Despite my hesitation to venture inside a place named Kiki—the Asian-fusion joint now in the space formerly occupied by Kurrent—I could not resist the lure of a rumored $5 bowl of pho. Inside, I discovered a kitchen seemingly unable to turn out a bad product. The pho’s rumored price is a reality, and both varieties are excellent (they’re small, so ask for extra beef or tofu). Other small plates—coconut curry shrimp, calamari, wonton soup, among many others—are incredibly tasty and $5 or less during happy hour, which also brings $1 pints of PBR. The staff is friendly, and the music will suffice for a medium-to-short stay. Lastly, there’s never anyone there. Kiki is the place you go before you go out. (Kiki, 600 E Pine St, 320-7777, 11 am–midnight)
Grant Brissey covered everything from hard news and technology, to music, film, and visual arts during his time working for The Stranger. Grant's work has also appeared at Geekwire, and in Billboard,... More by Grant Brissey
Don’t get the phở. It’s okay, but everything else is way better.