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Huiyona - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants Asian Fusion Restaurants Canadian (New) Asian Fusion, Canadian (New) [Edit]
2355-1/2 10th Ave ESeattle, WA 98102
Neighbourhood: Capitol Hill
(206) 659-0120
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Stephen B. said: "Just stumbled on this new spot underneath Bacco on Tuesday and returned last night. The proprietor, Chef Park, is very friendly and enthusiastic about his craft. So far I've only had one dish, grilled ribs over greens, daikon, and…" read more »
52 reviews for Huiyona
Review Highlights
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"The Korean-style steak and eggs was delicious too." In 7 reviews -
"Amazing fusion food, small plates and large." In 14 reviews -
"...and went with a strawberry thai basil mojito, which was an..." In 3 reviews
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52 reviews in English
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Review from elena k.
Seattle, WA
11/28/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Amazing fusion food, small plates and large. Although a lot of the dishes are my favorites, the one I crave at the most random times is the Kim Chi Fried Rice. I really can't get enough of this place, especially given that their menu changes quite often.
They also have pretty awesome happy hour Monday and other deals throughout the week, as well as discounts through http://restaurant.com, so I recommend checking out their website before heading there.
The place itself is quite unusual, it's like a bunch of open rooms, with about 4 tables in each, so it makes the atmosphere a little more private, perfect for dates. And the art work around the place is beautiful.
Finally, the owners are super friendly and fun to chat with. -
Review from Vicki L.
1/21/2010 ROTD 3/2/2010
Huiyona is the perfect example of a 5 star restaurant serving up a true 5 star experience.
We came here last Friday with my boyfriend's mom who was up visiting from California, and the entire meal from start to finish was awesome. Between 4 of us (his sister's fiance' was also with) we were able to sample a pretty fair portion of the menu, and nothing was short of perfection.
our waitress was funny and sweet, offering insightful and honest opinions about menu items without being overly pushy. we started with two papaya salads that were crunchy, light, and overall very refreshing (I ordered the dressing on the side though, which I'm sure helped keep the flavors mild). Between the salad and entrees we were also given a complimentary amuse buche which was tangy and light, a nice way to prep the palette for the main courses. i ordered the fish of the day with risotto, the boys each ordered korean-style steak & eggs, and the mom ordered a small plate of chicken. we also split the mushroom dumplings and an order of the pork lumpia.
the risotto was the creamiest risotto i'd had in a long time, but not a "buttermilk-creamy" that is nauseating. it's hard to put into words, but it was definitely tasty. the fish itself was a bit heavy on the seasoning, but worked nicely if paired with the other items on the plate. I tried the mushroom dumplings - which BTW are more like mushroom wontons - and fell in love. The next time I go back, I might just order a bunch of these things as my main course! Although I didn't eat the lumpia (not a meat eater) everyone else at the table was a fan of them, as well as their respective entrees.
Dessert was a gigantic slice of tres leches and two scoops of caramel ice cream - holy crap - talk about a bullet train to diabetes. I could only take two bites of the cake since it was so overly saturated with caramel and cream, but the ice cream was nice and light without being quite so overpowering.
overall i'd say a couple of things were a bit over-seasoned or too rich for my taste (the fish and the cake) but the amazing service and outstanding ambiance more than compensate. We will definitely come back for a special occasion! -
Review from Dawn R.
Seattle, WA
3/3/2010
I checked out Huiyona last night and really liked it. They did great things with kumquats, mixing surprising flavors to balance out their bitter edge. The spinach salad was yummy and fresh. The duck was a little dry, but the brussels sprouts it was on more than made up for it. The tuna was very tasty and fresh, on top as some very thin sliced fresh pickles I loved. I very much liked the pork belly. But best of all was the chocolate desert...a little pot of chocolate with the most delightful candied orange peel slivers. It was so good...it reminded me of how good chocolate pudding tasted to me as a kid, but has feel short as an adult. This was the chocolate dessert I've been yearning for. If I could only have one dessert for the rest of my life...this might be it.
The atmosphere was was very cozy...I almost wished I had been on a date instead of meeting a friend. As I waited, I did mention it was a little too dim for reading while I waited, and the owner graciously turned up the lights for me until my friend arrived. Very thoughtful and kind. The cocktails looked fantastic...I'll definitely be back to try one when my cough is gone! -
Review from Justin B.
Seattle, WA
2/4/2010
Huiyona is a great startup restaurant that has the potential to become one of the best in Seattle. It is ran by a young married couple that has a clear passion for great flavors and world class service.
It is located in a bit of an odd location in the bottom of a building just off of 10th Ave E, but once inside you discover an intimate location with great local art on the walls.
They do small plates the right way, and start each meal with a complimentary amuse bouche, making it easy to try a variety of dishes and flavors without breaking the bank, and I always leave feeling very satisfied.
They have made a good start on their wine list with some unusual well priced choices and offer 1/2 off all bottles under $40 on Fridays. Try the Consentino "The Cab" great full bodied wine for $38/bottle
A couple of my favorites here:
Pork Belly. It is cooked perfectly and is a very large portion for $8
Steak and Eggs Korean Style. The flavors of this dish are amazing, and the kimchee flavored rice and sunny side up egg compliment the steak perfectly. -
Review from Lori M.
Seattle, WA
9/4/2009
Right, so I bought a gift certificate for Huiyona off of Stranger Mart despite the fact that I didn't know what 'Asian Nouveau' meant. My first thought when I heard this phrase in Seattle was 'omg, another Asian fusion restaurant,' and I wanted to run for the hills screaming.
