Growing up in Seattle’s north end (Matthews Beach! Holla!), I always
told myself I’d never become one of those people—who live
on Capitol Hill, and socialize on Capitol Hill, and eat on Capitol
Hill, and never, ever leave Capitol Hill. But I told myself a LIE.
Because now I am queen of those people. Now I am fused to Capitol Hill
like that lady in Kansas who became one with her toilet seat. My toilet
seat has grocery stores and bars within walking distance. I work on my
toilet seat. Most of my friends live on my toilet seat, too. That’s
what toilet seats are for.
BUT! I still have many, many tender feelings for the north end. What
I like about the north end—specifically the parts clustered on
ugly thoroughfares like Lake City Way and Aurora Avenue—is the
same thing that I like about Los Angeles: The good stuff is hidden away
in unassuming storefronts or weird, cold strip malls. It’s like a
treasure hunt. The neighborhood doesn’t come into your apartment with a
marching band and an oversize novelty cowboy hat and throw a bag over
your head and drag you outside and force-feed you daiquiris and tattoo
your name on its thigh. You have to work for the north end.
It’s worth it, and so I venture out. On Lake City Way, next to the
world’s largest hobby shop (seriously, it’s massive), Toyoda
Sushi (12543 Lake City Way NE, 367-7972) is almost invisible. The
first time I went there was during that crazy blackout in 2006. Lake
City was pitch black. Everything was closed. But Toyoda, a miraculous
little cave of wonders, had some sort of intrepid small generator, and
a light bulb dangling on a long orange cord, and many candles, and
SUSHI. I sat in the dark with two friends, cozy and thrilled, and
ate.
On my most recent visit, we got the chef’s choice sashimi platter
($31.95), heaping, gorgeous slices of at least nine kinds of fish:
delicate albacore, springy scallops, ridiculously soft and buttery
salmon, addictively salty mackerel, all of it fresh and pretty. An
accompanying portion of agedashi tofu ($6.95) provided a simple,
comforting companion, and the whole thing was more than enough for two
(though a stop across the street for Iranian sweets at Minoo Bakery is
well worth it).
Just up Lake City Way a few blocks—past the Fred Meyer, but
before the Best Little Rabbit, Rodent, and Ferret House—sits
Pho Binh (13310 Lake City Way NE, 361-5144), an unassuming cafe
serving bubble tea, banh mi, pho, and other Vietnamese
delights. It’s not the best Vietnamese food you’ll ever meet, but
eating at Pho Binh is an unfailingly pleasant experience. The service
is quick and attentive, the vermicelli noodle bowl (with grilled pork
and egg roll, $7.95) is loaded with fresh ingredients—lettuce,
basil, daikon, fried onions, shredded carrots—and the banh mi
($2.75) is as good as most you’ll find in the International
District.
In more westerly lands, in the stretch of Korean restaurants dotting
northern Aurora Avenue (near what my friends and I call the
“Triumvirate of Savings”—Grocery Outlet, Dollar Tree, and Ross
Dress for Less, all in one thrifty complex), Hae-Nam Kalbi &
Calamari (15001 Aurora Ave N, Shoreline, 367-7843) awaits, adorable
and delicious.
Inside there’s Korean basketball on the TV, and on each table sits a
small plastic Peter Rabbit–themed lunchbox filled with long
spoons and metal chopsticks. Immediately upon sitting down, we were
presented with a feast of banchan—at least nine little
plates—daikon, soybean sprouts, fish cake, a strange rectangular
noodle, kimchi, and so on. Hae-Nam has some of my favorite
bibimbap in town, but at this meal, we were there to eat meat.
As a tribute to its logo—in which a be-toqued squid and pig stand
in happy congress, slimy tentacle encircling piggy waist—we
ordered the oh-sahm-bul-go-ghi ($12.95), a spicy concoction of
calamari and pork belly brought to the table on a gas-powered hot
plate. The thinly sliced pork belly—coated in salty, spicy chili
paste with a hint of calamari fishiness—was a soft, surprising
treat. And the kalbi ($14.95), a mountain of marinated short
ribs and rapidly caramelizing onions on a sizzling hot stone platter,
turned beef into a dangerously addictive substance. I’m already looking
for my next fix. 
This place is *very* caucasian unfriendly. I don’t recomend it. There are plenty of Asian restaurants that appriciate my business.
I disagree with the first commenter. I’m Caucasoid, eaten at all three several times, and been treated well each time.
Kip, there are 3 establishments reviewed here. To which of these three are you referring? Thanks for clarifying.
Toyoda Sushi is by far my favorite Japanese restaurant in Seattle. I am also intensely Capitol Hill-centric, but I’d go out of my way for this place. Don’t know which restaurant that first comment was about, but I’m white, and have had only the most friendly service at Toyoda. In fact, the staff positively fawns over my elderly white grandfather, who is a regular customer.
I’ve always heard great things about Toyoda, but I must say that I’ve never seen what the big deal is. Every time I’ve been there (5-6 times spread out over 5 years)the service has sucked, the food has been passable but way overpriced, and I was left wishing I’d spent my money at Sushi Tokyo on Roosevelt instead.
honestly, you have to work really hard to stand out as a sushi or pho place in seattle. we are fortunate to live in such a place where competition blasts our taste buds!
i don’t have the slightest clue what commenter #1 is on about.. back in the day the chef pictured and owner of toyoda sushi was a chef at aoki’s on broadway on capitol hill. and he moved to lake city and started a buiness there because he doesn’t want to serve white peoples ?
I was under the impression hat this author is the movie critic. Since when does this qualify her to comment on food??
How can anyone take this seriously??
slarue is right, lindy, you do not possess the boring writing or lame attempts at humor characterized by usual food critic. you are nearly snobby or self-centered enough to comment on food in the stranger.
Wow, the comments on the articles are even worse than the comments on Slog.
Toyoda is terrific, though I still like Kisaku best. I haven’t eaten at Pho Binh, but the Korean joint is great. Never had a problem being white, either; maybe what Kip means is they’re rude to rude people.
You grew up in Seattle and only ate at Toyoda for the first time in 2006? For shame. I’ve been eating there for over a decade. My favorite sushi place in Seattle (although Nishino and a few other places also have really good sushi).
I do agree about the North Seattle culinary treasure hunt, though. A few members of my family now live up in that neck of the woods, so I’ve been exploring it more lately. Fu Man Dumplings on Greenwood and 145th is another good place. Saltoro on Greenwood is another pretty good spot. The Thai place up at Aurora and 185th is also good. There are some good taco buses up there too.
I also like the Salvadorean place on Aurora near Oak Tree.
dude, i know! it was a grievous oversight on my part. but, like i said, the place is slightly invisible.
I love Toyoda, I thought the article read Toyota!
Kip Schoning, I have read your various web postings with great interest this evening. Don’t you have anything positive to say all all?
I love this Restaurant. The food is great and the servers are extremely gracious. Perhaps your “problem” in this restaurant was your own boarish behavior? Where you drunk or high when you arrived? Where you dressed properly or wearing your idiotic red boots and shorts? Were you as you usually are? Meaning loud smug and self important. You are almost 50 years old! Learn some “big boy’ manners and consider that there are other people on the planet besides you and your nasty wife. Meanwhile (for the love of God!)stick to restaurants with drive thru… better yet,make yourself some Kraft mac and cheese and use the money you save paying bills or to bail yourself out of your defaults and foreclosures.