Nosh Pit

Restaurant Shifts and Shakeups

This Week: Hot Cakes, a new Green Leaf location, and plans for a third Renee Erickson establishment.

Posted by: Rachel Walls on May 18, 2012 at 11:50AM 0 Comments

Is Din Tai Fung scouting a Seattle location?

OPENINGS

Silver City Brewery Tasting Room
The Bremerton brewery just opened its long-awaited tasting room, which features 17 taps: seven evergreens, a couple seasonals, and a few pilots and small batches. Bottles, growlers, and kegs are all available for purchase, and the more inquisitive beer buffs can take a brewery tour.

Green Leaf
As promised, Vietnamese eatery’s Belltown location debuted Wednesday, and Eater Seattle reports that lion dancers were on hand to rid the space of evil spirits left behind by a series of ill-fated restaurants. Given our love for the original, we hope it’s here to stay.

Blu Grouse
Seattle magazine reports the Georgetown restaurant is now open and will feature flatbread pizzas, a full bar, patio, and fire pit—plus live music once a month.

Benito’s Chicago Eatery
MyBallard reports the Chicagocentric restaurant has opened on 15th Ave NW and serves deep-dish pizza, hot dogs, and sandwiches. There will be plenty of Italian beef, promises chef Benjamin Kulikowski—and, soon, taps.

Luisa Taqueria
The people behind Inay’s have opened a counter-service sister site two doors down. The Filipino establishment seats 11 and dishes up mainstays such as nachos, Mexi-fries, quesadillas, burritos, and tacos.

Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery
Popular local pastry chef Lucy Damkoehler departed MistralKitchen to join Autumn Martin just in time for the debut of the latter’s Hot Cakes shop. The official opening day is Monday, May 21, but keep an eye out for the gooey treats over the weekend, especially during the Sunday farmer’s market, where they’re sure to go like…well, you know.

COMING SOON

The Whale Wins
Renee Erickson of Boat Street Cafe and Kitchen and The Walrus and the Carpenter continues her oceanic theme with the upcoming The Whale Wins, which will arrive in Fremont in late summer. Like Walrus, it will feature an open kitchen, but unlike Walrus, its focus will lean away from raw seafood and towards veggiecentric offerings from its wood-fired oven.

Philly Boys Cheesesteaks
Food trucker John Schofield is transforming his underused storage room off of A.C. Automotive into what might turn out to be the largest commissary in the city: fellow food truckers, caterers, and bakers can use the 3,500-square-foot area for food prep and storage. Schofield hopes to have the site completed by early June, along with a takeout counter for his cheesesteaks.

Taco Time Traveler
The Mexican fast-food chain first opened in White Center, and now it’s joining the ranks in Seattle’s ever-growing food truck industry. The four-wheeled addition will begin truckin’ through Seattle in mid-June, an apt tribute to Taco Time’s 50th anniversary in the Emerald City.

SHIFT CHANGES

Marjorie
Josh Davenport is now the new chef at the Capitol Hill restaurant—he initially came over with Lauri Carter to provide a helping hand, but word is he’s in for the long haul.

REVAMPS

Bouteloua Bakery
As of next week, Bouteloua Bakery will be known as Wild Prairie Bakery due to its difficulty to pronounce. Not changing: the bakery’s staple vegan and gluten-free treats.

Munchbar
The Bellevue restaurant-slash-club is now known as Munch Sports Grill, and, at night, M-Lounge, which will feature “nonstop beats from famed DJs and appearances from special celebrity guests.”

Manhattan Drugs
Hot on the heels of the former owners’ departures, the Capitol Hill steak destination is now known simply as Manhattan.

EXPANSION MODE

Din Tai Fung
Seattle Times writer Tan Vinh dropped an intriguing rumor yesterday: he claims that not only will the Taiwanese chain remain at its Bellevue location, but there are plans to open another outpost in Seattle. Nothing’s confirmed, but we’ll never say no to more dumplings.

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Tags: Seattle Restaurant Openings, Coming Soon, Shifts and Shakeups

First Look: Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery

Brace yourself for salted pretzels with chocolate sauce, s’more cookies, salted caramel cinnamon rolls and Laphroaig milkshakes.

