Seattle Eats

Latest Episodes:

Elevating instant ramen: A guide to hacking this simple staple Aug 07, 2025

Show notes

To many people, instant ramen is a simple (and cheap) snack. But to chef Josh Ratza, it’s an opportunity for delight. Josh is the owner and chef at Setsunai Noodle Bar on Lopez Island and the self-published author of Elevated Instant Ramen. The book is a guide to leveling-up any instant ramen, without breaking the bank.

In this episode, Tan and Josh shop for ramen at Uwajimaya in Seattle’s Chinatown International District. Josh points out his favorites and shows Tan how to ‘hack’ a ramen packet with simple ingredients.

Read Tan’s profile of Josh: This creative Lopez Island chef is a wizard with instant ramen | The Seattle Times

Information on Josh’s book: Elevated Instant Ramen

Chef Josh Ratza’s instant ramen hacks:

Pick your ramen style: Brick ramen works best for adding ingredients, but one in a Styrofoam cup or bowl will work in a pinch.
Try whatever ramen flavors and brands catch your eye.
Keep ingredients on hand to boost flavor (chili crisp, hot sauce, furikake).
Add fat and protein for more nutrients (an egg, sliced avocado, tinned fish or meat).
Use up whatever you have in your fridge!
Paint outside the lines. Experiment with new ingredients and flavor combos.

Seattle Eats is a production of The Seattle Times and KUOW, part of the NPR Network. You can support Seattle Eats by investing in the local newsrooms and the specialized beats that make this sort of storytelling possible. Please consider joining and subscribing at kuow.org/eats and seattletimes.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See Ya B.C.! Bellevue is a Chinese food lover’s dream Jul 31, 2025

Show notes

While Seattle food lovers flock to Richmond, BC, Bellevue is steadily becoming home to some of the Pacific Northwest’s most diverse and authentic Chinese food. The dishes you’ll find there tell the story of a community cooking for itself, not just the tourists. From braised goose to smoked tea duck, Tan highlights the regional specialties worth crossing the 520 bridge for.

Read more of Tan’s reporting on the Bellevue food scene here: How Bellevue became an international hub for Chinese food | The Seattle Times

And here: Bellevue’s best Chinese restaurants: 10 picks from our food team | The Seattle Times

Recommendations in this episode:

Mr. Huang Claypot Braised Chicken
Master Bing
Nuodle
Shaoshan Impression
Little Garden Restaurant
Dan Gui Sichuan Cuisine
Looking for Chai

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Best eats on Seattle’s $800 million waterfront Jul 24, 2025

Show notes

Seattle spent a whopping $800 million dollars on the new waterfront to create a vibrant public space. But is it just a tourist trap with expensive food? Seattle Times writers chat about the history of the waterfront and the food spots worth braving the crowds to check out on Seattle's new "front porch."

Read more of Tan's reporting on the Waterfront food scene here.

Check out David’s essay on the Seattle’s “front porch” here.

Recommendations in this episode:

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three new restaurants you should know about Jul 17, 2025

Show notes

It’s restaurant season in Seattle! Dozens of new spots are opening in hopes of riding a summer wave of tourists and sunshine. In this episode, Tan highlights three restaurants the industry is watching and reviews the menus at each.

Read more of Tan’s reporting on new restaurants in The Seattle Times.

Recommendations in this episode:

The Wayland Mill, Wallingford
Mr. Fish, Downtown
La Loba, South Lake Union

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Five of the best dishes we’ve eaten recently Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

Seattle Times food critics Tan Vinh and Jackie Varriano eat hundreds of meals each month: At new restaurants, old-school dive bars, tiny pop-ups and national chains. In this episode, Tan and Jackie highlight five of the best dishes they’ve tasted recently, from high-concept Vietnamese fusion to an Italian cookie pop-up.

Read more about Tan and Jackie’s picks in The Seattle Times, linked below.

