West Seattle restaurants: Marination ma kai’s beer, food notes

As Marination ma kai gets closer to opening at Seacrest, we have a few new details today, as well as renderings provided by Marination’s co-owners, with whom we’ve been speaking since reporting first word back in December that they would be the new restaurant operators at the boathouse and pier. Decor not included, but you can get an idea of the layout:

They’ve sent regional media a formal announcement of its impending opening – no exact date yet, though co-owner Kamala Saxton told WSB recently that they were hoping for late September – so you might see some new scattered mentions today. The announcement includes a confirmation that their hours will be 6 am-10 pm seven days a week, and this updated summary of the menu:

In addition to made-from-scratch Hawaiian-Korean lunch and dinner favorites like kalbi beef, spicy pork, kalua pork, and sexy tofu, Marination ma kai will serve island breakfast staples including loco moco, manapua and Portuguese sausage musubi. The expanded menu will feature items only available at ma kai such as fish n’ chips, pork katsu sandwich, and Hawaiian shave ice for dessert.

Even bigger news – the beer:

Since nothing washes down spicy and sweet Hawaiian-Korean delicacies quite like an ice-cold cocktail or beer, Marination ma kai will offer a full bar and a selection of beers served up by Washington State’s first female Cicerone, Robyn Schumacher. Among the taps will be a “Marination”-branded brew, developed in collaboration with Big Al Brewing. It will be a malt-forward brown ale brewed to complement ma kai’s unique cuisine.

Meet Robyn the Cicerone on Marination’s Tumblr. They’re reiterating that they’ll also offer the space for private events and catering – here’s the e-mail address to use for that: eat@marinationmobile.com. And even though they’ll have a bricks-and-mortar location here, Marination expects to keep bringing its truck to 35th and Graham in High Point on Saturdays, as they’ve been doing for three years.

29 Replies to "West Seattle restaurants: Marination ma kai's beer, food notes"

  • Spana September 12, 2012 (12:35 pm)

    NOM NOM NOM

  • GreenGirl September 12, 2012 (12:38 pm)

    I can’t wait to try the new menu items! The Marination peeps already do an amazing job of combining fresh ingredients to produce healthy food that I CRAVE, and now we get to sit down and enjoy a view of the Seattle skyline?! With an adult beverage?!

  • datamuse September 12, 2012 (12:51 pm)

    I know where I’ll be stopping after my Kung fu workouts for dinner!

  • West Seattle since 1979 September 12, 2012 (1:24 pm)

    Can’t wait!

  • Brian September 12, 2012 (1:27 pm)

    Oh dear… Loco Moco and Ferry ride to work. I may be sold for at least a breakfast or two a week.

  • Shoes required September 12, 2012 (2:23 pm)

    Big Al’s did the beer for Tutta Bella, the pizza chain, too. Big Al’s Tutta Bella ale pairs quite nicely with pizza.

  • Grundle September 12, 2012 (2:58 pm)

    Can’t wait. Good luck however with that breakfast business. If they add basic coffee espresso and muffins and such you might get some of the water taxi crowd. Winters are killer for Alki area restaurants and breakfast will be tough on an average February Tuesday. On weekends folks might go for the island stuff, but your weekday crowd likely won’t cozy up to it too much.

  • Mel September 12, 2012 (3:01 pm)

    Open-open-open!!

  • quiz September 12, 2012 (3:02 pm)

    can’t wait!

  • newnative September 12, 2012 (5:09 pm)

    Love the hours. I will go during the week to avoid crowds.

  • water taxi rider September 12, 2012 (5:14 pm)

    So excited to have some life at the dock in the a.m.!!! Good call on the hours, just make it easy for the commuters to grab and go!!!

  • rich September 12, 2012 (5:44 pm)

    Frankly I’m a bit disappointed. I am NOT a fan of spicy food and Koren is spicy! I was hoping for a bit more traditional menu of burgers maybe tacos and such. Food that would fill your tummy without emptying your wallet. This sounds too much on the specialty side and a bit pricey for me. not sure this will hit it off with the diving/fishing crowd who are the mainstay for day to day business.

  • Amrakx September 12, 2012 (6:32 pm)

    Aloha and Mahalo!

  • Heather September 12, 2012 (6:32 pm)

    I’m already hungry. I love island breakfast food: rice, sausage, eggs, black sesame seeds and green onions with some soy sauce…yum!!! Rich, that would be awesome after diving.

