Today I went to Ft. St. George, which is a small (fusiony) Japanese restaurant and bar near my workplace in the International District (
601 S King St Ste 202). I have been going there for years, but I can see how this place would go unnoticed to the average person as it is inside a building and up two flights of steps; a kind of hidden gem. They specialize in Japanese-style/fusion pasta, which I am not really into, as well as Japanese Curry and Doria (both of which I love).Today I had Hamburger steak curry, which was amazing. Japanese-style hamburger steak is like Salisbury steak with chopped onions and breadcrumbs mixed into it before the patty is formed. It has a very distinct flavor and is probably not anything close to the Salisbury steak you may have had in Western cuisine. They use a sauce for it that is reminiscent of Tonkatsu sauce, although I am not sure if that is what it is; whatever it is I love it.
The hamburger steak is served over rice and
Japanese-style curry, which is much thicker than other curries such as
Indian or Southeast Asian, as well as a lot less spicy. It typically has
carrots and often potatoes cooked in it, although Ft. St. George does
not use potatoes. The curry is not the best I have had, but it is better
than most. There is a place nearby which I prefer for curry, but they
do not have the hamburger steak option, and Ft. St. George is the best
place that I know of in Seattle for this particular dish. It is very
much like what I ate in Japan and I try to make it there as often as I
can. I also go there often for their Doria, which I will describe in a
later post. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone
interested!
Hi Tyler, thanks for the suggestion! Even though they don't serve it with potato's, I like it without, so it is perfect:)Thanks, Sandy
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am a vegetarian, I have to admit that this looks good and tasty. I was curious after reading your 1st blog post, have you ever tried to make Japanese food yourself? If you are low on funds, as you suggested, it may be a good option. Have you considered trying to make a specialty meal and then post on that particular meal? That might be a wonderful blog post for the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteI was once a pescetarian (vegetarian + seafood) for 2-3 years so I can relate. Actually the reason I began eating meat again was out of respect for my hostmom when I was in Japan. I did not want to offend her by refusing to eat her cooking, and she happened to be a bit of an oddity as far as Japan goes and cooked a lot of red meat and pork. I gradually got used to it again and have not been able to break the habit since, although I do rarely eat beef or pork with the exception of some Japanese and Filipino dishes (my girlfriend is Filipino and Japanese).
DeleteI am not a great cook, although I can do a passable job. I have not successfully made any Japanese dishes that I would consider good. My girlfriend has made tonkatsu, udon, and a couple of other things that were for the most part good, but lacked that authentic taste to them. I suppose I should keep trying, it would likely save me money in the long run.
Hi Tyler,
ReplyDeleteI love Japanese food, too! I was raised on two types of cuisines: a fusion of Asian, Spanish, and Pacific Islands foods—and authentic Japanese food prepared by my grandmother (because we were under Japanese rule for hundreds of years). Living in the East and West Coasts, I have come to love other foods from various cultures but I pick and choose the best. I am willing to try anything once—except pork and really fatty stuff. Okay—maybe not anything. I went to a game restaurant with a bunch of friends in New York where they served exotic dishes like alligator sausages, camel steak, kangaroo tail meat, and rabbit pot pie. I had a salad. Those things were too weird for me. Your first post about the hamburger steak made me smile. Islanders like this stuff (minus the curry). I am interested in visiting this restaurant now. I’ll be sure to tell the manager that I saw this on your blog. Please continue to share your savory dishes and pictures. –Myra
Wow that does look and sound quite good! Although I don't like to admit it I'm a pretty picky eater, but I'm trying to change that. I'll be interested to see what other tasty Japanese dishes you come across, hopefully some that I can expand my food horizon with.
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