Though crab cakes are an alarmingly common item around here, they hit the spot. I am always down for deep-fried crab and cream cheese, and Vista's tiny, oily cylinders did not disappoint. The mini steak skewers, however, had so much syrupy balsamic glaze that it distracted from the meat. The deconstructed duck salad served in a pho spoon reminded me of Tom Douglas. I don't regret Tom Douglas, because he's done a lot to raise the bar on food in Seattle and he gainfully employs something like 50 percent of the fine-dining workforce, but I do regret the aspect of his legacy that's led to Northwest food almost always involving some sort of obligatory vaguely Asian salad.