Thanks to Ian for the photo and tip that signage is up at 4719 California SW, where Taqueria Guaymas closed three years ago, with the building’s then-new owners announcing they wanted to open their own restaurant there. Now, after a few pre-opening name changes, signage has just gone up and the restaurant is close to opening. Signage on both sides of the building carries the name Indofusion Kitchen and Bar.

The owners, of both the building and the future venue according to online documents, are the Virk family, who also operate Maharaja in The Junction. Work at Indofusion is continuing; we asked on site tonight about estimated opening date, and were told that they’re hoping to be open by New Year’s.

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It’s been almost 10 years since we first reported that the barbecue restaurant was moving into the Seattle City Light-owned location previously occupied by teriyaki restaurants (Beni Hoshi, preceded by Yasuko’s). The site is now in the path of West Seattle light rail’s planned Avalon station.

ADDED MONDAY NIGHT: With the Alki Café eviction, this is the second West Seattle restaurant closure in less than two weeks. Meantime, a check of court files shows cases against Pecos Pit involving their Kent location – described online as the company HQ – and Federal Way. The Kent case was filed as an eviction (“unlawful detainer”) action in September, and as of October alleged that the company owed more than $72,000; earlier this month, a motion for garnishment was filed, alleging no payments had been made. The Federal Way case alleges breach of lease.

TUESDAY UPDATE: We asked the property owner, City Light, about their plan for the site post-Pecos Pit closure, and whether they had been current in their rent. Here’s the response we received from SCL spokesperson Jenn Strang:

As a public utility, we have the responsibility on behalf of our ratepayers to ensure the timely, in-full payment of any lease agreements for City Light property. We have worked with the restaurant ownership to accommodate their needs over several years, but in recent months have needed to enforce the lease terms through the proper legal process. We will focus on the removal of the business’s possessions from the location prior to making any decisions about its future use.

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Sandra La Chingona and Edgar, Executive Chef and owners of La Chingona Taquería, located on Avalon Way, boast over 20 years of experience in the food industry.

Their expertise encompasses catering and food trucks, complemented by a vibrant restaurant featuring an exquisite menu crafted with fresh, high-quality ingredients.

Signature dishes include Mole, Enchiladas, Pozole, Carne asada, and fresh margaritas, as well as their famous Tacos, wet burritos, quesadillas ,including their number one fish taco, filed and breaded in-house with all fresh toppings.

La Chingona Taqueria serves the best Mexican Brunch in West Seattle every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 8 am-2 pm, offering Mexican coffee, mimosas, french toast, Chilaquiles, omelets, pancakes, house-made 3 leches cake, flan, and churros.

The restaurant features stunning murals and an altar honoring their heritage and loved ones. A heated, covered patio is pet-friendly. They also have a permanent food truck location in Bellevue that operates Tuesday-Sunday.

For catering services, their food wagon, Tacos On Wheels, offers a unique menu for parties and corporate events. Please email info@lachingonataqueria.com for a quote and catering menu.

La Chingona Taquería lives up to its name ‘Bad ass woman.’
2940 SW Avalon Way, Seattle,
Tuesday-Thursday 3-8 pm
Friday-Sunday 8 am-9 pm,
Happy hour daily from 3-6 pm

They are very grateful for being part of the amazing West Seattle community.

Thanks to La Chingona Taqueria for sponsoring community-collaborative news on WSB. Interested in becoming a sponsor too? Call 206-293-6302.

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ORIGINAL REPORT, FRIDAY: Thanks for the tips. The handwritten sign on the front door of Alki Café (2726 Alki SW) says “SORRY-CLOSED,” next to an eviction notice posted by the King County Sheriff’s Office this morning. These types of notices are usually posted following court action in an eviction case, technically known as “unlawful detainer,” so we looked up the case. It goes back 10 months; documents say the building owners, Alki Shores, wanted to end the restaurant’s tenancy in February. No specific amount of potentially owed money listed, other than to say the café’s base rent was $7,422 plus $1,337 in “other recurring charges.” In their response filed in June, the restaurant owners – who documents identify as Alki Beach Restaurant Café and NRBM LLC – said they had been dealing with alleged electrical and plumbing issues causing “periodic closures” plus improper electrical metering that they said had likely caused them to be overpaying for that utility. They estimated the alleged issues had cost them about $80,000. The case kept making its way through the system, according to documents, until an order following a six-minute hearing on November 21st, saying the restaurant owner’s allegations were not an excuse for the “failure to vacate” and ordering the eviction. We’re seeking comment from both the building owner and the restaurant owner.

ADDED SUNDAY: The restaurant was sold to NRBM LLC in 2020, noted a representative of the other named entity in response to one of our inquiries, and says it hasn’t had anything to do with the restaurant since then. NRBM LLC is listed with the state as having been “administratively dissolved” – by the state itself – in October because an annual report due in May allegedly hadn’t been filed.

