West Seattle, Washington
26 Sunday
After the untimely death of Cafe Revo co-owner Chef Sean “Chano” Goff two weeks ago (story here with tribute comments), it was noted that the family’s left with medical bills to deal with from his long illness, while continuing to run the popular Italian restaurant (a WSB sponsor) in the Luna Park business district. This morning we have word of two benefits coming up, both promising food and fun while building a fund for the family:
THE SANCTUARY AT ADMIRAL, OCTOBER 14: Here’s the flyer for this one, sent by Sanctuary at Admiral owner Dahli Bennett. It reads in part:
“Big Night”
Dinner and a Movie Benefit at Sanctuary at AdmiralPlease join us Wednesday, October 14th
-Four course Italian dinner-Prepared by Chef Constance Bennett hailing from the Tipsy Pig in San Francisco and Chef Andrew Ingrahm of Café Revo fame.
The evening starts at 6pm with appetizers and wine, followed by a special communal style dinner. After dessert and coffee, we will get settled in for a viewing of the film “Big Night.”
$50 tickets are on sale at Cafe Revo.
WESTENDERS’ “OPERATION CHANO,” NOVEMBER 7: This one’s also dinner-and-a-movie. The Goffs have been active in the scooter community – including the mural on the restaurant’s south side – and the Westenders Scooter Club is organizing this benefit at the Rainier Yacht Club – here’s the official flyer sent by Nicky Ducommun, which includes:
Guests will enjoy a pasta feed, beverages, and a raffle. DJ Ace Face will be spinning tunes, and Eric Pravitz will screen his scooter-themed adventure-comedy “Mondo Scooterama” for entertainment … “A rollicking adventure-comedy that pays homage to the ‘biker’ movies of the 50s
and 60s, Mondo Scooterama features a talented young cast of up and coming Northwest actors, and features hilarious cameo appearances by well-known figures on the Seattle scootering scene!”
Suggested donation, $20. (Here’s a map to the RYC.)
(Google Street View of Wingdome Greenwood location)
Thanks to Dave for the tip: We’ve just spoken with Consolidated Restaurants president Jim Rowe to confirm that the company is close to signing a lease to open a Wingdome restaurant in the Junction storefront left empty when CAPERS downsized its space. Rowe says they’re confident they’ll finalize the deal within the next few months, at which time they’ll have a better idea of when they’ll open. Right now Wingdome has restaurants in Greenwood, Kirkland and Kent; you can see its menus here. Rowe told us, “We think (West Seattle is) a great market … The demographics are good, and it should fit well there.” Consolidated Restaurants also runs the Metropolitan Grill downtown as well as Elliott’s Oyster House, and took over Wingdome three years ago; Rowe says they’re hoping to add additional locations after West Seattle joins the fold.
Meet Allison and “Skip” Rich (with 2-year-old son Zayne), new owners of Angelina’s in the Admiral District (map). When they took it over and shut it down for remodeling a month ago (previous coverage here and here), they said they hoped to reopen in early October, so we checked back – and found out it’s going to take a few extra weeks – they’re now targeting October 19th. We stopped by yesterday afternoon for a peek at some of what they’ve done to the space so far, with a lot of work left to do:
That short clip shows the 30-foot-long bar that dominates the northern half of the restaurant (right side, where the main entrance was); that side will be 21-up. But Skip says, “Our whole plan is NOT to be a 2 o’clock bar – we’re not going to kick people out, but if nobody’s here … We’re not here to be some crazy raucous sports bar.” See and hear about the rest of the renovations, ahead:Read More
Thanks to Marco for pointing out this seattlepi.com story about charges filed in a case of alleged embezzling at Salty’s on Alki. We’ve obtained the court documents in the case — here’s the story they tell: Read More
Just seven months after Sean Goff and wife Sofia Zadra Goff finally brought their dream of an Italian restaurant to fruition with Café Revò in the Luna Park business district, family and friends are in mourning — Sean has died, at the age of 43. (He is shown at left with Sofia in a photo we took in June 2008 while profiling them for a story about their restaurant plans.) The restaurant, a WSB sponsor, opened this past February – at least a 15-year dream for the couple. But a few months ago he became seriously ill, and early today his illness turned fatal. Here is the obituary just sent out on the Cafe Revo mailing list:
West Seattle Restaurateur Sean Goff fell asleep in the Lord September 17 at age 43. His death followed an illness of several months. While initially there was hope for his recovery, in the end, Sean was stricken with a fatal cerebral hemorrhage. Since February, many West Seattle residents had gotten to know Sean as the tall, genial chef of one of the area’s newest restaurants, Café Revò.
