Seek out these 6 unique restaurants in Seattle

Staff at this Bellevue sushi spot channel omotenashi, or bend-over-backwards Japanese hospitality. This requires servers to be personable but unassuming—a significant contrast to the service that’s offered at many Seattle restaurants, where individual expression comes first. Harman Thabel, who oversees the dining room and beverage program, is certified in omotenashi, an accreditation he earned while working at MICHELIN-starred Narisawa in the Japanese capital. Chef Jun Takai (a former apprentice of local sushi legend Shiro Kashiba) also adheres to traditions, using lesser-known dry-aging techniques on many of the courses on his ornate omakase menu. Takai’s menu stands out for its edomae-style sushi, one of Kashiba’s trademarks, made with seafood caught near Tokyo Bay.

Executive chef Eric Donnelly, a Seattle native, champions seafood that’s known as “trash fish” at this airy, cabin-like restaurant. The term is a reference to edible but less desirable (though no less plentiful) fish found in the waters of nearby Neah Bay. Seattle’s got no shortage of excellent seafood spots but RockCreek stands out for its sourcing: Donnelly pads his menu with sustainable native and non-native catches such as rockfish, which is typically relegated to bycatch status, and wolf fish, an ugly but delicious white fish.

Executive chef Gaurav Raj takes traditional South Asian flavors and gives them a contemporary twist at this progressive Indian spot. Raj’s hybrid approach uses advanced gastronomy techniques honed during his time at celebrated San Francisco restaurants August (1) Five and Rooh, plus home-cooking skills he learned while stirring up treasured family recipes. The delicious results include culinary mashups such as paneer cactus rolls and jackfruit bao. Raj’s pantry is truly global, incorporating everything from togarashi (Japanese chile pepper) to ricotta into Indian cuisine.