Nosh Pit

Nosh Pit Weekly Planner: Memorial Day Edition

This week: free burgers, free ice cream, an upcoming Skelly and the Bean event, and a Seattlecentric cookbook signing.

Posted by: Anne Larkin on May 21, 2012 at 11:30AM 0 Comments

Memorial Day and National Burger Day are officially one in the same this year.

WEDNESDAY May 23
Whole Food Veggie Happy Hour Benefit
For one day only: dodge the accidental $20 hot food bar trip; there will be a $6 vegetarian dinner from 5 to 7 at the Westlake Whole Foods. Baked artichokes, asparagus, and corn fritters are on the menu, and all the food sales go to Forterra, a northwest conservation group.

SATURDAY May 26
Mischief Distillery at Tulalip
Tulalip Casino Resort is bringing the Fremont craft distiller out for the summer launch party of the patio at the Mpulse Lounge. Though the letter “i” apparently won’t be in attendance, the founder of Mischief will. The $30 ticket gets you an afternoon of live music, giveaways, liquor-laced snacks, drinks, and…mischief.

Revelry at Col Solare
The first of the summer’s Auction of Washington Wine events takes place at Col Solare winery on Saturday. Aside from the beautiful scenery and 21 winemakers planned to pour at the event there’s an even better reason to make this the highlight of your Memorial weekend getaway: it’ll be raising money for uncompensated care at Seattle Children’s Hospital.

MONDAY May 28 (Memorial Day)
Free Burgers at Li’l Woody’s
The 28th is doing double holiday duty his year: Memorial Day and National Hamburger Day. Actually, there’s some serious debate about the true day o’ the burger, whether it’s May or July 28. The Capitol Hill burger joint is celebrating the May date with free burgers for all from 2 to 5.

Free Scoops for Vets
Old School Frozen Custard is keeping its Memorial celebration, well, old school, and honoring the veterans who the holiday is actually for with free scoops for those who’ve served.

Sidetrack Distillery Feast
The berry liqueur–making crew out at Lazy River Farm is putting on a big Memorial Day party. Food, beer, wine, and sips of Sidetrack are all on the docket. The party starts at 2:30.

Raw, Vegan Potluck
Mayonnaise-y potato salad and a juicy burger not your thing? Those who aren’t taking advantage of Memorial Day as a day to indulge in an entire week’s worth of fat and sugar are meeting up at Discovery Park for a potluck. Drums and durian, that um…pungent fruit, are encouraged.

TUESDAY May 29
African Feast at Skelly and the Bean
From Morocco all the way down to South Africa in four courses for just $40 bucks. Arrive at Skelly and the Bean at 5 for drinks, and dinner begins at 6.

Seattle Cookbooks at Elliott Bay Book Co.
Seattle-o-rama at Elliott Bay. Molly Moon (of… Molly Moon’s), Mark Klebeck (of Top Pot Doughnuts), and Jess Thomson (of Pike Place Market Recipes) will all be at the bookstore signing their books from 5 to 6:30. And there’s promise of samples from all the mouth-watering books…

May Corner Table at Cafe Presse
This month’s Corner Table dinner is a benefit for Green Plate Special, the Central District nonprofit that teaches kids from primarily low-income families how to garden and cook. The Corner table menu will be put together by Laura Dewell, head of Green Plate, and the dinner is $55 with wine pairings. Call Cafe Presse to save your spot at the 6:30 dinner.

BEYOND
July 26 This year marks the third anniversary of the popular event Feast on the Farm. Ethan Stowell cooks, Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready jams, and diners get to ride tractors around the farm before sitting down to a salmon-safe, local-food dinner under the sky. Tickets went on sale May 10, and you’d better act fast to get a spot on that tractor.

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Tags: Hamburgers, Molly Moon's, Cafe Presse, Whole Foods, Ethan Stowell, Elliott Bay Book Co, Microdistilleries, Free Food, Top Pot, Washington Wines, Cookbooks, Benefit Dinners, Wine, Wineries, Skelly and the Bean

Top Pot Plans First Ballard Outpost

A cafe will open at the Ballard Blocks in June.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Apr 23, 2012 at 11:40AM 1 Comments

Come and get it, Ballard. Photo courtesy Top Pot

Ballard may boast its fair share of pastries, but the neighborhood is lacking a little when it comes to doughnuts. That’s soon to change.

Top Pot cofounder Mark Klebeck says he’s bringing his rings to the Ballard Blocks, an office and retail building located a stone’s throw from the Ballard Bridge. The cafe, slated to open in June, is the first in the northerly community (somewhat surprising, considering Klebeck is a resident). It’s also the second instance in which the local baker is striking new territory this summer. You may recall Klebeck and crew are in the process of opening their maiden outpost in the downtown Seattle core.

