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

[kiliki]

Maybe this isn't news anymore-I don't know when it happened-but in case others didn't know, Roxy's is now on 36th in Fremont. The friends who I recently dragged around NYC's Lower East Side to gaze lovingly at the pickle stores tipped me off to the fact that Roxy's moved there and that they make their own pickles.

[ScorchedPalate]

This isn't a scoop -- it was in Nancy Leson's column today -- but La Louisiana has closed. Guess I won't be using that Restaurants.com certificate after all.

Edited to add: And apparently our speculation about Maguire's was correct:

"The sales weren't what we needed and expected," says [McHugh], presently deciding whether to revamp the concept and stay on as an investor or sell the place outright.

"I've learned, over all these years, if (a business venture) isn't working, you've got to swallow your pride sooner rather than later and fix it. Make it right." He hopes to make things right by making certain whatever takes Maguire's place "works" for the neighborhood.

Edited February 16, 2005 by ScorchedPalate (log)

[LEdlund]

Chin Chin's Wok Grill on 5th Avenue downtown has closed. The windows are all papered and there appears to be a liquor license application on the door. I'll check it out next time I am there.

[Eden]

Anybody know anything about a new Moroccan restaurant that's going in at 85th & 14th ave NW?  I think there used to be a divey looking mexican joint there...

Moroccan would be a great addition to the restaurants I can reach when we're feeling to lazy to leave Ballard!

←

Drove by again yesterday & they have a name up now

Kasbah Authentic Morrocan Restaurant

"opening soon"

so if a restaurant specifies "authentic" in their name is that a dig at other similar restaurants, or what?

Eden

With apologies for posting my original question in the wrong place.

[tsquare]

Chin Chin's Wok Grill on 5th Avenue downtown has closed. The windows are all papered and there appears to be a liquor license application on the door. I'll check it out next time I am there.

←

I think that they are adding an Indian restaurant into the compilation - not sure if the Chinese part stays or not.

[sharding]

Chin Chin's Wok Grill on 5th Avenue downtown has closed. The windows are all papered and there appears to be a liquor license application on the door. I'll check it out next time I am there.

←

Seems like not the greatest location to me. Until a couple of months ago, I lived a block away. I don't ever remember seeing those restaurants busy. Maybe they get all their business during the day, when I was at work.

I have to admit, I never even got around to trying Chin Chin's. I did try the Mexican place next door, and I don't remember being terribly impressed.

[jrt]

Chin Chin's Wok Grill on 5th Avenue downtown has closed. The windows are all papered and there appears to be a liquor license application on the door. I'll check it out next time I am there.

←

Seems like not the greatest location to me. Until a couple of months ago, I lived a block away. I don't ever remember seeing those restaurants busy. Maybe they get all their business during the day, when I was at work.

I have to admit, I never even got around to trying Chin Chin's. I did try the Mexican place next door, and I don't remember being terribly impressed.

←

Very much agreed -- I noticed the same thing.

It was especially difficult for them, I would think, because of Chinese Wok. Have you tried that restaurant? It's on 4th. For that kind of Chinese food, it's quite good.

[sharding]

It was especially difficult for them, I would think, because of Chinese Wok.  Have you tried that restaurant?  It's on 4th.  For that kind of Chinese food, it's quite good.

Yeah, we were fairly frequent customers of Chinese Wok when we lived near there. That's part of the reason we never tried Chin Chin's -- when we were in the mood for Chinese food, we always went to the Wok.

[tighe]

This isn't a scoop -- it was in Nancy Leson's column today -- but La Louisiana has closed. Guess I won't be using that Restaurants.com certificate after all.

Edited to add: And apparently our speculation about Maguire's was correct:

"The sales weren't what we needed and expected," says [McHugh], presently deciding whether to revamp the concept and stay on as an investor or sell the place outright.

"I've learned, over all these years, if (a business venture) isn't working, you've got to swallow your pride sooner rather than later and fix it. Make it right." He hopes to make things right by making certain whatever takes Maguire's place "works" for the neighborhood.

←

Leson's column today is a veritable Farewell & Welcome treasure trove!

