From the Nov 13 – Nov 19, 2003 issue

Pullout

Eatin' Out

You won't find a Jew sitting around a table with his family on December 25, staring at an inedible turkey. In fact, it's a Jewish tradition to go out for Chinese on Christmas day, thus avoiding turkey entirely--and any carolers who can't take the no-Christmas-tree-in-the window hint. Jewish or non-Jewish, you can emulate the Ancient Isrealites by going out on big, boring, family-guilt-trip-laden holidays, Christmas or not. Then, if you want to feel like a really ancient Ancient Isrealite, rent a Woody Allen movie and head home. Here's a list of local Chinese restaurants (and one Moroccan, just for kicks)--along with a movie recommendation to accompany each listing.

Bamboo Garden 364 Roy St, 282-6616, $$
Bamboo Garden is heaven on earth for any vegetarian when the craving for some delicious Chinese food hits. Because Bamboo Garden uses vegetable protein when creating its "meat" entrées, everything on the menu (which boasts over 100 selections), from the sweet-and-sour chicken (my favorite) to the braised-chicken-and-shark-fin soup, is safe for the vegetarians in the group. Surprisingly, everything's delicious enough for the carnivores too. Eat here, then rent Hannah and Her Sisters. Open Thanksgiving and Christmas!


Canton Wonton 608 S Weller St, 682-5080, $
A nice, long list of noodle soups and congees, absolutely perfect for a cold day. The wontons contain heavenly mixtures of pork and shrimp, and are served in a delicate broth; Chinese doughnuts are available for dipping. Eat here, then rent Zelig. Open Thanksgiving and Christmas!


Choy's Chinese Cuisine 601 Queen Anne Ave N, 283-1598, $
A bustling, friendly place where nothing matches, with nice big portions and good vegetables. Eat here, then rent Bananas. Open Thanksgiving!


Doong Kong Lau Hakka Restaurant 9710 Aurora Ave N, 526-8828, $
The Hakka, a wandering tribe of northern peasants, are a distinct Chinese ethnic group. Here is the Hakka's distinct cuisine, such as a variety of salt-baked dishes, along with other, more familiar dishes. Eat here, then rent Bullets over Broadway. Open Thanksgiving and Christmas!


Ho Ho Seafood Restaurant 653 S Weller St, 382-9671, $
The atmosphere isn't conducive to much, but if you order from the daily specials involving fresh, fresh seafood--especially anything involving crab--you might just forget all about it. The usual dishes are generally a few notches above average. Eat here, then rent Take the Money and Run. Open Thanksgiving and Christmas!


Honey Court Seafood Restaurant 516 Maynard Ave, 292-8828, $$
Cantonese food and absolutely lovely dim sum--stuffed eggplant, dumplings containing all manner of seafood, crisp baskets of fried noodles. Honey Court also serves food into the wee hours, so that at 3 am you might find your table laden with crispy black cod, pan-fried scallops, or ginger-and-green-onion lobster. Eat here, then rent Manhattan. Open Thanksgiving and Christmas!


House of Hong 409 Eighth Ave at Jackson, 622-7997, $
Top-notch food and fast-paced dim sum. Hesitate too long over a dish in the cart and it's gone. Eat here, then rent Sleeper. Open Thanksgiving and Christmas!


Imperial Garden Seafood Restaurant Great Wall Mall, 18230 E Valley Highway, Kent, 425-656-0999, $$
The biggest restaurant in the unbelievable and slightly surreal Great Wall Mall in Kent serves Cantonese-style seafood, which is likely to be a fish pulled out of the tank and gently steamed, along with delicacies like shark's fin soup and good dim sum. Eat here, then rent The Purple Rose of Cairo. Open Thanksgiving and Christmas!


Kau Kau Barbecue Market 656 S King St, 682-4006, $
This is where you get those gorgeous, delicious barbecued ducks, as well as very good barbecued pork, to take out or eat in. Eat here, then rent Don't Drink the Water. Open Thanksgiving until 6:30 pm!


King Café 723 S King St, 622-6373, $
Never too full, never too empty, and furnished with rather cheap chairs and tables, the King Cafe serves some of the best dim sum in Seattle. Their shrimp balls are unmatched, as is their sticky rice, which is huge and wrapped in large blue-green lotus leaves. The dim sum arrives at the second-floor dining room on a mini-elevator, down the shaft of which the casually dressed Chinese waiters send their orders. Eat here, then rent Annie Hall. Open Christmas!


Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant 2334 Second Ave, 956-0500, $$
Thank goodness Moroccan food is back in Seattle--with all the traditional and slightly theatrical accompaniments: the pillows to lounge against, the minty tea poured from a great height, scented water poured over the hands. And the food is lovely: fragrant stews over couscous, a flaky, buttery chicken pie, chicken with preserved lemons. There is something inherently royal about it. Eat here, then rent Play It Again, Sam. Open Thanksgiving!


New Kowloon Seafood Restaurant 900 S Jackson St #203, 223-7999, $
Hong Kong-style seafood and Cantonese dim sum, served in a dining room the size of the county. Good bets, despite the glitzy atmosphere, are the homey foods, such as barbecue duck soup and pork and century-egg congee. Eat here, then rent A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy. Open Thanksgiving and Christmas!


Noble Palace 4241A University Way NE, 632-7248, $
All the basics, and cheap, cheap, cheap. Eat here, then rent Radio Days. Open Thanksgiving!


Ocean City Restaurant and Noodle Café 609 S Weller St, 623-2333, $
A big banquety room, with a nice noodle shop next door. Wontons, roast duck, fish balls, rice topped with glossy, mahogany barbecued meats... mmmm. Eat here, then rent Manhattan Murder Mystery. Open Thanksgiving and Christmas!


Rickshaw Restaurant & Lounge 322 N 105th St, 789-0120, $
Here's the famous "parade of omelets," as well as a Chinese menu supplemented with burgers and bar food. The real draw is nightly karaoke. Eat here, then rent Mighty Aphrodite. Open Thanksgiving and Christmas!


Sea Garden Seafood 509 Seventh Ave S, 623-2100, $
First things first: This Chinese classic is open until 3 am on the weekends. Then there's the food: seafood plucked from the aquarium, and prepared with consistent skill. Especially good: the whole crab in ginger sauce. Eat here, then rent Interiors. Open Christmas!


Seven Stars Pepper Szechuan Restaurant 1207 S Jackson St, Suite 211, 568-6446, $
The flavors are distinct and specific: delicately textured wontons swimming in spicy, oily sauce; fragrant cumin lamb; and delicious crispy duck. Whole crab dishes are phenomenal. Eat here, then rent What's New, Tiger Lily? Open Thanksgiving and Christmas!


Shanghai Garden 524 Sixth Ave S, 625-1688, $
The hand-shaved noodles are the thing here, especially in a bright-green Barleygreen variation. Shanghai Garden proves that Chinese food doesn't have to be greasy, salty, and so loaded with MSG that you're stunned into speechlessness. Instead the food is fragrant, clean, and delicious. Eat here, then rent Stardust Memories. Open Thanksgiving and Christmas!


Sichuanese Cuisine Restaurant 1048 S Jackson St, 720, 1690, $
A hole in the wall with surprisingly good food--some of it very spicy, and all of it super-cheap. Eat here, then rent Broadway Danny Rose. Open Thanksgiving and Christmas!


Szechuan Bistro 212 N 85th St, 781-1818, $
Szechuan Bistro is not much to look at--just a modest little place offering a good bowl of hand-shaved noodles with sesame sauce, and other fiery Szechuan specialties: eggplant in garlic sauce, mapo tofu, and the salt-and-pepper pancake. Eat here, then rent Shadows and Fog. Open Thanksgiving and Christmas!


Tai Tung 655 S King St, 622-7372, $
Here is emotional fortitude in a bowl: Tai Tung has about 20 varieties of soup and hot pots, plus tons of specials--from comfort foods (sautéed string beans with shredded pork) to modest luxuries (wok-seared crab). You'll want to sit at the counter with the regulars. Eat here, then rent Deconstructing Harry. Open Thanksgiving and Christmas!


Top Gun Seafood Restaurant 668 S King St, 623-6606, $
Every day, from 11 am to 3 pm, the usually busy Chinese restaurant Top Gun serves dim sum from steaming and heaped carts. Their shrimp balls, sticky rice, Chinese broccoli, and shrimp toast are almost perfect; their salt-and-pepper squid plate is perfect. Eat here, then rent Husbands and Wives. Open Thanksgiving and Christmas!

$ = $10 or less $$ = $20 or less $$$ = $21 and up Price code based on average cost of entrée.