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Categories: Vegetarian, Thai
Neighborhood: Capitol HillMon-Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
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Let me tell you a story from my childhood. When I was growing up, my father had this very sick sense of humor at dinner. When we would eat roasted duck, my dad would ask, "Do you know who you're eating? Donald." You were eating Donald freakin' Duck.
So you could imagine my excitement when I was reading the menu and In The Bowl had a dish named "Donald Duck" (stir fry of pineapples, pea pods, celery, carrots, green onions, and vegetarian/soy-based duck). Finally, I could eat meat without having one of my beloved cartoon characters killed off!!!!
The food was good and the option of brown rice most definitely pleased me! The food is well spiced and seasoned. Also since it has an open kitchen, the food comes out hot, hot, hot!
Service could use some more work, but hey... we can't all be perfect.
In The Bowl is my anchor. My SUN. It's on the way to school. It's about 5 minutes from my apartment. The Globe is gone. That vegan dim sum place is gone. Was it "Vegetarian Bistro" or "Vegan Garden"? I always get restaurants in the International District confused. But In The Bowl has always been here for me
It's a lot of food. I've been trying not to finish everything on my plate and getting a to-go box because it's almost too much. If we're with a lot of people, though, we get the Melting Culture. I have no idea what it is but it's delicious. Roti or something and this... this sauce. Or... it's. The consistency. Sauce? Is that the right word? This dipping... thing. Um. A spread! That's the word. The spread is... amazing.
And their names are great. I feel like everyone is going to mention this but that's because it's worth mentioning. They call the appetizers "Starter Episodes" and it's delightful. After 3 years, it's still adorable. Sides are called "Accompany Buddies", I think. The cute names make it easier for me to order when I'm being indecisive. ("Ginger Lovers", "Donald Duck", "Dragonballs").
Which brings me to the fake meat. It's incredible. I was really into the duck for a while. Then they took it away for a while (last year?) and brought it back and now I'm not really feeling it so much. But it's still good. The chicken is probably my favorite fake meat. The beef's a little intense for me. I've never tried the prawns, probably never will. I usually get fresh tofu.
Oh and Thai Iced Tea (or Coffee) if I'm feeling spendy. The only other drink I got was tea. Once. It was good. Can't really mess up tea, though.
I LOVE their desert thing. The... bean... corn... guy. Every time I go, I forget how good it is. In big groups, there's usually someone that's either too full or doesn't like it (because they're stupid?) and they scoot the little creme brulée bowl towards me and I finish it in a few scoops.
I'm really digging the pumpkin curry right now.
Blah blah blah. It's spicy. I get 1 Star because I'm a big baby. What else? I tried their salad once. It wasn't very good? Who gets salad? They're really good about refilling water. They deliver to both my school and my apartment. I think they're the only vegan restaurant within that distance.
I love this place.
If I saw somebody walking down the street right now with some of ITB's pumpkin curry (pumpkin, pineapple, carrots, bell peppers, fried tofu, and a splash of cream - side of brown rice), and I had a lethal weapon (i.e. from the game Clue), I would pull a Colonel Mustard in the bomb vegetarian restaurant with the lead pipe before you could say "That was the best meal of my life, and I am a freaking carnivore".
Ate there once (two weeks ago) and it was divine; can't wait to return and try one of everything. BTW, their spiciness scale is apparently hotter than other joints, but I got 4 stars and my pumpkin curry was still http://bomb.com/asia_p....
Excellent!!! And i love meat.
Cause I likes the 'asia pleasure' and the loud bell that rings when you get inside.
Its cheap, fast, and best of all the food is fabulously yummy hot.
This place is magic... they make meat lovers like me LOVE vegetarian food. The pumpkin curry was delicious, the beef stir fry dish was excellent - every single thing that I tried is sooooo delicious!... I can't wait to come back here again and try other food.
I couldn't decide if this is four or five stars. But I think it's worth five because In The Bowl does it their way and don't change the recipe for those that want something else - otherwise, this wouldn't be In The Bowl.
