Distinctly Montana Magazine

The Mustard Seed is open seven days a week for lunch (prices average $10) and dinner ($12-$18). At the Noodle Express, prices range from less than $5 to $8. To Go Ordering is available at all locations. Check the Web site (mustardseedweb.com) for locations and sample menus. No trans fats; gluten free, and whole grain rice are available. with the excuse of deadlines and winter storms—I com- pletely bail. I order the Roast Pork and Osaka...TO GO. I also order the Asian Tacos, and it's a brilliant move. To have missed this dish (the peanut sauce, the curry, the vegetables) would have been sinful. It's the first thing I consume upon arrival home. The tortillas are still warm. Two nights later, reheated, it's fabulous all over again. As for Tim's response to my Osaka confession…."Next time," he says, "add something. Or take something away. Add Dragon One…or Dragon Two." That's the Mustard Seed's spice scale: One to Four Drag- ons. I can now vouch for Dragon One. Dragon Two and I have a date. "Or try adding broccoli," he says. "Our 'regulars' do that. We can do anything our customers want. Take out the veg- etables, or add them in. We have some customers who ask us to mix the Dynamite Shrimp with the Kid's Macaroni and Cheese. The rapport my staff has with the customers, they feel free to order whatever they want." And that's all it takes. Suddenly, I'm no longer an oddity, but part of a posse: the Mustard Seed faithful, many of whom don't venture far from their favorites. A partner in his company, which began in 1978 with the dream of two sisters (and their family and friends) to blend childhood Asian cooking styles with the culture of the Pacific Northwest, Tim makes his own confession. "I'm an Osaka guy, too," he says. "I eat here five days a week. I have done so for the last 20 years. I never get tired of our food. It's good." What more can you say? At the iconic Mustard Seed Asian Café in Missoula the chefs compete for a spot on the menu. www.distinctlymontana.com 51

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