A few thoughts...

I really fear for Porta's long-term viability in Belltown. I don't think that what they have going on Eastlake translates well to that scene. Are there enough people out there willing to pay for up-market Greek to support both Porta and Tom Douglas' new place in the same neighborhoood?

How many Italian restaurants can Seattle really support?

Staffed with corporate chefs, is there any chance that the restaurant replacing Roy's will offer anything distinctive on the high end seafood front? Isn't Oceanaire like a block away?

Edited February 16, 2005 by tighe (log)

[ScorchedPalate]

Ding How Plaza -- home of Seven Stars Pepper -- at the culinary mecca of 12th and Jackson is now also home to The Lemongrass. Pretty slick-looking decor, and they were doing a brisk business last night.

I've driven by the other location by Seattle U, but not recently. Anyone know if they've moved or simply branched out? (If it's the latter, that's awfully close!)

We found it ironic that their sign makes a big deal of "authentic vietnamese cuisine" when they're next door to two totally decor-free places with hand-written vietnamese signs in the window.

~A

Edited February 18, 2005 by ScorchedPalate (log)

[tighe]

Has anyone checked out the Local Cafe on Olive? I walked by last night and it looks like an interesting place. Simple but attractive interior with a low-priced and tasty sounding menu. One of the Capital Hill contingent must have tried it already? I'm going to try to have lunch there next week.

Edited to change 'tasting' to 'tasty' which makes a hell of a lot more sense....

Edited February 18, 2005 by tighe (log)

[mamster]

Yes, everyone should make bugmenot part of their repertoire. I hope it becomes popular enough that it's no longer necessary.

At some point I'm planning to copy all of my reviews to my site, proper, so they won't need to link to the Times, but it'll be a while.

[tighe]

Wow, you guys know all the cool techie tricks.....this is going to be very useful..

[tsquare]

Drove by Istanbul Cafe on 45th, East end of Wallingford - not sure if it is open yet.

Walked by a sign for 3rd Avenue Bistro - 600 block - feisty part of downtown. Just a leased space.

The red space at 1st and Battery is advertising for servers, etc.

[elswinger]

I only mention it here because somewhere in these 23 pages the conversation started. I finally tried Matt's Famous Hot Dogs (the one in the University District) the other day. I got an Original Dog and a Polish Sausage, both with just a bit of yellow mustard. I liked them both, but the Hot Dog was surprisingly tastier than the Sausage. My one quibble was that the poppyseed rolls seemed soggy, I suspected they got wet during the steaming process.

Service was fine, there was just me and another customer on a Tuesday lunch hour. If it hadn't been so cold I would have taken the dogs to go, but instead I sat on a barstool at the window.

With a Coke and chips I spent about $6. More than I would spend at AM/PM but less than Safeco Field. The next time I have a craving for a hot dog, I'll give Matt's another try (I might try the one in Ballard).

[elswinger]

I just noticed that another Blue C Sushi is opening up at U Village.

[chadum]

"The Belltown" in, well, Belltown has a big banner on it saying

---

Coming Late March 2005

A New Restaurant

From your

Friends & Family at

BluWater Bistro

---

In other local news: The place being constructed across Battery from Lampreia: Volta, is now labeling itself a 'lounge' with an ad. for bar staff.

Edited February 26, 2005 by chadum (log)

[Placebo]

The Kasbah Moroccan Restaraunt has just opened tonight on 85th just off 15th Ave NW. Looks beautiful through the windows. The one Moroccan restaraunteaur I've managed to ask about the place (Zack, co-owner, with his wife, of Jasmine down at Pike Place) and he says he knows the cook and that the guy is good. See the ISO Dining COmpanions for tasting plans.

[kiliki]

The new cocktail lounge at Stumbling Goat (the "Enchantress") is open. It is tiny-5 barstools and three two tops that were occupied by diners. But, it was a perfectly nice place to get a cocktail and a dessert. The bartender said they had a late night (10-12) bar menu and specials.