We started with the melting culture which was a great starter. For a main I had my fill of noodles in the Tom Yum soup. It was 'two stars' on the spicy scale, but was five stars at any other restaurant. It made me sweat - a good thing - but I'd ask for one star next time.
Good authentic food!
Get the Yellow Curry if you don't know what to order. Its amazing. Avoid the fake chicken, it reminds me of cat food. But the fake beef is amazing. I eat here about once a week, and have dragged in many skeptics who have in return dragged me in at a later date.
Its nothing fancy. It just tastes good. Really good. And the bathroom is a tourist destination in and of itself.
They've brought back the tasty Red bean dessert!!! Hooray!
Oh yea, they have a sign on their wall letting customers know that their food runs on the spicy side. They mean it. I normally order my food at 5 stars for other restaurants. Here, I order it with 3. Everyone else I know orders their food with one star and still comment on the spiciness. These people aren't playin' when they say that its hot.
I walked in the rain to grab a yummy bite at In the Bowl. I had done my research online and was set on ordering the eggplant curry over the special of Pumpkin with Peanut featured on the home page- even though I am in love with pumpkin... Lots and lots of veggies with fresh tofu- in a curry- just sounded right for the cold night.
When I arrived I found the menu and page! of specials plastered to the outside of the building- right by a couple cute IKEA stool for waiting. Pumpkin was featured in more than 4 special dishes and I made the executive decision to jump on the pumpkin curry bandwagon. My to go order was ready in about 5 minutes.
I ordered a 2 star curry based on reviews and was glad I did. I had hiccups with the In the Bowl 2 star pumpkin curry- this is what normally happens with a real 3 star or the weak 4 stars at other places. I am struggling with my rating of In the Bowl because the red + green curry had lots of fresh tofu pieces, slivered carrot rounds, green pepper, and a few other veggies but shockingly only a couple pieces of pumpkin. Pumpkin curry should be full of Pumpkin In the Bowl! At least the vegetables were crisp tender, fresh, and the curry well flavored... saved by the curry and abundance of tofu in this situation. Also, I noted brown rice was a little dry but OK when mixed with curry.
I would like to come back and try their fake meats- I am intrigued- and they do flavor food well here- but we will see...
I would still recommend trying it...
FYI's~
* The curry ingredients are not swimming in the sauce just coated in it with a little left over- I appreciate this
* The space inside the restaurant is a tight squeeze with lots of cramped 2 tops
* The online prices are about $2 more than what is charged in the restaurant
* $12 for my good curry- with not enough pumpkin- was PUSHING IT
* Offer fresh or fried tofu + chicken, pork, beef, & prawn flavored tofu as options for "meat" in dishes
OMFG! Try the Pumpkin Curry! Only there for the month of October. A mix of red and green curry, with some pumpkin mixed in (not to an annoying degree). Tasty!! The pumpkin spring rolls were less impressive, mostly an inscrutable goo with pumpkin spice.
This was my first visit and I'll be going back.
The food wins on several axis -- some common, others a bit special:
- This is a no-meat restaurant, so the choice and freshness of vegetables is essential. In The Bowl understands this. Broccoli is uniformly green, bright and crunchy. Pea pods snap. Colors pop. Seasonal vegetables are used creatively. I'm writing this during fall and curried pumpkin is offered now. It's delicious.
- You don't have to think of this as a vegetarian restaurant. Aside from a perfunctory statement about the meat substitutes, the menu doesn't clobber you over the head with it in every item -- the descriptions just say "beef" or "chicken" when they mean that an unobtrusive substitute is in place. Can you tell it's not really meat? I can if I think about it. But it tastes great so I don't care.
- The dishes are generally Thai in origin and the sauces are quite good.
- They don't mess around with the heat meter here. This isn't the usual Seattle system where no stars is Gerber and five stars is "zingy" -- if you ask them for spicy food you will get some hot chili heat.
Service is quick and thoughtful.
The dining room is forgettable. The whole point is the food and the only thing that will distract you from that is the very loud bell which rings every time the door opens. Find a quieter bell In The Bowl!
