"When it comes to portable pockets of delicious stuff, Umami Kushi in Seward Park has it all. Their okasu pan are glorious fried pastry puffs filled with everything from BBQ pork to smoked salmon with bacon and potato. They make an excellent snack or lunch, especially when followed by homemade beignets loaded with powdered sugar." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"This purveyor of okazu pan (savory, filled Japanese buns) sells its goods at local cafes, but diners can pick up some snacks directly from the source at the Rainier Beach production kitchen and order in advance. Beef curry pans are a fan favorite, but the smoked salmon in a rich potato cream sauce shouldn’t be missed, nor should the beignets." - Joey Carreon
"This Rainier Beach shop serves some of the best ready-to-eat takeout in the city, by way of panko-coated, deep-fried okazu pan, all under $10. The dough succeeds on its own, with a crackle on the outside and donut-like airiness on the inside. But then it gets packed with fillings like beef curry, or smoked salmon in a potato cream sauce topped with furikake, which makes choosing a favorite as emotionally challenging as picking the cutest dog in a box full of newborn puppies." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, gabe guarente
"After dusting off the crumbs from the wings at Seward Park Market, it can’t hurt to grab another budget-friendly meal next door. Umami Kushi makes light and fluffy okazu pan stuffed with fillings like citrusy lentils and kimchi pork—all $8 or less. The beef curry pan is our favorite, but seasonal flavors like coconut curry chicken and a five-spiced short rib keep us coming back, too." - kayla sager riley, aimee rizzo
"The stuffed panko-crusted dough buns at this Rainier Beach shop are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with fillings that range from jerk-spiced chicken and plantain to smoked salmon in a potato cream sauce topped with furikake. The classic beef curry and the BBQ pork are the pans not to miss here, but we're also a bit smitten with the Japanese hot dog. And on Saturdays and Sundays only, Umami Kushi serves excellent beignets covered in everything from cocoa powder to strawberry dust." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley