Kiku Sushi next to the Bellevue Uwajimaya has been quietly serving delicious bowls of Nagasaki chanpon ramen for the last two years. It may be Bellevue’s biggest culinary secret. The $11.50 bowl of noodles only sounds pricey if you don’t know what’s in it: jumbo prawns, squid, kamaboko (a mixture of pureed white fish), cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, mushrooms, corn, green beans, plus a variety of other vegetables and seafood selected by the chef. It’s quite a meal. Chef Hara, a Nagasaki native, blends pork and chicken stock in a fine balance to make a delicious soup. He uses thick noodles in the classic chanpon style. “When it comes to chanpon, we’re the best,” Hara says. “There’ve been a lot of new ramen shops opening in the area, but as far as I know, we’re the only one serving Nagasaki chanpon. Those familiar with the Nagasaki version come to enjoy my chanpon ramen, but we also see Americans who have never tried it before enjoying this seafood- and vegetable-rich dish.”

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