Restaurants in Seattle

Root Table’s rustic décor, tree-trunk tables, and earth-toned walls lend a creative ambiance to diners, who pore over a menu populated with Asian fusion salads, sandwiches, tapas, and entrees. Lunchtime munchers can adopt a sandwich for an afternoon meal, such as the tempura shrimp poboy ($8), which is layered with lettuce, tomato, crispy shallots, and spicy mayonnaise. Fingers snatch at plates of shareable tapas, such as the Thai bruschetta ($5)—a baguette boat helmed by a crew of garlic- and pepper-marinated chicken—or the sweet-pumpkin tempura ($5), which can be dunked in a kiddie pool of ginger soy sauce. Root Table's servers escort eclectic fusion entrees to tables, such as the black tiger shrimp with notes of Indian yellow curry woven into a latticework of angel-hair pasta ($12) for a dish as intricate and flavorful as a freestyle rap by William Faulkner. Root Table is open for dinner Tuesday–Sunday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. and for lunch Friday–Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

At Moshi Moshi Sushi, a large sakura tree hangs over the dining room, its branches of white LED lights shining like cherry blossoms amid the soft glow of paper lanterns. As patrons bathe in this light reminiscent of a Japanese garden, sushi chefs transform fresh fish—flown in regularly from Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market—into maki rolls and sashimi. Meanwhile, bartenders mix several specialty cocktails—such as the Death Poem, a blend of Guatemalan rum, rye whiskey, grapefruit, and cinnamon—to pay homage to Japan’s natural mountain streams of hot sake.

Many restaurateurs defer to their chefs’ better judgment when devising their menus, but Punya Tipyasothi wasn’t content to sit on the sidelines. Before opening Racha Thai & Asian Kitchen, he embarked on a two-month culinary tour of Thailand, stopping to sample dishes from street carts, esteemed restaurants, and vending machines throughout the country. From this trip, he gleaned enough recipes to craft a versatile, exciting menu of Thai fusion cuisine upon his return to the States.

Chef Deang works to match this remarkable commitment, crafting five styles of curry from scratch and with varying levels of spiciness. When he isn’t cooking traditional Thai entrees such as duck in ginger sauce or pud thai, Chef Deang fills his wok with Asian dishes inspired by the lands that border Thailand.

Crab spring rolls. Thai curry penne. Grilled beef tenderloin. At the heart of this cuisine is executive chef Alvin Binuya, a man who has been profiled in Seattle Dining! and immersed in the world of food since he was just a boy, using his parent's kitchen as a culinary laboratory to forge new flavors and antidotes for stale gingerbread men. He went on to hone his skills in culinary school and numerous restaurants before settling at Ponti Seafood Grill. Drawing from this expertise and using locally-sourced ingredients, the chef fuses pan-Asian, European, and Pacific Northwestern influences to forge signature dishes such as grilled wild king salmon.

Ponti's dining spaces echo the villas of Tuscany. Warm colors and window-lined walls surround the restaurant's visitors as they sip selections from an award-winning wine list. Elsewhere, four private dining rooms proffer scenic views of the giant tarter-sauce bottles that float through Seattle's Ship Canal.

The chefs at Racha Noodles & Thai Cuisine wok-fry and sauté Thai and Asian-fusion dishes awash with spicy sauces and tender noodles. The dining room envelops patrons in vibrant hues and touches of nature, from planters filled with living greenery to winding floral sculptures that reach from floor to ceiling like Stretch Armstrong during a yoga class. The decor also enchants the eye with a colorful backdrop of murals depicting scenes from Southeast Asian lore and culture.

Wine shelves, glowing in the near-black azure of the deep sea. Undulating waves set in the smooth surfaces of columns and sushi bar. Bubble-like sheets of lights. The easy flow of Haiku Sushi & Seafood Buffet seems to mimic the smooth rhythm of the eatery’s namesake poem. Patrons slip through the restaurant, gazing at a buffet laden with a rotating selection of sushi, clams, fresh-cut sashimi, and lobster. Like snow tires stored for the summer, the seafood options stay cool on thick beds of ice, and the nearby grill releases merry crackling as chefs place made-to-order entrees on its rippling-hot surface.