Dragonfish Asian Cafe

• Restaurant website
• Location: Pioneer Square-ish, across from Fox Regal Cinemas
• Price to fill up two people: About $60, with dessert

After the movie (Kat and I had gone to see Bottle Shock), we headed across the street to Dragonfish. It was about 9:40 pm, and the restaurant was dark and deserted. “We have 19 minutes before we close,” said the host, “but you’re welcome to try the sushi bar and have happy hour there.”

I lived in the big city too long, I guess; I’ll never understand a restaurant, particularly one so close to the theaters, that shuts down so early. But we schlepped over to the bar, found a table…and got in under the 19-minute wire to try the dinner menu.

I’d eaten at Dragonfish once before, with my sister Suzi after her gabfest with the princess, and found it enjoyable. (Admittedly, we sat next to the big saltwater aquarium, and part of what I enjoyed was watching the fish.)

Dragonfish is what’s called Pan Asian, which I think means the that chef gets to fix whatever he wants as long as there’s soy sauce on the premises. As far as I’m concerned, it’s more usually snobbery and showmanship than great grub: Thai, Korean, Chinese and Japanese fight it out with no clear winner, the teriyaki may come stuffed in a lentil tortilla and topped with pesto, while your waiter instructs you in how to eat it “properly.”

Dragonfish mostly escapes those negatives and instead just fixes good food of slightly indeterminate origin. I had one of the specials, a rare beef tenderloin on dashi noodles; Kat tried the Orange Peel Beef. Both were very good, well worth ordering even if neither knocked Typhoon’s Beef with Grapes from its special place in my heart.

The waiter was very nice, made some good suggestions and talked us into dessert, a mocha creme brulee decorated with berries and small chocolate truffles. The brulee was OK, the truffles and berries were better.

But I do like this restaurant. I don’t know that I’d travel huge distances to eat here, but it’s a nice place to have a late meal. Just get there before 10 pm.

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