Admittedly, we were skeptical. We thought about turning back. In fact, we felt almost forced to turn back by the smoke in the casino.

“Isn’t that where the outlet mall is?” we wondered, when Tulalip Bay invited us in for dinner. Not exactly our crowd. Nor was the gathering of somewhat zany, frequently zombie-like people playing the slots and such, puffing away at their cigarettes. This was starting to feel like a big gamble. We held our collective breaths and made a run through the casino, looking for the doors to the restaurant. Once inside and past the effects of the tear-inducing smoke, we opened our eyes to find ourselves in a steakhouse-like inner sanctum of sorts, with wood paneling, a fireplace, and nearby wine room featuring a huge, Chihuly glass-blown chandelier. And smells from the grill (there’s an open kitchen) that had us hopeful again.

A fried wonton filled with edamame puree, topped with lomi lomi tomatoes, and served with aioli sauce amused the bouche. And stimulated the mind. What followed was a cornucopia of dishes, bold and beautiful—and surprisingly delightful. Even the butter accompanying the sesame fire bread was interesting, spiked with pickled ginger, lime juice, sake and chives.

While Tulalip Bay smacks of a steakhouse in terms of fine dining (service includes a tableside intermezzo of pineapple flambéed with Grand Marnier, fresh mint, and ground pepper—a nice palate-cleanser—as well as offerings from an after-dinner liquor cart), the experience is far more satisfying. That’s because Chef Dean Shinagawa brings Hawaiian and Asian influence to Pacific Northwest cooking, resulting in flavors and colors that are intriguing. And while most entrées range from $25-$50, you can combine a variety of appetizers, soups and salads into a meal. Also worth considering is the “Chef’s Tour of the World” menu, which offers a 5-course dinner for $50 (add $35 for wine pairings). Chef Shinagawa clearly likes to experiment with different cuisines; this month’s Korean menu sounds promising, and upcoming months include German for Oktoberfest and American Harvest for Thanksgiving.

If a picture’s worth a thousand words, the gallery’s got 17,000. Check the photos for more commentary. A solid performance; we’re still savoring the salmon entrée, and are still surprised that every dish was worth space in the stomach! Bottom-line: If you can make a mad dash through the smoky casino, Tulalip Bay is worth the gamble.

Dungeness Crab and Avocado with fresh mango, cucumbers, tomatoes, taro chips, and wasabi horseradish vinaigrette: like the "avocado maguro" of Japan that we love, but embellished

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