Don't be confused. Huiyona is not THAT kind of restaurant. Don't think: an odd mishmash of cuisines with something that tries to be bibimbap next to a dish of teriyaki [insert meat/protein here]. To me, Huiyona was a delicious and creative small plate restaurant with a hint of Asian inspired flavors and concepts.
The food was delicious. Straight up. Nearly everything we tried was great, but I will highlight some of my favorites from the evening.
They started us out with a complementary amuse-bouche: some sort of wonderful spoonful-sized nest of ramen noodles in a interesting, 'asian-y' (maybe Chinese inspired?) cilantro pesto dressing.
If you like food in the raw, their beef tartare was AMAZING. I've never had tartare with 'Asian' flavors, and I honestly don't know why not. It's brilliant: soft, savory, and a little sweet. Plus, its tender texture went quite nicely with the light and crispy wonton crackers that accompanied it on the plate.
Another favorite dish was the ceviche which was done with coconut milk and quite a variety of seafood (I've never had rockfish in my ceviche)! This dish also played the texture card and paired soft seafood bites with light crunchy crackers. Just delcious and not to be missed.
The last dish I'll highlight was listed as a large plate: the Korean style steak and eggs. The rice was cooked to perfection with kimchee inclusions. The hangar steak on top was cooked medium-rare and was wonderfully tender. It all went well with the lightly fried over easy. Now I don't traditionally categorize myself as a steak lover, but this was worth trying. Its flavors were rich and the steak was both hearty and delicate at the same time.
I will say, I don't think this is a great place for vegetarians. The menu here is small, and there weren't a lot of vegetarian friendly option. But if meat is not your hang up, get your butt over to north capitol hill and try this place.
The location: It's listed as a half address because it shares its building with Tidbit (another restaurant). It's entrance and parking lot are not actually on 10th Ave, but on E Miller St.
The restaurant itself was intimate. It is divided up into small rooms, so it's perfect for dates or close conversation with good friends! The service was quite attentive (although it was somewhat late on a Wednesday evening, so they weren't exactly bustling with patrons). As another reviewer mentioned, they were really great about bringing out hot moist towels and changing plates and silverware after messier dishes like the king crab legs (wonderfully seasoned, btw!).
Prices were as expected for a tasty small plates restaurant. Between the four of us, with dinner, drinks, and desserts, we totaled about $50 a person. Truly, we were actually overstuffed after the desserts, so we probably could have done without those... guess we over-estimated the size of our 'dessert stomachs.' :) -
Review from Joy S.
WA
5/2/2010
Hmm.
i don't normally write such short reviews, but i am tired.
Nice inside! Quiet and dim. But the food didn't taste as good as the menu sounded.
Pork belly was boring and dry. I really have not liked pork belly anywhere, though. Not even at Toulouse. I'm gonna stick to buying the pork jowl bacon at Fred Meyer and cooking it myself from now on.
Beef tartare? Not as crazy as i psyched it up to be....the quail egg on top was fun. They gave us extra hot sauces to use, which i appreciated! I
The lumpia were Costco-esque, which i could have predicted but we ordered anyway (spring rolls...yeah, yeah, what do you expect). I wanted some mushroom dishes initially, but the kitchen ran out of the ingredients. So maybe this place would have been better if i could have ordered those.
The service was great, the ambiance was better than i usually surround myself with...but yeah, i think i'll stick to China Town.
Oh! I asked for a dirrrrty martini...but with less olive juice, and more onion juice...mmmm! This was pretty much the highlight. They rocked this. I had a good time. I didn't leave angry or regretful. I just am not in a rush to go back, and it is not where i will go for Asian food.
*joy -
Review from Joshua S.
Seattle, WA
1/20/2010
Walked up the hill tonight to give Huiyona a shot and it was well worth the trek.
I have to admit walking in was a bit odd. There is a long white hallway where we were greeted by the hostess at the end. We walked through a nice waiting area and a very small bar. The place feels like a convert house which is kinda nice. Overall very comfortable atmosphere.
The wait staff was AWESOME. My water never got empty, my drink was delivered quickly and he was very conscience of when to bring the next plate out so our table wasn't so crowded or we felt rushed like at so many other restaurants.
They started us off with a tiny dish there was a friend wonton chip with an asian salsa on top and something else that is escaping me.
For a drink I skipped my normal beer and went with a strawberry thai basil mojito, which was an excellent balance of flavors.
We both got a bowl of the pumpkin soup which was simply amazing. I am pretty sure there was some kind of cream in there along with the pumpking but also goat cheese and some chili. One of the best soups I have ever had.
Next we had some seared ahi which was good and the presentation excellent but I could have done with out the rub on it.
We passed on desert but our waiter brought us two small things of coconut lime sobert which were very enjoyable.
I think I'll go for the pork belly next time and skip the ahi. -
Review from Arry Y.
3/6/2010 1 Check-in Here
Yelp. You failed me. Shocked that the reviews didn't line up with my experience. I really wanted to like this place (even with it being "Asian Fusion") I even went as far as to only check out the reviews by fellow ASIANS before going. I don't agree (Food was in general, seriously under seasoned or just awkward). It was my one night out with my BFF too!
Except for the 1/2 price bottle of wine deal on Thursday/Fridays. That's awesome. $16 for our bottle last night. Warm hot towel in the beginning to start the meal off = excellent touch. It was lovely.
