Asean Streat Food Hall — Restaurant in Seattle

Asean Streat Food Hall has the foundations of what could be an amazing casual eatery. The selection of restaurants encompasses a wide variety of tastes, and the location is phenomenal. I've visited a couple of times, and I'm certainly coming back. However, there are a few major oversights that I only consider acceptable knowing that this is a new establishment experiencing growing pains.

My first visit was fantastic. The hall had opened a few days prior, and I loved the food that I tried. At the time, my only complaint was how unclear it was whether the tables are bussed by the staff or handled by the patrons. This is still unclear to me, as there don't seem to be sufficient trash bins for the space. Also, the tables rock, but I would assume that they'll be replaced/fixed as they accrue some capital.

During my first visit, which was oddly quiet considering the venue, I grew concerned about how they would handle growth. On my second visit, a month later, when the place was considerably more busy, my fears were proven justified. The restaurants seem to suffer from a major deterioration in quality when they're under heavy load. All of the fried food we received was soggy, the chicken katsu was raw in spots where it hadn't been fully flattened, the buttercream frosting was broken.

In addition, the Toast kiosk system is insufficient for the needs of the place. I greatly appreciate having kiosks capable of ordering from every stall on one ticket. However, the receipt doesn't specify where to pick up a given item. You have to remember the name of the stall, or infer from the type of food you ordered. Furthermore, you only receive a text message when the entire order is filled. This means your tea upstairs has been done for 20 minutes before your dinner has begun cooking. If you incorrectly enter your cell number, you'll be hard-pressed to find any of the food you ordered. You can't print a receipt if you want text message updates. The time estimate given on the kiosk/web application is based on the stalls that take the longest time, therefore are inaccurate for most people.

My immediate advice for the managers here: please either add more trash bins or signage indicating that you will bus the tables. Perhaps some kind of indication that you're not done with your meal, so you don't accidentally bus a table where the diners have only temporarily stepped out. But more importantly, revamp the ordering system to make it more clear where your food will be, how long it will take until it's ready, and make it much more difficult to miss your order number. A sign asking patrons to remember their order number is insufficient - the kiosks should always print a receipt, even if the user puts a phone number in.

The quality of the furniture is not an immediate concern in my eyes. Address that at your leisure.

The biggest concern, but one that is much more challenging than I can claim to give advice for, is to quickly address the quality control for the restaurants. I would imagine that the vast majority of customers come with a vague expectation of some East/Southeast Asian cuisine, and they decide on a particular meal once they arrive. You absolutely don't want one or two problem stalls or dinner rush staffing problems to be the cause of the entire Streat Food Hall taking on a reputation for having bad food. These restaurants have demonstrated that, with adequate time, they can make extremely high quality food. I implore you to explore ways to enable them to deliver that experience even when...

This unique establishment offers an intriguing concept: a diverse array of local eateries consolidated within a single, expansive space. The initial experience, however, proved somewhat disorienting and confusing, particularly concerning the ordering process. It took a significant amount of time, a good minute or two of observation and investigation, to decipher the system. I eventually realized that all individual restaurants within the complex shared a network of centralized payment kiosks strategically scattered throughout the venue. At these terminals, patrons place their orders, select their preferred payment method, and then receive either a printed paper receipt or a text message confirmation with their order details. The final step involves retrieving your meal from the designated stall when your number is called out via loudspeaker or texted, creating a somewhat fragmented, but ultimately functional, pickup process. For my meal, I specifically opted for the Tonkotsu Ramen, choosing the "Cloudy Broth" variant, a classic Japanese dish that often serves as a benchmark for ramen quality. Regrettably, I must admit that my expectations were not met. I have certainly experienced superior renditions of Tonkotsu Ramen elsewhere. The broth, which is typically the heart and soul of this dish, was disappointingly underwhelming. Its flavor profile struck me as almost bland, lacking the rich, savory depth and complexity that one anticipates from a well-prepared Tonkotsu. The characteristic unctuousness and nuanced pork flavor were noticeably absent. Furthermore, the noodles themselves, a crucial component, were equally unremarkable. They possessed an uninspired texture and taste, failing to elevate the dish in any meaningful way. Consequently, based on this particular culinary experience, I would unequivocally advise against ordering this specific ramen dish. The interior atmosphere of the establishment is undeniably lively and bustling, emanating an energetic vibe that suggests a popular dining destination. There's a vibrant hum of conversation and activity. However, this otherwise pleasant ambiance is regrettably marred by the incessant and often jarring vocal announcements over the loudspeaker system create a constant auditory disruption, detracting significantly from the overall dining experience and making it difficult to fully relax or engage in conversation. The frequent, loud announcements become quite intrusive, interrupting the flow of the lively atmosphere rather than complementing it. In summary, while the concept of housing a variety of local shops under one roof is commendable and offers a convenient way to explore different culinary options, my personal food experience was far from satisfactory. The Tonkotsu Ramen I ordered was particularly disappointing, with both the broth and noodles failing to impress. Despite the lively atmosphere, the constant loudspeaker announcements were a significant detractor. Ultimately, the place is worth a visit for its diverse offerings and unique structure, but if you're seeking truly exceptional ramen, I strongly recommend exploring other establishments where a better culinary experience is...

The most exciting thing about this restaurant is the atmosphere. It's so interesting and fun and different. The reason you go is the atmosphere.

But it can be a little confusing if you have never gone here before. The first slightly confusing thing is the entrance to the restaurant. It's kind of off the main sidewalks of Seattle. So it might be hard to notice if you do not know it's there. And when you walk in you're greeted with the sight of empty stalls and blank screens. It FEELS like you're in the wrong place. Until you look around the corner and see that you are actually in a very cool little restaurant.

I am not sure if this is multiple restaurants all operating independently or if this is one restaurant with three different fake stands that hand you your food. Either way it doesn't matter because you order off of one of the many tablets that are located inside the building.

There are tablets at the entrance but there are also tablets around the restaurant in random places. So feel free to move around and look for them.

The tablets are a little overwhelming because there are a lot of choices! And it always takes me kind of a long time to pick what I want. Which is why it's a good thing that there are a couple extra tablets inside the restaurant.

My advice for using the tablets is make sure you put in your phone number and remember to print your receipt! You'll get a number so that you know when you're order is up, but sometimes it can be difficult to hear when your number has been called. Because sometimes two restaurants will call a number at the same time. So it's important to also be looking for your number not just listening.

There's a baked goods/coffee section on the second floor. They call numbers as well and they can be hard to hear if you are standing down on the first floor. So if you order from the bakery area you'll likely have to wait up there for your food.

The whole ordeal can be overwhelming and confusing. But I've done it a couple times and never really had any real issues.

Another great thing to note is there is a free water stand!! So you can serve yourself water. It is in the corner by the alcohol stand.

Every time I've had food here it's been really good it's been hot it's been filling It's been delicious it's been fresh. But it's a bit over priced in my opinion. The high cost makes it so that I can't LOVE this place. But I do like it....