"The panko-coated, deep-fried okazu pan at this Rainier Beach shop makes for a $7-or-under lunch that’s just as quick as it is tasty. The dough succeeds on its own, with a crackle on the outside and airiness on the inside. But then it gets packed with fillings like chicken adobo, beef curry, and smoked salmon in a potato cream sauce topped with furikake. The limited specials are where Umami Kushi gets creative, and those end up being our favorites, particularly the pan loaded with tangy crumbled pork and garlicky homemade kimchi. For dessert, they serve puffy beignets topped with things like cocoa powder and berry dust." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
Nate Watters