So an update ... and it's a goodin'
First let me ask a question - anyone out there know the official breakdown of the "stars" system of rating the spiciness of food? Now - I like spicy ... but not TOO spicy that I can't feel my tongue.
I went back to In the Bowl last night and brought a fellow omnivore in tow. He had never had tofu! (Isn't that pretty much unbelievable?) He was a fan of In the Bowl, so that's great. I must also mention he's one of the pickiest eaters I know. (Hence the never-having-eaten-tofu before.)
So back to the stars. We each asked for two stars. Aren't there 5 in total? My food was a tad bit too spicy for my liking. I felt like 2 stars should have a kick to it but not be overpowering. Overall the food was still delicious. This time I had the Pad Se Ew (I've had better elsewhere) and the Cashew Fried Rice. Totally yum! I'm still definitely planning to eat here again. Next time though ... one star for me, please!
5 stars! Let me explain because that's quite a good review...
I had a vegan cousin in town. UGHH!!…
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The staff is pushy and odd. and the place is always packed and hot. but the food is so damn good. SO DAMN GOOD. get the melting culture for your "starter episode."
When I'm in the mood for a certain type of comfort food - Asian, healthy, flavorful and inexpensive - I head to The Bowl. It's no nonsense and freshly made vegetarian a la Thai fare and it always manages to hit the spot. I have a soft spot in my heart for the spicy coconut fried brown rice with "beef". Filling yet doesn't make you feel like you pigged out.
And that little bowl of complimentary sweet rice you get at the end - yum! Can I just bathe in that stuff please?
Wowwwww. Can you say the perfect solution to my insatiable fall hunger!!! Yes, you too can find the cure for your fall time cravings at In The Bowl-Pumpkin Noodle Soup! Mmmmm at last I am satisfied and ready to enjoy the fall/winter. Thank you "ITB". You will be forever on my list of expenses as I balance my debit card transactions!!! You may very well have your own category!!
Fake beef is the bomb! In the Bowl is completely vegan and completely delicious. You meat lovers will not be disappointed nor miss the meat. I admit that I was a bit skeptical when my non-vegan friend raved about how the fake meat here tastes like real meat. I have tried vegan restaurants where they shape gluten into meat-like masses that don't taste or feel like "real meat" at all. But my friend was right about this place.
The menu was very extensive; I'm glad that we came with a regular In the Bowler who knew exactly what to order. The food came out super fast. We ordered pumpkin spring rolls, panang curry with fried tofu, spicy noodles with "beef," cashew/pineapple/"beef" fried rice, and 4 rotis on the side.
The pumpkin spring rolls were hearty and earthy; nice flavor and spices. The panang curry was perfect for dipping our roti into. The spicy noodles were my favorite. Lots of veggies and delicious fake beef! The fried rice we were able to order with brown rice, and I'm so glad that we did. I usually shy away from brown rice at restaurants because I'm afraid it will be dry, but mixed with the sauce, curry powder, veggies, nuts, pineapple, and fake beef, it was perfect. The consistency of the fake beef reminds me of slow-roasted beef where the meat just pulls apart. Yum.
It was very affordable. For 4 people who ordered 1 app, 4 side rotis, 3 entrees, and 3 beverages, the total came out to around $45. I highly recommend In the Bowl to all lovers of good food--vegan, vegetarian, lacto-ovos, flexitarians, and carnivores alike!
This is the BEST Asian restaurant I've ever been to. I visited Seattle for a week and in that week I was at In The Bowl five times. Neither I nor my girlfriend could get enough of it. Our favorite dish was the Easy Day with fresh tofu. Also there was a coconut milk/avocado/curry soup on the specials menu that was INCREDIBLE. Look at the specials menu.
Anyway this restaurant has it all:
* Charming laid-back atmosphere. Very bright and comfortable. Asian restaurants rarely achieve this.
* Great location
* Fairly speedy service
* CHEAP prices
* Very big menu full of charming "Engrish"
* Vegan awesomeness
Note: THE BATHROOM DEFIES DESCRIPTION. In a good way. Even if you hate Asian food and are a strict carnivore, you should go in here just to use the bathroom. Bring a camera!