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MISSION CANTINA’S TREAT FOR CITY LIGHT WORKERS: Just announced by the Admiral District restaurant/bar:

In the wake of last night’s windstorm that left many in the region without power, Mission Cantina and Harbor Foods are teaming up to show their appreciation for the tireless efforts of Seattle City Light employees. These workers have been out in the field restoring power and ensuring the community’s safety during challenging conditions.

As a heartfelt “thank you,” Mission Cantina and Harbor Foods are offering free burritos to all Seattle City Light employees today and tomorrow, 11 am to 10 pm. Employees can enjoy this small gesture of gratitude by ordering take-out or dining in. Seattle City Light employees can:
-Order online at order.toasttab.com/online/mission-cantina on our Grab’n Go Menu
-Call us at 206-937-8220 for take-out
-Dine in person after 4 pm at 2325 California Ave SW

Employees must present their official SCL badge to claim their complimentary burrito. While supplies last. One per SCL badge.

ITTO’S TAPAS TURNS 9: They’ll celebrate with you tomorrow (Thursday, November 21), with $9 food and $9 cocktail specials. Itto’s Tapas is at 4160 California SW, open 4 pm to 10 pm. (Ever wonder about Itto’s backstory? Here’s a WSB story from 2015.)

CAMP WEST TURNS 2: The Junction restaurant/bar at 4539 California SW is celebrating its second anniversary this week. Through tomorrow, they’re offering s’mores and bottles of wine at half price. They also want you to know about their new hours – earlier, on Friday at 12:00 and Saturdays and Sundays at 11:00, with brunch to come sometime next year.

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Last month, we reported on the opening of the Aimee Owenz food truck at 35th/Barton. Today the sibling operators are offering a deal in honor of their shared birthdays:

We (my brother and I) at Aimee Owenz happen to share a birthday November 6th (not twins) and are offering a special to celebrate our birthday with everyone! We are selling the Owenz Sandwich (steak) for $11 and the Aimee Sandwich (tofu) for $6. We also added a website for online ordering aimeeowenz.com and Door Dash should starting this week. I know the election stuff has got everyone feeling all types of ways, but hopefully we can bring smiles and full happy bellies with our sandwiches!

Birthday siblings Jenn and Zach operate one of two food trucks in the lot outside the former Tony’s Market,

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We first wrote almost two months ago about a new tenant for the ex-Lodge space at 4209 SW Alaska; commenters said JaK’s Grill planned to move there from its original nearby location, and we soon discovered a permit filing confirming that. Now the parent company 509 Hospitality has revealed more in a newsletter update:

After nearly 25 years, JaK’s Grill West Seattle is moving across Alaska Street to the former Lodge space! This new location gives us the chance to bring you an even better dining experience in a bright, modern setting—while still staying in the neighborhood we love. Although we initially planned to renovate our current space, this opportunity felt like the perfect fit.

We’ll keep things running through the transition, with a short closure in late March 2025 before reopening in early April. Come by our original spot before the move, and join us in April for the same great food and drinks in a refreshing environment.

The Lodge closed at the end of last year.

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Back in February, we reported on Ephesus Restaurant‘s original owner planning to reopen, after Ephesus closed under different ownership the year before, and readers have been asking frequently for updates. We finally have one. A liquor-license application appeared online today. We reached proprietor Hasan Ocak by phone. (He founded Ephesus as a Turkish restaurant in 1995.) He says he has remodeled and overhauled the restaurant at 5245 California SW (just south of Rite Aid) and now is waiting for his chef to arrive, and for the assembly of a kitchen staff. His timeline for opening will be determined by how all that goes – could be a week, could be a month, he told us. The staff availability also will determine what hours/days they’re open – probably 4-10 pm, he said, whichever days it turns out to be. Will the menu be the same as the old days? “Different,” he told us – how different depends on when he and the chef get together and compare ideas.

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Three months ago, we told you that Luna Park Café proprietor John Bennett had, after 35 years, decided to find a new owner for his restaurant. Now the search is over. We discovered this via a routine check of liquor-license applications – one way to learn about new establishments or new owners for existing ones – and followed up with Bennett, who confirmed the sale:

I did sell Luna Park Cafe after over 35 years of ownership. I started building out the restaurant in 1988 in what was Pat and Ron’s tavern. I opened the day after St Patrick’s Day 1989. I carefully vetted all the people who made offers. I feel I picked the right person to take over for the next 35 years. I physically worked at the restaurant for 4 months before I sold it. It was great to talk to all the longtime customers and work with an amazing staff. It was bittersweet to sell, but I need to move on toward retirement.

