Hungry for news? Welcome to our Friday Feed, where we run through all the local food and restaurant news this week—and maybe help you figure out where to eat this weekend.

More for Less

Earlier this year, we covered the rising trend of restaurants adding value-priced tasting menus to their offerings, and this week brought two promising new options. Fremont’s Kamonegi now offers eight courses for $75, including signature dishes like foie gras, uni shiso bomb, and kamonegi seiro soba. On Capitol Hill, one of Seattle Met’s 2024 Best New Restaurants, Ramie, added a $65 four-course chef’s tasting menu that is almost more like a prix fixe, as it allows the diner to choose the entrée and the dessert.

Closing Time

• Changing of the guards: A trio of classic Seattle restaurants announced their closing this week, starting with the Alki location of Duke’s Seafood. After abruptly shutting its doors last week, Duke’s announced via email that it had sold the restaurant after nearly a quarter century in the location. West Seattle Blog followed up to say that Kent’s Do Si Korean BBQ will open its second location in the space, hopefully by mid-summer. Duke’s six other locations in the region remain open.
• Paradise lost: Eden Hill opened in September 2015, bringing ambitious, fun, and creative food to Queen Anne. It livened up the neighborhood and the city’s food scene, introducing to the world pig head candy bars and popcorn sabayon. The exciting upstart matured into a reliable standard, securing a place on Seattle Met’s 50 Best Restaurants. But owners Maximillian and Jennifer Petty say that after a decade, it’s time to shut the doors. The restaurant will remain open until September, after which the pair will focus on its nearby sibling, Big Max Burger Co.
• Crying into our curry: Restaurant gems like Thai Siam are a rarity, which makes the news that the 38-year-old Ballard stalwart is closing up shop at the end of the month absolutely heartbreaking. Not only did it serve a mean mee-krob and impressively spicy soups, it fervently supported its community in all sorts of ways, most notably with its annual free Christmas dinners.

Expansion Joints

• Ramen redux: Elmer Komagata of Midnite Ramen opens Nanking Ramen today inside the Figurehead Brewing complex on Stone Way. Ooshiba Yakitori and Sushi closed late last month, and Komagata will take that space over with Nanking. The new concept serves shio (salt-based) ramen based on Komagata’s research into what he believes was the very first ramen ever served in Japan, 140 years ago.
• Sweet scoop: Last week we learned Molly Moon’s was opening on the waterfront, now fellow PNW ice cream shop Salt & Straw joins the fray downtown. The Portland chain filed plans to turn the former Starbucks at 1^st and Pike into a takeout-only scoop shop. No word on a target date, but the Market-adjacent space is highly valuable for a company like Salt & Straw, since the Market itself only allows businesses opening their first location.
• Smash and grab: Capitol Hill cute-overload restaurant Harry’s Fine Foods added an equally adorable lunchtime takeout window, through which it will pass diners a smashburger (with fries). Open noon to 3 pm, Wednesday through Friday, it serves only the burger (single or double), with sauce, pickle, and onion; no substitutions.
• Hey Joe: Trader Joe’s opens its first new Seattle location in more than a decade today, taking over the former Safeway space at N. 87^th and Greenwood Ave N.

The Future is Bright

• Speaking of Greenwood: Cocoa Legato, the chocolate factory, music venue, and café from former Theo manager Aaron Lindstrom, will open on April 26.
• More music: Sake Noire, the pop-up sake and shochu bar that does paired tasting menus and jazz nights from its temporary location inside Kai’s Bistro, announced that it will open a permanent location in Hillman City. No timeline yet, and founder Quan Liang plans to continue operating from the temporary location for now.
• Cross-culture cuisine: The family behind the Maharaja restaurants has something new up their sleeves, reports West Seattle Blog. The new bar, called Indofusion, aims to open in the next few weeks in the former Tacos Guaymas space on California Ave SW. The food will incorporate Indian and Indian-Chinese food with other influences, so diners can look for dishes like chicken tikka tacos and tandoori dumplings.
• Women’s work: Last summer we noted that The Sports Bra and Rough and Tumble are just the beginning, and now Pitch the Baby proves us right. The women’s sports bar-plus plans to open this summer in the former Kingfish Cafe, recently vacated by Rocket Taco, which moved across the street to the former Tallulah’s space. Per the launch post, it aims to be “a vibrant, intergenerational community hub welcoming families and fans of all ages who love women’s sports.” The joint venture includes Monica Dimas, who recently sold Westman’s Bagels and Coffee, and plans to resurrect a version of her Tortas Condesa in the space. She’s joined by Anais Custer, partner in La Dive and related bars, and Kim Flanery-Rye of Inclusion Equals.

Oh, BTW, here’s what you missed last week.