Recommendations in this episode:

Ramie, Capitol Hill – Hột Vịt Lộn (duck) custard
Nue, Capitol Hill – Balut (steamed duck embryo)
The Lonely Siren, Downtown – Batatas (potato) Bravas
Pizzas Locas, Des Moines – Mexican corn pizza
Good Lazy, Issaquah – Cereal Milk Donut
Tremonte’s Italian American – pop-up and online

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Revisiting Seattle’s best pizza Jul 03, 2025

Show notes

Who makes the best slice of pizza in Seattle? Last summer, the Seattle Times food team went in search of an answer to that question. They polled Seattle diners and narrowed 32 pizzerias down to 4 finalists and 1 winner. Today, we’re re-sharing our episode breaking down the results, so you can enjoy a pristine slice this holiday weekend.

Read more about the results of The Seattle Times Pizza Smackdown.

Recommendations in this episode:

Bar del Corso, Beacon Hill
Delancey, Ballard
The Independent Pizzeria, Madison Park
My Friend Derek’s, Fremont
Post Alley Pizza, Downtown
Stevie’s Famous, Burien / Beacon Hill

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Goodbye dive bars, hello rooftop bars? Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

June brought a slate of closed restaurants in Seattle, from a half-century-old dive bar to some of the city’s most high-end dining. But it was also a good month for new spots, with two popular rooftop bars debuting in Central Seattle just as the weather heats up.

Tan breaks down all the trends in openings and closings this month with Seattle Eats producer Clare McGrane.

Read more about The College Inn Pub’s closure, Sea Creatures Restaurants’ pivot and this summer’s new openings in The Seattle Times.

Recommendations in this episode:

Firn, Pioneer Square
Cantina Del Sol, Capitol Hill

Closed restaurants:

Bateu and Boat Bar, Capitol Hill (temporary)
General Porpoise donuts, Laurelhurst and Capitol Hill
The College Inn Pub, University District

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why Seattle keeps losing at the Oscars of the food world Jun 19, 2025

Show notes

This week, 25 restaurants and chefs were crowned with James Beard Awards – the Oscars of the food world. And for the fifth year in a row, Washington state came away with zero wins.

Tan breaks down the three Seattle-area finalists with Seattle Times food writer Jackie Varriano, and asks: What are we doing wrong?

Read more about this year’s local James Beard Award finalists, including seven-time finalist Jay Blackington, in The Seattle Times.

Recommendations in this episode:

Atoma, Wallingford – Best New Restaurant finalist
Archipelago, Hillman City – Outstanding Hospitality finalist
Houlme, Orcas Island – chef Jay Blackington, Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific finalist

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crying and feasting at a Georgian Supra Jun 12, 2025

Show notes

Dinner parties are a staple in many cultures, but in Georgia – in the Caucus mountains of Eastern Europe — dinner parties are another deal all together. Almost any occasion in Georgia calls for a Supra, a feasting tradition that goes far beyond the food on the table and the wine in the glasses. It’s about connecting with the other people around the table, sometimes getting extremely vulnerable.

The Supra Dinner Society wants to make this Georgian tradition a feature in Seattle. In this episode, Tan attends a Supra and explains how the tradition works.

Read more about the Supra Dinner Society in The Seattle Times.

The group hosts weekly public Supras in Seattle. Find more details on its website.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BONUS: Seattle’s pinball renaissance Jun 05, 2025

Show notes

Ever stopped by a Seattle bar or casual food spot and noticed a pinball machine or two? The region is a center for pinball enthusiasts, in part thanks to its culture of barcades and general geekiness.

Today, we’re sharing a glimpse into Seattle’s pinball haunts from Meet Me Here, a new podcast from KUOW. Find more episodes of Meet Me Here in the KUOW app or your favorite podcast app.

Recommendations in this episode:

8-bit, Renton
ADD-A-Ball, Fremont
Ice Box, Ballard (all ages)
Jupiter, Belltown
Pinball Museum, Chinatown-International District
Shorty’s, Belltown
Time Warp, Capitol Hill
Triple Knock, Tacoma

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected