Chinese

As you might guess, the International District [1] is laden with Chinese restaurants. Among the best is House of Hong (409 8th Ave. S., 206/622-7997, www.houseofhong.com [2], 9:30 a.m.–10 p.m. Sun.–Thurs., 9:30 a.m.–11 p.m. Fri.–Sat., $10) with dim sum, seafood, chicken, and Hong Kong barbecue. Things get crowded in the evening, but the dim sum carts always have something appealing on board.

Tai Tung (655 S. King St., 206/622-7372, 10 a.m.–11 p.m. Sun.–Thurs., 10 a.m.–1:30 a.m. Fri.–Sun., $9) is the real thing, packed with Chinese from the neighborhood and longtime Seattleites who consistently rate it an International District favorite. The food can be inconsistent and heavy on the sauces, so your best bet is to look around and see what others are eating for a clue on what to order.

Sea Garden Restaurant (509 7th Ave. S., 206/623-2100, http://fourseasrestaurant.com [3], 11 a.m.–2 a.m. daily, $12) serves Cantonese meals, but the food isn't the bland chow mein you might expect. Instead, the menu offers a wide range of soups, seafood specialties, and perfectly cooked vegetables.