West Seattle restaurants: Irashai opens; Pecos Pit, Shelby’s Bistro & Ice Creamery set dates

Three West Seattle restaurant notes:

IRASHAI NOW OPEN: While covering the “Group Hug for The Admiral” this morning, we noticed the banner across the street at Irashai, the Japanese restaurant that took over the former Mawadda Café space. When it opened at 11 am, we ducked in to ask a few questions. This is the second day of the restaurant’s “soft open,” we learned; its operators have another restaurant by the same name in Alaska. The hours might change depending on how things are going, but for now they are posted as 11 am-9 pm Mondays-Thursdays, 11 am-10 pm Fridays and Saturdays, noon-9 pm Sundays.

PECOS PIT OPENING DATE: Pecos Pit BBQ at 35th and Fauntleroy has announced it will open on June 21st. It’s totally remodeled and expanded the former Beni Hoshi/Yasuko’s Teriyaki space. According to an announcement sent to the Junction Neighborhood Organization, a ribboncutting is planned at 3 pm on June 21st, and the restaurant will welcome its first customers at 4 pm.

SHELBY’S OPENING DATE: It’s been two months since we reported on Shelby’s Bistro and Ice Creamery, taking over the former Westside Public House space on the northeast corner of California and Edmunds in The Junction. This establishment has also announced an opening date: July 19th.

Corvonn June 3, 2016 (12:19 pm)

Hopefully Shelby’s has much better luck than others have had in that location! That corner seems to be cursed….

HotCoffee June 3, 2016 (1:25 pm)

That is terrific news – welcome Irashai! <grin>

WSB June 3, 2016 (1:33 pm)

I see what you did there. Still having trouble with the missing ‘s.’

squareeyes June 3, 2016 (1:29 pm)

I didn’t have a lot of faith in what anyone could do with the teriyaki site but have been very impressed with the exterior changes for the new Pecos Pit. It looks great!

Bunnyfer June 3, 2016 (1:31 pm)

Any news about that “Dumplings of Fury” restaurant? Thought it was going to open early April, but last I checked it still has butcher paper on the windows.

WSB June 3, 2016 (1:32 pm)

They keep saying ‘soon.’

needRaman June 3, 2016 (2:14 pm)

What about Kukai Raman????? I need it now!

WSB June 3, 2016 (2:26 pm)

Them too – “soon” …

GoGo June 3, 2016 (3:39 pm)

And the Hydrant? Same thing?

WSB June 3, 2016 (3:56 pm)

That business doesn’t have a website or social media presence that I can find – the last indirect thing I happened onto suggested that they were having permit trouble. Same for The Lodge, if anyone is wondering.

Me mama June 3, 2016 (4:35 pm)

What’s up with the space in the admiral junction that used to be the brickyard?

WSB June 3, 2016 (4:38 pm)

https://westseattleblog.com/2015/10/west-seattle-development-design-review-tonight-for-apartments-at-1250-alki-sw-and-9021-17th-sw-plus-6-other-project-notes/

aa June 3, 2016 (5:52 pm)

I hate that Pecos built in that space! Add to the traffic mess, take business away from the BBQ joint by the brewery, ugh! Just imagine coming off the bridge and you turn left on 35th and you want to go to Pecos, what convoluted traffic maneuvering is required? Hold up traffic while waiting to turn left onto the alley? Turn into the 7-11 lot and turn around? Turn right on Avalon and make a u-turn? what? How? I hate it!

CMP June 3, 2016 (7:12 pm)

You can exit early at Harbor, go up Avalon and turn right at 35th. No holding up traffic, easy solution. Now if you’re coming south on 35th from north of Fauntleroy you’ll have more of a problem.
prayforrain June 4, 2016 (3:25 pm)

Yeah that’ll prevent me from going there often unless they have something figured out.
dawsonct June 21, 2016 (8:18 pm)

Oh well. Don’t go.

RayWest June 3, 2016 (6:56 pm)

Is anything happening in the former Chopstix location?

WSB June 3, 2016 (7:11 pm)

I can’t pull up a link while in the field but search our site for New Luck Toy – a group including Ma’ono’s Chef Mark Fuller is going to open a restaurant/bar under that name, announced a couple months ago. – TR

Misti June 3, 2016 (7:01 pm)

So excited for Shelby! I’ve marked the date, can’t wait to try out his restaurant

miws June 3, 2016 (7:59 pm)

Here‘s the link WSB is referring to, in response to RayWest:

Mike

VVA June 3, 2016 (8:42 pm)

Just had dinner at Irashai Sushi and it was great! The staff is so friendly and attentive. They had some really good rolls and sashimi on the menu. I highly recommend the Coconut Salmon and Monkey Brain appetizers. Our favorite roll was the Heart Attack. Yum! Our little one got veggie Yaki Udon and she ate it up! We’ll definitely be back. :)

Mary June 3, 2016 (10:25 pm)

Pecos Pit will be a dump. It is nothing like the original in SODO. Better BBQ is across the street at Jones. At least they serve corn bread, and know how to spell “coleslaw”.

Ducky June 5, 2016 (7:56 pm)

Why the hate?
West Sea Neighbor June 6, 2016 (8:44 am)

Sounds like you are affiliated with Jones BBQ. Pecos Pit is not even open yet–how can you possibly comment on whether the food is or is not similar to the other location, or whether or not it will be a “dump”? Take your hate elsewhere.