KC Lam's Seafood Restaurant: International District Royalty Holds Court In Renton

There are no bamboo gardens, or red lacquered bridges that arch over man-made lily ponds. Enter a world where the owners sit and silently prep pea vines in this strip mall dining room, under the candle-lit red glow of a Buddhist statue that watches over them.

While not completely wowed by what I ordered, I am intrigued enough to go back and do better.

Sitting at a kitchen-facing booth across from my fellow diner, I watched white bags lining up...  To-go orders looking like a pond of blooming water lilies spread out on the counter, each waiting to make its way into the night.

I didn't realize how extravagant I was about-to-be in ordering the Singapore Style Crab with Spicy Curry and Tomato Sauce ($50 Market Price) at . Word of warning, ordinary diners: find out what "Market-Price" is, and if there are only two of you dining, consider boldly requesting a crustacean on the smaller side before a three-pound crab is scooped from the tank. If not, be prepared to suffer sticker shock when the check and the fortune cookies come your way.

This dish is a beautiful thing to behold, and messy as heck to eat. Before us lay a whole crab broken into the sum of its parts, wok-tossed and bathed in curry paste, placed upon an isthmus of bean thread vermicelli, diced red and green peppers. A show-stopper of a dish that is accompanied with a pile of napkins, and a bowl of lemon-tea water with which to cleanse your curried fingers.

Truth be told, I am no expert at crab-cracking; I subscribe to the dig-your-fingers-in and suck-the-sweet-morsels-of meat-from-the-shell camp. I must have looked like a real thug, because our server came over and politely offered to enlighten me on the art of proper crab cracking. "That's okay," I waved her off with curry-stained fingers. I got the job done, albeit slowly. We made it through all of a couple of legs and claws before the rest of our dishes arrived.

Intrigued by many dishes on the specials board and wanting to get some vegetables in, I went with the Sauteed String Beans with Cod in Black Bean Sauce ($12.95). I felt like a client on the Millionaire Matchmaker. All the potential suitors on the hand-written board looked tempting, but I could only choose one for my "master date.

"Our server had advised us to have the crab first, followed by the other dishes, Alas, our next batter up — blistered long beans tossed with slices of tender cod fillet, slender onion slices, and flickers of preserved black beans — looked like a plain Jane after the curried crab.

Honestly, the simplicity of this dish reflects emphasis on the quality of a restaurant's seafood. In essence, perfect to order at a place called KC's Seafood Restaurant. Chef KC Lam was a heavy-hitter in Seattle's International District, as head-chef at the well-regarded Sea Garden. In Cantonese cooking, seasoning is light to bring out the natural flavors of the fish (heavy spices can be used to elevate older inventory.) So enjoy the true essence of your prepared fish before you reach for the soy or chili sauce available on the table.

Next followed a more dramatic dish: Beef with Vermicelli in Satay Hot Pot ($12.95). Curried ribbons blew in from the Silk Road; never-before-experienced spices from Southeast Asia and India were suddenly in the hands and hearts of chefs. Like our crab dish, this reflects the geographical melting pot of southern China. One specialty of traditional Cantonese cuisine is the hot pot, made of sand and clay. Modern convenience has led to stainless steel bowls and stands.

Hot Pots always feel so festive, with their dramatic presentation and a flame keeping the dinner hot. While the bubbling beef was tender and plentiful, this was our least favorite dish. Our pot was thick with muddy gravy, made sweeter with diced pineapple and carrots, the clear threads of vermicelli sunk below the weight of sauce. I looked distractedly at a large Asian party seated around a lazy Susan near the crab tanks, wistfully wondering what they had ordered.

Because I will be back.

Mon-Thu 11a.m.-10p.m.; Fri-Sat 11a.m.-12p.m.

4820 Northeast 4th Street
Renton, WA 98059
425-277-0228