Amuse = eek.... you're trying too hard.
Steak tartare = have you not had steak tartare before, Seattle? This is NOT GOOD tartare. BAD. No flavor. Reminds me of eating choppy bits of raw beef. That's bad.
Corn Fritters = Nice try. You're trying too hard. ... Was ok.
Corn Dogs = Random menu item, gave it a try. Fail. Way too much batter and the little shrimp inside was ok. Couldn't really taste the shrimp.
Pork Belly = didn't know you could really mess up pork belly... or that it was possible for it to be dry. This was the biggest disappointment. Large portion (width wise), but height was puny. Weird. Tasted ok... but the dryness was no good.
Steak and eggs (Korean Style) = REALLY!?!?! This was probably the better of the 5 dishes we tried (so thanks for the recommendation Yelp reviewers). Steak = no flavor. rice/egg part.... it was meh, ok. Edible. Seasoning all weird - just because it has kimchi doesn't make it Korean.
Server seemed slightly confused and inexperienced. Nice though.
$77 total without tip. Not too bad. Will not likely come back, sorry. -
Review from Matt S.
Redmond, WA
I went to try Huiyona for the second night in a row and had a great time - the location is off the main road and easy to miss but it was definitely worth hunting around for. The interior was nicely setup and partitioned into smaller rooms which makes for a more intimate/quiet setting. The staff was incredibly nice... and the food was epic! It was an all around great time both nights!
Over the course of two nights, we had:
Korean-style Steak and Eggs - This was hands down the favorite of pretty much every single person we ate with, it was delicious kimchi fried rice with an egg on top coupled with a good steak.
Kimchi Pancakes - These were bite-sized (not pizza sized) and denser than the ones you would get at a Korean restaurant and they were delicious!
Lumpia - This was my first time trying this dish and it was very good.
Papaya Salad - People really liked this, it just wasn't my thing.
Adobo Pork Sliders - Adobo pork on Hawaiian sweet bread, yum x 2!
Pork Belly Filled Hot Buns - These were really good but I made a complete disaster of myself trying to eat them.
Crispy Duck - This was really nice, crispy duck sitting on a bed of tasty veggies. I especially liked the brussle sprouts!
I think I'm leaving a few out... but I can safely say that everything we had was great and I'm really sad to see the doors close here. I hope they reopen in a new location soon! -
Review from Helen W.
Seattle, WA
8/11/2009
Derek and I were gonna go to Tidbit for dinner but walked by Huiyona and liked the menu better here. The restaurant is cute and cozy, very romantic in a cavey sort of way. Cavey, I just made that word up.
We ordered the spicy king crab legs, sweet corn dumplings and steak and eggs (Korean style). They were not kidding when they say spicy king crab legs, it was tasty, but messy. Do not get this if you are on a first date, there is no graceful way of eating this. The dumplings were delicious, but a bit greasy at the end. The hanger steak in steak and eggs was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The kimchee rice was very flavorful in the beginning, but drowned out by grease at the end.
The service here was impeccable, once they work out some of the kinks with their food, we'll definitely be back. -
Review from Mimi L.
Seattle, WA
7/8/2009
I have been eagerly anticipating the opening of this restaurant since the Cedar sign went down and the Huiyona sign went up. The restaurant is owned by a young Korean couple who are very knowledgeable about food and wine. I went here for happy hour and I have some mixed feelings about this place...mostly positive though =)
Ok, so let's start out with the goods. I love what the owners did to this place. Gone are the dark drapes and the antiquity decorations of the old Cedar Italian restaurant (I will miss your lasagna). The restaurant has a new, clean, bright feel to it now thanks to new ivory curtains, the posh leather couch up front and the simple white on gold table settings. The architectural design for this building is actually very unique. Sectional rooms separated by arched openings in the middle. This place makes you feel like you're somewhere in Italy...it's a really cute space to take your special someone on a romantic date.
The food overall is good. I really liked their shrimp lolly (shrimp pan fried and then stick on a skewers). The breading that they used on the shrimp is just so delicious. I also liked the braised pork belly but my bf didn't care much for it. The crispy chicken were ok...they were crispy but got kinda hard and flavorless when we left them alone to eat the other dishes. The lumpia was ok...too dry for my taste.
The 2 wines that we got were really good. I got the St Chapelle chenin blanc and my bf got a merlot. Both were good but the white wine was really good. Our bills came out to be $45...which we thought were a bit much for just happy hour. I think the price should be lower or there should be more food for $5/happy hour plate...we paid $5 for 3 shrimps! We're in a recession people! Hopefully, dinner have better portions.
Overall, great ambience and good food...a bit on the pricey side. Will come back to try dinner or just have some happy hour wines. -
Review from Michele C.
Seattle, WA
1/20/2010
The food was excellent! We stumbled upon Huiyona, and after reading the reviews on Yelp, decided to try it out. What a wonderful surprise.
Don't miss the pork belly, the sweet corn potstickers, the lumpia, and the housemade steamed pork buns. All were outstanding. The only dishes that were somewhat off were the mushroom dumplings, which were a bit tasteless (although it's hard to compete with pork belly!) and the Ahi tuna, which was good but somehow the spices seemed odd. Perhaps just a personal taste issue.
Regardless, the overall experience was delightful. The server, Helen, was friendly, knowledgeable and efficient, and the food was well-priced and comforting.
This is a great place for families with shared small plates of fun food and a relaxed atmosphere. Did I mention free parking in the lot behind the building?
