Fodor's Expert Review Pestle Rock

Convincing Seattleites to forgo their pad Thai in favor of the spicy, herb-filled Isan cuisine of northern Thailand was a tough battle, but with a sleek, modern restaurant, skillful cooking, and plenty of peppers, Pestle Rock succeeded handily. Today, the tables are filled with locals knowingly ordering the house-made sausage, the coconut-milk curry noodles called kao soi, and pungent papaya salads, all filled with local ingredients such as wild salmon, Dungeness crab, and thoughtfully sourced meats.

For a simpler meal or if lines are long, head next door to the restaurant's sibling noodle bar, Sen.