Amazing that such an establishment would be completely unknown to the student body of Villanova, right next door. Where was it?
As a Californian this…offends me. 
Albertos, while beloved, is basically a style of greasy fastfood mexican.
Your post actually reminded me… the Seattle area definitely has a regional speciality and that is Teriyaki. It’s very specific (a kind of overly sweet sauce) and you really just don’t find it as prominiently in other places. I forgot about it until I moved back and noticed all the teriyaki places.
The discussion of seafood upthread reminded me, when I moved from North Carolina to California, I was disappointed every time I ordered fried shrimp at a seafood restaurant. You see, in the Carolinas fried seafood, and shrimp especially, is invariably going to be “Calabash style”, breaded with a very light batter. Calabash shrimp was a favorite food of mine growing up. The fried seafood on the West Coast is, well, different. I had to learn to stop ordering fried shrimp at seafood restaurants here, and learn what dishes California seafood restaurants were good at making, like cioppino.
I really miss Seattle teriyaki. Lest few times I was up for work pre-covid, it was getting harder and harder to find. Scary-yaki (RIP) on 2nd and Pike was my go-to for many years, especially once Mom’s in Belltown closed.
20 years ago I tried a “Cal-Mex” place in Torquay Australia.They made a decent chicken burrito. I asked the owner about fish tacos. He knew about them but didn’t plan on adding them to the menu – said he thought fish and cabbage wrapped in a tortilla might be a tough sell.
Doing a random search now it seems like they’ve caught on to some degree.
I’ll not abide you sullying the good name of Roberto’s and its many knockoffs, sir. I could live the rest of my life off of rolled tacos, cheese enchiladas, carne asada fries, and the occasional chimichanga and I would be fat and happy.
Isn’t that’s justified another example of Seattle reproducing someone else’s cuisine, though? It’s not as though teriyaki was invented on Capitol Hill in 1978.
I don’t remember the name or exact location of the place. I was only there once, years ago with my BIL (now I go to the fish market for my cheesesteaks). Not sure if it’s popular with the Villanova students or not—I’d think it should be. My sis and BIL lived just a few miles from the university. Beautiful campus.
The more important difference to me is that wild-caught Carolina shrimp are the food of the gods and, alongside wild-caught Pacific salmon, the best that the seas have to offer. If you get shrimp from a good coastal restaurant you’ll be getting those wild shrimp. Away from the coast, farmed shrimp are a lot more common, and they’re usually like shrimp-flavored jello, just sad to eat.
I thought Teriyaki was japanese, and that’s why every place in Hawaii had it on the menu, is that different from Seattle Teriyaki? Or did I just not know?
Wild-caught Carolina shrimp are indeed good. They are almost as good as Florida Mayport shrimp. 
Both are known for their distinct flavors.
Mayport shrimp are wild-caught shrimp that are collected in pristine seas in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. Mayport shrimp from Florida are chemical-free by nature since they are collected in pristine seas. They have a clean, sweet taste due to their natural environment free from harsh chemicals.
Carolina shrimp have a unique sea-like flavor, similar to iodine, and a firm texture. They are considered the most flavorful of the Southeastern Atlantic and Gulf Coast shrimp species.
So, “clean, sweet taste” vs “iodine taste.” Hmm, tough choice…
[JK – they are both tasty treats] 
I’ll have to try those Mayport shrimp. All I know is that Poseidon himself has blessed Carolina shrimp.
Seattle teriyaki is a little different and bears a strong influence from Korean chefs that popularized the form.
Probably pawalled
Not paywalled
Interesting, I would have sought some out when over in Seattle if I’d known. I tend to avoid most asian food in the US because it’s mostly samey to the UK except for the weird box thing.
My former office manager and her husband had a house on the St. Johns River, with a very long dock. She used to invite me and my partner over during the annual shrimp run season (~September – November) to catch shrimp (white, brown, and pink) with her 8’ throw nets. She threw her net in a perfect circle every time. I threw mine in very amorphous shapes, but still caught shrimp. Lots of ‘em.
She easily caught >10lbs of shrimp per night. She kept her large freezer full of shrimp. Good times.
Back in 1985 I ate at a restaurant in Dublin that had a NYPD precinct theme. We just stumbled on it randomly. I don’t remember the entire menu but I had a pretty fantastic hamburger and enjoyed the overly friendly staff after they found out we were Americans. I was a teenager so I wasn’t looking to be adventurous with my food choices.
No. It was lower Queen Anne.
And I’m willing to bet Philadelphia didn’t invent the beef sandwich either…North Carolina didn’t invent smoking meats and grilling them…etc etc.
Seattle teriyaki is different and unique. The History Of Seattle-Style Teriyaki
I have sampled “Texas barbecue” made outside of the state, and it has been universally disappointing. Of course I’ve had disappointing barbecue in Texas as well, so the issue is not strictly geographic.
I’ve found that bratwurst made outside of southeastern WI can be strange things. To me, the best brats come from Sheboygan county. I’ve sampled some made in Illinois and California that were pale, strangely seasoned sausages that did NOT punch my taste buds the way a true brat ought to. One whitish-pink specimen actually resembled a hot dog in taste and texture. Ugh!
I’ve heard there are decent brats to be found in Ohio, but I’ve not had the chance to try them.
1976 seems kind of late for introducing teriyaki. I’d been eating it since I was a kid in the 50s. The article didn’t really explain it in much detail. How is it made “fast food style?”
I used to work near an Illinois butcher shop that might have appeased you, with a wide array of award-winning sausages their primary offering. I say this not to debate the point (having never eaten brats in Sheboygan county) but because it reminded me that everyone here at home loved their sausages & hotdogs and we haven’t been able to find a replacement since I switched jobs. Now it’s an hour drive each way to get the sausages we loved and every local small-town style butcher shop we try is a disappointment compared to what we once had.