Vancouver has no shortage of incredible Japanese restaurants in every corner of the city, but there’s one thing it doesn’t have: Seattle-style teriyaki.
That revelation was made apparent in a recent online discussion on the Seattle subreddit started by a Vancouver resident who once lived in the Emerald City.
The Redditor told the Seattle community that she drove all the way from Canada just for teriyaki and then drove back with “no regrets.” We had to learn more about what makes Seattle teriyaki so special and different from what you can find in Vancouver, so we touched base with the Redditor, Kim, for the saucy scoop. In her post, she said, “And I swear, every time I’m hungry, all I can think about is Seattle-style teriyaki. I literally have a dream about it sometimes.”
Kim revealed that she grew up in Seattle and moved to Canada for college, but ended up staying here. She told Daily Hive she moved here in 2019.
“Seattle-style teriyaki just hits different,” Kim shared in our teriyaki exclusive.
“It’s usually grilled chicken, two scoops of rice, and a simple salad. The chicken’s always super flavourful, and the smell from the grill is chef’s kiss. There’s something about the way they cook it that I’ll never figure out.”
Sure enough, if you Google Seattle teriyaki, tons of results highlight just how different it is from stuff you’ll find in Vancouver restaurants. Some of the results suggest that Seattle Teriyaki, generally speaking, is meat, two scoops of rice and a teriyaki salad (usually consisting of iceberg lettuce and carrots with a dressing that includes mayo and sesame oil).
Others call it an “iconic Seattle dish.”
Kim headed out on B.C. Day and left around 9 a.m. and arrived in Seattle around noon. She got the teriyaki from a place called Haru Haru Teriyaki (her childhood spot) and headed straight back, getting back around 4 p.m.
“10/10 would do it again.”
Haru Haru Teriyaki/DoorDash
Kim bought five boxes of the stuff when she was in Seattle, and we wondered if she had any issues at the border.
“At the border, I just told the officer it was for me and my friends. I even opened the boxes to show them (I put them on the passenger seat next to me). I think as long as it’s cooked and not excessive, they don’t seem to care much. It was actually super chill.”
Kim eats out a lot in B.C., but she says “nothing here comes close.”
“Teriyaki here always has onions, bean sprouts or some other stuff mixed in, and the taste is just totally different. Portions are smaller, too. Not the same vibe.”
If you’re hoping to find some Seattle-style teriyaki in Vancouver, Kim jokes that might be where her ambitions take her next.
“If I ever get laid off, I’m opening a Seattle-style teriyaki spot in Vancouver.”
Have you ever had Seattle-style teriyaki, and do you agree that it outclasses Vancouver teriyaki options?