Forget Panda Express - Real Chinese Food in Seattle

Great, greasy Sichuan (and northern) Chinese food in a greasy, slightly grimy environment in Seattle’s International District. Packed into a strip mall, this roachy hole-in-the-wall frequently features a line straight out the door. Although whities are invading it in droves, you’ll still find actual Chinese people dining here, which is a sure sign of authentic cuisine. Either that, or a Chinese plot to get white people to flock to certain establishments and down plates of mapo tofu.

Judy Fu makes some good dumplings, and most importantly, her establishment concentrates largely on them. Her dipping sauces kick some serious ass.

Hing Loon does a good mix of Chinese styles. Don’t even look at the menu – just order off the specials, written by hand on sheets of paper, that are taped all over the walls.

Specializing in hand-pulled noodles, Tai Ho is a bit out of the way, but well worth the visit. You can laugh at the ‘Ho’ in Tai Ho, and snicker at the idea of ‘hand-pulling’ your ‘noodle’, but the staff will just roll their eyes at you.

Chiang’s serves a variety of regional Chinese greats, including Taiwanese, Northern Chinese, Sichuan, Hunan, and Cantonese. Don’t be fooled by the pancake house exterior.

There is an American menu here to make you feel at home. Do not look at it. Ask for the Chinese menu and pretend like you are not afraid.

If you really want to impress, order the stinky tofu (or as they call it at Chiang’s, Fried Tofu Of Strong Odor 炸臭豆腐). I don’t recommend actually consuming the stinky tofu, but ordering it so that that burning fecal fumes can waft throughout the establisment, thus ruining everyone else’s meal, is a sure-fire way to make friends with the management.

Incredibly good dishes here include Enoki & Black Mushroom Wrapped w/Bean Curd Sheet In Brown Sauce, Five Star Spicy Hot Chicken, and Braised Spare Ribs (Wu Shi Style).

Most of the dishes here are tasty, but Shanghainese food is known for its subtlety, so even the spicier dishes here are… mildly spicy. But don’t come here for the mapo tofu (no, really, don’t) – come here for the Xia Long Bao, which are steamed pork dumplings with a soupy filling.

Like taking a first bite from a hot slice of pizza pie, you are guaranteed to scald your mouth on these little bundles of joy. Have ice water on hand, as hot tea does not soothe the flesh.

Sea Garden offers a good view of your dinner as you walk in the door. Be sure to snicker at the geoducks. Because they look like pensises.

Sea Garden has more Hong Kong-style food (hence the view of the live thing as you walk in – Hong Kongers like their shit FRESH, yo). Their wonton soup is addictively delicious, as is the Soft Egg and Beef Over Rice.

Also, try anything that is deep fried with “Salt and Pepper” in the name. Open late (between 1AM and 3AM, depending on the day), so this is a great place to head when you are drunk and needing eats.

Kau Kau does one thing, and does it well – roasted meats atop steaming white rice. Another favorite among people who have closed down the bars in Pioneer Square.