Boom Noodle

I always get the coconut curry and Oscar always gets the Tokyo ramen at Boom Noodle, but the menu of soups, ramen and small plates is extensive. There's pho, udon, soba, pad Thai, yakisoba, okonomiyaki, pork buns, edamame, spring rolls...pretty much all the favorites. The coconut curry is served with fresh basil, jalepeno and bean sprouts that you can add to taste, a touch that elevates the experience above your average ramen shop. The cocktail menu is also enticing: shiso mojito, anyone? Bloody Mary-chan? Yuzu marguarita?

There are three Boom Noodle restaurants in Seattle, but I've only been to the one in U Village, an outdoor mall inhabited by retailers like Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn. Due to its convenience for shoppers, this branch tends to attract a high percentage of families and children, but the spartan interior is lovely and serene.