Posted by: Allecia Vermillion on May 18, 2012 at 09:15AM 1 Comments

The space at 5427 Ballard Ave NW is now home to two cozy seating areas and a counter surfaced in wood from an old Oregon dairy farm.

View Slideshow » Illustration:

The space at 5427 Ballard Ave NW is now home to two cozy seating areas and a counter surfaced in wood from an old Oregon dairy farm.

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Hot Cakes is the first place in the city to brew Blue Star Coffee Roasters out of Twisp. Martin worked with owner Dan Donohue at Theo Chocolate.

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Martin’s father and brother built the large sliding door that separates the shop and kitchen. Her brother hand-carved the Hot Cakes newsboy logo on the lower corner, and her dad also built a custom smoker for cold smoking chocolate.

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It’s helpful to have woodworkers in the family. Martin’s brother also carved the sign that hangs in front of the shop. Perched inside in the seating area is a smaller, simpler sign he made when she started her business back in 2008.

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Martin says the inspector declared her two-seat cocktail space “the smallest lounge in Seattle.” This is not a place for vodka Red Bulls; Hot Cakes will serve boozy milkshakes, a selection of 25-odd bottles of whiskey and bourbon, and some simple, sweet concoctions.

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A little menu porn.

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The retail section at the front of the store will house take-and-bake cakes, Martin’s caramel sauces, and bags of toffee.

Over on Ballard Ave, the nexus of all that is edible right now, Autumn Martin is readying her Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery for its opening. And even her construction detritus is adorable. Old-timey wooden clothes pins, a box of vintage photographs, and scads of diminutive glass jars and bottles are scattered around the dessert shop’s brick-and-wood interior.

Farmers market regulars know Martin and her Hot Cakes brand as purveyors of take-and-bake chocolate cakes that come in wee mason jars, and cookies in killer combinations like salted peanut butter and oatmeal, raisin, and bacon. Now the former head chocolatier at Theo (and before that lead pastry cook at Canlis) is about to give her creations a permanent home. On the menu: her signature cakes with custom toppings, s’more cookies, salted caramel cinnamon rolls, and pocket pies with fillings both sweet and savory.

There will also be booze—think milkshakes made with Laphroaig, smoked chocolate, smoked cocoa powder, and chocolate ice cream. Nonbooze versions come in flavors like blackberry lavender, salted caramel with dark chocolate, or malted vanilla sweet cream. Fend off sugar overload with a grilled cheese or broccoli salad from the small savory menu.

Hot Cakes opens officially on Monday, though if you’re wandering Ballard over the weekend—particularly during the Sunday farmers market—don’t be surprised if some sweets are for sale at the shop. Incidentally, Martin is taking a hiatus of six weeks or so from the farmers markets so all her employees can help the new space get off to a smooth start.

The kitchen, which also serves as the production headquarters for all things Hot Cakes, looks like one of those unrealistically quaint kitchens in movies where female chefs wander around with perfectly coiffed hair and wear lipstick all day. But instead of Catherine Zeta-Jones, Martin has Lucy Damkoehler, whose unofficial title is kitchen manager, and her job duties include staying up late at night with her boss, geeking out about dessert possibilities. The two met years ago, when Martin was at Theo and Damkoehler was at Taste. The doughnuts that made her famous in that job won’t appear at Hot Cakes (there’s no fryer here) but Damkoehler will be making her freaking awesome salted pretzels, along with some sweet dipping sauces (salted caramel, chocolate, jam, and peanut butter milk chocolate sauce).

Once the shop finds its legs, Martin plans to resume her chocolate work, teaching classes and holding events square in the middle of that kitchen. Meanwhile, hit up the slideshow above for more details, a glimpse at the space, the charm, and the smallest lounge in Seattle.

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Tags: Seattle Restaurant Openings, First Look, Autumn Martin, Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery

Joy of Feeding: Vancouver’s Tribute to the World’s Home Cooks

The passport-worthy foodfest is the pet project of Meeru Dhalwala. And she wants to bring it to Seattle next year.

Posted by: Allecia Vermillion on May 17, 2012 at 11:00AM 0 Comments

A participant in last year’s festival serves up Zimbabwean cornmeal mash with greens and beef stew. Photo via UBC Farm Blog.

