On the Menu
Marjorie beefs up its menu—but only ten of the patties are available each night.
Posted by: Christopher Werner on Dec 05, 2011 at 10:40AM
New on the menu at Marjorie: a burger. Photo courtesy the establishment.
“It’s new to the menu, but it’s not a new thought,” says Donna Moodie of the True Burger, the Painted Hills patty she just started serving at Marjorie. She’s thought about doing a burger for years (five, in fact), but the chefs she was working with were reluctant.
You see, burgers are such crowd favorites they tend to outshine other, more signature offerings—how many times have you sat at a table, glanced at the menu, and decided, “I’ll have the burger.” But in new chef Paul Hyman Moodie found her first cohort. (The man likes meat: tattooed on his forearm is “charcuterie,” big and black.)
They did their research but it didn’t take long to pin the winning recipe. “When we started taste testing, we were like, ’That’s it,’” she says of the beefwich, ground in-house and served on a bun from Columbia City Bakery. Naturally, pommes frites come on the side.
Perhaps to impede too many patrons from rebuffing Hyman’s original handiwork, only ten are available each night—and they’ve been a hit, says Moodie.
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Restaurant News
“Ba Bar wouldn’t be there otherwise,” says Eric Banh.
Posted by: Christopher Werner on Nov 18, 2011 at 12:00PM
Baguette Box on Capitol Hill.
Photo by Nick Feldman.
Months before Ba Bar would open on 12th Avenue, Eric and Sophie Banh were quietly arranging the sale of Baguette Box on Pine Street to help finance their new Vietnamese restaurant.
The handover occurred “back in February or March,” says Eric, but the news has remained largely under wraps. The current owner is Edward So, a recent transplant from Korea. Eric says he retains ownership of the Baguette Box in Fremont. (Here it’s worth noting the Banhs also own and operate Monsoon and Monsoon East.)
“I never intend to sell my businesses. I tried to stall it, stall it, stall it.” But as projected expenses for Ba Bar doubled, what was envisioned as a “small-budget noodle house” grew into something more—a detail-oriented person opening a restaurant does not a cheap venture make. Plans for IKEA-style furnishings and decor fizzled and in came a “glamorous” bar setup, for example.
So when So approached with an offer, the siblings sold.
“But that name is still part of us,” Eric notes of the banh mi operation, which, new owners aside, is exactly as it’s always been. He regularly checks in and so far is pleased with the transition. “They love Baguette Box,” Eric says of So and his wife. “I didn’t want some absentee owner. They are there ten hours a day.”
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Seattle Restaurant Openings
Plus: a peek at the progress of the forthcoming Chinese restaurant on Capitol Hill.
Posted by: Christopher Werner on Oct 27, 2011 at 12:08PM
What’s to become the bar.
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What’s to become the bar.
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Communal table. The restaurant will seat around 25 patrons, with additional spots at the bar. Also expect a takeout and delivery operation.
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Reclaimed wood festoons the walls.
Bracey Rogers tells Nosh he’s tapped Justin Strand to chef Lucky 8, the joint he’s opening next to Oola Distillery with his wife, Marcy Akiyam.
Strand, a 22-year restaurant vet and “natural in the kitchen,” is currently cooking at Purple Cafe and Wine Bar in downtown Seattle. Other local stints include La Spiga and Palace Kitchen. Before that Strand was in Aspen and Chicago, where among other things he served as personal chef to the Wrigley family.
“Strand has been diligently studying Chinese cuisine,” notes Rogers.
He expects the restaurant to open in six weeks or so. Rogers sent over a few pics of the buildout of the 1,400-square-foot space. Curious? Click through the slideshow.
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Tags:
New Seattle Restaurants,
Seattle Restaurant Openings,
Capitol Hill,
Chinese Food
Condiment Craze
Jars of the signature condiment can be yours shortly.
Posted by: Christopher Werner on Oct 20, 2011 at 07:49AM
Back in April when I toured then-unopened Marination Station, co-owner Kamala Saxton spilled that the Capitol Hill counter would one day retail jars of Nunya sauce.
