After numerous recent failed attempts at discovering the teriyaki Holy Grail, I must admit my teriyaki search has become quite a burden. There's really only so many times you can happily walk into a new restaurant and order the same damn thing you ordered at the last one, especially when other items on the menu seem more appealing. But alas, I suppose that is the burden of being a critic: you take the bad with the good as you nobly continue your purusit for teriyaki truth. So it was with a heavy heart that I entered Northgate's Sunny Teriyaki, beaten but not yet defeated by my previous teriyaki quests. Yet lo and behold, with but one bite I knew I was about to be won over as Sunny delivered one of the best teriyaki meals to-date. Indeed, Sunny's is possibly the new standard by which all teriyaki should be judged.

Sunny's teriyaki domination begins with a healthy helping of some of the best grilled chicken I have ever encountered in a #1 teriyaki. The mostly white meat chicken is nicely grilled and comes on the plate sans sauce. I tried a bite before putting the tableside sauce on and let me tell you: the chicken is so good you could easily and happily eat the entire portion without using a drop of sauce. Where most places rely on their sauce to cover up for chewey, fatty, greesy, and otherwise lousy chicken, Sunny's dares you to find any better chicken. I like that kind of confident chutzpah.

The rest of the Sunny meal is filled out in a standard manner: a healthy portion of slightly overcooked rice, a watery though adequate sauce, plenty of Siracha hot sauce at the table, and a large amount of iceberg ruffage doused with the always reliable honey mustard dressing found in numerous other teriyaki shops. In fact, the dressing is so familiar it makes me wonder if at the yearly Seattle Teriyaki Summit the nobles of the teriyaki world make deals with national vendors to supply this sauce city wide. Whatever the case, if they are not already, I would highly recommend Sunny's team hold a lofty position in that particular teriyaki organization.

For $6.29 plus tax, Sunny Teriyaki might just be the new standard by which all teriyaki should be judged. My cohorts on this adventure, Ivan, Russ, and Roger were all thoroughly satisfied with the experience. Russ, in fact, was so energized with Sunny's perfect portions and winning taste that he got our asses back to the job before the clock struck one. Impressive, indeed!

Finally, I would like to thank Ivan for recommending Sunny's and playing an instrumental part in getting us together to make the voyage. No doubt, you are definitely on the varsity teriyaki team.