Previously, Sean served as a master chef at such area restaurants as Grazie and Anthony’s on the Waterfront. But Sean always hoped to open a restaurant of his own. The idea began to crystallize on one of his several trips to Northern Italy with his wife, Sofia Zadra Goff. Specifically, they both enjoyed the cuisine of the village of Revò in the Italian alps, home of Sofia’s ancestors.
Fascinated by the local cuisine, Sean found himself cooking alongside the locals, learning their centuries-old methods of producing unique flavors. One day, thinking about his dream restaurant, Sean came up with the “perfect” name, Café Revò.
Sofia and Sean were both long-time residents of West Seattle, so what better place to realize their dream? This past year, with the help of a number of friends in the restaurant business, Sean and Sofia were able to open Café Revò, right near Spokane Street, on Avalon Way SW.
Although very active in developing the restaurant site, Sean began experiencing symptoms of fatigue and other complications in April and May. Through the summer, Sean could only be active part-time with the restaurant. Still he was able to hire and train an outstanding staff of servers and chefs, as the restaurant’s many customers can attest.
During Sean’s illness, the actual running of the restaurant has been handled by his wife Sofia and the general manager, Milo Goodrich. Both feel confident that in spite of suffering the loss of Sean, they can continue Café Revò as a West Seattle landmark, maintaining Sean’s legacy of fine dining and customer service.
Sean is survived by Sofia, his two children Forrest and Maya, his father Michael Goff of Idaho and his brother Dan Goff of Colorado, plus a host of loving family and friends.
Sean’s passing is being mourned not only in the Seattle area but also in Revò, Italy, where the entire town has been proud and somewhat amazed that the ambiance and cuisine of their region was now present in a faraway place called West Seattle
Funeral services for Sean are set for September 21 at 1:00 p.m., at Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption, 1804 13th Avenue on Capitol Hill. Viewing will begin at noon. Interment will follow at Evergreen-Washelli.
Since July, Sean’s treatment has involved many days of hospitalization. And even with medical insurance, the family is responsible for covering 20 percent of the costs. Not surprisingly, much of their financial assets are already tied up in opening the restaurant.
In lieu of flowers, contributions are welcome to the Sean Goff Medical Fund at any U.S. Bank branch. Checks should be made out to Sofia Goff and can be mailed to Café Revò, 2940 SW Avalon Way, Seattle, WA 98126 or to U.S. Bank, 4200 SW Edmunds St., Seattle, WA 98116.
And here’s the funeral information we have received from the family.
Funeral Schedule For Sean Chano Goff
Monday, September 21st
Noon – Viewing
1 pm – Funeral Service
Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption – 1804 13th Avenue
Burial at Evergreen Washelli – Procession from church to cemetery
11111 Aurora Ave. North – Seattle, WA 98133
Cafe Revo will be closed that day, for a private party for friends and family, but Sofia stresses that the restaurant will go on. Here are the photos sent out atop the mailing-list obituary tonight:
If you venture into a certain North Admiral neighborhood this afternoon, you’ll find those guys on a street-food test run, according to Sherri Chun, who just sent the photo and this explanation of who and what you’ll find at 2215 47th SW (map):
I thought I’d put a plug in for some young entrepreneurs on our block – Mark and Kyle Howell and their new business, Howie’s Hot Dogs. Mark and Kyle are West Seattle natives, and will soon be taking their business on the road. They’re doing a trial run in their front yard today. We wanted to spread the word – beef, polish, and Italian hot dogs with all the fixins, plus chips, drinks, and Dessert dogs, too! Please spread the word, and come support these guys with their new business venture!