To the initiated, Nunya is a kicky original garnish of gochujang, garlic, green onions, and spices applied to Marination staples like the spicy pork torta and Korean pork tacos. The folks at Good Morning America are fans; Seattleites are batshit for it.
Now the day is here. Saxton says the condiment goes on sale starting Saturday (though a rep for the restaurant said the 24th), as do “Peppers in a Pickle.” One costs eight bucks, but, adds Saxton, “it comes with a free taco or slider. So really $5.75 when it’s all said and done.” Sold.
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Seattle-Made Condiments
Restaurant Openings
Take a photo tour of the upscale Italian eatery, opening October 5 on Broadway.
Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Oct 04, 2011 at 02:04PM
Chef Nathan Lockwood stands in front of a 10-seat dining counter where guests can gawk at the open kitchen across.
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Photo:
Lucas Anderson
Chef Nathan Lockwood stands in front of a 10-seat dining counter where guests can gawk at the open kitchen across.
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Photo:
Lucas Anderson
A place setting at the counter. In addition to an a-la-carte menu, Altura offers three, four, and five course menus at $49, $59, and $69. Wine pairings are $27, $37, and $47.
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Photo:
Lucas Anderson
Lockwood rolls out gnocchi for the night’s meal. Yukon Gold potato gnocchi is one of his specialties.
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Lucas Anderson
A place setting.
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Lucas Anderson
The 617 Broadway E restaurant is housed in a century-old building, according to an Altura press release.
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Lucas Anderson
The restaurant, seen here from the mezzanine in the rear, seats 39.
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Lucas Anderson
According to the Altura press release, this angel, which hangs from the mezzanine in the back, was “rescued from a French chapel bombed during World War II.”
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Photo:
Lucas Anderson
A late 19th Century English oak cabinet near the back of the restaurant.
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Altura begins service on Wednesday, October 5.
Yup, another big restaurant opening on Capitol Hill.
This one is from Chef Nathan Lockwood, whose last gig was heading up the kitchen at spectacularly appointed Seattle supper club The Ruins. At Altura, the new Broadway restaurant he is opening with his wife Rebecca, the decor is decidedly more pared-down, and features antiques along with wood repurposed from the former Jade Pagoda space across the street. (The site of another new restaurant, modern Cantonese destination Bako.)
Lockwood sharpened his chef skills in San Francisco toiling for Chef Hubert Keller at Fleur de Lys and Suzette Gresham at Acquerello (where he was chef de cuisine). Upscale Italian made with local, seasonal ingredients is his vision for Altura—a sample menu includes agnolotti with squab and pheasant, Madeira jus, and crispy sage and pancetta-wrapped pacific scallops with “late-summer shelling beans, tromboncino, [a summer squash], and blossom.”
Guy Kugel, who was GM and sommelier at Christine Keff’s Flying Fish for almost 10 years, is taking over the wine program at Altura. The list will include local wines along with some Old World stuff. The prix fixe menus—three, four, and five courses are available—come with wine pairing options at each price point (see details in slideshow).
Altura opens Wednesday, October 5 for service. Reservation information is on its website.
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Seattle Restaurant Openings
Pike/Pine’s newest bar and restaurant opens publicly Wednesday, October 5. Get a sneak peek now.
Posted by: Christopher Werner on Sep 30, 2011 at 10:16AM
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Will Doherty will head up the bar. He’s stocking 25 types of sake and shochu and ten Japanese whiskeys. The cocktail program, promises Han, will be on par with the Hill’s many drinky destinations. Installation artist Yuri Kinoshita designed the cotton candy light fixture. (Or as one irreverent worker quipped during our visit, the floating hot dog.)
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“We like seeing everyone’s eyes bug out,” says Han of the dramatic transition from bar to back room.
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The mulit-course kaiseki menu invokes the culinary traditions of Kyoto. Plates might include deep-fried, yuba skin–wrapped scallops and shrimp; fresh tuna and marinated salmon roe atop somen; slow cooked pork shoulder; or fried tofu with yuzu miso.