There is a full bar with excellent happy hour specials, as well as 1/2 price bottles of wine on Friday nights. Always a bonus!
I highly recommend Huiyona. -
Review from Jen P.
Seattle, WA
1/11/2010
I've been by this place so many times, but never had a chance to go in. So when I saw they had half price bottles on Friday nights AND I had my hubby with me, we had to give it a shot.
I'm so glad we did!
It was super romantic. The space feels like a former Italian joint (which it is), but didn't clash with the cuisine at all. The small rooms and intimate tables made for a great date night.
The service was some of the best we've had in recent months. I really felt like I was in first class, probably due to the hot towels we enjoyed before the meal, the constant rotation of fresh utensils, and the smart pairings of our small dishes. The pacing was perfect and everything arrived with a smile.
The food...oh, god the food. The "small plates" are about double the typical Seattle small plates. The mussels with calamari was about 7 huge mussels, plus a good half cup of calamari. Easily a decent-sized appetizer. But I'm getting out of order here.
Amuse bouche: julienned carrots with a lime vinaigrette. Somehow they made it creamy. I don't know how, but I loved it. I was certainly amused!
The pumpkin soup was absolute heaven. It had a great combination of spices that I'd never experienced with a pumpkin base. YUM!
I would almost call the mushroom dumplings a mushroom tortellini soup, since the dumpling material was very pasta-like, and it came with a tasty broth. We sneaked slurps while nobody was looking.
The pork buns were unexpected and awesome. Instead of typical buns, they were like bun-tacos with a sweet and savory filling. Of course the pork belly was to die for. I had to not think about what I was consuming and just enjoy it. Juicy, crispy, delicious. Diet be damned.
While the mussels were large, butter-soft and tasty (and i typically hate mussels), the calamari let me down a little. They were a little on the tough side and a little bland, making me think they hadn't cooked quite long enough. But it wasn't enough to knock down the overall rating.
We finished the meal with handmade homemade ice cream. And again, with the fabulous service, the spoons were served in ice water so they'd be just as cold as our dessert!
Our tab (5 dishes plus dessert) with the wine was about $75. Totally worth it, and actually reasonable for what we received. I highly recommend this place for a date or a group of friends. -
Review from Shaun V.
Seattle, WA
1/9/2010
You are crazy to go anywhere else on Friday night!
This place is top to bottom amazing!
It's tucked away just below 10th ave. When you walk it you walk through a wonderful flowing draped hallway to the hostess. She leads you through a deep hallway that is interrupted by nooks of tables on the way back to your very private feeling table no matter how crowded it is. Take that deconstructed family seating!
Friday night is 1/2 price wine bottles under $40. And there are plenty of excellent choices under $40. It's predominantly a small plates offering of french and Asian fusion along with truly original compliments from the Chef. We ended up paying 1/2 what we would pay in some of the top restaurants in the area that I would compare the quality and experience too. It was absolutely a first class experience at a very fair price.
The thing that really stands out across the board is each person you interact with really provides a personal and professional experience. Our waitress paired each of our small plates to create an intentional contrast or comparison. She provided hot towels before the meal and brought food appropriate silver ware for every plate. Even down to the iced spoons for our ice cream! Our Sommelier took his time with us to explain the wine and converse over our preferences. The chef has an excellent set of offerings. Every dish we ordered was perfectly executed, has original interpretation and tasted wonderful.
We tried the pork buns and the pork belly small plates side by side. The Pork buns used the traditional spices and dough but were presented in a sort of taco or arepa style. then the chef used cilantro and high quality bacon to make them amazing and flavorful. The pork belly was pure decadent awesomeness and may be worthy of renouncing your religion.
The favorite of the night was the pumpkin soup. It was thanksgiving in a bowl and went marvelously with the wine. The desert was hand churned egg nog ice cream. We chose this over some of the other offerings as it seemed like a more personal offering from the chef and we were not disappointed. The nutmeg and cinnamon were very fresh tasting.
All in all an amazing experience on all points. Hurry up and try this place before you can't get a table here! -
Review from Lewie G.
3/4/2010
What can I say? Got a groupon for this place. Had a credit on my groupon account so I only paid $5 for a $30 groupon. That brought my meal to $1.10 on the receipt when I left. Of course, it felt immoral to leave Huiyona paying a buck and a dime, so we left a $10 tip. Had it been a stinky place, I may not have.
Here's the thing. Huiyona != stinky. (!= means 'not equal' for all you non-computer nerds out there).
The place was fantastic. Great little ambiance. Great food. Wasn't sure exactly what to expect, so every dish was a little bit of a surprise - in a good way, though.
Got the green papaya salad (just the right heat), seasonal soup (couldn't place the exotic spices but they were g-o-o-d), pork buns (probably my least favorite of what we got, but still tasty), and the pot stickers (crunchy, light, sweet, warm, fantastic).
Was tempted to get the Korean-style steak and eggs, but didn't want to commit to a big plate when there were so many little plates I wanted to try. I'm sure it would have been great, though.
Ambiance was very cool too. I have no idea what the building used to house (it's obviously older) to have the setup they did, but it was a great layout for a restaurant as each connected room felt semi-private.
Only complaint, and this isn't really their fault (why they still get 5 stars) was parking was pretty tight. I wouldn't expect anything different, though. It's Seattle. -
Review from Mason T.
Cambridge, MA
3/27/2010 1 Check-in Here
Between two trips, my girlfriend and I (and my friend Adelaide on the second trip) have sampled almost everything on the fairly small menu at Huiyona.