P.S. I live in Manhattan, which is no slouch when it comes to veggie Asian, but I would go nuts for a place with In The Bowl's atmosphere, selection, tastiness, and prices...
Everyone has been saying it, and I have to agree. Meals under $10, a big reasonable priced appetizer platter. And delicious! "Medium" spice is just enough for a little fire in our mouth, so don't think they under-spice like most places. We had the Pineapple & Soy Protein Prawn Curry and the Pumpkin Curry (special for this month only). I was a little hesitant about fake prawns, but they were tasty and believable.
Negatives? A small joint so you might sometimes have to wait for a table. Also, i'd say not good for a date. It gets quite loud in there... Oh, and the menu said our food came with dessert, and we were just given a slice of orange at the end of the meal (?!).
Even though I was a vegetarian for many years, I'm not a fan of fake meat; although, on second thought, maybe that's why I'm not a fan. Fortunately, In the Bowl offers most of its dishes with fake meat or tofu (fresh or fried).
Fried tofu is so not good for me, but, damn, I love it. The eggplant curry (with fried tofu) is delicious. The spicy eggplant (with fried tofu) is almost as delicious, and isn't drowning in sauce.
In the Bowl doesn't dick around with the spices either. Two stars here equal three stars anywhere else in the city. I am in love.
Did I mention they deliver?
Went there with a fellow veggie friend, and overall it was quite nice.
The place is a bit tiny, so I wouldn't advise bringing a very large group. I had the Thai Peanut Sauce Noodles with tofu, which was very tasty. My friend had the Phad Thai. Based off the one bite I had, it was also pretty damn good (kinda sweet).
Definitely hitting this place again.
General Tso's chicken is a fair measure of any vegetarian Chinese restaurant. It's a long-standardized recipe involving fake "chicken" protein, broccoli, and a sauce which should be sweet and slightly spicy. Compared to Vegetarian Bistro in the ID (RIP, snif) and Bamboo Garden in Queen Anne, In The Bowl is a close third place.
Nothing was particularly terrible, but the sauce wasn't as good as it could be. They offer a choice of spice level, 1-5 stars, which is nice--usually General Tso's is too mild for me.
When I asked if they had dessert, I was told they only do dessert in winter, and to come back in about a month.
Service is very fast and attentive! Will definitely return and try Thai dishes.
In the bowl is one of my favorites. The food is great and they have the best faux beef I've ever had. They have a great selection of Thai dishes and have some great appetizers. The only downside is that they took away the dessert they used to have with red bean and coconut milk. That was delicious! What happened?!
I love this place!! This is just like those noodle places you find in California but completely vegetarian. Years ago when I did a brief stint at UC Berkeley, I got hooked onto this thai beef noodle soup dish that I was never able to find again... until I found In The Bowl. This vegetarian version is every bit as good and it's incredible to learn that one can make this dark salty broth without using any meat products. The green curry noodles with avocado was also very hearty and delicious. If I had to make a complaint, it would be that the appetizers were meh. Honestly the "crab rangoon"-equivalent sort of reminded me of dog food, but everything else has been so amazing that I am willing to pretend that the rangoons never happened. In my 4 day trip I was here twice, and needless to say I will be back for sure. I hope they consider extending their hours to late night someday.
I avoided In the Bowl for a good year based off some negative non-yelp reviews.
Fuck you, "friends," for telling me that this place sucked. What is wrong with you?? Do you not enjoy great food or do you just hate not spending very much money? This is where I can go to trick my meat eating friends and I love it.
Great food? Check.
Super fast and friendly service? Check.
Bathroom that tosses you into a tropical oasis? Check.
Minus one star for the lack of space between tables. It's kind of like when you meet up with people but no one pushes the tables together, so you're kind of at two separate tables but not. Not to say that I haven't heard some hilarious conversations, but uhhh... Just sayin'.
P.S. to the cute, brunette next-table-buddy from about a week ago-- Danny sounds like a total tool, do NOT get back together with him. Seriously.