While she will be plenty busy opening her forthcoming restaurant Shanik in South Lake Union, Meeru Dhalwala also wants to bring her Joy of Feeding festival to Seattle in 2013. The gathering of home cooks of various ethnic backgrounds debuted in Vancouver last year, and returns on June 10. It’s an all-day outdoor foodfest that’s absolutely worth a road trip; Seattleites who do venture north can also consider it an introduction to the woman who is about to make a major mark on Seattle’s restaurant landscape.

Most people know her as the wife of chef Vikram Vij, and the culinary force overseeing the kitchen at renowned Indian restaurant Vij’s and its sibling Rangoli. But Dhalwala says Joy of Feeding is even more personal: “If I have one thing on my tombstone, this would be it.”

She’s quick to acknowledge that her livelihood depends in part on Vij’s culinary star power, but Joy of Feeding is Dhalwala’s tribute to the undercelebrated home cooks, most of them women, who keep their families nourished and connected. She hunted up 16 men and women, hailing from places like Syria, Sweden, and Sierra Leone, and charged each one with making a simple, comforting dish.

A $50 ticket buys you a day spent wandering the UBC farm (blankets welcome), sampling a multicultural array of home-cooked food that feels more personal than your average food festival. Dhalwala also hopes that eating a dish from, say, Ghana might, in its own small way, increase someone’s awareness of that country.

All the information on this year’s Joy of Feeding is right over here. Dhalwala says she has already begun talking to cooks for Seattle—now all she needs is a good space and a great cause.

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Tags: Culinary Events, Outdoor Events, Road Trip, Meeru Dhalwala, Joy of Feeding

Cafe Juanita Debuts Chef’s Tasting Menu

It’s available to two parties, twice a week.

Posted by: Allecia Vermillion on May 17, 2012 at 09:30AM 0 Comments

Four times a week, Holly Smith turns some prime dining room real estate into a chef’s table. Photo via Gruman and Nicoll.

Sometimes restaurantgoers like to set aside the menu and ask the chef to design their dinner instead. It’s a high compliment to pay the kitchen, but Holly Smith of Cafe Juanita admits these requests just make her nervous—and the woman has been on Iron Chef.

What if someone has an allergy? What if she, an avid lover of beets, presents a table with a beet dish when it just so happens they prefer asparagus?

Hence Smith created her new Table 2 for 2 program as a way to give diners the tasting menu experience, but allow her room to plan and calibrate. Here’s how it works: Starting June 2, Smith will set aside a prime table in the dining room (yes, table number two—with a roomy corner location and a great kitchen view) for two seatings every Saturday and Sunday night. Book one of these meals and Smith and executive sous chef Justin Sledge will regale you and a companion with a multicourse tasting menu, while wine director Dawn Smith goes crazy with the pairings. The reservation process includes a conversation about allergies, dietary restrictions and a heads up if, say, a diner just really doesn’t care for octopus.

Smith announced this plan via Facebook and newsletter recently, and she says nearly three-fourths of the June seatings are already filled. She’s booking these meals on a monthly basis: Reservations for each month become available on the first Tuesday the month. “We’re trying to be fair about it,” says Smith. There’s no shame in calling at 12:01am if you want to lock down a certain date. Tasting menus are $135 per person (not including tax and tip), and optional beverage pairings run $75.

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Tags: Holly Smith, Special Menus, Cafe Juanita

Marjorie Has A(nother) New Chef

Josh Davenport arrived to help out temporarily, and decided to stay.

Posted by: Allecia Vermillion on May 16, 2012 at 03:25PM 1 Comments

Josh Davenport in the kitchen with Lauri Carter. Photo by Geoffrey Smith.

The kitchen at Marjorie has seen its share of changes since the popular restaurant moved to Capitol Hill in 2010. Most recently Lauri Carter came over from Lecosho to temporarily captain owner Donna Moodie’s diminutive kitchen. Carter brought along Josh Davenport, a friend from culinary school, to give her a hand, and it turns out Davenport will be staying on as the restaurant’s new chef. Carter will still be around, says Moodie, doing some consulting and catering.

“I had been interviewing for the chef position, and Lauri and I kept coming back to how great Josh would be,” says Moodie, who raved about Davenport’s enthusiasm and leadership. She says her new chef “has an even temperament” and was “deliberate, and thoughtful in making the final decision to take the position,” which sounds like code for “he’s planning to stay awhile.”

