast, as well as Spain, the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean. He concocts a cavalcade of entrees, ranging from swordfish enchiladas to saffron-infused Spanish paella and fresh Mediterranean salmon. Friday and Saturday nights are as special as a puppy’s first words, with his crew flooding the dining room with the smoky aromas of slow-roasted baby-back ribs and succulent Spanish prime rib. Though many of their menu items are wheat-free by nature, Las Brisas caters to dietary restrictions with a special gluten-free menu that's available upon request.