New Places for Stuffing Faces
by Bethany Jean Clement
• THE RHINO ROOM • Capitol Hill: Brought to you by Patric Gabre-Kidan (formerly front-of-house/business-side-guy at the Book Bindery and various Ethan Stowell spots) and friends (including former Big Mario's and Summer Dog people), the Rhino Room is a bar that, refreshingly, does not have a concept besides its namesake glittery rhinoceros. Also: a gold-leaf wall, kingly booths, DJs, and sandwiches from La Bodega's Manu Alfau coming soon. (1535 11th Ave, therhinoroomseattle.com, $)
• WATERCRESS VIETNAMESE BISTRO • Columbia City: This nice-looking cheap-eats spot near Full Tilt makes everything fresh—including Watercress Signatures like duck curry and clay-pot-braised fish—and it is also conveniently adjacent to a pool hall. It's reportedly really good, and there's lots of booths and a spinning gold lamp. (5041 Rainier Ave S, #108, 722-0238, watercressbistro.com, $)
• CASSIS • West Seattle: In the former Alki Arts space, it's the second coming of Jef Fike's French bistro that was beloved long ago on North Capitol Hill. The chef is Andy Dekle, formerly of the Ruins and Portage Bay Cafe; the interior looks classically pretty, and the view of Puget Sound looks great. (2820 Alki Ave SW, 743-8531, cassisalki.com, $$–$$$)
• THE LONDON PLANE • Pioneer Square: The new expanded edition of the London Plane is an airy cafe, bakery, wine bar, and groceries-and-flowers-and-sundries shop brought to you by Katherine Anderson (Marigold and Mint) and Matt Dillon (Sitka & Spruce, the Corson Building, and Bar Sajor). The bread is so good, you might freak out, and you can pretty much bet that you will get an excellent breakfast, lunch, or snack here. A few doors south, the former LP has been renamed the Little London Plane, which remains a wine bar and is also a private events space. (300 Occidental Ave S, 624-1374, thelondonplaneseattle.com, $$)
• NACHO BORRACHO • Capitol Hill: The women behind the bar Montana made this drinky spot on Broadway, where Ooba Tooba and a bunch of other places failed to thrive. The decor is basic fiesta, the music is loud, and the bank of slushie machines is ready to dispense unto you a variety of icy alcohol, including an avocado margarita. "Borracho" means "drunk," and nachos, Frito pie, and more are available until 2 a.m. (209 Broadway E, 466-2434, nachoborrachoseattle.com, $–$$)
• RED COW • Madrona: Remember Cremant, June, and/or Restaurant Bea? Ethan Stowell now runs Red Cow, his French brasserie, in the (great) Roy McMakin–designed space. The specialty of the house is steak frites, with six cuts of beef and four classic sauces available (how to choose?!). Chef Thom Koschwanez was a sous chef at Central Michel Richard in DC. (Coming soon to share the space: Noyer, a small-size redux of Stowell's original, haute, marvelous Union.) (1423 34th Ave, 454-7932, ethanstowellrestaurants.com, $$–$$$)
• LAIKA LOUNGE • Pioneer Square: Sharing the space/management of Trabant Coffee, Laika serves "fresh, local" Russian food and cocktails like the Lenin (tastes like a Creamsicle, reportedly) and the Trotsky (contains pineapple juice, perhaps in tribute to his assassination in Mexico). Chef Joseph Bollag has cooked at How to Cook a Wolf. The place is named after the stray dog sent into space on Sputnik 2, who did not survive the trip. (602 Second Ave, 234-9145, laikalounge.com, $–$$)
ALSO: THUNDERBIRD TAVERN • Ballard: The T-Bird rises again, still divey, plus it's got food from Secret Sausage's Ian Smith. (7515 15th Ave NW, 940-3532, facebook.com/tbirdballard, $) • TRAVELER MONTLAKE • Montlake: From the owners of the much-loved Nabob and Leary Traveler, with a similar wide-ranging gastropubby menu, plus a great-looking fireplace. (2307 24th Ave E, 726-5968, travelermontlake.com, $–$$) • West Seattle Brewing Company • West Seattle: Drink local in the good-looking tasting room, and feel free to bring your dog(s) and/or kid(s). (4415 Fauntleroy Way SW, 405-0972, westseattlebrewing.com, $) • TWISTED PASTY • Belltown: "Something TWISTED this way comes!" at the publike Twisted Pasty (rhymes with "nasty") in the form of British-style savory pies. (2525 Fourth Ave, 402-3831, twistedpasty.com, $$)
MISC. CHANGES: PANEVINO is now
CORRETTO on Broadway: It's run by the owner of Tango/Rumba, with coffee during the day and a trattoria menu with fresh pasta later (caffe corretto is an espresso "corrected" Italian-style, with booze—SO GOOD) • THE HIGHLINE on Broadway: Vegans, rejoice: Food service is back on Monday and Tuesday evenings • DOT'S CHARCUTERIE & BISTROT in Fremont: Dot's Delicatessen has expanded, and Miles James now serves proper French dinners there (including a 32-ounce côte de boeuf for two, with sides served until you say uncle, for $90) • ALOHA RAMEN in Lake City: The Greenwood favorite moved to make room for a park
NEW LOCATIONS OF EXISTING PLACES: MEZCALERIA OAXACA on Capitol Hill (yay!!!) • EL BORRACHO in Ballard (third edition) • EINSTEIN BAGELS on Broadway (mmm-kay) • FRENCH FRY HEAVEN at Southcenter Mall (it's an all-Belgian-frites chain, and no, I don't want to go, not really) 
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