TAN DINH DELI 1212 S. Main St., International District 206-726-9990 8 a.m.-7 p.m. daily
WHAT DOES A buck-fifty get you these days? one-third of a Subway club? Chalky foil-wrapped Pop Tarts from the vending machine?
At Tan Dinh Deli, the price of a peak-hour bus fare garners two enormous, remarkably fresh spring rolls, their chewy rice-paper wrappings stuffed with cilantro, lettuce, tofu, slippery glass noodles, pork or petal-pink shrimp, and accompanied by a tangy, sharp-sweet dipping sauce. Double that price—now you’re getting crazy!–and you’ll be rewarded with piquant saut饤 tofu with seasoned white rice and a plump, greasy egg roll, or any other number of hot-tray dishes, from beef and broccoli to pork-stuffed tofu slabs, all substantial enough to more than satisfy midday hunger pangs. The setting, a dingy mini-mall-type turn-off in the low ‘teens of the International District, couldn’t be less auspicious. But that just makes the secret sweeter—and the space itself, though tiny, is light, well-organized, and plenty inviting. Choices overflow from countertop, shelves, hot plate, and stand-up fridge (which includes frozen treats and beverages ranging from plain water to tamarind, mango, and coconut nectars). Whoever’s on duty will be happy to explain the contents to less experienced diners, and even the few items that fall short—a bland, flavorless chicken dish hardly registered—are more than made up for by desserts including sweetened sticky rice with mung beans, shredded coconut, and pastry, plus an ingeniously straw-wrapped sticky-rice-and-banana treat: a densely flavored, highly portable little package for only 75 cents. Rarely do price and quality have such a positive inverse connection as they do here. But if you’re stuck on your eight-dollar turkey-and-escarole lunchtime panini, we won’t stop you—that just means more Tan Dinh for us and our pocket change.