Let me tell you, it was all wonderful.
This is an adorable little place, set up in what appears to be the basement of an old house, and it has a really cozy intimate feel that really adds to the ambiance.
The food is fantastically tasty, and the small plates are all perfect for sharing between friends. I'm a sucker for pork, so the steamed pork belly buns and pork sliders were both pretty much manna from heaven for me. The Korean steak and kimchi fried rice were also delicious.
Some of the interesting things about the place are the little amuse-bouches that they serve before your meal, which are just little bite-sized pre-appetizers to wake up your taste buds. The two times that I've been, I've had a slice of tomato with goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette and a special egg drop soup served in little egg cups sitting on an aromatic bed of cloves (only for smelling). The warm towels before your meal are also a nice touch.
The service is flawless and friendly, and I really like that they leave a pitcher of water at your table so you never feel thirsty and helpless when your glass runs dry.
Definitely stay for dessert; get the tres leches cake and finish the entire thing.
They have a great happy hour too, where you can basically get a fairly large selection of their small plates for a significant discount.
Cozy atmosphere, delicious and creative small plates (pork!), wonderful service. -
Review from Amy N.
5/2/2010
So my law school friends and I decided to take a study break by trying out the late-night happy hour here. If the pork belly here was brain food and not artery-clotting, I would've ordered 10 more portions to go! It was amazing! Smoky, crispy outside, and very soft and fatty inside. The Korean-style steak and eggs was delicious too. The happy hour menu is well worth the price and they have a great, unique drink menu.
I'm usually not a fan of Asian fusion places, but Huiyona has made me give Asian fusion a second try. -
Review from Miles M.
Seattle, WA
6/17/2010
Been to Huiyona a number of times and have to say it deserves the full five stars.
Although it is a tad expensive it is completely worth it. I went here last night and the experience motivated me to get the word out about this great restaurant!
At huiyona you get a great, artfully crafted meal that is actually filling. None of that pay 50 dollars for 2 slices of veal with a reduction design drizzled on top frustration.
I ordered the 3 course meal for 25$. Mushroom Udon was great and although I generally like udon broth to be scalding hot, the noodles served in a shallow broth with enoki mushrooms was great. Korean Steak and Eggs was amazing as usual. Not to call out other reviews but if you think the kimchee fried rice is oily and "too" fried you have not had enough korean food. The chocolate marquis was the perfect size and completed the portions nicely.
Mark and his wife (blanking on the name i'm sorry!) are the owners and they are amazingly friendly and kind. This restaurant is delicious and highly recommended. Take a date, look good for knowing a secluded, delicious, and locally owned place, and have a great time!
Thanks to Huiyona for the great food and memories! -
Review from Amy K.
2/9/2010
Wow, I am kind of shocked by the reviews as my perception of our meal was definitely not 5 star (although the service was). I thought the food was creative, but tended towards salty or vastly under seasoned (our amuse bouche was a Korean play on french onion soup and it was SUPER salty, whereas the mushroom dumplings were under seasoned and not tasty). I will say the highlight was the ahi. JP also really liked the lampia. The breading on the shrimp corn dogs had an odd texture, but the shrimp were cooked really well. The menu definitely seemed kind of heavy on the fried food, not a + for me.
Service was definitely outstanding. Our server was knowledgeable, pleasant and our waters were always full. The warm towel at the beginning of the meal is a nice touch. I think it was a bit expensive for the quality of the food. There are definitely other small plates places I would visit before coming back here, but I would really love to see them succeed in a space that has claimed many a restaurant. I really wanted to like Huiyona and apparently lots of my neighbors do, so that's a good thing for Capital Hill. -
Review from Deannie W.
Monterey Park, CA
5/29/2010
I had a hard time deciding what rating I should give this place. Our appetizers were excellent but our main entree sucked like no tomorrow. For the appetizers, my mom and I ordered the beef tartare and pork belly. The beef tartare was delicious and I never had any thing like it before. The pork belly was tender and full of flavors and we especially loved the crispiness of the top layer. For our entree we got the steak and egg korean style (medium rare) and the duck confit. Both of our entree was HORRIBLE. Too salty and dry. Did they fall asleep while making our food? It seemed like they literally FRIED our fried rice. It was dry, hard, and full of oil. The steak part of the dish was more of just rare and the marinate was wayyy too salty too. Our duck confit was also dry and overly salty. I seriously probably only got one bite of the duck meat that was edible without being too dry.
Would I come back again? Maybe but only for their appitizers. -
Review from Jason R.
10/11/2009
Very interesting asian fusion restaurant. Came here with my girlfriend on friday night around 9pm.
Tucked away in a side street at north capital hill, this restaurant reminds me of a house turned restaurant. The tables are grouped together with good separation which makes for a very intimate setting. It was quiet though...what I mean is no other customers were there, I could hear a slight echo, but nonetheless I didn't care...it was just a little weird for a friday night.
Ok, now for the food:
Beef Tatar app: very tasty, doesn't even taste like raw meat
Pork Belly app: lemongrass broth I could drink, nuff said
Slow Chicken entree: didn't expect to see this on their menu, but it was delicious, the potato puree made this dish though
Steak and Eggs Korean style entree: the best steak and eggs evarrr...direct quote from my gf, which means it was pretty damn good
Vanilla Porter Beer ice cream: tasty
Now for the drinks, the lychee martini (on the sweet side) and thai basil mojito (tasted very soda-like) weren't the greatest, and that's probably why Huiyona didn't receive 5*
The bill was expensive, but worth the try. I'd recommend coming here for happy hour to get a taste...hh starts at 10pm. -
Review from Michelle F.