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Tags: Top Pot, Coming Soon, Doughnuts

Restaurant Shifts and Shakeups

This week: Two new food trucks are on the road, Stowell slices are just around the corner, and more.

Posted by: Anne Larkin on Apr 13, 2012 at 10:15AM 0 Comments

The drawing of that guy pounding a slice? Soon can be you at Ballard Pizza Co.

OPENINGS
Cutters Crabhouse
Cutters Crabhouse, formally known as Cutters Bayhouse, reopened Wednesday after a lengthy two-month renovation. Cutters lead chef Simon Zatyrka also has a revamped menu to show off.

Jemil’s Big Easy
The Cajun truck opened for business this week. Find chef Jemil Aziz slinging jambalaya, etouffees, gumbo, and po’boys at various locations around town.

Scratch Deli
Former Whole Foods butcher Ian Thackaberry has opened a food truck dedicated to sandwiches crafted with locally sourced ingredients. Find Thackaberry (and his tantalizing chicken salad with hazelnut pesto aioli) at Wine World in Wallingford.

Starbucks
Out with the old, in with the Starbucks. My Ballard reports the NW Market St space that briefly housed 5 Corner Market Bar and Kitchen (and before that, Lombardi’s Neighborhood Italian for 23 years), now has all the trappings of a Starbuckian experience.

Trader Joe’s
The West Seattle store opens today, and the walls are graced with murals of neighborhood landmarks, says West Seattle Blog.

CLOSINGS
Kiki
The Pine Street restaurant and bar is closing temporarily, according to Capitol Hill Seattle. The owners have long been searching for a buyer to take over; CHS guesses the temporary shuttering means they’ve found one, but that hasn’t been confirmed.

COMING SOON

A Terrible Beauty
Seattle Weekly brings word via Facebook that the Irish pub is opening its third location this summer in South Lake Union.

Ballard Pizza Co.
Ethan Stowell slices…they’re getting closer and closer. No pizza till next week officially, but we’ve got a peek inside.

Essex Bar
That collective squeal heard throughout the city Monday was prompted by the news that Delancey owners Brandon Pettit and Molly Wizenberg are turning the neighboring umbrella store into a craft cocktail bar. Seattle Magazine has more details on the food and drink menu, but here’s a teaser: Don’t expect pizza.

Isola Bella, Sicilian Cafe
Per Eater Seattle, local chef and restaurateur Enza Sorrentino is moving into a space on First and Bell. She’s planning to dispense baked goods and coffee by day, and arancini, meatballs, and pizza by the slice at night.

Molly Moon’s and Trophy Cupcakes (…and Cupcake Royale)
The city’s sweets magnates are playing do-si-do: Cupcake Royale, which is launching an ice cream line, is taking up residency at the downtown Chocolate Box space. That means current co-occupant Molly Moon’s has to move out. Meanwhile, MM’s is partnering with Trophy Cupcakes: Starting May 12, the baked goods will be available at Molly Moon shops on 13 occasions throughout the year And pints of ice cream can be added to cupcake deliveries, and Trophy parties can be rounded out with scoops of Molly Moon’s dessert.

Narwhal
Seattle Magazine brings word that Renee Erickson and Jeremy Price of The Walrus and The Carpenter and their partners are hitting the road this summer with an oyster food truck.

The Neighbor Lady
Central District News reports the Neighbor Lady has pushed its opening date back to April 20, if not later.

Top Pot
The doughnut empire is expanding: the eighth cafe is slated to open this July in the Pacific Building on Third Avenue.

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Tags: Oysters, Cupcake Royale, Jemil's Big Easy, Ballard Pizza Co, Trophy Cupcakes, Seattle Food Trucks, Molly Moon's, Cupcakes, Ice Cream, Ethan Stowell, Top Pot, Crab, Ballard, Scratch Deli

Another Top Pot Is On the Way

It’ll open in the Pacific Building on Third Avenue.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Apr 06, 2012 at 05:05PM 0 Comments

Photo: Lucas Anderson

There you have it, downtown denizens. No more hightailing it to Fifth and Blanchard for some apple fritter action.

The latest addition to the Top Pot empire is going in downtown Seattle at the Pacific Building, according to co-founder Mark Klebeck. The Pacific Building is located in the 700 block of Third Avenue, near Columbia Street.

Klebeck says the cafe is slated to open in early- to mid-July, not long after the one at Bellevue Square. This new fried dough destination brings the total number of Top Pots to eight (plus those mobile operations) and marks the chainlet’s first in the downtown core. (The flagship on Fifth is technically Belltown).

