[Seattle] Farewell & Welcome: Closings, Transformations, Openings (Part 1)

[malarkey]

go now while its still light at 8pm. And most definitely go during happy hour. (5-7) Its a killer deal.

[MsRamsey]

I don't consider it unsafe at all. It's just a dead block with no other businesses (open in the evening, at least) and there can be a few transients wandering about.

[laurel]

I saw an application for liquor license about two doors down from Crave (which was great) for something called "Tarragona Wine and Food" (or Food and Wine, I don't remember).

[tsquare]

Has anyone been to Pair yet? It opened up in my neighborhood and got good reviews -- however every single resto that has opened in that space has failed, so I wish it well.

lalala

Where - what's the news?

[lalala]

Pair review by Nancy Leeson (YOMV)

Its at 30th NE and NE 55th St - in the Bryant 'hood.

The NE 55th ST contains such fine gems as la piazza (over rated when it was salute), bella rossa (okay, not great), nana's (better now that they have espresso), queen mary (haven't been in years), duchess (no thanks), and sterling cafe (never been, but now has full organic certification -- never seems crowded) and kidd valley (not the same since it was taken over from Ivars).

Anyways, haven't been to Pair, but like I said its been a few restaurants in the past 10 years and none have done well. I am wishing them luck!

lalala

[malarkey]

The NE 55th ST contains such fine gems as la piazza (over rated when it was salute)

Salute on 55th closed?! When did this happen?

[lalala]

Salute did not close, it was purchased by the employees and renamed as "La Piazza", sorry for the scare.

lalala

[malarkey]

Salute did not close, it was purchased by the employees and renamed as "La Piazza", sorry for the scare.

lalala

oh, its not really a "scare". I haven't been there in years, but I used to know someone who LOVED the place, it was her hangout, and not entirely because of the food. Let's just say she got lots of male attention there.

[tsquare]

Brasa's on that block on 3rd, and I'm not convinced that it's doing so great. It's been a tomb every time I've been there recently.

Happy to report that on this past sweltering hot Monday night in August, Brasa was comfortably air conditioned - and though the bar was less than packed, the dining room had a pretty good house.

I heard they got slammed Sunday night - with the crew from the Womens Chefs thing at E&O. Stayed open an extra hour even. Hooray!

Happy to have someone else cook my dinner - pizza from that wood fired oven. Wish it were more crispy.

[laurel]

Since I walk past it on my way to work, I've been wondering what Lloyd's Rocket (which until a few months ago was an abandoned gas station featuring murals, a vine-covered gutted gas pump, and a chain link fence) was turning into. It's had a lot of work done on it lately, and has a fresh coat of copper paint.

According to Penelope Corcoran, it's going to be a restaurant...

[jbonne]

on a happier note, Penelope Corcoran believes that Dahlia Lounge has bounced back under the watch of Eric Tanaka.

it's enough to inspire a return visit. after two lackluster trips a couple years ago, i gave up.

[malarkey]

New rumors recently heard:

1. There's a french bistro sorta place at 1st and Stewart called.. Bacco?

2. Blue Onion Bistro sold.

Anybody got the scoop on either one of these?

[ScorchedPalate]

New rumors recently heard:

1. There's a french bistro sorta place at 1st and Stewart called.. Bacco?

2. Blue Onion Bistro sold.

Anybody got the scoop on either one of these?

Nancy Leson's June 2 column

scroll down to: Sold — Blue Onion Bistro

[tsquare]

New rumors recently heard:

1. There's a french bistro sorta place at 1st and Stewart called.. Bacco?

Bacco is the street side expansion of the dungeon by the same name - entered from the Inn's courtyard. A nicer space, with a more limited menu. Sidewalk seating as well as interior. Took over the shoe store space that moved to Pine. You'll remember the signs for juices, crab sandwiches...?

[little ms foodie]

New rumors recently heard:

2. Blue Onion Bistro sold.

Anybody got the scoop on either one of these?

Nancy Leson's June 2 column

scroll down to: Sold — Blue Onion Bistro

Blue Onion is right down the street from us, we plan to check it out on Sunday for breakfast....

[LEdlund]

I did some poking around Wallingford today. It appears the new thai restaurant that was supposed to open last Wednesday isn't open yet. I was hoping to try it out.