Seattle, WA
4/14/2010
I haven't been to Huiyona for dinner yet, but the happy hour deals are out of this world! Extremely tasty & inexpensive drinks, and interesting, delicious Asian-fusion nibbles on the cheap. My sweetie and I were looking for somewhere mellow to chat, nibble, and sip after a busy day. Huiyona was absolutely the perfect place to be.
I was quite impressed, and will definitely be going back. Extra bonus points for having great art and a server that rocked our world - he was attentive, friendly, and remembered both our names to boot (and I remembered his up until about 10 minutes ago, of course... drats!)!
I highly recommend Huiyona! -
Review from Emily N.
Los Angeles, CA
5/26/2010
I went to this place because of the amazing Yelp reviews, and the food was flat-out delicious. It was amazing Asian fusion that couldn't quite be put into one specific ethnic category. The pork buns were out of control (the "bun" part was more like a tortilla wrapped around the most tender, tasty pork ever). The steak tartare was also really good. Even the amused bouche that they started out the meal with was just a simple cucumber-and-vinaigrette number, but it was tasty as well!
Okay, so here is my beef with the place, and it has nothing to do with this amazing restaurant, or its super-attentive-and-friendly staff. The thing was, at 9:00 pm on a Saturday night, there was not a SINGLE SOUL in the place! Where you at, Seattleites? I guess it's more of a happy hour joint (they had run out of a few items and they mentioned having an earlier rush), but seriously?! Not a single other diner in the place?! They're open til 11pm! Are we all just too hard-hit by the economy to do anything other than happy hour? Okay, that's fair. But still. The ambiance was just a little bit awkward given the fact that there was nobody there!
So I guess what I'm saying is, this place is AMAZING, and the food is seriously out of control good, so let's venture out once the sun goes down and show this place some love during the dinner hour! -
Review from Evan M.
Seattle, WA
9/3/2009
Yes, yes, yes!
New restaurant-on-a-whim delivers outstandingness. The wifey got some gift certs off of StrangerMart to try new places. Picked Huiyona on a whim.
I'm so glad she did.
This place models that uber-trendy small plates + entrees model and executes perfectly.
Eaten and really enjoyed:
Coconut milk ceviche
Beef tartare w/ raw quail egg + wonton strips
Kimchi-esque spicy king crab legs
Crispy chicken wings w/ mango
Soy braised pork belly w/ frisee
Sweet corn dumplings w/ fried Thai basil
Koren (hanger) steak and eggs
Shrimp toast
Eaten and somewhat enjoyed:
Hoisin Glazed Pork Loin (a bit on the boring side)
Imbibed and enjoyed:
Thai basil mojito
Lychee martini
The (I think) owners were incredibly nice, very attentive service, lots of warm towels to clean our fingers and really informative about the food.
The drinks were fabulous and almost nothing (minus the pork loin) disappointed in the least. Not a plate went back with a morsel of food on it.
The interior was nice too. At first I was skeptical b/c you walk down a longer-than-it-appears hallway w/ odd curtains, but then you emerge into a very nice, cozy set of rooms with a few tables in each and the bar/loungey area up front. This made for excellent separation of the various tables and made it feel private and nice.
My only disappointment is that huiyona is not closer to our house as it is an excellent, unpretentious dinner destination. -
Review from Mike T.
Seattle, WA
1/9/2010
Came here for happy hour.
First thoughts: A bit random. The space itself is a nice converted basement type space. The white walls with the funky 80's type modern art felt weird though.
You can't beat the happy hour deals though. $3 drafts and well's with $4-5 small plates that actually aren't that small? C'mon it's good!
The bar area is more of a hallway and the space just felt a little forced and the ambiance just is a bit...weird. Still, if you're in the neighborhood and looking for some Asian happy hour bites, Huiyonoa fits the bill. -
Review from Chris O.
Seattle, WA
Updated - 11/24/2009
The Second Visit:
I had such a great experience the first time that I thought I'd take some friends for a second round of goodness. Not to disappoint, Huiyona pulled out all the stops for a fantastic meal. The four of us ordered nearly half the menu and shared everything, just the way I love to eat!
We started with an order of the mushroom dumplings that came in a soy and seaweed broth that was a bit acidic and balanced well with the subtle starch of the wonton wrappers, hand wrapped with two kinds of mushrooms.
For our next course we had a bowl of the daily soup. To sum it up: Thanksgiving in a Bowl. This amazing combo of roasted squash, cream, nutmeg and other spices garnished with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of chevre. Yum, yum, yum. I believe I asked for a spatula to get the last bits.. alas, it never arrived.
Next up: beef tartar. A dish I had yet to try ever and was not disappointed. Served with delicate crispy wontons and chopped fine with a cracked quail egg ready for pouring over top. Delightfully seasoned and amazing complexity of flavor.
Korean Style Steak & Eggs: Meat so perfectly prepared that I am sitting here writing and wiping the drool from my keyboard. It had been marinated in a sweet/acidic mixture for what could have been a couple days the char grilled to a perfect medium served on top of this kimchi style fried rice and an over-easy egg. I don't think I ever want steak and eggs any other way ever again!
We also had an order of Lumpia which was great and an item off of the regular menu: bbq's pork in a steamed pancake with cilantro and a very light sour sauce. Both very good.