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“We’re on the Hill, we want to have fun,” said Han when asked about the vibe he’s going for. “We want Momiji to be full of energy.” (Remember there’s that DJ booth, but it won’t get used until spring, according to Han.)
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Han recruited Hiroshi Matsubara of GM Studios to rehab the space once belonging to Dawson Plumbing. The garden, by Juni Miki of Zen Japanese Landscape and Design, and second dining room were added on, bringing the total square footage to 4,200.
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Much has been made of the design at Momiji, the upcoming Japanese restaurant of Steven Han (Umi, Kushibar). As you’ll see in the photos here, the buzz is not unwarranted—at the least, Han is delivering something unique to Seattle.
Momiji meaning maple tree, three variants of the wood dominate. A bar accommodating 24 anchors the front of the house; amble back a sleek hallway and find a sushi counter, DJ stand, and brawny booths and tables, all of them handcrafted by renowned woodworker Craig Yamamoto. Descend another hallway (“I like splitting up spaces,” explains Han) and you’re in a more intimate dining room, back-lit paper murals festooning its walls. Streaks of amber pepper the leafy artwork “like the changing colors of maple trees,” cooed Han during our tour. At the center of it all is Momiji’s piece de resistance: a Kyoto-style garden courtyard, where in warmer months you can dine alfresco.
Curious yet? Click through the slideshow to take a look around.
All photos by Seattlemet.com photographer Lucas Anderson.
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Food Events
Eat lots of treats as you help retain affordable housing on Capitol Hill.
Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Sep 15, 2011 at 12:48PM
The lovely Century Ballroom will host Omnivorous on Friday, September 30.
Photo: Century Ballroom via Facebook
On Friday, September 30, in the year 2011, a bunch of local restaurants will be offering up “signature hors d’oeuvres and desserts” for a Century Ballroom event dubbed Omnivorous.
Your consumption of these goes to a good cause: The event is produced by Capitol Hill Housing Foundation and will help fund affordable housing in a neighborhood that requires economic diversity if its soul is to be retained.
Tickets are $75, for that you get to sample snacks from such illustrious eateries as Anchovies and Olives, Cafe Presse, Lark, Marjorie, Monsoon, Poppy, Skillet, Spinasse, Terra Plata (which doesn’t even exist yet!), and Restaurant Zoe (which hasn’t even reincarnated itself yet!). Also: more illustrious eateries. And Stumptown Coffee.
Buy tickets on the Stranger’s ticketing site.
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Capitol Hill,
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Fundraiser
Chef Shuffle
Closing? Who’s closing? Poco announces a change in the kitchen.
Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Aug 29, 2011 at 10:38AM
Despite its for-sale status, Poco Wine Room hires a new chef.
Photo: Poco Wine Room via Facebook
After announcing, in early August, their plans to sell Capitol Hill vino bar Poco Wine Room, owners Peter Moore and Bart Reynolds clarified in a newsletter this weekend that the bar will not close simply because it’s on the market.
And in fact, Poco has a new chef. Zephyr Paquette, who has cooked at Cafe Flora, Dandelion, and Elliott Bay Cafe, will replace Ally Rael in the kitchen.
So, who is buying? “We’re talking with some great potential buyers, and we’re expecting to have some great news for you later this year,” write Moore and Reynolds.
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Cheap Eats
Keep up with inexpensive indulgences around the town.
Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Aug 25, 2011 at 12:36PM
Hot chocolate in August? You’re not paying and we’re not judging.
Photo via this website
Happy Hour News
There’s a lot of this. Head over to Sauced for the rundown on HH developments at Poquito’s, Stopsky’s, Luc, and Dahlia Lounge.
Free Food Alerts
Camarena Tequila is still shelling out free tacos around town, check the company’s Facebook page for upcoming locations.
And hey, how about some drink specials? Paratii Craft Bar in Ballard is doing two sponsored events with Pernod-Ricard, which means free Beefeater and Plymouth gin cocktails for you.
Also, through this month at the Chocolate Box: Mention the store’s August newsletter when you buy a dessert and you get a free iced coffee or hot chocolate. Hot chocolate in August? Oh, why not.
