About three months ago, my family and I mustered up the courage to travel through the air for the first time since the pandemic began. We opted to visit the Pacific Northwest, specifically the greater Seattle area, for the first time.
We did our research and, like most tourists in Seattle, planned to visit the popular attractions in the Evergreen State including the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, Mount Rainier, among many others. During our first day of adventures, we decided to visit the Boeing Assembly Facility in Mukilteo, Washington. We unfortunately could not take part in the famous factory tour as a result of COVID restrictions but were able to look under the hood and learn more about aeronautical travel and Boeing as an organization which was a unique experience. In hindsight, it may have been a bad idea to freestyle our post-Boeing visit plans but that’s exactly what we did. As we exited the facility, I pulled out my phone and started looking up popular dishes nearby. My family is just like any other group of people when it comes to decision making but the one cuisine we share a common appreciation for is Thai food and so we opted to go to the local Mukilteo Thai Restaurant.
Pulling into the strip mall parking lot, the weather was what I came to learn as classic Seattle: cloudy and drizzling. When we entered the restaurant, I quickly noticed that we were the only customers there and I became a bit worried. I noticed a kid’s bike near the back door and saw a little boy dressed as Spider-Man in the restaurant. Once we settled down and ordered our food, I just looked out the window and saw pine trees everywhere as if we were within a forest. Being from LA where the landscape is dry and devoid of greenery, Seattle was a change of scenery. After a couple minutes of waiting, the food was served to us and I cannot understate how much flavor was in every dish we had. It was the best Thai food I’ve ever had and for the 15 minutes that I was enjoying the food with my family, I felt like a Seattleite. From the location to the environment, everything felt authentic.
I may not be the most well traveled (although it is something I hope to expand on later in life), but I’ve learned that the best way to enhance your experiences and understand a new place and its culture is by eating at the local restaurants endeared by the nearby residents. Eat like a local, not like a tourist.
Seattle in emojis: 🌲 ⛰️ 🌧️
Thanks for reading!