Now Open
Goldfinch Tavern
Ethan Stowell, who only announced that he was taking over the restaurant space in downtown’s Four Seasons Hotel at the end of March, has opened the restaurant, called Goldfinch Tavern. (The goldfinch is the state bird of Washington.) Chef Joe Ritchie, previously of Stowell’s Mkt. in Tangletown, is running the kitchen, serving “Pacific Northwest cuisine, simply prepared using the finest regional ingredients.” The opening menu lists a shellfish and raw bar, seasonal vegetable dishes, and lots of grilled meat.
Rachel’s Ginger Beer
The second location of Rachel Marshall’s Rachel’s Ginger Beer is open on Capitol Hill, in the 12th Avenue Arts Buildings. Like the RGB in Pike Place Market, the Capitol Hill location features multiple flavors of ginger beers and ginger-beer-based cocktails on tap, and also slushy machines churning out frozen cocktails, as well as soft-serve to make boozy and non-boozy ice-cream floats. The menu, overseen by Monica Dimas (who runs Neon Taco inside of one of Marshall’s other businesses, Nacho Borracho), is firmly rooted in the deep fryer: thick-cut, twice-fried french fries, something called a Belgian fry roll (a sandwich roll stuffed with fries and mayo), tempura vegetables, and fried green tomatoes.
I had some fries at RGB yesterday and can say that they’re quite good—despite looking a little pale, they were crackly and crispy on the outside and satisfying. Dimas has created almost 20 dipping sauces in flavors such as ranch, dill lemon, pho, malt mayo, and Thai chili (which is a bit overwhelming). A good chunk of the sauces are vegan, which is good news for anyone who eschews dairy.
I’m not one to dwell much on the decor of restaurants, but I have to say the new space is beautiful. It’s bright, open, and airy, and like the downtown location, there’s a huge, boldly colored mural by artist Stacey Rozich. But what makes it feel truly vibrant is the abundance of plants, including several enormous philodendrons in hanging baskets. (Is this a new thing? I hope so. I’ve noticed restaurants like Stateside and Manolin also use plants, not as mere decoration, but as part of the whole atmosphere. More plants, please!)
Honest Biscuits
After several successful years selling his biscuits at farmers markets around town, Art Stone has opened a brick-and-mortar location of Honest Biscuits, serving, in his words, “honest-to-goodness, kick-ass biscuits.” Breakfast and lunch offerings include biscuits with egg, cheese, bacon, sausage, and vegan gravy, and oven-“fried” chicken.
In other neighborhood restaurant news, Seattle Greenlaker reports that the Woodlands Pizza and Public House is open in Green Lake, serving wood-fired pizzas and salads. They’re currently serving beer and wine, with a full bar in the works. Also in the works: delivery. Green Lake is getting another bar and restaurant in the form of a massive new Shelter Lounge, which already has one location on Leary Way in Ballard, and will be opening any day now. And over in Wallingford, Tigerly Ox, a quick-service Vietnamese restaurant serving banh mi and rice and noodle bowls, is holding its soft opening this weekend, beginning Friday, June 19.
Charlie’s Is Closing
As Ansel mentioned in the Morning News, CHS reports that Capitol Hill institution Charlie’s Bar and Grill on Broadway is closing after almost 40 years. According to owner Ken Bauer, Charlie’s will close its doors on Pride weekend, either Saturday, June 27, or Sunday, June 28.
I don’t think anyone will really mourn Charlie’s from a culinary standpoint, but a deep collective sigh of nostalgia for the “old Broadway”—Charlie’s, Ileen’s, the Jade Pagoda, the Broadway Bar and Grill, Cafe Septieme, Gravity Bar, etc.—is surely taking place across the city.
Monsoon Adds a Patio; Vespolina and Rumba Add Lunch
Capitol Hill’s Monsoon has opened its new rooftop patio for the summer. The restaurant’s full menu will be available, and there is a small bar with two beers and two cocktails on draft, as well as a slushy machine for frozen cocktails. Downtown’s Vespolina recently added weekday lunch service, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. And Capitol Hill’s Rumba, whose dinner menu includes snacks like chorizo empanadas and yucca fries, and entrées like ropa vieja and pepperpot chicken, will be serving lunch beginning next Monday, June 22.
Beacon Hill Is Getting Its First Brewery
According to Seattle Beer News, Beacon Hill is about to get its first brewery: Perihelion. Owner Les McAuliffe has landed a great, high-traffic location on North Beacon Hill, right across from the light-rail station and the Red Apple supermarket. McAuliffe hopes to open Perihelion, whose name refers to the point in a planet’s orbit when it is closest to the sun, by the end of October.
