TJB Guide: Seattle's International District

One of the best parts about traveling is the exhilaration of discovering something new. When I recently toured Seattle's International District (or the ID), I realized you don't always have to go very far to feel that thrill. It was actually kind of revelatory to see how close to home completely new experiences can be.

I was lucky to have an incredible tour guide. My friend Benjean knows the ID like the back of her hand and showed me all her favorite spots. Most of these places I would have driven by without a second glance, which just goes to show that the most wonderful treasures are often hidden in plain sight.

The Itinerary
Four Seasons Farmer Market - 2119 Rainier Ave S
Thanh Son Tofu - 1248 South King Street
Saigon Deli - 1237 S Jackson St
Saigon Bakery and Bubble Tea - 1200 South Jackson Street
Uwajimaya - 600 5th Avenue South

Four Seasons Farmer Market
If you love farmers' markets but can't bear paying $7 for a pint of raspberries, you will die at Four Seasons Farmer Market. I was hyperventilating over the piles of gorgeous produce at rock-bottom prices ($.79/lb for Honeycrisp apples!). I left with 3 bags stuffed with goodies from pea shoots to baby bok choy for less than $20.

Around Chinese New Year, you'll see vendors advertising "Mandarin with Leaf" because the leaf represents prosperity. Throw some in a glass bowl for a beautiful centerpiece.

Thanh Son Tofu

Thanh Son Tofu makes tofu in-house daily and supplies most of the ID's restaurants. Along with selling freshly pressed soy milk and tofu blocks, it's also a deli with great Vietnamese sandwiches (but keep scrolling for the best banh mi in the city) and sweets.

A lot of flavor for a little cash. Try mixed with soy sauce for an easy stir-fry sauce.

Freshly pressed tofu bricks.

A tofu bar! Six different kinds of deliciously prepared tofu, from lemongrass to spicy garlic. Pick some up for an easy dinner (I did a stir-fry with snow peas).

Soy milk so fresh it's still warm. Green is sweeter than cream.

Saigon Deli

A banh mi is a Vietnamese sandwich made on a baguette with thin pieces of marinated, grilled meat and a fresh mix of pickled veggies and herbs. The best in the city are at Saigon Deli. Order a #1 (pork) for $3.25 and prepare for sandwich nirvana. It gets busy around lunchtime and the line is a bit haphazard, so be prepared to be aggressive to get your order in. I'll warn you that the place smells funky, but the sandwiches are worth enduring a little olfactory discomfort.

Forget $5 footlong. How about $3 banh mi?

Saigon's Bakery and Bubble Tea

France's colonization of Vietnam in the 19th century left a distinctly French influence on the country's cuisine, which is why you can find amazing cream puffs and baguettes in the ID. This place doesn't look like much on the outside (or the inside, for that matter), but the cream puffs are the best I've ever had. Pick up six for just $3 or 12 for $5. I dare you not to eat at least 3 on the way home.

My amazing tour guide, Benjean. (And don't you love her vintage red coat?)

Uwajimaya
We spent most of our day in Little Saigon, the Vietnamese section of the ID. For our final stop, we crossed into Chinatown (the I-5 overpass is the line between the two) to visit Asian grocery superstore Uwajimaya. The produce is beautiful, the meat and seafood are fresh, and the selection of ingredients unparalleled. We picked up everything we needed to make pork and shrimp dumplings, a must-have recipe I'll be sharing next month in time for Chinese New Year!

If you're looking for an inexpensive adventure close to home, take a few hours to explore the ID and let me know what hidden gems you find.