I walked in there without knowing this is a vegetarian place. Then I realized my chicken taste kind of funny. Then found that it is veggie chicken!
Their spicy scale system runs spicier than other Thai restaurant... watch out! HOT!!!
Just get the fucking Melting Culture already and join those of us who, once a month, have a Melting Culture-shaped hole in their stomachs that they must fill.
Also, if you suspect someone is Nazi, bring them here and if they don't like the food, well... there you have it.
For some bizarre reason, I decided to eat vegetarian today. As a long-standing meat-lover, I haven't the slightest clue what came over me. Anyhoo, I figured today would be the perfect time to finally try In the Bowl.
I ordered the chili paste noodles with faux beef and it was absolutely delish. It comes with mushrooms, cabbage, bok choy, bell peppers, and scallions. I asked them to omit the carrots--yuk, who needs em?! The "beef" was good, but I got tired of it after a few bites. I should've ordered the tofu instead.
I originally ordered 3 stars on the spiciness scale, but was advised by the waitress to go down to 2. I protested, "But I'm Korean!" But she insisted, so I relented. :( Boy was she wrong. It wasn't spicy enough! At all. And I had to ask for additional chili paste to bump up the heat factor. Next time, I'm getting 3, maybe even 4 stars and I don't care what they say!
The spring rolls, however, were terrible! Bland and pasty--what a waste of money.
I forgot to check out the bathroom though. Boo hoo. Next time!
Thank god this place is in walking distance of my apartment.
The Pad See Ew is probably the tastiest I've ever had, and I love their Spicy Cashew Noodle. Everything else I've had here is delicious. The service is as decent as it needs to be, take out is quick, and they do delivery as well, which arrived at my house in 30 minutes... not bad for delivery at 8pm. The women's bathroom is decorated as a ridiculously awesome rainforest too. My only complaint is that half the time the to go orders can be lacking in the chopstick department, but I guess I could stop being retarded and remember to ask for some on my way out.
Mmmm fake meat! (feat?) The fake prawn (frawn) is most akin to its real cousin, so I'd recommend that over the fake duck (fuc--- whoops), which tastes too mushy to be anything like animal protein.
You can pick your noodle size, ranging from gummy yakisoba to delicate "tiny noodle." The tiny noodle is very tiny, very fun to eat, and absorbs the sauce the best.
The bathroom truly is amazing, complete with lush plastic greenery, under-the-sea light manipulations, and jungle sounds. My friend John put it the best: "I almost wanted to sit down to pee just so I could enjoy the experience better."
Had (I think) the yellow curry, on the recommendation of some other yelper. Surprisingly good.
I thought it couldn't get better than the Taro Root Curry Soup. I was wrong.
Massamun Lamb Curry. Toasted coconut sprinkled over huge pieces of (fake) lamb, savory-slightly sweet curry broth, chickpeas, juicy pineapple, buttery almost-crisp roti....
At some places, the 'seasonal' special stays up permanently. But in case this one disappears, go try it before it's too late.
I admit it: I'm a lucky woman. How else to explain the following: not only am I treated to dinner by… Read more »
Jimminy H Cricket!
This was exceptional, the "beef" was pretty much like real beef, only way more tender... I'm no kind of vegetarian, but I would eat that stuff before "real beef" anytime...
Goddamn! And I mean Goddamn!!
This place what 'local hole-in-the-walls' are all about! Tight fit seating, stuff clanging around in the kitchen with cooks screaming at each other in various languages... and the food! Bang! Gooooood shhhhiiiiiitttt!!!
In fact, I was just telling my companion the earlier in the day that of all the places we've been to, I hadn't found one that I craved going back to. Not that they we're good, just I didn't crave another visit. Enter: In the Bowl! Mind blowing!!
Don't tell you're friends- it's our little hole in the wall, our little secret! We certainly don't want piles of people hanging around outside like it's the Cheesecake Factory!
