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Good Food
Good FoodDiverse Delicacies in Lake City
By Zachary D. Lyons
Feb 28, 2002 -- Have you ever noticed how happy the residents of Lake City are to be living there? They're even more enthusiastic than Ballardites. What? You haven't been to Lake City lately? Let me give you a few reasons to go there.Lake City has been a destination much longer than it has been a speed bump on the way to Woodinville. One of the first centers for car dealerships (the first was Ballard), Lake City was indeed its own city until the 1950s. It used to be where the Big City folks would retreat for the summer. That is why there are so many very small houses, explained my tour guide, Aaron Barnett, a Lake City Chamber of Commerce Board member. They used to be summer cabins. Ah, bygone times when people would go out of their way to make what was a long trek here.
Shahram Moghaddam with his mother, Mahin. Zachary D. Lyons |
Lake City has become an affordable, friendly and diverse community. Take, for instance, the Pacific Market, a small Persian cafe and grocery in downtown Lake City. Iran native Shahram Moghaddam started this charming little eatery with his mother, Mahin, (and her wonderful recipes) in 1996. "Mom runs the kitchen," Shahram said with a smile. "She keeps me around to keep the place clean."
Patrons order their soups, stews and rice dices to go, or to eat at one of the 12 seats arranged around four tables. One can also purchase a variety of Middle Eastern grocery items, including seasonings, rice, and household goods.
Almost everything on the menu costs $6.50, and portions are generous. While most include meat, it can be omitted from several dishes, and other dishes start vegetarian. They are very accommodating, and Shahram enthusiastically answered all of my questions and explained the various ingredients. He even explained to me the traditional way of eating things, including mixing things up with Turshie, a pickled vegetable salad, to help with digestion. If only American food restaurants paid this much attention to the well-being of my intestines.
I tried two dishes. Aashe Reshteh is a wonderfully thick, stew-like vegetable soup. Very satisfying, it warmed my body and soul, and stuck to my ribs on a miserably rainy day. Ghormeh Sabazi is a green stew of kidney beans, beef, fenugreek, leek and parsley seasoned with saffron and accented with dried lemons. Mix it with some basmati and saffron rice, and scoop it up with some pita, and you will experience a little bit of Shahram's comfort food. For dessert, try the homemade saffron-rose water ice cream. I joked that those had to be the most expensive ice cream flavorings on earth, for only a $1.50 for a large scoop. It is extraordinary, and worth the trip by itself.
Pacific Market Restaurant & Grocery, 12332 Lake City Way NE, 363-8639, Open Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. - 8 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., delivery available ($30 minimum).
Natsuyoshi and Helen Toyoda. Zachary D. Lyons photo. |
Natsuyoshi Toyoda has been making sushi for 35 years. He started in Japan, where he grew up in Nagano, home of the 1998 Winter Olympics. "He says the one thing he does better than make sushi is ski," said his wife and co-owner, Helen. "Sushi is his life."
The Toyodas are as committed to serving the people of their home community in Lake City as they are to serving some of the best sushi in Seattle. "We considered other neighborhoods," Helen said, "but we wanted to create a great Japanese restaurant right here in ours."
They carefully select their fish. They serve it in generous, and delicious, portions cut fresh from the fish loins. Everyone is started off with the house noodle and cucumber salad, and a hot bowl of miso soup, something that will cost you up to five bucks elsewhere. Then they begin cranking out your various orders, be they sushi, maki (rolls), sashimi, assorted dinners from the kitchen, or something from the extensive list of starters.
We ordered a variety of raw fish, all of which was great, so I need not list it all. We also enjoyed their Spider Maki, a roll with fried soft shell crab. Our vegetarian companion ordered Inari Sushi--fried tofu pouches stuffed with sweet rice--and Yamaimo Hosomaki, a seaweed wrapped roll of mountain potato, plum paste and cucumber. Both were terrific. Edamame, soybeans boiled in their shells, arrived hot, tasty, and not mushy. Hamachi-no-kamayaki, or simply Kama, is the collar or cheek area of the yellowtail, broiled and salted. This oily fish delight is in limited supply, and each fish only has two cheeks, so ask for it early. For dessert try the Mochi Ice Cream, a ball of ice cream (vanilla, coffee, mango or strawberry) surrounded by a gooey rice cake. It is awesome. Try a variety of flavors.
The lines form early at Toyoda Sushi, whose logo comes from the fruit boxes of Natsuyoshi's family's orchards in Nagano. And when you arrive, put your name on the waiting list tacked to the end of the partition.
Toyoda Sushi, 12543 Lake City Way NE, 367-7972, Open Wednesday and Thursday 5 - 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 - 10 p.m., and Sunday and Monday 5 - 9 p.m. (closed Tuesday).
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