Happy 28th anniversary to Circa in The Admiral District (2605 California SW; WSB sponsor)! They’re celebrating tomorrow (Thursday, February 5) and you’re invited to the party – co-proprietor Gretchen says that’ll include “free funfetti cake and $2.80 Manny’s Pale Ale all day and night.

(Added Thursday)

Happy Hour from 2:30-5:00, and dinner and drink specials after 5:00. Lots of decorations, ’90s music and ’90s staff!” If you want to get the party started early, Circa opens at 9 am

(Photo courtesy Ku Mana’s)

If you went to the Taste of West Seattle last fall, you might have sampled food by Ku Mana’s. Proprietor/chef Ndikumana Rasheri is now offering her Burundian food three nights a week at Distinguished Foods in the West Seattle Triangle, and asked us to tell you about it. Here’s her story:

I moved to the U.S. with my family when I was eight years old. We came for educational opportunities, but one of the most valuable lessons I learned was in the kitchen. When I was twelve, my older sister taught me how to cook. She used to tell me, “If you don’t learn how to cook, no man will marry you.” I laughed at the time, but looking back, that was the start of my love for cooking.

As I grew older, cooking became much more than just a skill. Cooking became my passion. I don’t cook just because of tradition or expectation, or to get a husband (haha); I cook because it brings me joy. I love experimenting with flavors and creating meals that are both comforting and rich in culture.

Some of my happiest memories are from the kitchen, learning how to make rice, beans, chicken stew, and many traditional Burundian dishes. Food became my way of connecting with my roots and culture , and every meal reminded me of home. … My dream has always been to share Burundian cuisine with the world, to give people a taste of our rich flavors and warm hospitality.

At Ku Mana’s my goal is to create unforgettable meals that celebrate culture and bring people together. We aim to foster cross-cultural understanding and appreciation through every meal, creating a space where guests can savor the vibrant floors and warmth of Burundian culture.

You can check out the Ku Mana’s menu here. You can order online and pick up food noon-8 pm Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, at Distinguished Foods, 4611 36th SW.

P.S. If you’re not familiar with where exactly Burundi is – southeast Africa; here’s a map.

Thanks for the tips. Five months after the owner of Lucky Sushi in Columbia City confirmed a plan to expand to West Seattle, with a space in a new building at 5216 Delridge Way SW, the plan is off. Multiple readers told us that the space appeared to have cleared out recently and the Lucky Sushi “coming soon” signage was gone; a person who spoke with us by phone when we called the Rainier Avenue location confirmed they’d scrapped the plan, because the space couldn’t be licensed for what they needed. Before she had to end the conversation to deal with customers, we asked if they’re hoping to find another space in West Seattle, and she said they’re looking around because they now own two restaurants worth of equipment. We also contacted broker Susi Musi to ask about the space’s status and she told us, “The parties were unable to align on build-out terms and mutually agreed to part ways. The space is now available for an office use.”

Matador (4546 California Ave SW) in The Junction is the latest 21+ establishment planning to open its doors to customers under drinking age—during certain hours. There’s still some remodeling to do, and until that happens, followed by state liquor board approval, they can’t set a date.

“We want to welcome everyone,” Carly Crane, the general manager for the restaurant, told WSB. Crane says the ownership group of Matador, which runs 12 locations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and on the East Coast, is bringing the Junction location in line with the majority of their restaurants. The Ballard location has already switched over, and that leaves West Seattle, Redmond, and Tacoma as the only ones remaining at 21 and up.

Don’t expect any big changes inside. “No crayons,” she says, but they will have two high chairs available and a very limited kids’ menu — a choice of chicken tenders or a quesadilla. She says she looks forward to seeing more people from the neighborhood who wanted to dine as a family and could not.

The remodeling involves cutting out part of the floor to show where the restaurant transitions to the bar area, and they don’t have that scheduled quite yet, so the change might not take place until the new year.

Matador will go back to 21+ at 9 pm each day. That leaves 3 or more hours after families go home for adults to order more from the Mexican-inspired menu and enjoy the bar and the 130+ varieties of tequila. Matador opened its Junction location in 2005. This change will make Matador the second West Seattle restaurant/bar to stop being adults-only – as we’ve reported, Whisky West just made that change.

(WSB photos)

When Whisky West opens its doors at 11:30 am this Sunday, it will no longer be an exclusively 21+ establishment. As we reported earlier this week, the Morgan Junction bar and restaurant at 6451 California Ave SW just completed a minor remodel to cordon off the bar area and allow all ages in the remainder of the space.

Whisky West’s general manager tells WSB that as of Wednesday afternoon, they have state approval for the change and can start welcoming families as of December 14th.

(WSB file photo)

By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Whisky is in the name, but pending state approval, Morgan Junction restaurant/bar Whisky West (6451 California SW) will soon be open to customers of all ages. Their management is hoping the change will keep them going through their 10th anniversary in June 2026 and beyond.

