New Japanese Restaurant: 4649 Yoroshiku

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Opened by Keisuke Kobayashi last November in the space that once housed Joule (before Joule moved to the Fremont Collective), 4649 is sparsely decorated, modern and well lit, with a menu focusing on the traditional foods of Hokkaido, the large northern Japanese island from which the chef hails. You’ll find expertly grilled yakitori (especially the tsukune, a tender chicken meatball that’s skewered and grilled; $2.50) and ramen (the cha shu pork shio ramen is quite good; $11.50). But delve deeper to taste regional specialties such as zin gis kan ($16), grilled lamb over sautéed veggies; it’s a dish named for the favorite food (mutton) of Genghis Khan. Kobayashi makes a good version of okonomiyaki ($13), a savory cabbage, ginger and pork pancake, but even better is the agedashi tofu, lightly fried and set in a pool of dashi, then drizzled with a creamy tuna sauce ($6). It’s so good, you may want to order two. Also quite good: the ruibe salad ($6.45) of thinly sliced raw beef with ponzu sauce over shredded veggies. Service can be a little green, but generally well informed on the menu. Next time, I’ll bring a bigger group to taste even more of the menu. Lunch and dinner Tue.–Sun. Wallingford, 1913 N 45th St.; 206.547.4649; 4649seattle.com