Sherri’s checking on how long they’ll be there today; she says their future location is TBD. (Added 3:06 pm – Answer, as long as they have food and as long as people keep showing up!) Also with eats on the street right now, Marination Mobile, which has been coming to High Point for two months now (after its Fourth of July debut).
(Photo by Christopher Boffoli, added 3:06 pm)
Thanks to JayDee for the reminder that MM is there right now, set up on the northeast corner of 35th/Graham (map) 11 am-2 pm every Saturday TFN – here’s more about what they serve. (They’re on Twitter too, as are all the street-food stars – @curb_cuisine – not to mention fixed-location eateries too, including WSB sponsors Cafe Revo at @caferevo and Endolyne Joe’s at @chowfoods.)
ADDED 3:06 PM: Speaking of Twitter (where we are @westseattleblog for human-powered news, @westseattlenews for automated links to all our stories), one more “street food” (beverage, in this case) note – got a Twitpic from @mjtwit from their ongoing yard sale (till 4) at 5613 44th ave SW (map) – 25-cent lemonade! Here’s the photo.
The exterior sign isn’t up yet, but there are brand-new owners at, and a new name for, what was Pizza Time at 7514 35th SW (map). Shannon Cross tells WSB that while she and her husband are born-and-raised West Seattleites, when they decided to go into the pizza business, they couldn’t find the right place here, so they opened Red Star Pizza in the Pierce County town of Lakewood. Then Pizza Time went on the market – and they realized, “We have to have it.” Right now they’re in a transition time to the full menu they offer as Red Star Pizza (see it here on their website, which Shannon says will have the West Seattle location information soon), including subs, plus more fresh local ingredients, including, she says, produce from the West Seattle Farmers’ Market. And note the video games in the photo atop this story – Shannon explains that they’re into ’80s and ’90s nostalgia, so they’ve got five classic game machines. Like Pizza Time, they have delivery and carry-out — 11 am-11 pm Mondays-Thursdays, 11 am-1 am Fridays-Saturdays, 11 am-8 pm Sundays.
As scheduled (and reported here 2 weeks ago), Angelina’s Trattoria is now closed in Admiral so its new owners can make renovations. We got a note via Facebook from co-owner Allison Rich, regarding the closure and the staff status:
I wanted to let you know that Angelina’s is now closed; the paper will go up on the windows tonight, and the buildout will start when all permits are in order. We are still hoping to open in early October. We are keeping the chef and manager, as well as meeting with all of the current staff tomorrow.
Staffers had posted an open letter to customers in the comment section following our previous report. The new owners are planning to add new restrooms and a bar during the renovation work; they’ve said they’re keeping the name, and while the menu will remain Italian-focused, there’ll be some “not Italian” offerings too.
We have official word that Brickyard BBQ in the Admiral District is indeed now open for business for the first time, 4 months after first word that it was in the works. WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli went to its location – 2310 California SW – for the photos in this report, and an on-the-spot report:
They are absolutely open for business. Already a good crowd of people there enjoying themselves. I spoke with Don Kriley who, along with his brother Dan, owns Brickyard. They told me that their plans are to be open from 11:30am to 1:30am everyday but they may adjust that depending on how things go. In terms of menu, he said Chef Ryan Ackerson is going to have more of a sampler menu through the weekend. They only got their health department approvals this week so there are certain things, like ribs, that they have not had a chance to make yet. They do not have a website up. I saw the menu but it didn’t have any prices listed. Nor did I see any desserts.
Tonight’s menu features a choice of smoked chicken or pulled pork with a choice of sauces: sweet & smokey or spicy New Mexican chile.
