OPENINGS
Alki Chicken & Waffles
In the former space of B's Po Boy, owner Tom Lin (who previously owned the Alki Homestead two doors down, now home to Mike Easton's buzzy Italian pasta mecca Il Nido) opened this fried chicken joint on August 27. The menu includes organic fried chicken made with Lin's famous secret recipe, which he's carried over from his Homestead days, plus breakfast foods like waffles and eggs and comforting sides like fried zucchini and mashed potatoes.
West Seattle
Amazon Go
Bezos' online shopping behemoth has opened a new location of its "cashless grocery store" in First Hill. After customers scan their phone upon entry, the items they select are automatically added to a virtual cart and charged to their Amazon account via an app, eliminating the need to check out.
First Hill
Da Long Yi Hot Pot
This big-deal Chinese hot pot chain, which is said to be among the best in Chengdu and which was reviewed by the New York Times and New Yorker after opening its first U.S. location in New York this spring, has opened an outpost in Green Lake. Diners have the option of getting a pot with one, two, or three different broths.
Green Lake
District H
South Lake Union got a new option for Korean snacks this week when District H, an upscale version of the popular Korean grocery chain H Mart, held its grand opening this Thursday. The store, which is the first U.S. location of District H, has a food court with a grill station with meat and seafood, a steam station with dumplings, and a bakery. H Mart also plans to open a regular location in downtown Seattle at the end of this month.
South Lake Union
La Cocina y Cantina
Capitol Hill's longtime Mexican standby La Cocina celebrated the opening of Cantina, their new bar in the former space of the Starbucks next door, on September 8. Guests can look forward to a wall with a selection of tequila and a screen for viewing Seahawks games.
Capitol Hill
Lazy Susan
The Interbay bar Citizen Six has moved into the former space of the Queen Anne neighborhood bistro Crow (which closed on June 23) and re-opened under the name Lazy Susan, a nod to owner Suzana Olmos's childhood nickname, to avoid confusion with her nearby Queen Anne restaurant Citizen. Lazy Susan serves the same menu of comforting Korean-Mexican fusion fare (like bulgogi fries and fish tacos glazed with Korean wing sauce) as Citizen Six but adds a few new dinner and dessert items and cocktails.
Queen Anne
CLOSURES
Delicatus
The sandwich shop Delicatus announced via Instagram that they would be closing after nine years, writing simply, "Sandwich Junkies, we must say good bye to Pioneer Square." Eater Seattle writes that the restaurant will shutter on October 18, and that co-owner Mike Klotz attributes the closure to construction issues and "the complete lack of oversight, coordination and general planning by SDOT, along with zero support from the city to assist ground floor retail businesses during this transition." The shop's downtown location will remain open.
Pioneer Square
Junkichi Robata Izakaya
This Japanese restaurant, which opened in May 2018 and features robatayaki (a traditional style of Japanese cooking similar to barbecue in which skewers are slow-grilled over hot, high-carbon charcoal called "binchotan") and its very own AI robot, announced earlier this month on its website that it would be closed for several months for renovations. Capitol Hill Seattle speculates that the extended hiatus could be a sign of an impending permanent closure, as city records show no construction permits for the location.
Capitol Hill
OTHER FOOD NEWS
Two local restaurants nominated for Bon Appetit's Best New Restaurants 2019
The Capitol Hill restaurants By Tae (a hand-roll counter tucked away inside Chophouse Row) and Dacha Diner (an Eastern-European diner known for its popular khachapuri) received national acclaim this week when they were nominated for Bon Appetit's 50 Best New Restaurants 2019. The magazine's deputy editor Julia Kramer called By Tae "a hand-roll counter with a surplus of personality" and referred to Dacha Diner's fare as "immensely craveable."
Mamnoon introducing bakery pop-up
Get ready for baklava morning buns and za'atar BLTs with cured lamb bacon: Sam Gainsbourg, who recently took over as pastry chef at the Middle Eastern spot Mamnoon on Capitol Hill after previous pastry chef Carrie Mashaney was promoted to executive chef, is launching his own bakery pop-up Samsoom, promising "perfectly baked goods, both savory and sweet, with Levantine flavors you know and love." The pop-up will debut at Mamnoon's walk-up window on September 22 and 29, with more to come in the future if it proves to be successful.
Hot pot restaurant opening delayed
In other hot pot news, the wildly popular hot pot chain Hai Di Lao, which was originally set to open its first U.S. location outside of Canada inside Pacific Place in downtown Seattle this fall, has hit delays and will instead open in early 2020. Guess we'll all just have to wait a bit longer for simmering broths, free snacks, and "noodle dancers" who perform a stunning dance as they stretch dough into 10-foot-long, ribbon-like swathes. The company is also planning to open a location inside Bellevue's Pacific Center.
Feed Co. Burgers will stay open
Don't worry: The Central District burger joint isn't going anywhere. Last month, Feed Co. Burgers founders Heather and Scott Staples sold the restaurant to new owner Lao Bun, who was planning to reopen the space as a new establishment called Fusion Bites and Bar, but Bun has now decided to keep the name and menu the same, possibly adding a few new items.
Ballard Loft re-opening
According to an announcement on Facebook, the neighborhood event space and sports bar Ballard Loft, which closed in April, will be re-opening soon under new ownership. The opening date has not yet been announced.
Silence-Heart-Nest set to reopen
As for other restaurants that won't be closing, the well-liked, oddly hyphenated Fremont vegetarian haunt Silence-Heart-Nest, which The Stranger's Jen Graves once called "the worst name ever" (though she admitted the restaurant had several things "going for it" and added that Karen Finneyfrockâs novel Starbird Murphy and the World Outside was based on a "thinly veiled version" of it) and which closed in August after 33 years of business, will reopen at the end of the month under the ownership of the former owners' son.
