Hungry for news? Welcome to our Friday Feed, where we run through all the local food and restaurant news this week—and maybe help you figure out where to eat this weekend.
What’s Going on at Sophon?
James Beard Semifinalist and Seattle Met Best New Restaurant of 2024, Sophon abruptly closed for part of last week as accusations of long-running issues with mismanagement and financial negligence came to light. Though owner Karuna Long announced on Instagram (with comments blocked) that the Cambodian restaurant is now open again, former general manager Monica Mitchell posted on her own Instagram that staff have still not been paid and are still unable to access unemployment and insurance because the business failed to accurately file and pay taxes and premiums—which had been deducted from staff paychecks.
And at Bad Bar?
An eviction notice appeared on the door of Queen Anne’s Bad Bar at the end of January, and it has (obviously) been closed since, though the management itself has been completely mum. Per court papers, the bar owed more than $100,000 in back rent as of mid-January.
A Few More Closings
- Cluck No More: Redmond Korean fried chicken shop Third Place has been temporarily closed, but made that closure permanent this week. The owners also previously had Yeon’s Chicken in Kirkland and still have a pair of excellent restaurants in Federal Way, Shin Sung Korean BBQ and Underground Kitchen.
- Drive-thru No More: The short-lived drive-through pizza and pretzel trailer in Greenwood, Bobu, shuttered last week, reports My Ballard.
Maybe Some Good News? Please? Capitol Hill Edition
- Soup makes a splash: Capitol Hill’s quickly growing selection of Korean cuisine gets larger next week with the opening of Busan Jeong on Tuesday. Capitol Hill Seattle brings further details on the pork soup specialist, which comes from a veteran restaurateur opening his first US operation.
- Counter programming: Also on Capitol Hill, Capitol Hill Seattle covers the opening of the Counter Shoppe, a bakery and café from the folks behind Fogo.
- Corner programming: And, a final story from the neighborhood, this time from Puget Sound Business Journal, covering McDonald’s poking around on permits to take over the former Rite Aid at the corner of Broadway and John/Olive—the building with the big marquee from its time as a twentieth–century theater.
The new Tanaka Ramen & Izakaya will have a few dishes only available here.
Maybe Some Good News? Please? Elsewhere Edition
- Just in time for the sunshine: We know this is false spring, but there’s enough sunshine to justify ice cream, and Wallyhood has the scoop (sorry!) on the newly opened Cookie Crave & Creamery. The ice cream is from the excellent Olympic Mountain Creamery, always a good sign, and comes from Tim Morris, the experienced restaurateur who founded Edmonds’s Epulo Bistro.
- Luv shack: Two years after a fire burned down Georgetown’s I Luv Teriyaki, the shop is back, reopening on Sunday. (A teriyaki restaurant open on a Sunday! We luv to see it!)
- Proof of concept: Baker and West Seattle micro-roaster and café QED Coffee announced it will open shortly in Burien’s Three Tree Point Store.
- Three’s a crowd: Meanwhile, Washington Beer Blog has the details on Bellingham’s Aslan Brewing opening its third Seattle location inside the former Zeeks in Seward Park. Naturally, this one will have the usual brews and a pizza-forward menu.
- Aloha, noodles: Hawaii-based chain Tanaka Ramen and Izakaya has soft-opened its first Washington location in Kirkland. The menu will include the signature classic and spicy creamy vegan ramen, as well as only-in-WA specialties like fresh oysters with housemade ponzu jelly.
Oh, BTW, here’s what you missed last time.