Glaze Teriyaki is slowly expanding its presence across the country, with the one in Madison opening last summer. It serves Seattle-style teriyaki, meaning grilled meat that’s sliced and topped with sauce, served over rice.

I thought this concept would be pretty simple to execute, but instead I experienced some disappointment. Your choices of teriyaki plates are steak ($9.75), salmon ($9.75), pork ($9), tofu ($8.50), sauteed vegetables ($7.50), chicken thigh ($8) and chicken breast ($9). Both my steak and chicken thigh, on separate visits, were overcooked–I can only imagine how dry the salmon and pork get here. Yes, I do know that Glaze Teriyaki is purposely trying to char the meat, but it’s doing so at the cost of tenderness and juiciness.

Fortunately, the teriyaki glaze, which is not overpowering or salty and is slightly sweet, helps. I also tried the spicy sauce, which had actual heat, but it’s overpriced at $1 extra.

Some tips: get the white rice, as the brown rice is as dry as brown rice can get. In addition, go for the sesame dressing for the side salad.

Speaking of sesame, you’ll find that same excellent sesame flavor with the cold soba noodle salad ($4). The julienne zucchini, carrots and peppers add a contrasting crunch.

The gyoza dumplings ($4) also are crunchy, as they’re deep-fried instead of steamed or pan-fried. The tiny amount of filling (I got pork) was tender and fairly mild in flavor. The shrimp shumai ($4) are deep-fried, too, but at least they burst with shrimp flavor when you bite in.

Glaze Teriyaki is open every day for lunch and dinner.

I’ve had some great meals at 106 King St., including at Kushi Bar Muramoto and The Haze. The recently opened Morris Ramen is carrying the mantle now, and it’s worthy of the location.

The short menu leads off with four choices of ramen–including spicy and veggie–plus a daily chef’s special, which was never offered in any of my visits. The namesake Morris ($14) has a very meaty flavored broth, and I loved that you can see the grease in it. I see why additional toppings are priced out, as you only get one slice of pork, which was tender and had the right amount of fat. Meanwhile, the fermented bamboo shoots provided a nice sour crunch, and the egg carried the flavor of its own marinade.

That same pork was in the pork bun ($4.50); beef, chicken and squash are the other options. The pickle was mildly sour and slightly crunchy, which was a good contrast to the soft and moist mantou. Inside was a drizzle of hoisin sauce that complemented, not overwhelmed, the flavor of the pork.

“Not Ramen” is actually a section of the menu. The chicken wings (six for $8) were thick and moist. The Kimchi Ranch sauce was surprisingly muted in flavor, and it doesn’t stick to the meat, so you will likely do a lot of smearing.

Another item on this list is the chashu donburi ($8), a rice bowl that comes with either chicken, pork belly or beef short rib. That beef was a perfect medium rare. I just wish there was more juice from the beef or a sauce with this bowl because of the high rice-to-meat ratio.

My only disappointment at Morris Ramen was its use of those disposable, flimsy chopsticks common to Chinese takeout restaurants.

Among the cocktails, I tried the Starburst Sunrise ($8). The lychee stands out, and the drink has just enough orange vodka flavor to keep you honest. You’ll also find a small sake selection on the menu.

Morris Ramen is open for dinner Monday-Saturday and lunch on weekdays.

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See more photos in our Morris Ramen Flickr album.