[Seattle] Farewell & Welcome: Closings, Transformations, Openings (Part 3)

[tsquare]

Does anyone know anything about the restaurant Jerry Traunfield's going to be opening/running?

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I believe in the South Lake Union neighborhood.

[SusieQ]

Phayathai Cuisine

8917 Lake City Way

(1st floor of multistory apt. bldg.)

(206) 729-2295

Hi all, I'm hoping people will check this place out. Really nice Thai family running it, the food is delicious, and I think they need some business!

It's a little out of the way and easy to miss when you're zipping past on Lake City Way. For a marker, it's just across the street from Seven Seas Chinese Restaurant.

I don't know much about Thai food, so I can't say about authenticity. But they do seem to have lots of dishes that aren't on your normal run-of-the-mill Thai menu. And to me the food is really good.

The space is really gorgeous --spacious, peaceful, mellow but spirited atmosphere (if that makes sense). If you know this location from previous incarnations (former home of Golden Fortune, which had the best mapo tofu and best broths made on the premises from scratch -- I still mourn the passing of that place) but anyway, if you remember any of the restaurants that used to be there, you'll remember the god-awful decor and cold feeling that used to be there. This family has totally transformed the place.

I'm really curious, for those who know Thai food, how this place stacks up. I hope they're able to stick it out past the "new restaurant" stage.

SusieQ

[elswinger]

Wallingford News: A Starbucks is opening up at the NW corner of 45th & Stone Way in the new condo. The old Beso Del Sol space has a "For Lease" sign up so maybe a new restaurant is not out of the question.

I talked to nancy leson about the Ebb & flow spot and she is going to talk to the owners about my idea to open a Red Mill or something similar there.

[crouching tyler]

Wallingford News: A Starbucks is opening up at the NW corner of 45th & Stone Way in the new condo.  The old Beso Del Sol space has a "For Lease" sign up so maybe a new restaurant is not out of the question. 

I talked to nancy leson about the Ebb & flow spot and she is going to talk to the owners about my idea to open a Red Mill or something similar there.

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Upon reading about how the Chow, and Ebb & Flow folks thought the space to small to be profitable, I , too, thought that the space just needed a different sort of restaurant - more casual, high turnover, and good share of take-out. Burgers, burritos, pho, for example. I guess parking isn't great, but if the food is good enough, the people will go there. Or at the very least, I will.

[elswinger]

Upon reading about how the Chow, and Ebb & Flow folks thought the space to small to be profitable, I , too, thought that the space just needed a different sort of restaurant - more casual, high turnover, and good share of take-out. Burgers, burritos, pho, for example. I guess parking isn't great, but if the food is good enough, the people will go there. Or at the very least, I will.

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I think the Ebb & Flow space is just a bit too cramped to be both a bar and a restaurant. Either rip out the bar and make it a straight up diner or to go place, or rip out the kitchen and make it just a bar.

I will miss Ebb & Flow for its great breakfasts and burgers (I never got around to going for dinner) and the neighborhood could sure use a good diner type restaurant (something the Rusty Pelican and Blue Star are not).

Wallingford seems to be set on various ethnic foods. An independent burger place or pizza by the slice place would benefit people who just want something quick before a movie or on their way home from work. I would also like a good deli where I can by cold cuts and cheese. I wanted to buy some good Bologna and Cotto Salami to make sandwiches today (I didn't want to have to take a bus to another neighborhood, and my only choice was QFC, which only had Oscar Meyer and Kroger (I bought neither).

Now that Chutneys has moved into a larger space in the Wallingford Community Center and the old Beso Del Sol and Ebb & Flow spaces are free, there are now three empty restaurants on 45th within six short blocks.

[elswinger]

According to the Stranger, Frites has gone out of business.

[mamster]

NOOOOOOO!

[vinelady]

They were one of the few decent places to go for a late night snack and the best frites in the city.

[cupcakequeen]

lloyd's rocket has been shuttered for a couple days & has a for-sale sign.

[beauxbrie]

I think mamster said it best, NOOOOOOO!

[malarkey]

Wow, I'm surprised about Frites. I thought he did a booming biz due to Nuemos.

[tighe]

Wow, I'm surprised about Frites. I thought he did a booming biz due to Nuemos.

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From some things I read it sounds like its not a question of inadequate business, more about co-owners who could no longer coexist. I'm betting one or both of them will pop up with a new place soon.

[Marky Marc]

lloyd's rocket has been shuttered for a couple days & has a for-sale sign.

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That place has been in and out of business for 20 years, it seems.

[tsquare]

Uh oh, on Rainier Ave., near Orcas (Hillman City, just south of Columbia City), there used to be "Bamboo" - a tiny Vietnamese place that also made ice cream and beignets. Paper sign covering the windows says "South Side Bakery, coming soon.

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My mistake - Le Bambou is still there, next door.

There is also a new BBQ place coming to that block. Hillman City, the new destination.

[elswinger]

A jamba Juice, along with a starbucks, has moved into the new condo at 45th & Stone Way (across from the Blue Star).

C'mon Wallingford, get something good. At least an Ezell's, a Red Mill, or Pizza by the slice.