Davenport spent six years at the Sorrento after culinary school, was the executive chef at Ristorante Simone in Sammamish, and much earlier in his career he worked for a catering company that fed firefighters and first responders, cooking in semi trucks outfitted with commercial kitchens. “By no means was it gourmet,” he recalls. “They just needed calories.” The chef says his menu is simpler than previous iterations, and this time of year he’s particularly excited about pristine seafood from places like Hawaii and the east coast.

Davenport’s new (official as of two weeks ago) post at Marjorie happened just in time for patio season; the restaurant has one of the best on Capitol Hill.

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Tags: Marjorie, Shift Change, Shift Change, Josh Davenport

Neighborhood Food News: Cheap Eats on Broadway, PCC Gets Even Greener

Plus: Zig Zag named one of nation’s top bars, again, pot horde found in restaurant basement, and more.

Posted by: Brandon L. Bye on May 16, 2012 at 02:20PM 0 Comments

WISErg’s harvester fertilizer planted outside PCC.

BEACON HILL, LAKE CITY, SODO
In an attempt to stop “problem street drunks,” some bodegas and corner stores have complied with requests from the mayor’s office and have stopped selling fortified beer and wine between 6am and 1pm, according to Seattle PI.

CAPITOL HILL
The Broadway Business Owners Association hosts the inaugural Bite on Broadway and Music Walk this Sunday, May 20 from 3–7. Local musicians will play ditties for the crowds, while participating restaurants (including Blue Moon, Mod Pizza, and Five Fish Bistro) will serve up $3 bites.

DOWNTOWN
Tell us something we don’t already know. According to Men’s Fitness, Zig Zag Cafe is one of the top 25 bars in the country.

Slog speculates what Governor Chris Gregoire and writer Thomas Friedman talked about over lunch at Purple Cafe and Wine Bar. We’re more curious what they had to eat.

RAINIER VALLEY
What a bust. Seattle PI reports 481 pot plants were found in the basement of My Canh after an electrical fire.

ALL OVER
PCC Natural Market has partnered with local clean tech company WISErg to repurpose food waste into an organic liquid fertilizer called WISErganic. WISErganic is now available for purchase at any of the participating grocery stores, and prices are competitive with petroleum-based fertilizer.

Maison Lillet, vintner of Bordeaux, has released his newest product in 50 years: Lillet Rose. The highly in-demand spirit, however, is highly unavailable in Seattle and will remain so until after liquor store privatization has taken full effect. You’ll have to celebrate National Aperitif Day (the 17th), an occasion declared by Maison Lillet himself, with the more traditional Lillet Blanc or Lillet Rouge.

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Tags: Blue Moon, Purple Cafe and Wine Bar, Zig Zag Cafe, Five Fish Bistro, Mod Pizza

Bouteloua Bakery Gets a New Name

The newly christened Wild Prairie Bakery will still serve gluten-free and vegan treats…and brunch.

Posted by: Seattle Met staff on May 16, 2012 at 10:50AM 0 Comments

Don’t worry, only the name is changing at Bouteloua Bakery (maker of this ganache-covered vegan cake). Photo via Facebook.

Bouteloua Bakery briefly alarmed a few of its Facebook fans recently with the announcement that it would no longer be Bouteloua Bakery as of May 24. Not to worry, owner Megan Jensen went on to explain—her much-adored destination for vegan and gluten-free treats is simply changing its name. Next week the shop will be known as Wild Prairie Bakery.

Jensen said the reason behind the name change is a prosaic one. “Word of mouth is probably my best advertising, so if people can’t tell other people what the name is, that’s not good.” Bouteloua is the dominant prairie grass in her homeland of western Nebraska, so the new moniker retains that homage, but will hopefully provide more clarity for all the fans who describe this place as “that B bakery.”

Because Jensen does indeed have fans. Her buns, croissants, and cakes inspire much rapture among people who must reconcile their love of baked goods with allergies and dietary restrictions. After the name change, Wild Prairie will also expand its offerings to include some savory breakfast and brunch items, like pancakes, biscuits and gravy, and a tofu scramble. Vegans have limited options in the ‘hood, says Jensen, “and sometimes a scone isn’t enough.” But she hopes her space on NW Market St, which is also getting a minor refresh on the decor, will be a neighborhood bakery for vegans and omnivores alike.

