Carefully Re-Consider That Oyster
A couple weeks back, we reported that there have been a smattering of norovirus outbreaks in the area specifically linked to oysters. The bad news is that the oysters in question were likely contaminated by ocean pollution. The good news is that the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has already tracked down the source of the outbreak (Hammersly Inslet), closed it, and issued recalls for affected products.
"The three-mile stretch of commercial shellfish growing beds is about two-thirds of the Hammersley Inlet growing area and is harvested by 31 shellfish companies," the DOH's recall anouncement reads. "Shellfish harvested from the area is typically shipped to many states and countries. Shellfish growers and the Department of Health are working with local health jurisdictions and other states to track down all harvested product to make sure it is not available to be consumed."
When it comes to shellfish, that's not just an obligatory bureaucratic reassurance. The state requires every bag of shellfish to be tagged with a marker denoting is exact origin, and requires restaurants to keep those tags on file for 90 days after serving the shellfish in question. If an outbreak is traced to a certain restaurant like, say, the Crab Pot, the DOH can go pull tags and find out exactly where the offending oysters came from. The Hammersly Inslet closure doesn't mean the case is closed, so you should still keep an eye on the Shellfish Safety Map, but it does represent a pretty prompt response to an emerging public health issue. Sometimes government works! Sometimes... Not to ruin your 4/20, but no such system currently exists for Washington's cannabis, meaning that if a contaminated crop gets into the wholesale market, there's no way to tell which batch of brownies it ends up in.
Bai Tong Opens in Capitol Hill's Former Boom Noodle Space
Here comes a new challenger! The famously impossible Boom Noodle space is now home to Bai Tong, a very classy looking Thai joint. Nice and open, lots of dark wood, very intriguing fish cakes, and all that jazz. Was that enough to save the previous upscale Asian joints that occupied the space? No. But Bai Tong has been slaying the Thai game in the suburbs since 1989, so perhaps they can replicate that success on the Hill. Here's hoping.
Spirit in a Bottle Now Out of the Bottle
The last piece of the Marmite puzzle is in place, reports Eater. Sara Nafalty's classy cocktail lounge, Spirit in a Bottle, completes the set. With such concoctions as The Strangler on offerâ"Old Ballard aquavit, bergamot, lemon, saison-beer reduction, and Cava"âI might finally be lured in. Despite once getting soaked head to toe in Old Ballard's Riktig rye aquavit (it's a long story), I still love drinking anything they make.
Ma'ono x Rachels at U-Village
As it turns out, Monica Dimas' Sunset Fried Chicken will NOT be doing the food service at the new Rachel's Ginger Beer in University Village. The two businesses, which exist in symbiosis in the 12th Ave Arts building, opted to nix the partnership up north. However, Ma'ono Fried Chicken and Whisky will have the privilege of serving fancy fried chicken to Seattle's most privileged shoppers, reports Seattle Met. The West Seattle sensation will be doing Nashville hot chicken sandwiches, as well as some of their tried-and-true sides like mac 'n' kimcheese and potato mac salad.
The Met's write-up also offers an interesting reflection on just how terrified of cultural appropriation we are these days: "The chef isnât yet certain whether heâll use this label, since his ties to Tennessee donât extend beyond an abiding respect for its chicken." For crying out loud, it's okay to call your chicken Nashville hot chicken if you prepare it in the style that the label denotes, just like it's okay to call your properly spiced beef broth and rice noodle soup pho even if you weren't born in Vietnam. This useless obsession with authenticity has got to go.
Thursday is that most arbitrary of stoner holidays, and disgustingly excessive specials abound. Though modern cannabis purveyors are desperately seeking to dispense with the Funyuns-scarfing, couch-locked stoner stereotypes, people who make their money on food still love the munchies. Neon Taco is doing "Neon Taco Bell," which is exactly what it sounds like. Uber Tavern is hosting Bongwater 4/20, a night of weed-themed beers paired with "culinary chip masterpieces that you won't remember." Beyond that, there's free pizza from 4 to 8pm at the Belltown Herban Legends, and Lost Lake is offering Flamin' Hot Cheetos mac 'n' cheese, $4.20 well drinks, and a salted pretzel Nutella fudge milkshake with marshmallows for "Baked at the Lake." May God have mercy on your arteries.
The New Super Six Luau Menu
It's not explicitly 4/20-themed, but I can definitely see Super Six's pork belly musubi being delicious when you're stoned. The Columbia City Hawaiian joint just unveiled this new menu section, allowing diners to experience the whole button-bursting glory of a traditional Hawaiian luau right here in Seattle for $29. The truly insatiable can add a poke and taro chip pairing for $19, which would be a crazy amount of food to eat (and also satisfies my contractual obligation to mention poke at least once in every single one of these columns).
Katsu Georgetown Expands
Speaking of things that are lovely to eat when you're stoned, Katsu Burger's original location has doubled in size, reports Eater. You can now eat your breaded and deep-fried burgers in a dining room with almost double the capacity, as well as several televisions playing whichever ball game is currently helping to distract us from the fact that we're teetering on the edge of dystopia.
Broadcast Re-Opens
Broadcast Coffee Roasters, the popular Central District roastery, has softly opened their new headquarters, reports Eater. The new space is on 25th and Jackson, menu and furniture offerings are currently limited, but things should be fully underway by mid-May. And there's a patio, so it's pretty much perfect timing.
NW Peaks Arrives in Hillman City
The Ballard nanobrewery's new South Seattle location will open on 4/20, reports Eater. It's in the former Spinnaker Bay Brewing space, which NW Peaks bought outright and rebranded. Spinnaker Bay apparently wasn't family-friendly enough for the neighborhood. Better start building that kids table, I guess.
Free Pizza in Frelard
To celebrate it's official opening in Frelard, Big Mario's will be giving out free slices to the first 100 customers at 4pm on Saturday, April 22. That's really all I've got to report on that, as the new location won't differ much from the old ones... but free pizza is always newsworthy.
Drunky's White Center Will be Open Very, Very Soon
Speaking of Frelard, Drunky's Two-Shoe BBQ, the most visually arresting dining establishment in Frelard, will be opening its second location in White Center on April 28, reports West Seattle Blog. The new one will feature "a clown painting festooned men's room, stuffed animals on the walls, a chainsaw-laden chandelier and a bar top that is absolutely certain to be the the subject of thousands upon thousands of Facebook and Instagram posts. It's an epoxy poured eclectic collection of odd objects from matchbooks to spent rifle shells, toy guns and decals that you could probably look at for days and not see it all." I said it once before, and I'll say it again: the Redwood invented all the things you like in bars. Like epoxying shit into them, among other things.
The Beer "All the Cool Journalists Are Going to be Drinking This Summer"...
...is Fake News Ale from Northern Maverick Brewing, claims journalism think tank Nieman Labs. For this journalist, it's still gonna be Modelo Especial out of a brown paper bag at the Cal Anderson tennis courts, but God bless the Canadians for trolling Trump so creatively. And legalizing weed at a federal level.