Oh! And medium spice cleaned out my nasal cavities just fine thank you. Finally a place that's serious about being spicy! The black rice pudding at the end extinguishes the fire in your mouth at the end though. It was a welcome surprise after my curry bowl!!
in town for one night only. the guy at the venue said he wasn't vegetarian but this place would make me stoked on life. i walked over and ordered one of their curry dishes. it was to die for. honestly, some of the best i've ever had. will gladly find my way back the next time i stop through seattle.
Great cheap noodle house!
THIS PLACE IS TOPS! its spicy and tiny and fast!
It's really close to my place and the food was OK, but I don't think I'll go back.
I ordered the Pad Thai and my wife got curry and they somehow managed to not only make her 2 star hotter than my 3 star, they made the 2 and 3 stars both 10 times hotter than the 4 and 5 star meals I've had at other Thai places.
My wife and I were so distracted by the ultra spice that neither of us finished and both felt horrible for the rest of the night.
In a city with a glut of Thai restaraunts being too spicy and mild on the flavor doesn't really help for convincing me to go back.
The door is possessed by an evil giant monkey, named Zack.
Be careful when entering into the noodle bowl. At first the door may not seem like it wants to open. Then before you know it, swoosh, it fly's open almost getting ripped out of your hand. This is because Zack is opening it for you with his mighty, magic, invisible, monkey powers.
The door opens to the inside of this wonderfully cramp little restaurant and every time I go, I am paranoid that the door is going to fly open and break someone's nose. When trying to shut the door you kind of have to put your back into it. I always imagine now an army of smaller monkeys trying to get in and I have to shut the door on them.
Once you make it into the noodle bowl you are in smell heaven. Everything smells terrific. Feels like this place should be in Chinatown the food is wonderful the atmosphere is claustrophobic but quirky. It works. Great place to take a friend from out of town.
Its all vegetarian Thai food and the sauces are great. I am not to keen on the fake meat I would rather have tofu.
The bus stop(bar) is right next door and they don't have the same door problem. I thought it may be some kind of wind tunnel thing but no I am pretty sure it's a giant invisible monkey that guards the noodle bowl deciding who can come and who can go.
The only possible downfall of this place is the high expectations set by ardent fans - not that I don't understand how one might find oneself on a corner with a gigantic cardboard sign warning the heathens that the end is nigh and that the only way to stave off the impending apocalypse is by patronizing this quaint little vegetarian eatery called 'In the bowl'. Generally, going into anything (whether a movie, restaurant, book, or relationship) with very high expectations is a pretty sure fire recipe for disappointment. So, my recommendation is to go into this place as you would any other veg thai restaurant and you're likely to emerge very satisfied.
After having two dishes form the specials (Ming's Noodles and Avocado Curry) as well as an assortment of appetizers, I must strongly advocate on behalf of anything curry-like you might consider getting from this place - especially if you like it spicy. We requested the avo curry to be 3 stars (of spicyness) and this made the dish perfect. The heat and sting from the chilies is directly and immediately soothed by the creaminess of the coconut milk in the curry . The vegies (including green beans, chunks of avocado, pineappple) and the wide noodle were perfectly cooked, the portions ginormous and the service brisk (NYC-style, almost) and professional. The other dish was good, but not as spectacular as the curry (and I would recommend against paying the extra 1 50 for chow mein noodles - stick with the wide rice noodles that come with most dishes) but still incredibly flavorful and tasty.
Finally a place where a vegan and a carnivore can collide for a hot meal and be satisfied. One of my best friends is vegan and its always a pain to find a place to eat that we both enjoy. well Ive finally found it, in the bowl is that place. The menu is ridiculously big and has a good amount of curry and coconut dishes which makes me happy. If you like hot and spicy food this is it. I got medium spice and it was pretty god damn spicy. You better have grown up in Korea if you are about to order maximum spiciness or prepare to have your brain ooze out of your ears and nose. the place is small but if you can get the one window table your locked in for some top notch people watching. If they get loose leaf tea, instead of bag, i will change my rating to 5 stars. There in a tough location and will need all of our support to survive.
Hey vegans, this place is 100 percent animal product free!
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
Category: Thai
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
Category: Thai
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
Category: Vegetarian
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
Category: Vegetarian
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
Category: Indian
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