3216 S. Hudson, 725-2728. Lunch & dinner, closed Mon. RAINIER VALLEY $
KANISHKA
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Here's one reason to be jealous of those who work in Redmond that has nothing to do with the wealthiest man in the world: the lunch buffet at Kanishka. At $6.95 a person, it costs about what Bill Gates makes in the blink of an eye, but it's a meal fit for kings, paupers, and billionaires alike. No mere high-school-cafeteria-style double row of nearly indistinguishable curries, this buffet is fresh, hot, and doesn't pull any punches. Gorgeous tandoori chicken, moist and tangy, creamy chicken tikka masala, a shocking variety of delicious and distinct vegetarian dishes, and plenty of chewy, just-off-the-griddle naan make this the best Indian feast we've found in the county. If you're at all interested in turning up the heat, don't miss the oily pickled hot jalape�epper relish. For dinner, if you're any sort of Indian food fan at all, you'll recognize most of the things on the menu, but at Kanishka it seems like everywhere else is serving the low-flavor Weight Watchers version. The butter chicken and lamb mint may or may not be more fattening than the norm, but after one bite you really won't care. Hell, if it's worth a special trip to Redmond, that's saying a lot. A.V.B.
16101 Redmond Way, Redmond. 425-869-9182. Lunch and dinner every day. REDMOND $$
KINGFISH CAFE
My theory's this: One late night in 1996, a year before twins Leslie and Lori Coaston opened Capitol Hill's absurdly successful Kingfish Cafe, a spirit—most likely one of the sisters' ancestors—hovered into town from the Deep South. Flung over her shoulder was a satchel of good juju, which she sprinkled on that snoozy strip of 19th Avenue East that would soon contain Seattle's premier place to experience Southern cooking. How else to explain how the Leschi-grown twins—one a flight attendant, one a teacher, neither with any entrepreneurial experience—established an instant moneymaker that still has a line down the block before it even opens at 6 p.m.? Like Kingfish's history, the food served by the uncannily gorgeous waitstaff at this regal, high-ceilinged establishment also seems linked with the otherworldly. The flaky crab and catfish cakes will easily comfort your harshest sorrow. The fried green tomatoes will transport you to Mississippi on a soggy Seattle evening. The so-crisp buttermilk-fried chicken will kick you into ecstasy. And then there's the gold-brick-like loaf of macaroni, the collard greens sanctified by apple-cider vinegar, the godly three-layer cake. . . . When next you exit Kingfish, your stomach in so-sweet pain, glance at the blown-up portraits of Coaston relatives adorning the walls, and think, thank you. D.M.
602 19th E., 320-8757. Lunch & dinner; brunch only Sun.; closed Tues. CAPITOL HILL $$
LAMPREIA
Lampreys are hideous, eel-shaped, jawless fish with horny teeth. Thoughts of those cyclostomes are probably the only unpleasant things that will cross your mind at this quiet, understated Belltown restaurant. If you're looking for serious food (and you're willing to pay serious prices), you won't be disappointed. There's nothing trendy in the flashy sense of that word; just exceptional ingredients and expertly prepared dishes worthy of your finest foodie friends—should Jeffrey Steingarten come to town, take him here. The foie gras appetizer is a luscious joy; this is why humans choose to be carnivores. Another earthy choice involves pristine white asparagus topped with decadent truffle sauce. The juicy veal chops are actually worth their $37. The duck breast, a sorely underappreciated piece of fowl, flavored with exotic five-spice and fruit mustards, perfectly balances the meat's tenderness with its gamy bite. The presentation is flawless, but there's no sense that this food is too beautiful to eat. These are meals meant to be savored, and destined to be remembered. A.V.B.
2400 First, 443-3301. Dinner Tues.-Sat. BELLTOWN $$$
LA RUSTICA
La Rustica was once the best-kept secret in West Seattle; now it's nearly impossible to walk in and get a table—on a Friday or Saturday night, forget about it. A cozy back room keeps customers comfy while they drink wine and wait, and wait. It's worth it. The menu includes everything you would expect—bruschettas, risottos, gnocchi—and a couple of things you wouldn't. Salmonaccio is like carpaccio, but with fish (prepared with stone-ground mustard, white wine, and capers). The veal-wrapped scampi is saut饤 with wild mushrooms and marsala. But you're forgiven if you—nay, you're encouraged to—disregard the menu entirely and confine your options, instead, to the daily specials. The sharp-tasting, blackened lamb shank balsamico may be the best sheep in the city. A small, carefully concentrated wine list includes selections like the thick and delicious Rosso Conero San Lorenzo of Southern Italy—at $26, a steal. The rustic Italian villa motif may or may not work for you, but the place is indeed run by an insane Italian family, which is about as authentic as you can get. C.F.
4100 Beach Drive S.W., 932-3020. Dinner only, closed Mon. WEST SEATTLE $$
LA TIENDA CADIZ*
Brought to you by the fine people behind Tango and Bandoleone, this spanking new, airy shop/cafe/restaurant offers the same kind of fine foods as its sisters, but in a more laid-back, less pricey format. The shop has books and oils and so forth of Spain and surrounding regions; lovely, weighty loaves of bread (try the sweet, dense cornmeal or the amazingly light and moist olive one); a case of cheeses that will astound and delight the cheese-fixated; and truly beautiful sandwiches and to-go foods. At night they turn off the lights in the deli cases, put candles on the tables, and serve fantastic dinners that might cost you twice as much elsewhere, including a chunky, bell pepper-heavy gazpacho; patatas o los pobre, Spanish-style home fries; a huge half-chicken saffron-roasted to crispy-gilded-and-blackened goodness; and the insanely rich vieiras a la Gallega, tender, pillowy scallops baked in cream with onions and bacon. People from all over Capitol Hill are flocking here to eat their heads off, and if you live somewhere else, it's 100 percent worth the drive, bus ride, or crawl over broken glass. B.J.C.
350 15th E., 267-0570. Lunch & dinner every day. CAPITOL HILL $
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