Three Rainier Ave Spots for Handheld Meals
Do yourself a favor and give these places a try when visiting Seattle’s South End.
Stretching from the end of Central District to unincorporated King County, South End is Seattle’s most diverse area. A happy byproduct of this is an eclectic food scene featuring flavors from all around the world. Here are only a few picks for when you head southward through town.
Shawarma Land
This recently opened Palestinian restaurant delivers exactly what it advertises: Authentic regional dishes served as handhelds and on plates.
I unabashedly recommend the “Arabic Chicken Shawarma” – its protein is coated in a spicy cumin rub, balanced with a tinge of cinnamon. The garlic sauce is pungent, but it, too, is tamed by a sampling of tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers. A harmony of spicy and fresh, if you will.
Also worth trying is the falafel plate – the lightly fried fritters are tasty in their own right, but the basmati rice is, for the lack of a better word, legit. The menu generically describes it as “cooked with spices,” but while I could pick up on some citric undertones, I honestly don’t know what it was prepared with on any grander scale. If you’re in the market for good rice at least, Shawarma Land is more than worth a stop.
Find them at 3820 Rainier Ave S or on the web. (Note: Shawarma Land is located next to Ross – some maps put them on the other side of the parking lot.)
Spice Waala
A mile down from Shawarma Land lies Spice Waala, a walk-up kiosk specializing in Indian street food – particularly Kathi Rolls.
The handheld consists of roasted kebab meat – I went with lamb – and chutney wrapped in a Roti flatbread; pickled red onions add just a touch of panache. It’s a simple dish, and I mean that as a compliment. Spice Waala’s rolls are built around clean, distinct flavors, thoughtfully assembled without any über-creamy sauces to drown out the distinctive components.
I’ll also go out on a limb and say their spicy “Snack Masala Aloo” are the best fries in Seattle, though sound off in the comments if you disagree. I’m always up for a fries challenge.
Find Spice Waala’s walk-up kiosk at 5024 Rainier Ave S or on the web.
Umami Kushi
Finally, right where Seattle turns into unincorporated King County, you’ll find Umami Kushi, a purveyor of Japanese savory okazu pans.
We’re talking lightly fried pastries with a proper bite – firm on the outside, fluffy on the inside. Umami Kushi takes some fun, creative spins on the dish, and while I’ll gladly go with their simple Beef Curry variety, specials like the rich Pork Kimchi are a customer favorite for a reason.
You can find Umami Kushi’s pans around town, but really, check out their Rainier location if you can. It’s a fun little shop.
Find them at 9099 Seward Park Ave S or on the web.
Here are a quick couple of things worth checking out this week, as recommended by yours truly.
First, Heretic. Hugh Grant puts on his inimitable charming-creep act in this claustrophobic, slow-burning thriller.
Trapping two Mormon missionaries in his house, Mr. Reed ensnares the duo in discussions about religion and philosophy, unwilling to let them leave unless they partake in his particular type of devious challenges.
It’s not a particularly scary movie, but Grant puts on a deliciously evil performance as the pseudo-intellectual Mr. Reed and the story will keep you guessing until the end. The movie is currently on VOD and will be available to stream on Max next Friday.
For something entirely different, you got the much and somewhat unfairly maligned season two of Twin Peaks. While it admittedly got its reputation for a reason – wandering off without a compass after episode nine’s who-killed-Laura-Palmer “conclusion” – there is a bunch of entertaining stuff in the perceived-to-be-sluggish twelve-episode run. From Nadine thinking she’s back in high school to Ben Horne going all in on General Lee cosplay, the show takes some bizarre swings.
I do get why people tend to jump to the last season-two episode during rewatches, but even so, give the mid-season another chance. There’s stuff to like in there.
Finally, Tapestry is a simple timeline app where you can plug in any website, newsletter, or Bluesky account you follow to create an ever-updating timeline of new posts. It looks something like this:
For those who used Google Reader (and still use RSS), that’s basically what Tapestry is. A quick digest of stuff you regularly read, displayed in a clean, no-frills interface.
Download on the App Store.
Wikipedia: South End, Seattle. Jan 07, 2025.