Dinner comes with one choice of a side: slow smoked baked beans w/bacon, brickyard coleslaw w/buttermilk vinaigrette, iceberg wedge w/bacon, grape tomatoes and green onion w/blue cheese vinaigrette, Yukon gold potato salad w/egg, celery and green onion, summer green pea salad w/ bacon, grape tomatoes, green onion, Monterey Jack w/buttermilk vinaigrette
Plus a choice of bread: buttermilk biscuit or jalapeno cornbread w/ honey butter
Outdoor seating too:
As reported here previously, today was announced as the new Brickyard BBQ restaurant (2310 California SW)’s opening day – so we went by a short time ago to see if they had already swung open the doors – not yet, but we were told by those working on finishing touches that they’ll open today at 4. They’re almost exactly across the street from another new restaurant, Porterhouse, which is now in its third week of operation.(WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli)
BRICKYARD BBQ: Word was forwarded to us that the new barbecue joint at 2310 California SW (map) will open Friday instead of tomorrow, because of “late last-minute finishing touches.”
Meantime, a new business is open further south on California:
CHERRY CONSIGNMENT: Thanks to Jennifer for that photo and word that Cherry Consignment is open at 4142 California SW (map). The space was formerly home to Designer Labels; Cherry Consignment opened under brand-new ownership, and its website notes that the store is dealing in both women’s and men’s clothing, 11 am-6 pm Mondays-Saturdays. (Added 11:09 pm – a note from proprietor Nyla Bittermann with more info:)
We look forward to establishing ourselves as a Women’s/Men’s consignment store that caters to women and men of all shapes, sizes and lifestyles. We plan to provide those “hard to find items”: plus size, maternity and men’s business attire, in addition to women’s clothing.
We are SO excited to be new business owners in West Seattle. My husband grew up in WS, I have been here almost 20 years and we are raising 3 kids in this amazing community we call home!
We are currently in transformation with a new name, new signs, website in the works and a coat of fresh paint. In our two weeks of business we have met wonderful people who have welcomed us with open arms and we look forward to getting to know even more of our WS neighbors.
She says a grand-opening event is planned for September 1st (next Monday).
A CHILD BECOMES : Teaching assistant Hope from A Child Becomes Preschool e-mailed to share the news that the school has moved – it’s now based at Admiral Church (California and Hill; map) – and has opened a new Pre-K class that still has openings, Tues/Thurs/Fri, 11:45-2:45.
New business? Moved? Expanded? Special event? Let us know (all our contact info’s here); businesses also are welcome to post sales/special deals in the WSB Forums’ Freebies, Deals, Sales section, and job openings in the West Seattle Jobs Offered section, both free.
Full Tilt Ice Cream proprietor Justin Cline first mentioned this in the WSB Forums but now we have confirmation: The new pizza place in the 16th SW business district of White Center, barely a block over the line from West Seattle, plans to open September 11th. Stefanie Albaeck and her husband Mike are opening Proletariat Pizza in the former bakery space across the street from Full Tilt. We interviewed them shortly after the first report of their plans last May, as published by our partner site White Center Now. Some have wondered about the name; Stefanie told us in May, with a smile, “It’s definitely a reflection of the neighborhood, the people we’re serving, and the people we are.” She and her husband, by the way, are West Seattleites – they moved to Highland Park six years ago. They told us they weren’t planning for their pizza to be any particular “style” – fresh ingredients, homemade recipes. More as their opening date gets closer.
(WSB photos by Christopher Boffoli)
The Admiral District’s next new restaurant is days away from opening: 4 months after first word that Brickyard BBQ was moving into space just south of Admiral Pub (map), WSB Forum members have been wondering when they’ll open. So Christopher Boffoli stopped by this afternoon on behalf of WSB to check, and reports that this Wednesday (August 26) is expected to be its official opening day. He reports that the activity spotted there in recent days has been “soft opening” activity for friends and family, as is traditional in the restaurant business. For our last report in late July, the owners told us they’d be serving Texas-style barbecue, likely 11 am-10 pm.
