Some of the good people of the very good El Mestizo.
  • elmestizorestaurant.com
  • Some of the good people of the very good El Mestizo.

NOW OPEN:

• El Mestizo, brand new on First Hill: If you've been looking for a great Mexican place—restaurant AND taqueria—here you go.

• Barracuda Taqueria near Seattle Center: Opening today, this just might be another great Mexican place—it's a taqueria brought to you in part by the people behind the superdelicious tamales at Bandits Bar. (What will we complain about now?!?)

• Samurai Noodle's second location (at last!) in the U District: an exciting, long-awaited development for those who love ramen. It's twice as big as the original—more details here.

• Noodle King in the I.D.: Paul Hughes of the S.T.D. says it's good, and Paul Hughes knows a good noodle.

• Hard Rock Cafe downtown: IT'S BACK! And if you call, like I just did, you might get this answer: "Hard Rock Cafe, this is Pete, how can I rock you?" WHICH IS AWESOME. The place (according to Pete) has a 300-person capacity music venue upstairs (along with a big bar). Also, Stevie Nicks' scarf collection! (I made that part up.)

PORNADOS! (They do not contain actual porn.)
  • jezbian
  • PORNADOS! (They do not contain actual porn.)

• Hurricane Spud in the U District: This is apparently a fast food place specializing in sculptural skewers of fried potato spirals, a.k.a. "pornados" (that's potato + tornado; no porn is involved). Also: crazy variations on corndogs.

• The Barbeque Pit in the Central District (according to Central District News): Anybody been yet?

• Biscuit Bitch, on Friday and Saturday nights at Caffe Lieto downtown: $5 late-night biscuits and gravy for hungry drunk people (more here)

• Enza on Queen Anne: First the name change (from Sorrentino), now serving crepes.

BARS, BARS, BARS! They just keep coming:

• Chungee’s Drink ’n Eat on Capitol Hill: An odd little place with American-style Chinese food and, if your timing's right, local bar hero Kevin the Scotsman bartending: a cultural mash-up that Paul Constant enjoyed.

• Blush Lounge on Denny: a cocktail lounge where Minnie's (and then something else I already forgot) used to be.

• Flow Lounge on Queen Anne: a cocktail lounge where Opal used to be.

• Olympia Pizza III on 15th on Capitol Hill: The old-school pizza place is now twice as big, with the former Sonic Boom space dedicated to "The Bar," a spacious, dark, and comfortable drinking zone with lots of cushy booths and a gorgeous mahogany antique bar that came from the J&M in Pioneer Square.

• In the same vein, Taqueria Tequila in Greenwood: At last, this well-loved place actually has a bar that serves its namesake liquor thanks to an expansion into the space next door (and PhinneyWood.com has a nice photo of the Valentine's Day opening festivities with mariachi band)

CLOSED:

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• Vi Bacchus on Capitol Hill: No one can believe it lasted this long.

I am now extremely ready for lunch.