Wonderbar is open and looks like it's going to be fun. They have nice rattan chairs and some low deep bench seats all around. In the back on the left is a coffee bar that will be open during the day. On the right is a cocktail bar that will open in the evenings (they might serve coffee during that time too). I didn't think to ask about the food (which we know they will have since they are serving hard alcohol). I asked what type of cocktails they would be serving and they said "all kinds". The owner told me that he checked out See Sound Lounge while he was building his so maybe it will be modeled after theirs? The cocktail bar will open next Friday.

Simpatico in the Wallingford center is gone. A new restaurant, Lux, is going in it's place. The guys doing construction said it will be "asian american". Like Wallingford need another asian fusion restaurant.........

[little ms foodie]

Had breakfast at the Blue Onion on Sunday. There were just 3 other tables eating when we came in at 10am. The menu reads pretty much like the Queen Anne Cafe, good standard breakfast diner food....but it's spendy we thought.

My husband had the french toast platter which came with eggs and bacon- $10

I was going to have the bacon waffle but she said their waffle iron had been sent out for repairs. I then asked how the corn beef hash was, she said "it's the only thing not made in house"...next! So I went with the hobo omelet- bacon, potatoes, onions and cheese. Very good but at $9 not that great.

2 cups of coffee at $2 ea- they use Cafe Vita.

We looked at the dinner menu too, only 2 entrees under $15 I think.

All in all, very friendly service, good food but prices a little too high in our opinion.

[girl chow]

Had breakfast at the Blue Onion on Sunday.

Just wondering, has anyone heard from Scott? Is he starting another restaurant? Did he go to cook someplace else? And anyone know what happened to his kitchen partner Sue? Or perhaps this is covered elsewhere and I just missed it?

For newcomers to eG, Scott is the former owner of Blue Onion Bistro (with Sue). He used to post here under the handle of papa chef, but we haven't heard from him in eons.

Anyone have news on him? PLease post here! Or, direct me to the link if info has been posted elsewhere.

[ScorchedPalate]

Nancy's column (link above) said:

As for Scotty and Sue, the summer looks rosy and holds no immediate plans. "I'm going to take some time off to spend with my kids, I haven't seen them in four years!" says Sue. "What can you say after four years?" adds Scotty, who admits that he was "born to cook" and expects to be doing so somewhere, someday, but not without taking a much-deserved break. "Arrivederci! And look for me in the future."

Edited August 17, 2004 by ScorchedPalate (log)

[Fay Jai]

(Paraphrasing here...)

"Due to the end of the lease, the cost of doing business and Washington State's unfriendly business climate, Great Western Dining regrets to say that the Northgate Copper Sky location is permanently closed..."

Crapola...

[ScorchedPalate]

Crapola...

FaiJai, are you commenting on the loss of this place, or on the place itself?

We ate there twice -- reasoning that just about anything is better than Olive Garden when stranded in Target-ville -- and I certainly won't miss it. The food ranged from middlin' to unremarkable, the ingredients leaned heavily on the Sysco pantry, and the service was of the '19-year-old with a nametag and a notepad' genre.

~A

[jbonne]

The food ranged from middlin' to unremarkable, the ingredients leaned heavily on the Sysco pantry, and the service was of the '19-year-old with a nametag and a notepad' genre.

an acquaintance of mine seemed to have an inexplicable fondness for the steaks there, though little else.

she actually ate there enough to memorize the stock sell phrase the servers were taught, something along the lines of offering a "Sam Houston margarita or a strawberry lemonade," that sort of hooey. when the servers came up to do their spiel, she would actually say it in unison with them. brilliant.

no great loss in my book. if the unfavorable business climate of WA state manages to chase them off, all for the better. i've got a couple others on that list ...

[laurel]

Not actually a restaurant, but looks interesting:

http://tarragonawine.com/index.html

High quality wines in the $10 to $25 range – and the foods that accompany them naturally – are the staples of Tarragona Wine and Food. Savor the flavors of a region in the wine, cheese, olives or vegetables produced there.

[Really Nice!]

There's a new butcher moving in to the Market in the space under Matt's that opened up earlier in February this year. I forget the name, but there's a coming soon sign on the refrigerated case.

[Really Nice!]

Oh, and Kitchen Basics in the Market is also for sale.