(Members of the Feedback Lounge crew – from left, Tony, Todd, Matt, Bradi, Nell & Drew)
Today we welcome a new WSB sponsor, The Feedback Lounge in Morgan Junction, home of “the best drink you never had.” Each week co-owner Matt Johnson comes up with a drink whose recipe might go back 100 years — or just a month or two. Starting today, Matt will shop at the West Seattle Farmers Market each Sunday and uses those fresh ingredients in a drink that evening. We followed him around this morning on his shopping trip:
Matt wound up buying those peaches and adding some sage. Here he talks about how he’ll mix those together:
(Update – since we first published this, The Feedback has tweeted that this drink’s being called “The Morgan Street Monk.”) The Feedback opens at 4 pm; Sundays feature jazz from KPLU. While the Feedback isn’t a venue for live music, it does showcase the best that rock, jazz, the blues, and outlaw country have to offer. Dinner is served from 6-10 pm daily and there’s two happy hours, the first from 4-6, and the second from 10 pm-1 am – seven days a week. It’s at 6451 California SW (map).
Thanks to The Feedback Lounge for supporting local news and information by joining the WSB sponsor team, all listed here with info on how to join!
After being on the market more than a year (here’s what we reported last August) – Angelina’s Trattoria in Admiral has finally found buyers. They’ve applied for a new liquor license, and the names on that application led us to Allison Rich, who confirms that she and her husband – who live in West Seattle – are taking over next month. As part of their plan, she says, they will close Angelina’s at the start of September to put in a bar and new bathrooms; they’re hoping that will only take about a month. They’ll keep the name Angelina’s, Allison told us, and the menu will remain focused on Italian food, though she says they also “will be doing what we will call ‘the NOT so Italian menu’ where we will have specials from all over!” After the renovations, she says, Angelina’s will have the bar on one side and be “family-friendly” on the other. (Admiral is suddenly jumping – in addition to this and last week’s Porterhouse opening, the Shipwreck — a tavern planned for the old TNT space — has applied for its liquor license, and Brickyard BBQ is expected to open soon.)
Miscellaneous items rounded up in the past few days:
TWILIGHT CLOSING PIKE PLACE STORE: Twilight Artist Collective just announced this afternoon that it’s closing its original store, at Pike Place Market, as of the end of this month and focusing on its West Seattle Junction location, saying Pike Place has been hit hard by the “economic slowdown” while adding, “The Junction shop has weathered this storm extremely well, and we’re very proud and lucky to have a supportive and dynamic community over there that supports Fresh Local Art.”
KING COUNTY FOOD AND FITNESS INITIATIVE GETS NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: Derek Birnie at Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association calls this to our attention – the national parent organization for the multi-year Food and Fitness Initiative has highlighted Delridge youth leaders in its latest newsletter. See it online here. Birnie notes, “The DNDA staff and young leaders who have put together the FEEST program at Youngstown have established a model that other folks around the country are eager to learn from.”
SPEAKING OF FOOD: Today’s the day that West Seattle’s Mashiko is scheduled to officially transition to all-sustainable sushi. We talked about it in this recent report on Mashiko; its proprietor has a lot more to say in this item on his own site.
DELRIDGE LIBRARY END-OF-SUMMER CELEBRATION … and Family Game Night, coming up Tuesday, 6-8 pm. From the library staff: “Delridge kids, teens and adults read like crazy all summer and have nearly tripled the Delridge Branch summer reading goal of 2, 350 books! Come to pat each other on the back and celebrate this achievement with snacks, prizes and games. There will be games and activities for all ages. This is a drop-in program – join us any time between 6 – 8pm.”
WEST SEATTLE LINK TO “DISTRICT 9”: Found out via Facebook that there’s a West Seattle link to the sci-fi movie “District 9” that just hit theaters this weekend: WSB’er Noelle tells us her brother Elliot Ferwerda, who grew up in West Seattle but now lives in Chicago and works for production company QED, has producer credit on the sci-fi thriller.