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Tags: Revamps, Wild Prairie Bakery

Renee Erickson’s Next Restaurant: The Whale Wins

The sibling to the Walrus and the Carpenter and Boat Street will bring wood-fired dishes (and plenty of vegetables) to Fremont later this year.

Posted by: Allecia Vermillion on May 16, 2012 at 08:15AM 2 Comments

The Whale Wins is the latest reason to get excited about the new Fremont Collective space. Photo via Evo Properties.

If you happen to be wearing a hat—hold on to it. Chef Renee Erickson, who first charmed Seattle with Boat Street Cafe and Kitchen, then charmed pretty much the entire universe with The Walrus and the Carpenter, is planning a third restaurant.

The Whale Wins will open late this summer in the Fremont Collective, the converted warehouse space at 3506 Stone Way N that’s also home to Joule’s new location.

Erickson says her new place will have the same approachable neighborhood vibe as Walrus, but it won’t be an oyster bar. A wood-fired oven, rather than raw delicacies, will be the big draw here. That oven will certainly come in handy for roasting meat or whole fish, but Erickson is especially excited to coax some showstopping vegetable dishes from its fiery environs. “We are lucky we can grow so many things here, and I think there needs to be more attention paid to them,” she says. “Plus, they’re good for you.”

Though her ingredients will come largely from local farms and shores, flavors will be inspired by Erickson’s travels, drawing from food cultures of southern Europe and northern Africa rather than a specific corner of the world. She’s also promising—no surprise—some beautiful pickled items.

The menu will be highly shareable, including family-style plates and smaller composed salads or vegetablecentric dishes, many of which are cooked, but served room temperature. This, says Erickson, is her favorite kind of food. It’s casual, gracious, and reminiscent of cooking a big family meal in your backyard: “Every last element isn’t cooked a la minute; it has this flowing way about it.”

The space, which Erickson describes as light-filled and cottage-like, will seat 40 in the dining room, 15 at the bar, and another 20 on the patio when the weather cooperates. Like Walrus, the room will have an open kitchen—"it’s a really honest way of showing people what we do—and the slightly larger space hopefully means shorter waits for a table. The Whale will serve lunch and dinner, and its bar area will be no stranger to good beer, wine, and booze.

The chef’s nautical theme was an accidental one, she says. Erickson’s mom had to point out the common theme running through Boat Street, Walrus, the Whale Wins, and her upcoming oyster truck the Narwhal. The naming inspiration for her new restaurant came from a painting by American folk artist Mary Maguire, in which a whaling ship encounters the business end of a giant gray whale, causing all the fishermen to go flying. Erickson’s partners in this venture are Jeremy Price and Chad Dale, the same duo as Walrus (Dale happens to be a partner in the group that owns the Fremont Collective).

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Tags: Coming Soon, Renee Erickson, The Whale Wins

Huge Kitchen Commissary Takes Shape in SoDo

John Schofield of Philly Boys Cheesesteaks has rather epic plans.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on May 15, 2012 at 02:00PM 1 Comments

A.C. Automotive, site of epic commissary action (and delicious cheesesteaks). Photo via Facebook.

From the curb, the construction at A.C. Automotive seems routine enough. Dangling electrical cords and freshly painted walls hint at the Philly Boys Cheesesteaks counter John Schofield is opening there. But in the back, behind Schofield’s auto shop and that sandwich stand, a rather epic project is taking shape. Schofield is building what just may be the largest kitchen commissary in the city.

Schofield has owned the building at 3201 Fourth Avenue South for 18 years. A chunk of it he dedicated to A.C. Automotive, another chunk to storage of old cars and other rubbish. When Schofield had the health department inspect the cheesesteak trailer he parks out front, the official dropped a goldmine idea: Turn the storage room into a commissary.

What, exactly, is a commissary you ask? It’s where bakers, caterers, and food truckers prep and store large batches of food. Since December construction crews have been converting the 3,500-square-foot space into a mega-kitchen that soon will hum with activity 24/7. To Schofield’s knowledge it’s the biggest of its kind here in Seattle—and it couldn’t arrive at a better time. As the tide of food trucks continues to rise, operators will need to find a certified commissary, per city regulations. That’s no easy task. Existing options are already overburdened. Schofield talks of a certain commissary operator so flush with inquiries he’s had to (one guesses reluctantly) send them Schofield’s way.

