Philly has cheesesteak. Chicago has deep-dish pizza. And Seattle has… teriyaki.
If you’re new to town, this might surprise you. Yes, we have truly local ingredients, like salmon and geoducks, and local spins on food staples, like the Seattle dog (a hot dog with cream cheese and sautéed onions). And yes, the word “teriyaki” is used on menus from its native Japan to New York City. But no dish holds the title of Seattle’s favorite comfort food more than teriyaki.
There are some simple rules to teriyaki in Seattle: It starts with deboned chicken thighs that have been marinated for days in a sweet soy, ginger, and garlic marinade, and then grilled until the marinade’s sugars caramelize on the thigh’s skin. That thigh is then sliced up and served on bountiful beds of perfectly cooked Calrose rice next to a simple cabbage salad. Then the whole thing is wrapped up with one final touch: It must be cheap.