Things are likely hopping by now; we dropped in just before the new Porterhouse (north of Admiral Theater) opened its doors at mid-afternoon today. That video takes you on a tour of the interior, which we last saw when it was in the final throes of remodeling. Note the art (future participants in the ever-expanding West Seattle Art Walk, they say) and those bound-to-be-legendary 25 taps. The owners have said they’ll serve food 11 am-11 pm (with the bar open beyond that) for starters, considering adding brunch later. ADDED 6:26 PM: If you can’t get over there just yet but want a steadier look at the taps, here’s a pic:
Many of the offerings also are listed in this Washington Beer Blog post to which we linked earlier.
COURT CASE: South Park murder suspect Isaiah Kalebu is expected in King County Superior Court at 8:30 this morning to answer charges including aggravated murder (which could bring the death penalty) in the July xx attack on two women who were asleep in their home when he allegedly broke in.
CLOSED SCHOOLS’ FUTURE: Also happening downtown this morning (9 am), the city Hearing Examiner is scheduled to hear an appeal of the June city decision determining that closed school campuses around the city – including Fairmount Park, Genesee Hill and EC Hughes in West Seattle – could be repurposed for various new uses without convening a School Use Advisory Committee.
PORTERHOUSE OPENING: The new restaurant/pub in the Admiral District (2329 California SW, just north of Admiral Theater) opens mid-afternoon. Lots of new food and beverage details in the West Seattle-headquartered Washington Beer Blog‘s review from the “soft opening” party Monday.
REP. MCDERMOTT TALKS HEALTH-CARE REFORM: Tonight, the long-hot topic gets its highest-profile West Seattle discussion yet, as the 34th District Democrats bring in Seattle’s Congressmember Jim McDermott in addition to other expert panelists. The agenda’s here, but also note the disclaimer on the group’s home page – this is NOT a “town hall meeting” and while everyone’s welcome to attend and listen, “only members may speak and participate,” per the group’s bylaws. The meeting starts at 7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy.
Porterhouse, the new restaurant/pub in the old Blackbird Bistro space by Admiral Theater, is opening at 3 pm Wednesday – just got that confirmed from a staffer. First to report it was the West Seattle-headquartered Washington Beer Blog, via Twitter (@beerblog). Also, thanks to Sarah, who e-mailed us a little while ago about a note on Porterhouse’s door announcing the Wednesday opening. Our most recent update on Porterhouse was this story on July 22nd; our first report was June 5th. Toplines, from those previous stories: It’ll be open to all ages; food hours 11 am-11 pm for starters; menu “gastro-pub … pub food with a twist”; 25 taps (21 added to the space’s pre-existing four!).
New information tonight from William Khazaal, son of Phoenecia at Alki restaurant owner Hussein Khazaal, who died suddenly over the weekend at age 63 (here’s our Sunday report, with dozens of memories and tributes in its comment section). William says his father’s funeral will be at noon tomorrow at House of Mercy in Covington (15004 SE 256th; map), and there will be a memorial celebration on Alki — with food — in the grassy area by the Bathhouse, right across from Phoenecia, this Friday night at 6:30; the family says the public is welcome at both events. Friday is a day when Mr. Khazaal’s family had hoped to be celebrating something very different: William says that would have been his father and mother’s 40th wedding anniversary.
That photo is above a note on the door of the popular restaurant Phoenecia at Alki, telling this sad story: Owner Hussein Khazaal has died unexpectedly, and the restaurant is closed until further notice. This is a transcription of the unsigned note from his family – it is dated August 8th (yesterday):
To our customers:
This morning, West Seattle lost one of its finest residents.
Hussein Khazaal, my father and best friend, passed away in his sleep of natural causes.
While this loss is devastating to our family, we know how much he meant to the community as well.
Words cannot express the sorrow in our hearts in losing someone to whom we were so close. He was far too young to die but we are grateful he went peacefully.
Dad lived for his family, which included his patrons. The restaurant along, with his wife, children and grandchildren, were everything to him.
