This month, your Schwabe cuisine critics are focusing on a combination of ground spices that is sweeping the world – and King County. The spices are turmeric, cumin and coriander, and the dish is curry.
Originating on the Indian subcontinent, curry, in one variation or another, is now extremely popular in China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, the Caribbean, North America and, of course, Great Britain, where it has practically displaced fish and chips as the national dish. Curry enthusiasts (there are entire magazines devoted to curry) rave about its cancer-fighting properties, its endorphin-producing spiciness and even its aphrodisiacal qualities.
This is a professional publication, so we’ll skip over that last attribute and go straight to the cooking.
Ballard is home to India Bistro (2301 NW Market St.; 783-5080; seattleindiabistro.com), featuring North Indian-style cooking. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner; we went for lunch.
The dining area is clean, bright and presentable, although casual; you will not embarrass yourself by bringing a colleague or client here. Most tables were occupied by 12:30, although noise levels were manageable and we had no trouble holding a conversation.
We started with the buffet lunch ($7.95). The selection was limited. The tandoori chicken was spicy and moist. The other dishes on the buffet line included a mushroom curry, and a curry made with cabbage and peas. Sad to say, the food tasted tired and bland, without the wonderful aromatic nose that really good Indian food has. The vegetable pakoras had been out for a while and were no longer crispy and hot.
We ordered a lamb vindaloo (medium spicy) from the menu, and had much better luck. It came in a tomato-based sauce with long-grain, saffron rice on the side. Tomato sauces can overwhelm, but this one was bursting with complex flavors and a real pleasure to eat. The rice had just the right chewy texture. This kitchen is capable of preparing good-to-excellent food, but order off the menu because you won’t find it on the buffet line.
For most people looking for Thai food on lower Queen Anne, Tup Tim Thai (118 W. Mercer St.; 281-8833; tuptim.com) is the place to go. The dining area is simple, open and clean, with average noise levels. Be prepared for a quick, friendly greeting, often with a joke from Nat if he’s at the front. Somehow the restaurant always manages to seem fairly busy, but you’ll rarely have to wait for a table.
There are five curries on the menu: red, yellow and a recently added emerald (green) curry, along with a Penang curry and Mussaman curry. This reviewer orders takeout for dinner from here about once a week, so we’ve sampled all five. Each has its own distinct flavor, but the beef Penang (Penang neua) is simply one of the best Thai dishes this reviewer has tasted. The coconut milk balances out the spiciness of the curry while allowing the flavor of the curry to come through. The basil adds a snap to the flavor, while the peppers add a snap to the texture.
The beef can sometimes be a tad overcooked, but in this dish that’s not a bad thing. It comes as spicy as you like it, and with each additional level of spice, it seems as though extra flavor in the curry comes out. Served over white rice that’s always done well, never mushy, it makes a divine meal.
A trip to Tup Tim Thai isn’t complete, however, unless you cool off the heat from a curry with a dish of coconut ice cream. This ice cream is made from coconut milk with coconut flakes, and topped with crushed peanuts. It’s the perfect end to a spicy, flavorful curry dinner.
As you walk into Root Table in Ballard (2213 NW Market St.; 420-3214; roottablerestaurant.com) you can tell it takes its name seriously. The restaurant is warm and inviting. Large paper lanterns adorn the space, and the tables and chairs are made out of gnarled pieces of wood.
The menu doesn’t disappoint either, whether you are a curry lover or simply looking for some delicious Thai fare. We started out with curry corn fritters dipped in a spicy peanut sauce, followed by the main affair, known as the “Menage-a-Thai.” This yummy dish features your choice of meat and jasmine rice over steamed veggies, with three different curry sauces on the side. The red curry was our favorite, as it was the spiciest, but the buttery yellow and the cool green curry were excellent as well.
If you are looking for a unique twist on the season, the pumpkin green curry is another great choice. With about half of the entrees on the menu featuring some type of curry, you will be sure to find something that satisfies your lust for spice.
Overall, the curry scene in King County is alive and well, with lots of good, imaginative choices out there. We’re always on the lookout for a good curry, so if you have your own favorite curry joints, we’d love to hear from you.
Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt is a multiservice, Northwest regional law firm with offices in Seattle, Vancouver, Portland and Bend. For comments on this article or to share your favorite places to eat or drink with the Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt attorneys, contact Michael Herbst at 206-407-1570 or at mherbst@schwabe.com; see also www.schwabe.com/dining_out.aspx.
Originally published in the December 2011 issue of the King County Bar Bulletin. Reprinted with permission of the King County Bar Association.