[Eden]

The Kasbah Moroccan Restaraunt has just opened tonight on 85th just off 15th Ave NW. Looks beautiful through the windows.  The one Moroccan restaraunteaur I've managed to ask about the place (Zack, co-owner, with his wife, of Jasmine down at Pike Place) and he says he knows the cook and that the guy is good. See the ISO Dining COmpanions for tasting plans.

←

So what was the verdict? I was booked the night of the ISO, but I'd love to hear people's impressions.

[butter]

The Kasbah Moroccan Restaraunt has just opened tonight on 85th just off 15th Ave NW. Looks beautiful through the windows.  The one Moroccan restaraunteaur I've managed to ask about the place (Zack, co-owner, with his wife, of Jasmine down at Pike Place) and he says he knows the cook and that the guy is good. See the ISO Dining COmpanions for tasting plans.

←

Coming from Vancouver and not sure where 85th and 15th are...is this the Capitol Hill area as a friend just told me she went to a great Moroccan restaurant there?

[tsquare]

The Kasbah Moroccan Restaraunt has just opened tonight on 85th just off 15th Ave NW. Looks beautiful through the windows.  The one Moroccan restaraunteaur I've managed to ask about the place (Zack, co-owner, with his wife, of Jasmine down at Pike Place) and he says he knows the cook and that the guy is good. See the ISO Dining COmpanions for tasting plans.

←

Coming from Vancouver and not sure where 85th and 15th are...is this the Capitol Hill area as a friend just told me she went to a great Moroccan restaurant there?

←

Nope, this is North Ballard/Crown Hill.

Not to be confused with 10th or 15th on Capitol Hill. There is a poorly attended thread somewhere on the whole Moroccan renaissance.

[Eden]

We found a new Indian place in Kirkland tonight, which seems to be recently opened, called Tandoori Kitchen. (website has pics but no descriptions of the dishes)

Unfortunately we were dining light so we didn't try a wide array of dishes, but the few items we ordered were quite tasty. Tonight we just had the butter chicken (I needed comfort food!) which was notably less creamy and more tomatoey than most and also had a much higher garlic content, oh and was screaming tandoori red The rice was a lovely 3 tone saffron mix, but otherwise just plain basmati rice, meant to support the curries, not compete in the flavor department. The Vegetable samosas which included dried pomegranate seeds (sadly not as noticable as I'd have liked) were in a good but very greasy pastry (not so much tasting greasy as phsycically dripping oil off the bottom, like they hadn't been drained enough coming out of the fryer) and served with a really delicate cilantro-yoghurt sauce, and a scary looking hot pepper sauce that made Bill happy Bill also ordered the "leachy juice" which I presume is a lychee juice, but don't know, and it was great! very light, kind of pearlike but almost reminisent of a cucumber somehow except very sweet. I can only imagine how refreshing it would be on a hot Indian day...

But here's the cool part, they have a really interesting menu with some items I've never seen on a restaurant menu before such as Haleem - legumes and grains "amalgamated with beef" I can't wait to go back & try this since I've read about Haleem a fair bit & really want to see what it actually tastes like - the owner said this dish takes hours and hours to make so most restaurants don't want to put in the labor... There's also a soup? of lamb's feet called Paya which I've never even heard of, Nargasi Koftas - "seasoned ground beef balls with a whole boiled egg inside", and Halva Puri - halva and chana masala on puri bread (this is just an odd combo for me, but I'm game to try it!) The menu has pleny of the usual supects that I love as well; malai kofta, gulab jamun, plain puri, seekh kabab etc. but I'm really looking forward to going back here & trying all stuff I can't get elsewhwere!

Oh and the owner seems to be very proud of what he's doing & happy to talk about the food which is always a bonus

[creepygirl]

It looks like Supreme in Madrona is done. Their website isn't up any more, and when I called their phone number, the answering machine identified the number as "the new site of the Sapphire bar and grill."

Too bad. I really liked the brunch and dinner I had there, and wish I'd had more time to try more stuff.

[Sleepy_Dragon]

Re: Tandoori Kitchen

Thanks for the first impressions, Eden. I'm going to try and get out there once finances allow. Some of the menu items you mentioned sound like Muslim/Pakistani fare, which is pretty unusual for Indian food in Seattle.

Pat