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Tags: Top Pot, Coming Soon, Doughnuts

Restaurant Shifts and Shakeups

This week: the third Thai Curry Simple opens, Beecher’s is expanding to Sea-Tac, Where Ya At Matt finds a home in Fremont, and more.

Posted by: Anne Larkin on Mar 09, 2012 at 11:00AM 0 Comments

Our own Caffe Vita has just opened a NYC outpost. Photo via Facebook.

OPENINGS

RoRo BBQ and Grill
The BBQ and burger joint in the location that was Zesto’s for decades opened Monday, reports My Ballard. No fancy comfort food here, just no-frills comfort: pulled pork, brisket, beans, and cornbread.

Fiddlehead Fine Foods and Café
A sweet new lunch spot has opened in West Seattle and has plans for breakfast soon. West Seattle Blog has photos of the sunny space and the cute mason jar chocolate caramel pudding cups.

Thai Curry Simple
The popular Thai restaurant’s third location in South Lake Union opened Monday, March 5, with an extremely busy ran-out-of-food day, according to Facebook.

Caffe Vita
One of Seattle’s mainstay coffee destinations has staked its claim in the big city. The New York Times reports that the outpost opened Monday on the Lower East Side, joining Stumptown as a representative for West Coast coffee on the Eastern seaboard.

CLOSINGS

Trattoria Cioppino
My Green Lake says that Trattoria Cioppino has shuttered after just nine months of serving, but it’ll soon be replaced by a second Seattle location for Portland-based Mio Sushi.

Grubwich
Broadway’s unfortunately named late-night sandwich joint has closed, reports Capitol Hill Seattle blog.

NAME CHANGES

The Burgundian
Due to legal complications with a Chicago restaurant of the same name, what was The Publican is now The Burgundian. But that’s all that’s changed; the not-messing-around beer program and hearty menu remain the same.

COMING SOON

Where Ya At Matt
Building on his Creole food truck’s success, Matthew Lewis is opening a sit-down restaurant Fremont Ave, called Roux. There’ll be beignets all day and a “sexy” dinner service that will surely include nighttime takes on truck favorites.

D’Ambrosia Gelato
Capitol Hill Seattle blog says that the second location of the Ballard gelateria will open its doors in a couple of weeks, with double the flavors of the original shop.

Top Pot
Bellevue Square is getting its very own Top Pot shop in May.

San Fernando Roasted Chicken
Peruvian rotisserie chicken is coming to White Center in April. The menu will be much the same as at the other two locations, with cumin-garlicky pollo a la brasa as the centerpiece.

Beecher’s
Layovers just got a lot better: Beecher’s is opening a Sea-Tac location. There’ll be mac and cheese (of course), as well as paninis, stratas, and a bit of charcuterie. And a mini Caffe Vita.

C.S. Finnegan’s
A new Belltown bar is coming, just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. The bar, housed in a former 1900’s grocery store, might softly open next week, but if not there’s a very grand grand opening for St. P’s.

Juice Box
The culinary couple that put on a series of underground dinners in 2010 is at it again, this time with juice. They’ll be selling fresh, seasonal juices at the Broadway Farmers Market (and maybe the Queen Anne market too.)

Po Dog
The all ho dogs, all the time restaurant will be opening its third location in Ballard in just a week or so, says My Ballard.

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Tags: Seattle Restaurant Openings, Thai Curry Simple, Beecher's, Where Ya At Matt, Sea-Tac, The Publican, Grand Opening, Seattle Restaurant Closings, Bar Openings, Top Pot, White Center, Closings, Juice Box

Top Pot to Open in Bellevue Square

Doughnuts to fuel your shopping spree, coming in May.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Mar 02, 2012 at 01:50PM 0 Comments

Photo: Lucas Anderson

Get glazed at Bellevue Square.

Having colonized grocery stores and dabbled in writing, the Klebeck brothers are directing their efforts on the Eastside.

The Top Pot gents announced today they are planting a cafe at Bellevue Square. Mark Klebeck expects it will open in May.

This is the second Bellevue location for the doughnut chain, and the second on the easterly shores of Lake Washington. Per a release, the cafe will “take on a modern streamline feel” and “incorporate a look found in early era aluminum Airstream travel trailers.”

So kind of like this.

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Tags: Top Pot, Coming Soon, Doughnuts, March Nosh News

Top Pot Prepares to Roll Out New Trailer

The doughnut mobile should be ready by the end of the month.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Dec 05, 2011 at 02:00PM 0 Comments

Top Pot’s new Airstream Vagabond. Photo courtesy the establishment.

Somewhere between releasing a book and touting the tome all over town, the Klebeck brothers procured the latest mobile unit for the Top Pot enterprise: a 1947 Airstream Vagabond trailer.

