This week, Lady Yum brings "macarons and mischief" to Pioneer Square, a three-Michelin-starred chef announces a new project in Bellevue, and Tortas Condesa bids adieu. Read on for more of this week's essential Seattle food news. Plus, check out our complete guide to where to eat out this Valentine's Day, our list of food and drink specials to try this February, and our full food and drink calendar.

OPENINGS
Lady Yum
On February 7, macaron maven Megan Wagstaff of Lady Yum, who has locations in Kirkland, Sea-Tac, and on the Amazon Campus, officially opened her fourth and largest fanciful shop in Pioneer Square, which Wagstaff announced on social media last June. The space, which is three times bigger than the other locations, will allow for an expanded menu, including light Northwest-inspired amuse bouche- or tapas-style snacks, three flavors of draft beer from Ghostfish Brewing Company, grab-and-go breakfast from Homegrown, a full espresso bar from Herkimer Coffee, French entremets (gluten-free layered mousse desserts), champagne, and more.
Pioneer Square

CLOSURES
Tortas Condesa
Monica Dimas has announced that her walk-up window selling delicious tortas stuffed with chorizo, pulled pork, and other tasty fillings will close this month, with the last day of service on February 25. According to a post on Instagram, Dimas decided to let her lease end in order to focus on "new things on the horizon." Her tortas will still be available at Neon Taco and Little Neon Taco.
Capitol Hill

OTHER FOOD NEWS
Michelin-starred chef opening restaurant in Seattle
San Francisco chef Joshua Skenes, who has received attention for his acclaimed, three-Michelin-starred restaurant Saison (the first American restaurant to earn three Michelin stars for cooking over an open fire), is planning to open a seafood restaurant called Angler inside Bellevue's luxury condo development Avenue Bellevue. The restaurant will not open until late 2021.

Taneda coming to Capitol Hill
Chef Hideaki Taneda, who previously has spent time at I Love Sushi and is an owner of the positively-received donburi restaurant Fremont Bowl, is finalizing a sushi bar called Taneda set to open soon in Broadway Alley, in the former space of Lao Bar, which closed late last year. According to the website, the restaurant will serve only coursed meals, including sushi and kaiseki (a traditional multi-course Japanese cuisine) in omakase style (chef's selections).

Urban Family Brewing moving back to Ballard
Urban Family Brewing, which The Stranger's Lester Black calls "Seattle's leading purveyor of fruited sours and hazy IPA," is moving back to Ballard and currently retrofitting a warehouse and building an adjoining taproom, which will open later this year. (The brewery originally started in a small brewery in Ballard before moving to the Fisherman's Terminal side of Magnolia in 2016.) It will join over 13 breweries in the ever-growing "Ballard Brewery District." The location of the new taproom has not yet been announced.

Java Bean rebrands as Venture Coffee Co.
After 30 years of business, the Ballard-based coffee shop Java Bean is changing its name to Venture Coffee Co. and will be closed from February 25 to March 3 for renovations. The cafe's team and menu of coffee and breakfast bagels will remain the same.

Harry's Fine Foods chef/owner opening new restaurant
Julian Hagood, chef and owner of Harry's Fine Foods, is planning to open a new location called Harry's Beach House in the former space of a Tully's Coffee across from Alki Beach in West Seattle. The spot will serve the same brunches and "seasonally driven fare" as the Capitol Hill location, with more variety thanks to a larger kitchen.

EVENTS
FRIDAY, FEB. 8

Valentine's Chocolate Tasting
Not sure which confections to bestow upon your valentine? Taste a variety of sustainable chocolates like Vital Leaf, Endangered Species Chocolate, Good King Gourmet Snacking Cacao Whole Beans, Honey Mama's honey-cocoa bars, and CACOCO drinking chocolate to make an informed decision. 

FEB. 8-14
Tamari Bar's First Anniversary
The izakaya-style bar will celebrate its first year of business with special dishes, prizes, and all-day happy hours.

SATURDAY, FEB. 9
Chef BJ Dennis Dinner
Charleston-born chef Benjamin "BJ" Dennis will bring his interpretation of soul food, influenced by the Gullah Geechee culture (descendants of Central and West Africans who live in the Lowcountry region of Georgia and South Carolina) and his four years of study in St. Thomas, to Edouardo Jordan's award-winning Southern restaurant JuneBaby.