“I’ve got people lining up,” says Schofield. He’s heard from 70 interested parties, and he’s already signed one anchor tenant: World Wraps, which inked a three-year lease.

If the size is notable, so are the digs. The commissary will feature top-of-the-line equipment, like a dishwasher that works its magic in three minutes. And the layout should prove more streamlined than other kitchens out there—no more taking goods out of the oven and having to unload them feet away. Also clutch: Schofield is transforming a back lot into an area where up to 15 truckers can park and plug. So when the food is good to go, so is their freshly charged four-wheeler.

Schofield expects all this to be up and running in early June. Same with the takeout counter, which he’s painting the color of Cheese Whiz—just like the trailer that started it all.

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Tags: Sandwiches, Seattle Food Trucks, Philly Boys Cheesesteaks, John Schofield

M is for Manhattan, Munch Sports Grill, and Modifications

Two sceney spots undergo minor name changes.

Posted by: Allecia Vermillion on May 15, 2012 at 10:45AM 0 Comments

The newly rechristened Manhattan just says no to Drugs. Photo: Olivia Brent

Here’s a little name-change housekeeping for those of you who keep track of such things.

Munchbar, the Bellevue destination for clubbin’ and sliders has changed its name (and its vibe) to Munch Sports Grill. By night, says Facebook, the space morphs into M-Lounge, “complete with nonstop beats from famed DJs and appearances from special celebrity guests.” (Thanks to @mollieinseattle and @425Magazine for the heads up).

Meanwhile, back on Capitol Hill, Manhattan Drugs has chopped the last word off its name, and is now known solely as Manhattan. You’ll recall owners Chris Pardo and Laura Olson, and Corey St. John recently parted ways with the project.

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Tags: Revamps, Manhattan Drugs, Munch Sports Grill

Nosh Pit Weekly Planner

This week: rhubarb in Columbia City, free fries on Pike Street, the Seattle Cheese Fest, and more.

Posted by: Anne Larkin on May 14, 2012 at 12:45PM 0 Comments

Free Fry Friday. It’s definitely got a ring to it.

WEDNESDAY May 16
Rhubarb Festival
The tart pink stalk is finally getting its 15 minutes of fame. The Columbia City farmers market is hosting a sweet vs. savory recipe contest, judged by Edible Seattle editor Jill Lightner, and cooking demo with chef Nat Stratton-Clark of Cafe Flora. Also: live music and a kids tent. Fingers crossed for slices of strawberry rhubarb pie. The event runs from 4 to 6 pm.

FareStart Celebration with Thierry Rautureau
The chef in the hat is putting on a three-course meal to benefit FareStart and celebrate its 20th year. The decadent menu ranges from oxtail terrine to almond caramel, and although the VIP reception is sold out, there are still tickets up for grabs for the $150 dinner.

THURSDAY May 17

Fishmonger Face-Off
The Pacific Northwest’s best fishmongers will meet for battle at the Interbay Whole Foods from 1 to 3 this Thursday. Their knowledge and skills will be put to the ultimate test, and the victor will continue on to garner more glory at the national competition in Aspen in June. And there will be free seafood bites.

Syttende Mai
It’s everyone’s favorite holiday: Norwegian Constitution Day. Get back to your Scandinavian roots (real or imagined) at Copper Gate Tavern with happy hour from 5 to 7 (cheap Aquavit) and live music from 8 to 11. The parade will roll right by too, sometime after 6.

FRIDAY May 18
Free Fry Friday
Aka, the perfect excuse to forget the quinoa and steamed veggies you were planning on consuming, and head down to Pike Street Fish Fry for some fish and chips. From 5 to 7, two-buck New Belgium beers, free fries, and a complimentary good start to a Friday night.

SATURDAY May 19
Seattle Cheese Festival
It’s here, it’s finally here! The weekend that Northwest dwellers with the soul of a Wisconsin cheesehead all pine for. Cheese seminars, mozzarella demos, and tastings galore. Cheesemongers from around the world will set up temporary tasting shop on the cobbled street just outside the market for the two-day fest, starting at 10am both Saturday and Sunday and ending at 5 Saturday, 4 Sunday.