  • zip line September 12, 2012 (6:50 pm)

    OK. I had to look up the definition of a cicerone (the beer equivalent of a sommelier). I look foward to see what they pair up with musubi or kimchee and rice.

  • West Seattle since 1979 September 12, 2012 (7:49 pm)

    Rich, where are you seeing the prices?

  • WS Parent September 12, 2012 (9:22 pm)

    I love, love, love Marination Station and enjoyed their food tonight. Looking forward to an Alki spot. I don’t find their food too spicy. It’s just the right amount for my palette. :)

  • WTF September 12, 2012 (9:39 pm)

    Sounds delish. We will definitely try it out, and I really, really hope the upper-scale concept will make it.
    I think businesses sometimes forget this is the Seattle waterfront and I’m not quite understanding the connection of Korean fusion and waterfront fare customers this area draws.
    Good luck guys!

  • SudsyMaggie September 13, 2012 (6:18 am)

    Sexy Tofu Tacos and a Big Al beer, yes please!

  • Velo_nut September 13, 2012 (6:52 am)

    Rich, my wife and I have Marination Station stops about once a week, it’s not all spicy and its certainly not expensive. I can walk away full on $6

    If you want super cheap filler without flavor, stop by McD’s.

  • sam-c September 13, 2012 (9:42 am)

    we can’t wait for them to open. we’ve made trips to Cap Hill to their 1st permanent location when we’ve needed an affordable and tasty meal. Something for everyone to enjoy. 4 year old LOVES the pork sliders (not spicy) I LOVE the tofu tacos (not spicy). I honestly don’t know what my husband gets (Pork tacos maybe) but he always suggests marination when we are looking for a cheap dinner out. we really love the kimchee (- VERY SPICY but so tasty)

    Can’t wait til you are here and thank you for including fish n chips on the menu. hopefully there’s an IPA on the menu too.

  • WS Neighbor September 13, 2012 (9:49 am)

    Way to comment without having your facts straight, Rich. Your comments come off as incredibly ill informed on many fronts–making assumptions about menu, price, and what other divers/fishers (of which I am one) like to eat. How arrogant.

  • Spana September 13, 2012 (10:33 am)

    !!!BREAKFAST!!!

    I will be there at 6:15 every morning!

  • datamuse September 13, 2012 (11:12 am)

    Dang, sam-c, your comment is making me hungry!

  • Maria September 13, 2012 (11:43 am)

    So happy about breakfast! Can’t wait.

  • datamuse September 13, 2012 (12:10 pm)

    I’m not quite understanding the connection of Korean fusion and waterfront fare customers this area draws.

    Sure.

    I mean, it’s not like the entire country is a peninsula or anything.

  • pauline September 19, 2012 (5:14 pm)

    1. The food is great & taste really great

    2. The food is not pricey. McDonald’s breakfast is pricey

    3. Anyone who has ever tasted their food at any other location will most likely agree that the food is okay.

    4. I have heard there will be fish and chips on the menu

    5. Strongly suggest that any nay sayers try something before judging so harshly

    6. The shave ice is a 100 times better than any Slushy. And children as well as adults will really enjoy it.

    I have tried everything on their menu and found all to be very tasty and NOT at all EXPENSIVE.

    I have watched workers from the watertaxi running across the street to the juice shop to buy a cup of coffee. When Marination opens they will only have to walk up the ramp.

    MARINATION – Many people are waiting for you at the Seacrest Landing.

  • pauline September 19, 2012 (5:28 pm)

    to the person that wrote. “Frankly I’m a bit disappointed. I am NOT a fan of spicy food and Koren is spicy! I was hoping for a bit more traditional menu of burgers maybe tacos and such. Food that would fill your tummy without emptying your wallet. This sounds too much on the specialty side and a bit pricey for me. not sure this will hit it off with the diving/fishing crowd who are the mainstay for day to day business.”

    The food is not Korean. I think the most expensive thing on the menu cost $5.00. And If you go the website and look at the menu you will see they have tacos and many other yummy dishes. And the new place at Seacrest Landing, from what I understand will have fish and chips on the menu.

  • Pauline September 19, 2012 (5:31 pm)

    Website for Marination Station is:

    http://marinationmobile.com/menu

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