Cheap Eat of the Week
This week’s cheap eat is the tempura brie with raspberry soy dip appetizer at Japonessa, in the old Union space at 1st and Union. Japonessa is a place that sounds icky-fusiony on paper—sushi with Latin flair—but is not icky-fusiony at all. It’s actually the picture of professionalism and competence. Somewhat corporate-feeling, yes, but full of good, inexpensive things to eat. And this light-and-crispy fried brie, while neither sushi nor in possession of Latin flair, is the unexpected star of the app menu, thanks in part to the tangy-sweet dipping sauce. Very addictive, and only $6.
Healthy Cheap Eat of the Week
The salade verte at Cafe Presse is an exact replica of France’s ubiquitous bibb-lettuce-and-hazelnuts salad, right down to the just-puckery-enough vinaigrette. It’s $5 and tastes great with Presse’s perfect frites. All things in balance, yes?
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This Week in Cheap Eats
Last Days
Just before its fourth anniversary, the Capitol Hill restaurant calls it quits.
Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Aug 19, 2011 at 06:13AM
Spanish-Italian bistro Tidbit closes this month.
Photo: Tidbit Bistro
On Saturday, August 27, Tidbit Bistro will serve its last plate of pasta, Nosh Pit has learned from a company rep. During closing week, the Capitol Hill restaurant will offer dinner only—so this Sunday, August 21 will be the final brunch service.
Owners John van Deinse and Nicola Longo opened Tidbit almost four years ago on 10th Avenue E, but announced plans to relocate to street-traffic-boasting Broadway in May 2010. Van Deinse and Longo are known to have a close relationship with their loyal regulars, who were vocal in their support for the restaurant as it struggled to stay in the black. Over the years, Tidbit also ran many promotions and special offers and hosted charity events.
But now its owners plan to move out of the business: van Deinse would like to work in the wine industry down the road, while Longo plans to return to engineering.
The rep says a new restaurant, unrelated to Tidbit, will move in at 1401 Broadway but had no details to share. So that’s intriguing. Meantime, Tidbit is running one last promotion on Twitter, it will ask followers to tweet a favorite dish or menu—one winner will receive a prize during Tidbit’s last week in business. The closing week menu will be a memory-lane affair, featuring favorite dishes from the last four years.
More details to come.
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Capitol Hill,
Seattle Restaurant Closings
Afternoon Snack
We interrupt this workday to tantalize you with some delicious local treat. Today: Hopvine’s Hummus Platter.
Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Aug 16, 2011 at 01:41PM
The Hopvine’s tasty hummus platter.
Photo: Jessica Voelker
So many hummus platters, so few of them delicious. At bars across the land, the hummus plate is a token, a throwaway, an obligatory nod to the vegans and the dieters.
But this is not the case at Hopvine, which changes up its hummus seasonally—on day you may find it’s made of white beans, another time: pinto. Some days, it’s just good old fashioned chickpeas and garlic, with a little paprika on top for color and flavor pizzazz.
The other stuff on the platter changes too. There may be almonds, or roasted red peppers, or cucumbers, or sunflower seeds, or olives, or red onions. Pita is the only consistent player in this production.
So there you have it, the Hopvine hummus platter. Tastes good, always surprising, won’t make you fat. Enjoy.
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Capitol Hill,
Afternoon Snack
Desserts
The Banhs want to add sweet and savory puffs to their menu.
Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Aug 12, 2011 at 01:54PM
Monsoon, future site of pastries.
Photo: Monsoon
Siblings Eric and Sophie Banh are currently hiring a baker to help realize their plans to start a pastry program at Monsoon, their Capitol Hill restaurant.
“Both Sophie and I love savory and sweet puff pastries,” says Eric, who also owns Monsoon East, Baguette Box and recently opened noodle restaurant Ba Bar at 550 12th Avenue. The Bahns want someone with a minimum of two years experience who “specializes in pastries and cakes.” Check out the Craigslist ad to apply.
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Capitol Hill,
Desserts
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