Courtesy Crawfish King

Fantastic Fusion

Given that about 40 percent of the metro area’s population is either foreign-born or has a foreign-born parent, it’s no surprise that some of the most interesting restaurants here present a distinct marriage of cuisines from different parts of the world. Consider these outstanding eateries.

Archipelago

5607 Rainier Ave S; archipelagoseattle.com

Pacific Northwest-inspired Filipino dishes are the draw at this intimate Hillman City bistro helmed by James Beard–nominated chef Aaron Verzosa. His works of culinary art, presented on gorgeous dinnerware, might include wild lingonberry sinanglaw stew with Washington sturgeon and local greens or heirloom apple pie with green ginger and condensed milk.

Crawfish King

725 S Lane St; crawfishkingwa.com

This casual and friendly eatery in the Chinatown–International District serves flavorful (and spicy, on request) Vietnamese-Cajun cooking. Build-your-own seafood boils feature crab legs, mussels, and crawfish infused with Asian and Louisianian sauces and spices, but you can also feast on tempura shrimp, crawfish etouffee, and crab mac and cheese.

Di Fiora

1320 University St; difiora.com

At this upbeat, contemporary hangout in Capitol Hill, have a seat on the sidewalk patio and tuck into plates of pan-Asian fare with Italian influences. Standouts include the linguine pad cha (with peppers, Thai lime leaves, squid, and masago fish roe) and herb-roasted rack of lamb with a tangy tamarind sauce.

Kōbo Pizza

714 E Pike St; kobopizza.com

Set inside Capitol Hill’s hip Redhook Brewlab, this unique combo of modern Japanese food and crusty Detroit-style pizza is the brainchild of renowned chef Shota Nakajima. Favorite pies include the pineapple-kimchi and the meaty creation with teriyaki short ribs and pork katsu.

SZN

823 Fifth Ave N; sznseattle.com

This mod-industrial space in Uptown brings together the distinct yet often complementary flavors of Mexico (tacos, burritos, churros) and Korea (bibimbap, kimchi-fried rice). Try the torta packed with bulgogi beef, queso fresco, and chipotle mayo. The cocktail list is also top-notch.

Tomo

9811 16th Ave SW; tomoseattle.com

Celebrated chef Brady Ishiwata Williams serves an eclectic brand of Northwestern cuisine with Japanese influences at this trendy White Center bistro. The menu changes regularly, but typical fare includes pork ribs with honey and sweet-and-spicy yuzu kosho chile glaze, and Dungeness crab with a crab sambal sabayon.

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