To finish our meal, our server presented us with five options, we ordered all but one. A firm and tasteful olive oil cake, bourbon-vanilla bean ice cream, a chocolate concoction which was a cross between a chocolate tart and mousse, and of course the tres leches cake. All astounding; my favorite, if forced to pick, had to be the chocolate item, quite tasty.
Huiyona reminded me how much fun it is to write about an amazing experience and how I love it so much more than writing about a negative one. Thanks Mark & Rachel and the chef of course! Now everyone go and try it, you will not regret it!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/2/2009
We had an amazing dinner. We sampled 5 dishes including lumpia, mushroom dumplings in soy broth,… Read more »
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Review from NWMark N.
Honolulu, HI
11/9/2009
The north end of Capitol Hill now has a place to savor a tasty and eclectic mix of Asian flavors in a cozy restaurant called Huiyona (say hee-yo-na).
My companion and I recently visited the restaurant at 10th Ave E and Harvard while searching for a late night bite. Huiyona has a happy hour from 4-6 pm and also 10 pm to round midnight. A glass of wine is $4 and some small plates are $5. She had a decent Chardonnay and my Malbec was good too. We ordered only the small plates and that was plenty enough.
A must-have anytime are the sweet corn potstickers. The lumpia have a burst of flavor beneath their crunchy rice wrappers. The pork belly was all smoky, bacony goodness. The pulled pork sliders were pretty good as well but, having to choose between the two, I would go with the pork belly. -
Review from Mona S.
Redmond, WA
11/14/2009
Pumpkin soup. So good I had to physically restrain myself from licking the bowl. And it wasn't even my soup!
Other interesting things: Spicytinis. Martini made with Hot Monkey Vodka and muddled chilis and lime.
Olive oil cake. Who knew? Delish.
I ate some of everything on their menu practically and ALL of it was incredibly well done. -
Review from Clover A.
Updated - 7/8/2010
Unfortunately, Huiyona is closing this weekend.... sad.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/31/2009
wow. we went for a special father's day brunch, all 10 of us, and they were gracious and even got… Read more »
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Review from Mydao H.
Updated - 8/26/2010
Closed? Really? That's so sad. The food, service, and art was great, you just need to find a better location. Good luck!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/10/2010
I got a deal on a certificate for Huiyona through http://Restaurant.com. Of course I had to check… Read more »
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Review from Mike L.
Kent, WA
2/8/2010
What a great surprise!
Living in Kent and having plans to meet my kids and their wives for dinner last Saturday, I asked them to pick somewhere convenient to everyone and asked that it not be one of the places we always seem to go. One of them had read the reviews about Huiyona on Yelp and we all agreed to give it a try. So, armed with my GPS, my wife and I headed north.
Although it's in a kinda hard to find location and we weren't really sure where to park, we found the kids in a parking lot behind the building, parked and walked inside. We all were warmly greeted and the five of us were immediately shown to a table. The restaurant is in an old house and it seems like the kitchen might be where the original garage was and there is a small sitting area, a small bar area, and at least two dining rooms that we could see.
The furnishings were very simple but classy. There was a mix of 2-tops, 4-tops, and 6-tops and we could see what looked like an 8 or 10-top in the back room. I'm sure all the tables could easily be move to accommodate a wide variety of different sized groups. Every table had lit candles and each place setting had a set of chopsticks with one end resting on a polished stone . . . like the rest of the room, simple and minimal but classy and warm at the same time. The room and total environment was very welcoming.
Our server was very friendly and attentive and our various drinks (water, Cokes, beer) were always re-filled before they even got to the halfway point. I was somewhat surprised at the limited beer choices and couldn't believe I couldn't get a Bud or a Bud Light, but made do anyway. Our server was knowledgable about the entire menu and since we wanted to try as much as possible, we decided to order from the small plate side of the menu.
We tried the shrimp corn dogs, the mushroom dumplings, the wings, the steamed port buns, and the lumpia (yes, we had to ask what that was) initially. Although I didn't care for the mushroom dumplings, between the five of us, everything got eaten quickly and was very well received. I especially liked the lumpia and the wings. We then ordered a second round that included more lumpia and wings along with the ahi tuna and the potstickers.
As with the first round of food, everything was eaten gladly and I completely enjoyed the pot stickers and the lumpia and wings (again) and did not really care for the ahi although everyone else loved the ahi. At various times throughout the meal, the owners (Mark & Rachel) stopped by to ask how everything was and we were surprised when the chef came out towards the end of our meal and asked how everything was. They all seemed to appreciate our being there and seemed genuinely concerned about what we thought.
We couldn't decide on what to order for desert so we ordered one of everything. The lime coconut sorbet was by far my favorite . . . it was loaded with lime and pieces of shredded coconut and was great. We also had a small chocolate cake kind of thing, the tres leches cake and the caramel ice creme. All the deserts were passed around several times and at the end, there was nothing left. One of the many neat things was that the desert spoons were delivered to the table in a glass of ice . . . just one of the several unexpected (and unique) things that happened during our journey.
All in all, we had a great time and while it wasn't inexpensive, we got to enjoy many different items in a truly relaxing and welcoming environment.
While driving an hour up to Seattle for a meal is not something we'll do often, special occasions and a detour off I-5 when we're in the area will certainly being us back to Huiyona as I certainly want to try one of the big plate entrees and have some more of the coconut lime sorbet. -
Review from Angela S.