The vintage coach marks the second curb cafe for the doughnut kingpins: in August they bestowed upon Renton a 1962 Airstream Bambi serving dozens of cakes, espresso drinks, and drip coffee. That one is still there today, but cofounder Mark Klebeck says the newer four-wheeler—bigger, and decidedly more badass—may take its place.

“This would allow us to expand our current offering of doughnuts,” says Klebeck, noting the Vagabond will stock up to 40 varieties of fried dough. “The Bambi would be used for various promotional events until we find a permanent home for it.”

The goal is to have the Vagabond in place by the end of December. And then? “We are always looking at vintage Airstreams or trailers for future use,” hints Klebeck. “We feel they complement all that we are trying to build with our brand.”

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Tags: Street Food, Top Pot, Doughnuts, Seattle Food Trucks

QFC Now Carries Top Pot Doughnuts

Two local heavyweights team up.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Oct 03, 2011 at 02:34PM 0 Comments

Your grocery list just got a little longer.

Top Pot brand expanding motors on: the local doughnut kingpin has partnered with QFC to retail 15 kinds of cake at the ubiquitous grocery chain.

Perhaps you’ve noticed? Shiny pastry cases displaying rows and rows of fritters and crullers and old fashioneds now are in every one of the grocer’s Seattle locations plus five in Portland, says Top Pot co-founder Mark Klebeck. (That’s 68 total, FYI.)

This isn’t the first time Top Pot has gone grocery; you can also buy the hand-forged goodies at Whole Foods, he added.

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Tags: Top Pot, Doughnuts

Watch the Klebeck Brothers Discuss the History of Top Pot

The video is a promo for forthcoming cookbook Hand-Forged Doughnuts.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Aug 23, 2011 at 01:11PM 0 Comments

Mark Klebeck is no stranger to flashing pearly whites for the camera. Here his joins his brother and Top Pot co-founder Mike in plugging Hand-Forged Doughnuts, their first publication due out September 21. Also present is Seattle Met recipe extraordinaire Jess Thomson; she helped write the tome. Also: doughnut porn, lots of it.

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Tags: Cookbooks, Top Pot, Doughnuts

Top Pot Parks Airstream in Renton

This marks the company’s southernmost venture yet.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Aug 08, 2011 at 12:08PM 0 Comments

Photo courtesy Mark Klebeck, Top Pot.

Top Pot, the local doughnut chain with six cafes (and one arena outpost), is bringing its brand to South Seattle. Last week TP’s mobile unit, a vintage coach launched in August of ’09 as a means to cater special events, pulled into the lot of Renton McLendon Hardware. There it is offering up 30 kinds of cakes, espresso drinks, and drip coffee daily 7–4.

Top Pot co-founder Mark Klebeck says the plan is to stay put indefinitely at 440 Rainier Avenue South—“the patrons are wonderful,” he explained, “and this is our most south representation to date.” Also in the works is a second, possibly larger, trailer. “There definitely are more plans for additional Airstreams in the future,” Klebeck confirmed.

Speaking of doughnut brand expansion, anybody know what’s happening with Frost’s foray into Seattle city limits? [UPDATE: Jess Voelker got in touch with Frost; still no updates on the new location(s).]

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Tags: Street Food, Top Pot, Doughnuts

Check Out the Cover of the Top Pot Cookbook

It’s due out this fall.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Apr 08, 2011 at 02:06PM 0 Comments

Top Pot puts down the pin, takes up the pen.

Lots of chatter for Top Pot these past few days—co-founder Mark Klebeck appears on Sunday evening’s Food Network Challenge. You’ll have to wait until 8pm EST/PST to learn how he fares in (and with) the ring(s), but in the meantime here’s some eye candy.

Chronicle Books is publishing the tome of “secrets and recipes for the home baker,” the first publication for the Pot. Mark and Michael Klebeck are the co-authors, but check it out! There in the byline is frequent Seattle Met contributor Jess Thomson.

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Tags: Cookbooks, Top Pot, Doughnuts

Hungry Sounders Fans Eat… Doughnuts?

Top Pot sets up shop in Qwest Field.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Mar 25, 2010 at 02:38PM 0 Comments

When you go to a Mariners game, you pig out on the garlic fries. But when you go to a Sounders game, what do you eat? Top Pot Doughnuts, for one.

Today the Seattle Seahawks and Sounders FC announced a three-year partnership with the local company. According to a release, Top Pot will set up eight locations—coffee carts, kiosks, and concession stands—throughout Qwest.

Wonder if the notoriously not-food-focused Hardcore Fans can resist this temptation.

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Tags: Breakfast, new, Top Pot