The new owner is Heong Soon Park, already an accomplished restaurateur – his restaurants include Bacco Café at Pike Place Market, Chan Seattle in the Paramount Hotel, and Cheese Room Seattle on Capitol Hill (which took over the longtime Ristorante Machiavelli space). Via email, we asked the new owner if any changes are ahead for Luna Park Café. He replied, “Luna Park will stay the same, I will be working on improving food and some service, but only to make it better, I promised John to keep for another 30 years to keep his legacy and I want to keep my promise.” For now the hours will remain 8 am-3 pm daily, but Park adds, “We are planning to open for the evening next year. I have a lot of things to digest before I go further.” But he stresses he’s in it for the long haul: “I am improving Luna Park to make it better and can last another 30 years. Who know who will be taking over after 30 years; hopefully my kids. But give me some time, I will promise you to make it better in every way and be the #1 West Seattle go-to spot!!” (Never been to Luna Park Café? 2918 SW Avalon Way.)

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Why West Seattle? Turns out he’s a WS resident! If you’re not familiar with the Burbs backstory, it was founded in 2020 by Josh Henderson of Skillet (etc.) fame, and had five locations before he closed them all earlier this year. (If you’re not familiar with smash burgers, here’s an explanation. We asked Gutierrez about his most popular burger. “Definitely the Special,” which includes onions, cheese, secret sauce, lettuce, and pickles, on a potato bun. The Burbs fried-chicken sandwich comes in second. He says they’ll have some “free food” events before opening, so watch for word of that. He’s “super excited” to be able to cook up Burbs Burgers in his own neighborhood and expects to operate seven days a week.

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As for what’s next in the Peel & Press space, Austin says, “I can’t tell you yet. I have worked to get an amazing owner in here and to bring something into West Seattle that I personally think we have needed more of for far too long. I will let them make the announcement, but I personally couldn’t be more excited!” He describes it as “a business that I think West Seattle will be really excited to add to its food scene.”

In an email conversation after his announcement, he told us a few more things. For one, he wants to be very clear that unlike some closures, this has nothing to do with lease matters – “I have an amazing landlord … a very fair lease with a great local building owner!” And he says some Peel & Press favorites will live on at his other establishments: “Some of my classic dishes will be run as specials at my other locations. Also, the West 5 Mac and Cheese will be available at The Bridge along with some of our specialty cocktails that people love,” starting shortly after Peel & Press’s last day on Sunday, October 27.

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For those who have asked “whatever happened to the plan for Panda Express at Westwood Village?”, our photo has two signs that work is finally under way at the former Pet Pros space, just north of QFC. (Plus, a reader walking by over the weekend reported seeing a handwritten sign on the inside of the door bearing the Panda Express name.)

We first reported last October that the space had been labeled as Panda Express on Westwood Village’s directory map, the only way the center’s semi-new owners have “announced” new tenants in recent years. The map spot labeled Panda Express has remained through multiple updates of the map since then, as well as a listing on the center’s leasing flyer (note page 4), but no signage or permit applications have appeared, nor have there been signs of work – until now. The chain has 72 locations in this state already, including Burien just to the south; to date they haven’t responded to inquiries, but we’re trying again.

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That’s a photo of Azuma Sushi proprietors Jennifer and Harry on their first day in business 24 1/2 years ago, on January 18, 2000. And here they are today:

This too is a momentous day – the couple’s final day before turning over their restaurant (4533 California SW) to a new owner, as they announced earlier this month. The new owner, Jenny, is a former Azuma employee, and as noted in Jennifer and Harry’s announcement, the restaurant will close for four weeks starting tomorrow and will bring back sit-down dining. Harry will be there after the September 28th reopening to help with the transition, but Jennifer told us she plans to travel to see family in China and Australia. You can stop in to say goodbye today – they’re open for lunch takeout until 2:30, then again for dinner takeout 4:30-9:30 pm.

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TONY’S MARKET CLOSING: Thanks to the readers who pointed out that sign at 35th/Barton on Wednesday. After a couple trips, we caught up today with Tony’s Market proprietor Raz Vorng. He and wife Sandy Saeteurn took over the produce stand last spring from longtime owner Joey Genzale. Raz says the produce business will close sometime in the next few weeks, no set date yet. But they hold the lease for the site for a few years so he’s exploring other possibilities. In the short run, he says, it’ll host at least two food trucks – a taco truck is there now and a “Cuban sandwich” truck is on the way.

RACCOLTO REOPENS: After a monthlong closure for plumbing repairs, the pasta-focused restaurant at 4147 California SW on the north edge of The Junction reopened earlier this week.

BONJOUR VIETNAM SEMI-REOPENS: Readers have been asking what’s going on with the restaurant opened by Jade Nguyen two years ago at 4509 California SW, where her parents operated Be’s Restaurant for ~35 years. Jade explains via email that the summer began with some equipment trouble, and she took the occasion to embark on some remodeling, then to “change the concept a bit.” Bonjour Vietnam is currently “open on Fridays and Saturdays for Karaoke 9-1:30 am. Our host from Yen Wor, Loretta Jones, is hosting. I am hoping to open fully with bistro bites and 21+, French fare,” but no set date yet. (Her speakeasy bar The Alley, behind BV, remains fully open.)

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