Anyone who ever had the pleasure of knowing him can vouch for me when I say, he never had a selfish moment in his life. You, our dearest customers, were what made him happy. The looks on your faces as he took you to paradise with his culinary masterpieces brought him great pride and joy. We thank you for indulging him and letting him “prepare something special” for you.
We are not sure where we will go from here. There is a possibility we will reopen Phoenecia. We are confident we can prepare the food; we are just not sure how we have it in us to run the business he built without him by our side or if we can provide the same magical atmosphere our beloved Hussein did. Our decision will take time, thought and discussion.
Regardless of the fate of Phoenecia, we know Hussein will live on. Whenever one person performs an act of kindness to another, Hussein lives on. Wherever there is generosity, Hussein lives on. Wherever there is beauty in the simplest of things, Hussein lives on.
A memorial will be held within the week. We have not yet determined the location. However, if you would like to attend, you may e-mail me at wkhazaal@hotmail.com and I will send you information regarding the time and place.
Lastly, if you are wondering if there is anything you can do for us … there is. If you have any warm thoughts or stories you would like to share with us about Hussein or Phoenecia, please e-mail them to me at wkhazaal@hotmail.com. Your words will be of great comfort to our family.
We will be in touch soon regarding our decision as to the fate of Phoenecia.
Till then we thank you so much for your patronage over the years, as did Hussein. We consider you part of our family. Thank you.
Just this summer, Seattle Metropolitan magazine hailed his restaurant as one of the Best of 2009. Mr. Khazaal first opened in The Junction in the ’70s, and also operated in Queen Anne before bringing Phoenecia back to West Seattle at its current Alki location.
He was 63 years old. (Thanks to those who called and e-mailed this afternoon to let us know about Mr. Khazaal’s death.) MONDAY NOTE: Here’s our followup story with funeral/memorial information.
West Seattle’s Mashiko is drawing regional attention and accolades for the recent revelation it’s about to focus on “sustainable sushi.” WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli had previously interviewed Mashiko proprietor Hajime Sato for this closeup look we’re sharing now:
Story, photos and video by Christopher Boffoli
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
About one in four restaurants will close or change ownership within their first year of business, according to a study cited in a 2007 issue of BusinessWeek. Over three years, that number rises to three in five. Even in the best economic times, opening a restaurant can be a risky venture.
But while the recession has taken its toll on West Seattle restaurants, cited in closures such as Ama Ama and Beato, many others continue to thrive.
This September, Mashiko will celebrate its 15th anniversary in The Junction. But ask Chef/owner Hajime Sato the secret to his success in the restaurant business, and he’s likely just to shrug his shoulders and smile. “I wish I knew the secret,” he told me recently. “Sometimes I wish I had a retail shop selling clothing. It keeps longer than sushi items.”
Watch and listen to Sato tell part of his story:
When Sato opened Mashiko in the heart of the Junction on September 1, 1994, he chose the location not as part of some artful business plan, but rather:
We mentioned this briefly as a side note in yesterday’s West Seattle Farmers’ Market update, after WSB’er John reported what he’d found out – but now we have confirmation directly from Skillet Street Food‘s Josh Henderson that West Seattle is off their schedule “for the foreseeable future”:
We are pretty swamped with private events, and Aug and Sept are just crazy…so we are leaving Sundays open for the foreseeable future…could change..but for now that is what we have to do… but thanks so much for checking in, we love the West Seattle folks and hopefully they can track us down in other parts of the city.
Elsewhere on the street-food beat, Marination Mobile is in its second month of Saturday 11 am-2 pm visits to High Point (35th/Graham; map). P.S. Since food is perennially one of the hottest topics in the WSB Forums, it now has its own section – West Seattle Food. It’ll take a while to recategorize all the archived discussions that belong there (previously they were part of Open Discussion) but from hereon out, if that’s what you want to talk about – and reviews are welcome as long as they are labeled as such – go here. (And to find archived coverage of West Seattle restaurants on WSB – go here.)
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