Ginger & Scallion

Ginger & Scallion is a small local restaurant in Phinney Ridge that only serves one main dish. Formerly, this used to be chicken rice, but has since transitioned to khao soi. Each dish on the menu is almost exactly the same. They feature the same signature khao soi curry broth, with the same egg noodles, and the same garnishes. The only choice there is to make is to select a protein. The proteins vary drastically in price, with both cheap, unique, and premium cuts being offered. On the low end, Ginger & Scallion offers tofu and braised beef for 16 dollars, while the most expensive option is an A5 wagyu cut from Kagoshima for 40 dollars. In addition to this, they also offer goat, oxtail, lamb chops, and more standard duck breast and steak cuts. I believe the most popular protein is the duck breast. But since everyone in my party opted for the duck breast, I went for the beef tenderloin. I wanted something more neutral and standard, as well as something I was super familiar with to fairly judge the dish on my first visit. To begin, it wasn't clear that there wasn't really table service. We were instructed to find any open table, and when we sat down, I was sort of expecting someone to greet us or see if we had any questions about anything. Instead, there is a qr code that directs to their online ordering system. Again, it wasn't super clear that we were supposed to put in an order through the website, or if it was just a menu for reference under the assumption that someone would come by to take our order shortly. After the fact, I noticed that there was a chalkboard at the front that said this, but being directed immediately, I didn't get the chance to read it. I wish someone had also told us as we were sitting down. The space itself is quite small. I didn't feel cramped, but tables are positioned very close to one another without a ton of room even to pull chairs without hitting someone behind. There are also some booths, but again, the tables are so close to each other that there isn't really privacy. I didn't really mind this, but I could definitely see this being an issue for others. Food came out relatively quickly. Considering they only serve one dish and only need to prepare the proteins, this makes sense. It is what keeps people moving in and out of the restaurant without building up super long waits. The khao soi had a very fragrant aroma. I could immediately tell that the broth would be super flavorful. Visually, everything looked on point. The beef appeared to be perfectly cooked, the garnishes looked fresh and provided a beautiful contrast in colors while being uniformly portioned to match each other. Out of everything in the bowl, I was most curious about the broth. I tried it on its own without anything else. As expected, it was very solid. It was punchy and rich in flavor, with a nice balance of sweetness and acidity, with just a hint of spice. I actually wish it had been a little bit spicier, but it was still yummy nonetheless. I then tried the beef. It wasn't as tender as I thought it would be. Biting a piece off wasn't necessarily a challenge, but it took enough effort that I wish it were cut once more to be bite-sized. The beef was not a perfect complement to the khao soi, nor did it stand out on its own, but it didn't hurt the dish. I also had a bite of my friend's duck. The meat itself was extremely tender and flavorful. The only gripe I had was that the skin wasn't crispy at all. If not for that, it would have been an amazing duck. Mixing everything together, I thought the dish was delicious. The noodles were perfectly cooked. They were bouncy and slightly chewy while also picking up a lot of the broth. All of the fresh components provided a nice textural contrast to all of the softer ingredients. The fried noodles on top were great, I just wished there were more. Overall, I loved the broth and all of the components within the khao soi, but next time I'll go for a different protein. The atmosphere and lack of interaction in service don't make Ginger & Scallion a great space to linger. However, it feels really intentional. As a restaurant aiming to serve delicious food to people simply looking for a hearty and delicious meal, Ginger & Scallion does just that. They let the food speak for itself, and the time they've taken to hone their khao soi recipe really shows.