Seattle’s Chinatown, or ID as locals call it, is a cultural hub that is rich with history. It’s like a tiny version of San Francisco’s Chinatown. It may not be as big, but on the plus side, it’s less congested with people. There are all kinds of attractions, shopping and yummy eats. My days in the rainy city were numbered, so I took a day to explore. When I was not staying in one of the Lake Union Seattle hotels on the rainy days, I would be exploring all of the diverse and cultural restaurants that the city consisted of.

The famous Chinatown Gate

Uwajimaya 600 5th Ave S Seattle, WA 98104

Parking can be a serious pain here. The best thing to do is either take the bus in, or park at Uwajimaya Village, which is a huge Asian supermarket. The first hour is free with a $7 purchase. It’s impossible to leave that store empty handed. It’s packed with live fish, fresh meat, imported (and inexpensive) Asian cooking supplies and a huge food court that kicks the crap out of any mall in America.

Uwajimaya has one of the best lunch platters in Seattle. It’s half of a Peking Duck, rice and veggies for $10.99. The duck comes in that traditional Chinatown style, cooked and hanging. They chop it up right in front of you and it’s ready to eat. There was so much meat that I was able to cook another meal with it: Duck fried rice. I added the veggies and rice that it already came with and pan fried it with soy sauce. This is a great bang for your buck with this plate.

I walked around for blocks and tried a couple of pastries. Honestly, Asian pastries are a bit of a “miss” for me. They often taste a little too chalky, sometimes stale. I was intrigued when I walked by a spot that had a sign advertising “Chinese Herbal Jell-O”. Sounds strange, right? I had to try it.

Sub Sand

419 6th Ave S
(between Jackson St & Jefferson St)
Seattle, WA 98104

Sub Sand is known for their Vietnamese sandwiches, but I had to try that Jell-O. Especially after the man working there told me the Ancient Chinese believed it cured a common cold. I was stuffed up and willing to try anything to get rid of it. Upon first glance, it reminds me of the image below… and if you can name the movie it’s from in a comment below, I will give you a Twitter and Facebook shout out…

The texture is just like Jell-O, but it has a herbal/medicinal taste. They pour simple syrup over it to cover the taste but it doesn’t help… It’s not something I’d order again, but it was fun to try. I also had a hot and creamy Hong Kong Tea, which is hot black tea mixed with condensed milk. Also, I’m a huge dork and I loved the “under the sea” theme of Sub Sand which comes complete with life size hanging Hammerhead sharks.

After my stroll around town it was time to meet my friend Nin for a nosh session. One of our favorite spots in Seattle is Tamarind Tree.

Tamarind Tree
1036 S Jackson St
Ste A
(between S 12th Ave & S 10th Ave)
Seattle, WA 98104

Nin introduced me to this fantastic Vietnamese spot last Summer. During the Summer the patio has a quasi-LA feel to it, since it’s modern but with a lot of bamboo and Asian style infused to it. It was a dreary day as you can see form above so we had to sit indoors. For the Winter, they have a powerful fireplace that perfectly heats the room.

Nin and I shared the Cut Nuong Me (aka Quail in Tamarind Sauce) and it was awesome. Although it appears smallish, it was a decent amount for two people to share. It’s almost like having a side of fancy chicken wings. The Quail is marinated in a tamarind sauce which makes it perfectly tangy and has a side of carrots. Plus I love the sides Tamarind brings out with every meal, which are bean sprouts, mint, lime, jalapenos and another side of lime-chili sauce.

I’m going to miss you Seattle!