Comadre Panaderia moving
We'll miss the perfect conchas, alfajores, and empanadas: Baker Mariela Camacho of the Mexican bakery pop-up Comadre Panaderia announced on Instagram that she is leaving the city on October 22 and taking the rest of the year off, writing that she plans to spend some time talking to small business owners and leaders in the food community throughout the Southwest and Mexico, learning how to run a "more environmentally aware food practice," and hanging out with her family in Texas. Following the break, she writes, "Iâll be looking to dig my roots in deep into whatever community will thrive with me in it. Comadre PanaderĂa will start the hunt for a brick and mortar and permanent home."
EVENTS
FRIDAY, SEPT. 13
9th & Hennepin at Wayward
Enjoy Justin Newstrum's seasonal, made-to-order doughnuts sizzling hot out of the fryer with a cup of coffee from Wayward.
SEPT. 13-15
Washington Cider Week 2019
Freak out about cider at approximately a billion tastings, parties, etc. during a week so special, it lasts 11 days! See the full schedule here.
Mezcal Week
Revel in the smoky agave-based spirit with a week-long celebration with talks, tastings, cocktail specials, pairings, and more.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 14
5th Annual East Ballard Oktoberfest
A traditional Oompah band will lead you to various Ballard bars offering Oktoberfest food and drink specials and activities.
Chinatown-ID Night Market
Traditionally, night markets are a place to stroll, shop, and nosh on tasty street-food snacks. This annual festival, which draws upwards of 25,000 people each year, takes place beneath the historic Chinatown gate in the International District, and features a slew of Asian street food alongside handmade local goods, fresh cut flowers, and more, plus entertainment that includes live bands and breakdancing groups.
Georgetown Beer Festival 2019
Georgetown, one of Seattleâs oldest neighborhoods, has built-in beer history: Itâs where Rainier Beer first got its start in 1884 and was once the sixth largest brewery in the world. The inaugural edition of this new festival hosted in the historic district will celebrate the remarkably high volume of brewers in the South End, including Counterbalance Brewing, Elysian Brewing, Flying Lion Brewing, Future Primitive Brewing, Georgetown Brewing, Ghostfish Brewing, Jellyfish Brewing, Lowercase Brewing, Machine House Brewery, Perihelion Brewery, Seapine Brewing, and Tin Dog Brewing.
Green Lake Oktoberfest - Beer Tasting Festival
Green Lake is starting its own Oktoberfest tradition with two days of Washington craft beer and cider, German-style eats, Weiner dog races, and lively music and dancing.
Grilled Cheese Grand Prix 2019
I donât care if youâre vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, or lactose-intolerant: Put down your diet, grab your Lactaid, and get thyself to the Grilled Cheese Grand Prix, which may be the only event this year worth the trip to South Lake Union. There you can try the Bourbon Street Bob Melt, an andouille sausage and Granny Smith combo melted between slabs of sourdough and smothered with Beecherâs and Darigold queso. Or perhaps youâre looking for something a little more Canadian. In that case, go for the Poutine Grilled Cheese, which is layered with garlic butter, slow-cooked roast beef, melted cheddar, manchego, and cheese curds, andâthe coup de graceâstuffed with french fries and served with a cup of house gravy. Donât think about tomorrow; just eat. KATIE HERZOG
Last Blast Band + Fresh Hop Kick-Off Party
The Growler Guys is pulling out all the stops for this celebration, with a DJ, two food trucks, 15 fresh hop beers, brewery swag, and performances by dream-hop/indie soul band the Brodcast and intersectional alt-rockers Gypsy Temple.
Mochi Madness
Learn how to craft your own pleasantly chewy, glutinous rice treats at home, and create four coconut mochi cakes stuffed with fresh mango, strawberry, and/or red bean paste.
Tea Ice Cream Pop Up at Miro Tea
Enjoy cool, creamy, tea-infused ice cream, with a special new collaboration flavor made by Milk & Leaf and Miro Tea. Vegan and lactose-intolerant fans need not be left out: a non-dairy flavor will be included.
Washington Artisan Cheesemakers Festival 2019
Fromage fanciers, rejoice: At this festival celebrating âthe terroir of Washingtonâ and benefiting the Washington State Cheesemakers Association, more than 20 artisan and farmstead cheesemakers from all over the state will gather to share their creamy wares. The lineup features a coterie of choice cheesemongers and covetable creameries, like Beecherâs, Twin Sisters, Mt. Townsend, and more, as well as accompaniments from artisans like preserves producer Girl Meets Dirt, plus local beer and wine. Admission includes three beverage tastes and all the cheese your dairy-loving heart desires.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 15
Mbarâs 3 Year Anniversary Party
Trendy Mamnoon sibling and rooftop space Mbar toasts to three years with drink specials and DJs $0F, EL4D and tim. A portion of drink sales will go to the ACLU.
MONDAY, SEPT. 16
Author Talk: The New Pie by Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin
In their new book, authors Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin breathe new life into the flaky-pastry-encased dessert standby with nifty new techniques and flavors (like birthday cake and Tahitian pineapple). At this event, they'll demonstrate a technique from the book and answer all your burning pie-making questions.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 17
Maria Lichty with Danielle Kartes
Food blogger Maria Lichty of Two Peas & Their Pod will chat about her new cookbook of family-friendly recipes with local author Danielle Kartes and sign copies, and Book Larder will provide a bite from the book for sampling.
