Hidden, once again.
On December 11 last year, Canlis celebrated its 60th birthday, and the culmination of a 50-day treasure hunt (with a charitable twist) that had the city’s dining aficionados running around the city in a Twitter-fueled frenzy. Ahhh, those heady times, when third generation owners Mark and Brian Canlis hid 1950s-era menus around the city each day, posting clues to their whereabouts on Facebook and Twitter. The first person to find the hidden menu each day got to dine at the storied restaurant at 1950s prices.
This year, turning 61 felt a little bit different, says Brian Canlis. “Last year at this time we were going nuts. And [Sunday] was just so nice and peaceful in some ways. So we thought, let’s go hide a menu.”
The restaurant threw out a Facebook hint Sunday afternoon, then tweeted a clue later that night. It all felt so familiar, right down to the astonishing speed with which people deciphered the clue. Just 22 minutes after the clue went up, someone found the menu hidden at St. Mark’s Cathedral (here’s the explanation).
Bide your time and you’ll likely get another crack at an inexpensive Canlis meal when the restaurant turns 62. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we did this on our birthday forever,” says Canlis. While executing 50 scavenger hunts was a massive undertaking, doing one a year is a bit more manageable.
The Brothers Canlis have a penchant for elaborate hunts that has tapped into Seattle’s yen for puzzles and mysteries—no surprise in a city full of brainiacs. The organizer A member of a Facebook group dedicated to deciphering Canlis’s clues is planning a New Year’s Eve event for those of you who just can’t wait for the next Canlis-organized game. Though as one fan reminded the restaurant, “You realize you could do clues for 10% off one appetizer and we’d still go nuts, right?”
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