We only dined at Naka once before it closed its doors in January. Maybe Seattle wasn’t ready for Naka’s fine dining kaiseki concept, offering 6, 10 and 15-course menu options. Nevertheless, we were pleased to hear that Chef Shota Nakajima reopened with a new concept in the same space as Adana. The food, the dining experience, and the service are still as high quality as before—with a more approachable and affordable menu. 

Chef Shota Nakajima served a standout meal bringing Seattle its first traditional kaiseki-style Japanese restaurant. The overall experience at Naka is one of the best in recent memory. The atmosphere is modern, with light music playing in the background, and only a half-full dining area. The chic bar was busier than the dining room on the weeknight we visited, but gets fully booked on the weekend. 

Japanese soba noodles and much more.

In this edition of Food Porn, we feature Miyabi 45th, opened this spring by chef and owner, Soma Mutsuko. Soma graduated from the Art Institute of Seattle and has worked at Harvest Vine, Saito, and Chez Shea. She returned to Japan to learn the art of making traditional buckwheat Soba noodles and has brought it back to the Northwest. A cute atmosphere and fresh hand cut noodles, this may be the