[kiliki]

Those large, new complexes almost always have terrible chains as tenants. There's an interesting thread somewhere else on this board about the link between new developments (though usually in the 'burbs) and these chains. I'm scared a Quiznos or something is going to appear in the condos they're building on Phinney by my house.

[rmockler]

Welcome Inay's to Beacon Hill!! Great clean space (just south of Holgate on Beacon .. where the Mexican Grocery used to be on the west side of the street), delicious food. I know little about Philipino cuisine, but my sources say this does well.

Highlights from dinner for two:

Pork Liempo -- deep fried pieces of pork belly (YUM!) with a cold liver sauce and pickled papaya to dip 'em in.

Spicky Pork -- hunks o' pork in a coconut milk/anchovy/jalapeno sauce. This was seriously, seriously good, if a bit salty.

They do breakfast and lunch, too. Oh .. and things not made from pork. Nothing over $8, and entrees come with rice and salad. No liquor yet but it's on its way.

If you're not a beacon hiller, we'd still love your support for our restaurants. Oscar's/Baja Bistro (kitty corner from Inay's) is also a great stop, with homemade torillas and some delicious Mexican food, also in a very nice, cozier than Inay's space.

[lalala]

A jamba Juice, along with a starbucks, has moved into the new condo at 45th & Stone Way (across from the Blue Star).

C'mon Wallingford, get something good.  At least an Ezell's, a Red Mill, or Pizza by the slice.

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That is so sad.

A new shopping center/office park thing has the makings of the same thing here in Ravenna (Northcut landing). However, we have a faux artisanal pizza place (Pizzeria Fondi) moving in and a Rooster's Espresso, which I guess is local.

It also has a smoothie place, a fake bake and a nail place. What else does Seattle need?

Sigh.

[kiliki]

I was very impressed by my visit to Made in Kitchen Bistro today. It's a new, big, bright and airy Vietnamese place at 8th and Lane in the ID. I had great service--fast, and a very motherly waitress who recommended lunch favorites like the imperial rolls, the lemongrass pork and the kitchen combo and who talked me out of ordering too much food for one person, because what I wanted wouldn't be good as leftovers, she said. So I only ended up ordering the glass noodles with dungeness crab; I could tell she didn't think I made the best choice, and while it was good it would have been better if I was with a group and that was a shared dish (it got kind of old eating just that after a while). I will definitely be back to try other things-I love Green Leaf but am so tired of always waiting for a table, and Made in Kitchen's menu has some delicous sounding items that I haven't seen elsewhere.

Oh, and there's a coupon for a free papaya salad on the citysearch page.

[tsquare]

I was very impressed by my visit to Made in Kitchen Bistro today. It's a new, big, bright and airy Vietnamese place at 8th and Lane in the ID. I had great service--fast, and a very motherly waitress who recommended lunch favorites like the imperial rolls, the lemongrass pork and the kitchen combo and who talked me out of ordering too much food for one person, because what I wanted wouldn't be good as leftovers, she said. So I only ended up ordering the glass noodles with dungeness crab; I could tell she didn't think I made the best choice, and while it was good it would have been better if I was with a group and that was a shared dish (it got kind of old eating just that after a while). I will definitely be back to try other things-I love Green Leaf but am so tired of always waiting for a table, and Made in Kitchen's menu has some delicous sounding items that I haven't seen elsewhere.

Oh, and there's a coupon for a free papaya salad on the citysearch page.

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I've been a few times and really like the room, service, and the food.

[kiliki]

On Aurora at about 77th-a new grocery called Bravo that is advertising, in big letters, RUSSIAN PIROSHKY. There's an EU flag and signs that say salami, meats, cheeses, soda (???). They are still setting up-nothing is on the shelves yet.

[little ms foodie]

probably already mentioned but the old Sapphire on Queen Anne has reopened as a lounge

[cxt]

Has anyone mentioned Cafe Presse yet? It's delightful! All your favorites from Le Pichet, served all day until 2 a.m., in a comfortable, airy, friendly space.

[mamster]

I've been to Presse a couple times now and I love it. Croque monsieur one visit, oeufs plats the next, and I have my eye on the sardine sandwich for next time.

Service has been a little off both visits. The first time I was in I got a distinct "it's your privilege to eat in our restaurant" vibe, and the second time, things were perfectly friendly but scattered: brought the wrong dish, had to ask what we'd ordered, etc. Still, obviously nothing that would keep me from recommending the place, especially given the prices (cheap!).

[JasonTrue]

We had a group of 24-26 people in the back room at Cafe Presse and found service mixed but mostly pleasant, though the waitress was probably not so thrilled with the unpredictable comings and goings of our group members. I found the prices quite reasonable, though it was a bit high for some of our starving student contingent; that being said, you can have something to nibble on and a glass of wine in the $13-16 range after tax and tip, and more substantial stuff is available, too.

I've been to Presse a couple times now and I love it. Croque monsieur one visit, oeufs plats the next, and I have my eye on the sardine sandwich for next time.

Service has been a little off both visits. The first time I was in I got a distinct "it's your privilege to eat in our restaurant" vibe, and the second time, things were perfectly friendly but scattered: brought the wrong dish, had to ask what we'd ordered, etc. Still, obviously nothing that would keep me from recommending the place, especially given the prices (cheap!).

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