Thank heavens: Okinawa Teriyaki serves up platters of celestial food

Hungry? Cold? Weary in body or spirit?

It's hard to imagine a malady that wouldn't respond to the palliative effects of a steaming, aromatic bowl of ramen served up by the friendly Yi family at Pioneer Square's Okinawa Teriyaki. If there's better ramen in Seattle in this price range (cheap!), we want to know about it.

The menu: A short selection of Japanese dishes includes chicken, beef or pork teriyaki; chicken katsu; yakisoba; yakiudon; fried rice and gyoza. One corner of the menu is devoted to "Hot & Spicy" — start there if you like heat. Dainty eaters be warned: Portions are enormous.

What to write home about: The ramen ($6.99-$8.99) — laden with teriyaki meat, cabbage, mushrooms, broccoli and carrots — is divine; the hot chicken with stir-fried vegetables ($6.99) celestial. ... Is there a theme here? No wonder the folks behind the counter are so serene and cheerful — they must be angels.

What to skip: At these prices? Nothing.

The setting: Okinawa Teriyaki has huddled on a grubby corner under the Alaskan Way Viaduct for the past nine years, in a functional but markedly worn storefront. Now, due to viaduct construction, it's moving one block north and east, onto Western Avenue. Look for the new locale — and the same superb food — later this spring.

Summing up: We ordered chicken teriyaki ($5.95); hot and spicy chicken ($6.99); yakisoba with beef ($7.99); ramen with chicken ($6.99) and two orders of gyoza ($2.50 each). For $32.92, plus tax and tip, we fed a family of four, with leftovers to go.

Lynn Jacobson: 206-464-2714 or ljacobson@seattletimes.com