The Boat
Vietnamese restaurant · Central Area
1314 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98144
Highlights
Garlicky fried chicken with pandan waffles & coconut cream
Garlicky fried chicken with pandan waffles & coconut cream
"Known as the orginal Phở Bắc location, this Seattle classic specializes in a few non-soup dishes we can’t get enough of. Even if The Boat only served their crackly cornish hen blasted with garlic alongside chrysanthemum salad and phở broth, we’d be content. But then there are the fluffy pandan and pink pineapple waffles, and delightfully saucy dry egg noodles. While the space is tight, cool air fills the literal boat-shaped restaurant and it never feels stuffy, making it a great daytime pitstop whenever you’re near Little Saigon." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, gabe guarente
"There’s a lot to admire about a restaurant that basically does one dish (with slight variations) and does it right. That would be the Boat, which has earned acclaim for its garlicky fried chicken that’s fragrant with fish sauce. It’s available three ways: “OG” style with garlic rice, with a side of egg noodle soup, or with dry noodles spiked with Maggi pineapple pâté sauce. Pandan waffles are made fresh for those who opt for dessert. The Boat shares a Little Saigon parking lot with sibling restaurant Pho Bac Sup Shop, where the pho tron (“dry pho”) is a true gem." - Jay Friedman
"For decades, this Little Saigon landmark has remained a symbol of the Pham family’s growing pho-centric restaurant empire, which includes locations in downtown and Rainier Valley. In 2022, Yenvy and Quynh-Vy Pham revamped the menu here to focus on exactly three items: Com ga mam toi, a sticky, garlicky chicken and rice dish; mi ga chien, that same garlic chicken served alongside a light egg noodle soup; and banh kep, chewy Vietnamese-style waffles, paired with a side of pillowy, salty whipped coconut cream. Later they added a third iteration of the chicken, which comes with dry noodles tossed in a savory alchemy of pineapple, Maggi seasoning, and a dash of chicken liver pate. The waffles come in two varieties, pink pineapple and pandan (a delicate, almost citrusy flavor), and you’d be wise to do a half-and-half order. And the drinks! The Vietnamese-style coffees are showstoppers, and the cocktails are balanced wonders." - Sophie Grossman
"The Pham sisters behind the Pho Bac family of restaurants don’t overcomplicate things, so when they opened this place across the parking lot from the original Pho Bac Sup Shop, they kept the menu minimalist. It features fried chicken with broth, rice, or dry egg noodles and pandan and banana waffles. Trust us, you don’t need anything else, not when the chicken is this aromatic from garlic and fish sauce or when the waffles come with a fluffy, coconut-and-egg-whites dipping sauce. Combine it with cocktails, and there’s no better brunch in Seattle. If you drive: It’s tough getting parking here — only the very fortunate can find a spot actually in the Pho Bac lot." - Harry Cheadle
"This rickety little ship in the CID serves a short menu that includes Vietnamese fried chicken rice and waffles—a dynamic duo we’ve replayed in our minds over and over again like the Napoleon Dynamite dance sequence. The fried cornish hens are super moist, blasted with sizzled garlic, and topped with a crackly glazed exterior. That’d be enough for the brunch of the century, but then they go and add crisp-and-fluffy pandan waffles with salted whipped coconut and a peanut sesame crumble. Pair it all with stiff-and-sweet iced coffees, and we can’t think of a better early weekend meal." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, gabe guarente
