Pike Brewing's Haute New Seafood Joint Has a Name
Tankard & Tun will open by the end of June, if all goes as planned. Considering they're building a restaurant into a terraced hodgepodge of former storefronts above their current brewpub, and also trying to move six 60 barrel fermenting tanks into the place by pulling into the gum wall alley and hoisting them through a window, no one should be mad if it's delayed. But a recent hardhat tour gave the impression that everything is coming together nicely. Upon completion, they'll have a 50-seat dining area, a 20-seat mezzanine events space, and a separate 30-seat oyster bar by the tanks. I don't think it will usurp The Athenian as my go-to post-shopping beer and oyster reward spot, but it'll definitely join the rotation.
The hardhat tour included a media preview dinner, replete with several varieties of norovirus-free oysters, as well as an interesting crab ravioli dish served in a mirepoix broth with locally-sourced malt in it. I am also pleased to report that they're fans of suicide food, as the logo features an adorable octopus hoisting a tankard, and the media preview menu featured a delicious octopus surf and turf, its perfectly tender tentacle served alongside a slab of chef Gabe Spiel's house made bacon and some edamame and white miso hummus. They're clearly going upscale with this one, and as a fan of fancy beer pairing dinners, I'm all for it.
Don't Miss Tonight's Talk With Two-Time James Beard Award Winner Rebekah Denn
It's about her book, Edible City, which is the product of the eponymous exhibition she curated for the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI). The event is at the Book Larder, Seattle's coolest cookbook store/events space, and will involve Denn bestowing her impressive culinary knowledge of the Northwest upon us mortals plus a talk with MOHAI’s executive director, Leonard Garfield, about the curation of the Edible City exhibit, and treats from Macrina Bakery chef Leslie Mackie. You should go, you should buy the book, and then you should go to the exhibit and get $2 off for presenting your receipt. Can't go tonight? There's also a free event at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park this Wed, April 26.
Yet Another Din Tai Fung Location Opens
When "It's Happening" is the opening night headline, you know some sort of trendy food phenom is the subject. And what more craze-inducing restaurant is there than Din Tai Fung? Not to spoil the second half of that Seattle Met cliffhanger, but it's now open in Tukwila, which I guess is a reason to go to Tukwila besides getting off at the wrong Link stop.
Also Open, Not at All Accessible by Rail
To get to Nick Coffey's Ursa Minor, you'll have to take a ferry to tiny Lopez Island in the San Juans, reports Eater. If you're thinking he must be making some pretty goddamn amazing food to expect people to trek all the way out to Lopez, well, you've just summed up his business model. He's going to hit the island's honor stands hard, aiming to source everything locally, and he'll bring his formidable fermenting experience from Barjot and Ciudad to bear on the ever-changing menu. Visit Thurs-Sun, 5-10pm.
Seattle Has an Iron Chef in the Running
Our boy Shota Nakajima made it to round two of Iron Chef Gauntlet, which I have never seen because I don't watch TV and choose to spend the time I would waste on such plebeian pursuits reading the New Yorker in print and talking about how I don't watch TV. But Eater says he's an underdog and everyone loves an underdog so...go Shota? He is, by the way, the dude who opened high end Japanese joint Naka, then converted it to the more accessible Adana, in case you were wondering why he's in the running to be an Iron Chef.
Speaking of Reboots
Miyabi 45th, home to former chef Mutsuko Soma's hand-crafted soba noodles, has reopened after its March hiatus with a new focus on sushi and izakaya, reports Eater. They've added a daily happy hour from 5 to 7pm, as well as a kids menu (because Wallingford).
Hula Hula is Open on The Hill
The Lower Queene Anne tiki bar, famed for its karaoke scene, has completed its relocation to Capitol Hill, and now occupies the former Clever Dunnes space on Olive Way. It ain't the Dunnes, but at least it's another Seattle mainstay. If they're taking forever to play your song at The Crescent and you really just have to sing "I Want to Know What Love Is" before last call, you've got a backup plan now, as owner Keith Robbins will be sticking to his tried and true formula of 4pm-2am, karaoke starting at 9pm, 365 days a year, no matter what. Unhealthy but delicious Hawaiian fare will be served until midnight, and there will be a plethora of tiki cocktails on offer, as well as ridiculous fishbowl concoctions like the flaming "Volcano Bowl." Because there's a little woo girl in all of us, I guess?
I Wrote a Thing About Row House's Reported Demise
It's pretty wonky and has more to do with development than delicious and accessible cafe fare, but if you want to read it, you can. For the purposes of this column, I'll just report that Row House is not immediately closing, but the building will be redeveloped in 1.5 to 2 years, according to Row House's owner Erin Maher. If you're a fan, you've got some time left to visit.
