4 Reasons to Fall in Love with West Seattle

My husband and I moved from New York City to Seattle in 2006 and bought a house in West Seattle a year after deciding that we were probably going to spend the rest of our lives here. I grew up in the fairly deep suburbs of San Francisco and once I moved to the “city” of Berkeley for college, couldn’t imagine a life that wasn’t urban. Now that I am married, own a house of my own, and am raising a dog and an almost two year old, I am finding that West Seattle, and the California/Alaska junction in particular, provides the perfect mix of urban, yet somewhat suburban feel. Because the junction is less than a mile from our house, we spend a lot of time eating and drinking our way down the strip. If you find your way to my hood, here are a few spots you shouldn’t miss and why:

Than Brothers

This is what I believe to be the tastiest Pho in Seattle. We used to hit up the one in Ballard when we lived there and were thrilled to find one only a few blocks from our house in West Seattle (there are 13 of them in the Seattle area). I get the small chicken with extra tofu and all the fixin’s. The portions are large and it costs us just over ten dollars to feed the whole family a healthy and comforting meal.

Bakery Nouveau

Okay, so I am clearly not the only one that LOVES this place. Sure they are known for their pastries, which are undoubtedly delicious, but I favor their savory food. The BLT is to die for; it comes on a baguette with fresh mozzarella, lettuce, tomato and of course bacon. My husband and I usually get one of these and one of the straight up ham and cheese (although nothing ordinary about it) and split the two. Almost every weekend we pick up a baguette from Nouveau to eat with our meals. It’s awesome reheated in the oven alongside fresh cracked crab. Tip: go early in the morning or later in the afternoon to beat the crowds.

Mashiko

The sushi here is unbelievable. We go about once a month and aren’t afraid to splurge. They are kid-friendly and super inviting and accommodating. I recommend sticking with straight up Nigiri here – their fish is fresh and never disappointing. We usually get the seared Scallop, Black Cod, some kind of Salmon (I highly recommend the White King when it is in season as it is right now), Albacore and their version of Eel (“Unagi”) which is actually catfish (“Namagi”) as Mashiko doesn’t serve anything that isn’t sustainable. We also get sweet potato tempura and chicken yakitori for the little one. Oh and a large hot sake and a pint of the Shiso-infused Beer that is specially brewed for Mashiko by the Elliot Bay Brewing Company across the street.

Jak’s

Most people go to Jak’s for the steak, including my husband. While I eat it too, I dream about their spinach salad (spinach, hard-boiled egg, toasted almonds, shredded mozzarella, and honey mustard dressing). They also make a mean Manhattan that sits mighty well in the tummy after a long work-week. Jaks is also a great place for brunch, especially because you can usually sit down immediately. Again, they are kid friendly and the food is reliably good. They have an extensive list of morning cocktails at excellent prices – perfect cure for the hangover.

These are only a few of the reasons why I don’t tend to venture outside of West Seattle on the weekends. Sure it sounds a bit provincial, but when you have all of this deliciousness (and an amazing dog park, epic views of the Olympic Mountains, one too many gourmet markets, an awesome farmers market & Trader Joe’s on its way) less than a mile from your house, why leave?
Stay tuned for more recommendations in West Seattle. In the meantime, please weigh in on some of your favorite places in the ‘hood…

Photo Credits: Than Brothers Bakery Nouveau Mashiko Jak’s