Classic Cocktail Course
SAM’s Taste is hosting Cocktails 101 with Duncan Chase, the restaurant’s veteran bartender. The class will cover everything from how to smoothly order at the bar to how to make and present the classics. The $30 class runs from 6:30 to 8.

SUNDAY May 20
John T. Edge at Elliott Bay
The nation’s best food truck chronicler (officially—he just won the MFK Fisher writing award from the James Beard Foundation) will be at Elliott Bay Book Co., talking about his recent release, The Food Truck Cookbook, and making everyone drool with his recipes gleaned from the nation’s best rolling chefs. He’ll be at Elliott Bay at 2pm Sunday, and at Village Books in Bellingham at 7 on Monday, for you northerners.

MONDAY May 21
Meet the Producer
The third installment of Bastille’s “Meet the Producer” happy hour will bring winemaker Tim Sorenson of local winery Fall Line Winery into the restaurant. There will be a special informational happy hour from 4:30 to 6. (Up next, on June 11, Steven Stone of Sound Spirits…aquavit cocktails?)

WEDNESDAY May 23
Magic and Wine
Though wine alone is usually all the magic anyone needs with dinner, tonight the Schwartz brothers are stepping it up, pairing Château Ste. Michelle wines with nibbles and…a magician. Local wizard G. G. Green will grace the dining room with his sleight of hand at 6:30. The enchantment occurs at Daniel’s Broiler and tickets are $70.

BEYOND

June 2
Cafe Flora’s 20th Anniversary
The sunny vegetarian cafe, beloved by vegans and carnivores alike, is celebrating its second decade with a farmers market-inspired party: bites from some of the restaurant’s local vendors, live music, CSA sign ups, and something that many farmers market are sadly lacking: beer and wine (and special anniversary cocktails for VIP guests.) VIP admission is $50, general is $30, and ticket proceeds will benefit the Bailey-Boushay House.

June 11
Naomi Pomeroy at Matt’s in the Market
Chester Gerl, the head chef at Matt’s in the Market, has been making space in his kitchen for a variety of chefs over the past few months. Planes, Trains, and Traveling Chefs has brought multiple west coast chefs to Seattle already; Portland’s Gabriel Rucker of Le Pigeon and Vikram Vij of Vij’s in Vancouver, to name a few. Up next Naomi Pomeroy, a heavily lauded Portland chef known for her fantastic restaurant Beast, will walk through Pike Place Market and put together a market-inspired dinner at the restaurant. The dinners are $125, and reservations can be made by calling Matt’s.

June 25
Foodportunity
The semiannual opportunity to rub elbows with the big names in Seattle food (and hey, maybe take the first step to becoming a big name yourself) is coming around again this June. Thierry Rautureau, Jess Thomson, and a variety of other writers, chefs, and industry folks will be there to chat and nibble with. Tickets are $25 now, $32 later, and they usually go fast.

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Tags: Pike Place Market, Daniel's Broiler, Pike Street Fish Fry, Thierry Rautureau, Farestart, Matt's in the Market, Taste Restaurant, Bastille, Cafe Flora, Elliott Bay Book Co, Free Food, Farmers Markets, Columbia City, Foodportunity

The Belltown Green Leaf Opens on May 16

With a full bar.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on May 14, 2012 at 10:10AM 0 Comments

Dig in, Belltown.

Since first reporting on the Green Leaf going in near Olympic Sculpture Park, Nosh has fielded many an anxious inquiry from Belltowners awaiting the opportunity to binge on banh xeo.

It’s time to dig in, folks.

Owner Ridgley Kuang says the restaurant at 2800 First Avenue will open its door on May 16 at noon. The menu is the same as at the revered ID original—so in addition to those banh xeo pancakes, expect vermicelli bowls and plenty of phos and rice dishes. What won’t be the same: the long waits. The new spot, located inside the Seattle Labor Temple Association, is apparently roomier than its cozy hole-in-the-wall sibling. Kuang says it seats 120 patrons and boasts a full bar.

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Tags: Seattle Restaurant Openings, Vietnamese, Green Leaf Vietnamese Restaurant