King Noodle
Thanksgiving is often a difficult holiday for Kate and me because we are mostly on our own for that holiday. Also, we are pescatarians; we eat mainly vegetables and fish. Noodles sounded good and so did testing a new restaurant. King Noodle is a small restaurant, 20 tables at most, a storefront in the heart of the International District.
It was rainy and at 1:30pm, there was a line trailing out front peopled with young Chinese students chattering in Mandarin. Soon, a waiter came out and handed us menus to fill out our orders.
There were six types of noodles. We chose Udon (34 toppings), fish balls and preserved vegetables. Of the three soups, we chose original fish soup. All this rounded out by side dishes of sautéed bok choy and fish sauce, and Chinese broccoli. When we were seated within 20 minutes, we were quickly served.
What better treat is there for comfort than noodles in a lush broth? The fishballs added to the thick body of the Udon noodles, and the greens complemented the soup with fresh crispiness. We left feeling full, yet light in stomach, an ideal choice for a Thanksgiving meal or for any rainy or not rainy day.
The ambiance was exotic in the sense of sitting amidst Chinese natives who were fully enjoying each other’s company and the food. The sound level was such that we could easily hear each other talk. The furnishings are modest and utilitarian and give a sense of the simple authenticity of a Chinese noodle shop.
We are definitely going back and exploring the many iterations of the menu.
King Noodle
Hours: Sun–Thurs 10am–10pm; Fri–Sat 10am–12 midnight
615 S. King St, 206-748-9168
~John Barber