July 24, 2019
When you get to the airport, do you ever wonder where everyone else is going? You notice the family in front of you who’s holding boarding passes to Rome and the couple next to you departing on a two-week food tour through Southeast Asia. As you stand in line for your third domestic business trip of the month, you daydream of all of the delicious food that everyone else will be eating on their vacation. Even if there’s no sign of a global adventure in your future, your tastebuds can take a trip through all the international flavors at Sea-Tac Airport.
First stop, Japan
A direct flight to Tokyo never felt so quick as a trip to the Central Terminal to Koi Shi Sushi Bento. Koi Shi has made-to-order Japanese delicacies that offer a fusion of flavors, with sushi, sashimi, and create-your-own poke bowls. Your vacation in Japan doesn’t end there — hop the train to Osaka and find yourself in the C-gates at Waji’s, where your mouth gets a taste of traditional Japanese-inspired cuisine. Menu items include teriyaki, chicken katsu, yakisoba, fried rice specialties, and more. Enjoy any of these items with a side of sake, and your taste buds will start to believe you’re truly in Japan. Pro tip: Arrive at Waji’s before noon and escape to Hawaii with an order of their spam, eggs, and rice dish. Or, if you’re short on time, grab a Spam Musubi for the plane — Hawaii’s “broke da mouth” convenience food.
Try Mama Lan’s Home Cooking
Bring all your senses to 1960s Saigon, Vietnam at Bambuza in the newly-renovated North Satellite. Indulge in recipes from the chef’s mother with fresh ingredients that support local Northwest farmers and producers. Menu items include traditional bánh mì sandwiches, pho, salad rolls, with a beautiful backdrop of silk, orange lanterns handmade in the chef’s ancestral village of Hoi An.
Visit China
It’s a quick trip to China in Concourse A at Manchu Wok. Manchu Wok offers a variety of Cantonese, Szechwan, Hunan, and Mandarin-style cooking served buffet style. Customize your plate to your liking with fresh and fast service. Stay awhile in this part of the world, then head over to Pei Wei in the Central Terminal. Order the Chinese famous chow mein style egg noodles with chicken tossed in a savory soy sauce with a mix of freshly cooked vegetables. Or try their new and delicious cauliflower chicken fried rice.
Mais Oui to Macarons
Even in the City of Lights, Parisians take a moment to sip champagne and sample sweet treats. If you can’t make it there, maybe the next best place is Lady Yum for macarons in the C Terminal. Tiny, crisp, and fluffy cookies filled with honey lavender crème make you swoon. Or maybe chocolate hazelnut marshmallow makes your day magnifique. You can also take your treats to go in a beautiful gift box.
Escape to Africa
If your eyes want exotic scenery but your stomach’s not on board, escape to the Africa Lounge in Concourse A. It serves American bar style food with exotic decorations in an Africa motif, furnished with leopard prints, hand-painted murals, and a custom-crafted elephant head.
Ciao Napoli
Take a virtual trip to the streets of Naples, Italy, where the founder of Caffé D’arte, Mauro Cipolla, learned his craft from a fourth-generation master roaster. Founded in the 1980s in Seattle, Caffé D’arte offers award-winning coffee drinks along with pastries from local Macrina Bakery, and an Italian-inspired menu featuring made-to-order pizza, grilled sandwiches, and grab and go fresh sandwiches and salads. It’s located in the North Satellite, but with the first authentic sip of your latte your taste buds will soon believe you’re at the neighborhood coffee shop in Naples. Can’t make it to the North Satellite in time for your flight? Don’t worry! You can still take a vacation to Italy at Pallino Pastaria in the Central Terminal. Enjoy a variety of Italian inspired pizzas or customize a pasta dish that is both flavorful and cooked perfectly.
Home Again
While international travel can be tasteful and exciting, sooner or later you find yourself missing home and the flavors of the Pacific Northwest. So, let your taste buds wander back and indulge in Skillet’s locally sourced comfort food. Born as a food truck on the streets of Seattle, Skillet in the North Satellite serves tried-and-true favorites such as the fried chicken Sammy, blue cheese and bacon jam burger, and the classic chicken and waffles. Or indulge in northwest seafood classics at Lucky Louie Fish Shack in the Central Terminal. Order the fish and chips; a Lucky Louie customer favorite made with Alaska wild and sustainable pollock — one bite and you will know you’re lucky to be home.
