Kamonegi (Seattle, WA)

When I went to Seattle last year, the number one place I was determined to eat at was, far and away, Kamonegi. I love ramen, and I had heard so many great things about the new restaurant, seeing it in both Eater and Food and Wine magazine, where the chef, Mutsuko Soma, was one of the Best New Chefs of 2019. I was eager to try it, and given it's popularity, there was a bit of a wait, so I waited next door at their sister business, Hannyatou, a sake bar. At Hannyatou, I enjoyed both warm and cold sake.

Kamonegi definitely lived up to the hype! The first thing I noticed was that the service was impeccable. The waiter I had was tremendously kind, attentive, and knowledgeable. He had a pleasant personality that made dining there extra phenomenal. The service contributed to feeling right at home.

For an appetizer, I tried the bone marrow kurokke. The kurokke was not only the best thing I ate in Seattle, it was one of those foods that make me realize how much I love the knowledge and skill that goes into creating such a tasty thing. It was beautifully balanced with nicely mild, acidic taste. I love unconventional products, including offal such as bone marrow, and Kamonegi's preparation made it appetizing and delicious, even for people who are less adventurous (my dining companion is one such person, and he was into the dish).

For my main, I had a mushroom-based ramen bowl that was a special for that week. This ramen had such a simple depth of flavor that made it really enjoyable, and I think that style-simple and delicious-is true to the core of everything they do at Kamonegi. 

Chef Mutsuko Koma seems to deeply care about the restaurant and the people that dine there, and seems equally passionate and involved in her community. There's an earnestness about her that's endearing, and that's reflected in the food and in the staff. Her authenticity makes it obvious why she was chosen for so many high accolades. It's delightful to see Kamonegi thrive with the type of joyful effort they put forth.

Kamonegi is currently open for carryout only. 

Meeting an Iron Chef: Adana, Seattle

During my trip to Seattle in June, my boyfriend at the time and I enjoyed a ton of great food (I mean, that's part of the joy of traveling. Like, a huge part). Seattle was spectacularly unplanned for me as far as itinerary, and that lack of organization trailed me up to and including the last day.

As we were enjoying views from the Skyview Observatory, we thought about where to go eat before our return flight. When in doubt, I often consult the internet (what's up Eater/Tripadvisor!). And lo and behold, I discovered that my favorite contestant from Iron Chef Gauntlet, Shota Nakajima, has a restaurant in Seattle called Adana. As soon as I realized this, I turned to the BF and said "we have to go!"

Adana has a tasting menu style, where you can choose how many courses you get (we chose three courses). Then, you can choose between two options per each course. I started off with a popular, cute cocktail called a Hello Kitty, a neon pink fruity drink with an adorable picture of the Hello Kitty character attached to the glass with a clothespin.

Adana is of the caliber of restaurant that likes to spoil it's guests with divine extras. One of these generous gifts was a fantastic taste of ahi tuna. It came with those lovely crispy shrimp chips and was absolutely heavenly. The textures and flavors were great, and this first sample was a great preview of what was to come.

Along with the tuna, we enjoyed delightfully prepared vegetable tempura and delicate blackened fish. They also gifted us with a parting cocktail and an out of this world ice cream that had a smoky campfire flavor.

I'll save the rest of the pictures for the bottom of the post (you can also peep them on my instagram).  Let's get into the meat and potatoes of this post: how I met the incredibly talented and kind Chef Shota. We were on our way out, suitcases in hand. Adana sits nested on the bottom of a set of stairs. My partner was struggling to get his luggage up over the stairs. I turned and saw Chef Shota in street clothes, Starbucks in hand, approaching. He came over instantly, without being prompted, and offered to help my partner. I was standing there, mouth agape, shocked to be in this accomplished man's presence and witnessing his kindness and humility. My partner politely declined, but we both told Chef Shota how wonderful the food was and how nice of a time we had. As he turned to go in, I blurted out, "Chef Shota, I was rooting for you on Iron Chef!" He laughed and said "thank you." He seemed genuinely thankful and appreciative. I was just floored by his graciousness and sincerity.

Working in food service, you often come across rude or difficult people. Chef Shota was kind and willing to help strangers, and that came through in his staff as well: everyone at Adana was incredible and all seemed happy to work there. There was pride and respect for everyone involved. Leaving Adana left me feeling inspired all around. The food and quality and the care within the staff that poured outward to us as guests was incredible to witness. It reminded me why food is a passion for me and why I love doing what I do.

Photo dump!