For this week’s shorter & easier to digest post, I thought about writing a review of my new favorite restaurant in Seattle. I can’t remember the last time I wrote a review for a restaurant, just because I think these reviews are such objectively personal. Everyone has different tastes, even different tolerance to types of food. So what I like will very much likely be something another person cannot simply eat.

However, with this restaurant Ramie, I must tell people about it – that’s how much I loved and enjoyed my two visits. So buckle up, buttercups. And no, this post is not sponsored (I wish I had a single sponsor, LOL – I don’t).

Ramie – The Food

According to their website, “Ramie embodies the Rich flavors of Vietnamese cuisine, weaving together Aromatics, Marinades, and quality ingredients that truly Inspire the dining Experience.” Now, for me, when I first read their menus (before they were even open), I was very intrigued. Some of the dishes are very street food focus, but not the kind of Viet street food that you see in a lot of Vietnamese restaurants in America. These are … deep in the street food hood, if that makes any sense. I was born and raised in Saigon until 17 years old, and these dishes reminded me of my elementary/ middle/ and high school days. They reminded me of a hot & humid afternoon after the morning’s school, or before the afternoon’s “extra” school, we (my friends and I) would be surrounding the small cart outside of school with 5-6 other kids, waiting for the snacks. These snacks were not exactly healthy for us, but they were damn tasty and cheap. Roasted corn with dried shrimp (Bap Xao) ; charred crispy rice (Com Chay) ; hollow bread (Banh Tieu), oh my childhood days. As we ate those dishes at Ramie, I remember telling my husband that I couldn’t believe the familiar tastes. Ramie definitely put an elevated twist on their food (an onsen egg on the roasted corn, or the egg yolk jam on the charred rice), but dang, they tasted just like how I remember them.

And then, the other part of their menu are “drinking food” (Do An Nhau). These are more common in quite number of Vietnamese restaurants here, so not a surprise there. The Wagyu Carpaccio (Mosaic Bo Tai Chanh), Frog legs (Ech Rang), Trotter (Gio Gia Cay) and even arguably the Chicken (Ga Nuong Muoi Ot) are on the menu. Trotter is typically fattier dish – which I am trying to stay away from (per my doc’s order), but the Carpaccio was divine; as well as the Chicken.

Now, there is one dish that I gasped when I saw it on the menu for the first: Risotto (Canh Khoai Mo). I mean, if you grew up in a Vietnamese household, you would know exactly what this is. It was a consistent soup dish in our house. The texture was more soup-y as how my mom would make it than risotto, but I screamed. I had to text my brother immediately because it was one of his very favorites home-cooked dishes. I was very surprised, because I haven’t seen this dish on a menu before, but it could just be me not eating out enough ha. Although we haven’t tried the Risotto or the Frog legs yet, they are on my list for the next time.

Lastly, their desserts. I kid you not, I was very much anticipating what the heck I would be served with re: desserts when I read the menu. “Che Dau Den” and “Che Thai” – are you kidding me? These are THE most street food desserts if we’re talking about the Vietnamese street food hood. It digs so deep into my roots, I’m telling you. But, Ramie messed with my mind so much when they presented both to us. I literally laughed, and said to Toby “No way.” With a quick google search, you can find images of the desserts “form” on the street of Vietnam, so I don’t need to do that for you here. I honestly don’t have words to describe, they tasted like Che Dau Den and Che Thai.

The Drinks

The drinks we’d had here both times were delicious, although I do have a favorite, as does Toby. First off though, we need more pandan and calamansi (or kumquats) flavors here in America. These are one of the very Vietnamese flavors that you would see and taste everywhere in the country. I think these are being embraced more and more now in America, mostly in Asian/Vietnamese restaurants & bars of course. But, please make me more delicious drinks with them!

However, my favorite drink here (and also a very popular one at Ramie) is called Cốm (Pandan Rice – pictured below). It’s not pronounced like Cơm (rice), by the way. Although, Cốm is a young green rice (made from immature kernels of sticky rice), and is a specialty of Hanoi – the northern of Vietnam. Personally, I think that you would have to be a) really understand these distinct Vietnamese flavors and b) have a passion to bring these flavors to the Western countries .. to then create such a special, and delicious drink. Both times I had this drink at Ramie, I felt a little tear forming in the corner of my eyes, truly. Not sure if it was because I was very excited to be coming home to my motherland very soon, or it was just that special.

Some other drinks we had and loved: Sipper, Bitter, Savory Sour, and Tropical. All are great options to change it up from Pandan Rice.

Final Thoughts

There were other dishes we tried, and were amazed by that I won’t list them all out here (because I said it was a short post earlier, look where we are now!). But I am truly in love with Ramie. I know that Ramie is the missing piece of the Vietnamese cuisine in Seattle and now I am whole, again. I love everything about this place, and I hope if you’re in Seattle, you can give it a try too. It’s not the cheapest place to dine in, especially when some of the dishes are inspired by the very cheap snacks on the street of Vietnam, but I can tell you that it it’s worth it. The owners have another highly regarded spot in Bainbridge island in Washington state, so maybe one day I’ll take that ferry over.

Ramie, I am taking a bow to you. Thank you for bringing your love of Vietnamese cuisine to Seattle.