“We had struggled to turn a profit,” said General Manager Mike Sweet, who explained that special events like trivia and music didn’t bring in enough patrons long-term to make the business thrive. They had considered making the change to all-ages previously, but with the long, narrow layout of their space, they couldn’t comply with both the rules that require a railing around the bar area and ADA rules for accessibility. Sweet says the state Liquor and Cannabis Board rules were recently relaxed just enough to allow them to work out a solution that complies. It happened just in the nick of time too. “We are not able to pay the bills without doing something. It’s a last-ditch effort to keep the doors open and stay in the neighborhood.”

Now it’s a process of waiting for approval from the Board. “You have to build everything first, then they decide if it’s okay.” The building part is installing a railing barrier between the bar and the restaurant seating, which happened last month. Sweet is expecting preliminary approval today, followed by an in-person inspection. “They did tell us everything looks great. It’s just formalities at this point.”

Whisky West has no plans to change to how the space feels, or the kind of music played, so no surprises for regulars. “They’re not going to notice any difference. There’s not any change other than that [all ages will] be allowed in.” (Seating at the bar, though, will remain 21+.)

Happy hour will still be 3:30-5:30 pm every day, and their extensive menu of burgers, rice bowls, salads, sandwiches, and appetizers — everything under $20 – will not change either. But they will be offering up a kids menu for those 12 and under. Those $12 plates are mostly smaller versions of items already on the menu, but there are two new dishes just for kids: spaghetti with meat sauce and a mac and cheese.

Sweet is hopeful the change to all ages will bring in customers who didn’t realize all that Whisky West has to offer. “We have a huge menu that I think is priced really well. We have burgers, salads. a little bit of something for everyone, and nearly all made in house. We’re a lot more than whisky.”

It’s difficult to say how soon the approval process will allow them to open the doors to under-21s, but they hope it won’t take much longer.

By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

The longtime Junction restaurant space that was Be’s Restaurant for decades and Bonjour Vietnam until recently will be home to a pop-up Asian fusion restaurant until at least late December.

“We’re still figuring out if this will be the right spot for us,” says Randy Nguyen, one of three partners running KinD Asian Fusion at 4509 California SW.

With 2 weeks open in “soft opening” mode, KinD (pronounced kin-dee, meaning “eat well” in Thai) is serving their menu every day but Tuesday from 10 am-9 pm, offering a variety of handmade dumplings, banh mi, noodle dishes, and soups, as well as appetizers and teas. Nguyen says their focus is on being able to accommodate varying tastes. Along with a beef noodle soup stock that simmers 12 hours, they also offer a vegan broth option. He says by using a tablet to place orders, customers have the ability to choose exactly what they want,.”Whatever customizations they want, we can do them.”

Nguyen says that during the popup test run, they are leasing the space from Jade Nguyen (no relation), who ran Bonjour Vietnam and still runs The Alley speakeasy in the area behind the restaurant space. That proximity and cooperation allows patrons from both establishments to easily order from the another. Randy Nguyen is hoping to expand weekend hours to midnight to be more available for customers in The Alley.

Orders can also be placed for delivery through Door Dash, and Nguyen expects Grubhub and Uber Eats to be available by the end of the week. While they don’t have a website, KinD’s menu is available via a QR code that can be found on their A-board sign (top photo) as well as social media. Based on how well the trial runs goes, Nguyen says the partners will make a decision in December about whether to turn their pop-up into a permanent location. He says they’ve had great feedback so far. “Our goal is to stay, based on the reception we’ve received over the last week.”

Ten years after Khalid Agour opened Itto’s Tapas at the corner of California/Genesee on the north edge of The Junction, he’s inviting you to help him celebrate. This Friday (November 21st) Itto’s Tapas will offer $10 sangria, $10 chicken brochette, free ice cream, and a $100 gift-card giveaway. He says, “We want to thank our tight-knit community for all the love they showed us, and we’re looking forward to many more years to come.” Hours will be 4 pm to 10 pm. (Last year Agour added a sibling for Itto’s Tapas next door, wine bar Itto’s Vino.)

(Saturday photo sent by Tony Tschanz)

As reported here last Thursday, today is “soft open” day for Do Si KBBQ at 2516 Alki Avenue SW, where Duke’s closed in April. We went in to find out the plan for the coming days – sometimes “soft opens” don’t immediately precede “official” opens. But the staff told us this one does – they’re also expecting to be open tomorrow and beyond. This is an expansion; the original Do Si is in Kent. If you haven’t had KBBQ (Korean barbecue) before, it centers on a tabletop grill where diners cook their own sliced meat – you can order various combinations, including AYCE (all you can eat).

(Posted menu photo sent by Chris Kardish)

For starters, Do Si plans to open 11 am to 9 pm Mondays through Thursdays, until 10 pm Fridays-Saturdays-Sundays, and they told us they prefer reservations but will consider walk-ins.

Thanks to Tony Tschanz for the photo peeking inside Do Si KBBQ, in the former Duke’s spot at 2516 Alki SW. The pic arrived just as we were writing this update: Six months after the news that KBBQ – famous for its tabletop grills and abundant sides – was coming to the space, Do Si has announced it is soft-opening at 11 am Monday (October 13). Hours once they officially open will be 11 am-9 pm Mondays through Thursdays, 11 am-10 pm Fridays through Sundays. This is an expansion location; they original Do Si (“the place”) is in Kent. (They’ve opened Alki reservations here.)