Matcha Man Pop-Up
"Matcha Man" Don Gacilo makes magical soft-serve in flavors like ube, cereal milk, Thai tea, black sesame, and (duh) matcha, with adorable taiyaki fish-shaped cones and stunning midnight-black activated charcoal cones. At this pop-up, he'll introduce a new flavor—buko pandan—and on the savory side, Sansei Sushi will serve up a variety of rice bowls, including miso-yaki chicken, teriyaki beef, salad bowls, and salmon bowls.

Sugar & Spice x West Elm Pop-up
Sugar & Spice will sling cookies in inspired flavors like "the Snack Aisle" (with Pocky, Oreos, Kit-Kats, and more), mango sticky rice, and buko pandan crunch, along with candies like matcha black sesame toffee and coconut mochi. The first 30 customers will receive a free cookie.

Tin Dog Brewing Anniversary
Celebrate Tin Dog Brewing's anniversary with the release of a special blended sour beer called Errant Whispers, which tastes like "a ripe peach," plus special sour "past hits and award winners" plucked from the cellar, charcuterie and cheese pairings, cake and Full Tilt ice cream, and live folk music.

FEB. 9-10
Seattle Croissant Taiyaki Pop-Up
You already know the cronut, the cruffin, and other such portmanteau pastries. Now meet the latest hybrid baked good: the croissant taiyaki, a mash-up of the flaky French pastry and taiyaki, a fish-shaped cake that’s a popular street-food in Japan. This winning combo will then be stuffed with sweet or savory fillings like red bean, matcha custard, Nutella, and ham and cheese. Don’t miss your chance to try this unique franken-creation.

SUNDAY, FEB. 10
Pike Chocofest
Dive headfirst into chocoholic bacchanalia with 10—count ’em 10—drink tickets in tow at this annual pre–Valentine’s Day bash. Indulge in libations from dozens of breweries, cideries, wineries, and distilleries, and sate your sweet tooth with confections from Fran’s Chocolates, Theo Chocolate, Chukar Cherries, Gelatiamo, Seattle Chocolate Company, Intrigue Chocolate, and more. Cut your sugar rush with something savory via bites from local restaurants like RN74 and Outlier. And know that all your hedonism supports a good cause: Proceeds benefit the Washington Trail Association’s efforts to protect local trails.

MONDAY, FEB. 11
Author Talk: Zaitoun by Yasmin Khan
In her new book, Zaitoun (“olive tree” in Arabic), British food and travel writer Yasmin Khan showcases the bright and sparkling cuisine of Palestine, from roast chicken with sumac and red onions to a passion-fruit cake studded with crimson pomegranate arils. However, Zaitoun is far more than just a cookbook: Khan, who worked as a human-rights campaigner for a decade with a special focus on Middle East conflict, tirelessly gathered stories and recipes from Palestinians of all backgrounds. She’ll visit all the way from the UK for this event, where she’ll discuss Palestinian cuisine and sign copies of the book purchased from the Book Larder. A bite from the book will be available to try.

Dosa Dinner Pop-Up at Cafe Racer
At this pop-up spearheaded by Nora Dummer, partake in dosas (South Indian crepes made from a batter of ground lentils and rice and stuffed with meat or vegetables) alongside tangy chutneys and sambar soup. Fillings will include root veggies, fish, and chicken.

Smells Like Seattle Spirits: Tales of the Northwest’s Rumrunning Past
Learn all about our town's seedy, boozy, rum-running past with Smith Tower and the Good Bootlegger’s Guild, who'll host three talks on "history, mythology, [and] whiskey." The main subject will be Roy Olmsted, Seattle's most infamous bootlegger. "Beginnings: The Seduction of a Seattle Cop" (Feb 11) introduces Olmsted as a brand-new cop from Nebraska; "The Rise of Old Roy: Seattle’s Most Original Innovator" (March 4) follows him as he takes up bootlegging full-time; and "The Hard Fall: The Feds Fight Back" (April 1) chronicles his downfall. Order a drink and be entertained by this century-old scandal. Don't forget to admire the view.

FEB. 11-13
Bon Appétit!
Lovers of light opera and cake will enjoy this operetta about Julia Child making cake, Bon Appétit!, as well as other treats (including a slice of cake, included in the ticket price).