Sometimes you miss what is directly under your nose. As a resident of Mountlake Terrace I was obviously aware of an apartment building that was constructed recently (a couple years ago). I was also aware of an interesting restaurant that opened up on the street level of that building. Despite driving by the restaurant several times a week, and living within (a long) walking distance, I hadn’t stopped by to give it a try until last week. This is a review of the curry waffle fries, but it’s also an intro to Baguus for those who might not have tried it out yet.

I’m a fan of waffle fries, but they’re hard to get right. Their shape should allow for an excellent fried texture. There’s lots of surface area, holes for hot oil to pass through, and generally thin enough to cook through and achieve a crust. They’re also one of the few fries shapes that provide a wide and satisfying bite. In my experience, they’re often undercooked and under-seasoned. Baguus makes their own waffle fries but does not fall into that trap.

The waffle fries are crispy and generously seasoned. The curry/salt mix has a dusty earthy quality that I really enjoyed, and it was offset well by the sweet ketchup. I believe that they were fresh, and this seems like the kind of place that takes pride in making them to order. They’re highly shareable, and something I’d recommend ordering for the table while you’re deciding on other plates.

Speaking of other plates, the concept of Baguus revolves largely around small plates. Most of the menu has a fusion influence (fish tacos with an Asian slaw), and everything that I tried was bright and delicious. We had fish tacos, a spicy pork bun, a sweet and spicy noodle dish, and a Japanese cold chicken dish over cucumber. A lot of these items were off the fresh sheet and I don’t remember the exact names. I think that’s part of the charm as well…being able to drop into a neighborhood spot and having confidence that the weekly specials will be awesome is really appealing.

I also tried two drinks while I was there. One was a sparkling Yuzu soda, and the other was Fuji apple (Ringo). The yuzu was my favorite because it had such a clean and refreshing quality to it. Very fizzy, not particularly sweet, and a bit floral. I expected the apple soda to taste a bit like Martinelli’s, but it didn’t at all. Again, it was light and dry with a tart finish. They were both excellent and paired well with the dishes that we had.

Baguus Little Asia has my stamp of approval. I’ll definitely be back. Beyond the food, the dining area is also really nicely decorated. I loved the moss wall on the east side of the room, the pay by the ounce beer fountain looked fun, and the staff were super attentive. What a great find.