Seattle, WA
4/6/2010
Rarely do I find a restaurant that impresses me with every single dish--and Huiyona did this on the first visit. The small-plate dishes: Ahi Tuna (fresh with a tangy sauce), Calamari and Clams (in cream sauce), Mung Bean Pancakes (spicy dipping), and Corn-filled Potstickers. The tastes were complex and delightful. The service was prompt, attentive and respectful. A Thai Chili Martini took spicy up a notch, but made the perfect sipping cocktail. The ambiance was upscale but comfortable--you wouldn't imagine such a lovely space exists, tucked away behind another restaurant (Tidbit).
Listed in: Romantic dinners
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Review from Jamie C.
Seattle, WA
2/26/2010
We had a Groupon to go here and will definitely return! Friendly and informative waitstaff. Excellent tasting food, lovely presentations, and creative takes that don't sacrifice taste for flare.
We had an asian tostada for the amuse bouche. As someone who can't handly spices, I have to say the flavors were top notch. Shrimp toast was surprisingly good. Steamed pork buns and corn fritters were also very tasty. A sample of a caramel ice cream made for a wonderful treat at the end.
We will definitely be returning and hope this little gem sticks around for a long time! -
Review from Pamela H.
Seattle, WA
6/10/2010
Note to management: An A-Board on 10th Ave might help your biz...alot. The spot is a little hidden, but not impossible to find as long as you have Google maps on your mobile.
Decor: I am allergic to sponge paint, but female Husky fans might enjoy the purple and gold jobbie in the ladie's room. The rest of the place is tastefully decorated, so I don't know what's going on there. Maybe they had some 3rd graders from the nearby Bertschi school do it, I'm not sure.
I was going to begin with the small plates, and finish with the superstar, but I'm just going to get to the point.
Pork Adobo Sliders. That's all you need to know. Sandwiched between sweet hawaiian rolls and topped with pickled cabbage, perfectly salty and sweet....I am seriously going to make these at home. Huiyona's sliders RULE. I was impressed with the originality of the Shrimp toast - chopped shrimp and water chestnuts toasted on sourdough. Yum!
The service was impeccable, and the playlist is great. We will be back. -
Review from Chris L.
Manhattan, NY
8/2/2009
Let me start off by saying, the service at Huiyona...impeccable. From the moment we walked in the door, service was attentive and the attention to detail was impressive. However, the food was not as amazing. It was good, but I personally judge things on the "bang for the buck" and for the price, I feel it was lacking. I implore others to give Huiyona a try and make their own opinions. I wouldn't be opposed to dining again...I just don't think I would choose it given a few options.
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Review from J K.
Seattle, WA
3/21/2010 1 Check-in Here
A hidden gem. The food is fantastic. I've had a lot of lumpia and humbow in my life, and Huiyona has some of the best I've had. You can tell they took a lot of time developing their recipes: unique, tasty, yummy, etc. Inside, the atmosphere is interesting: quaint little nooks with quaint little tables.
Listed in: 5 Stars
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Review from Stephanie S.
Seattle, WA
3/22/2010
I highly recommend you check out Huiyona. It's a nice restaurant in North Capitol Hill.It's owned by a married couple, the husband waited on us with warm and friendly professionalism. The space is odd and the small bunker-like rooms with a wall of windows on one side makes the experience nicely intimate.The food was ...excellent. The pork belly was to die for. It was grilled on the outside and near liquid inside. The duck confit was like super tasty crispy duck.The kim chee pancakes were perfectly balanced, even for my palate.The Filipino style egg roll that was not like any egg roll I've ever had. Omg, the symphony of balanced flavors! Three small plates were enough to fill us both up.The bill was unexpectedly small.
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Review from Steven F.
Renton, WA
3/24/2010
Staff was awesome, opened the doors early for myself and others to sit. Happy hour was nice, my favorite by far was the pork belly!!
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Review from Robert K.
Seattle, WA
6/18/2009
you know how you can tell when the chef's create dishes w/ that extra ingredient called LOVE? that's what each and every one of the dishes we tried here tasted like. Fresh quality local ingredients put together with a lot of care. my belly hasnt been this happy in a long time.
on top of the excellent food, the service is what you'd expect at a family owned restaurant - attentive and eager to please. they even have those hot towels brought to you prior to eating!
as for the decor, they have a really unique setup. a long hallway leads you to a sexy lounge, then three adjacent rooms lend a very romantic and classy vibe to the place. a great place to bring a date. -
Review from Richard U.
Seattle, WA
4/23/2010
If you drive by it, you will probably miss it. I stumbled onto this place after parking my car on some side street in North Cap HIll set to get some pizza. Instead, I came here which is situated in what looks like the basement of another restaurant. This only accentuates the intimate feel of the place which is run by a husband (filipino) and wife (korean) team. As you can imagine the cuisine is a bit of a fusion of things which usually makes me cringe whenever I here 'asian fusion'. But, I ended up actually really like this place.
The menu is not huge but what I had was great! Started with the grilled pork belly which had just enough and not too much char on it. The entree was the pork adobo sliders which is an invention that I kicking myself in the butt for not inventing! Kind of like a filipino version of the pulled pork sandwhich only better. The order comes with the 3 of these bad boys served on King Hawaiin bread rolls with a side of fried lotus root chips and some kind of tempura vegetables. Very, Very tasty. The service was very good and friendly. The owner came out and explained the history of the restaurant and was willing to answer any questions about the menu. The main course was $16 which is reasonable but with they have two happy hours which might make some things even more affordable. Definitley will be returning for more!
