#2659 - Lady of the Lake, Tenino, WA - 11/23/2014

Lady of the Lake, Lake Offut, near Tenino, WA

We did not have dinner on this visit, but the food looked pretty good, and our cocktails were fine. From the inside, the Lady of the Lake feels a lot like a medium sized roadhouse or suburban pub, with steaks and burgers and pasta, karaoke and sometimes live music. But it is the setting on the banks of Offut Lake, the style, and the sense of history that set the place apart. People have been coming to the Lake for fishing and recreation for since the 19th century, and the "Offut Lake Resort" has been here -- about 10 miles south of Olympia and 5 north of Tenino -- since 1939 (then "Ada's Resort"). The dance hall here once catered to large parties of tourists from the surrounding cities, as well as locals who worked in the lumber mills. When Rebecca Pogue bought the resort in 1998, she had a clear plan to improve the place while preserving the feel of a mid-century facility. “When Boomers visit they tell us it reminds them of where they camped in the 1950s and that is exactly how we want it to feel. We want folks to step back in time, to fish, swim, play tag and roast marshmallows. To get outside and read a book and drink a glass of wine,” (thurstonchamber)

The "resort" at that time was simply space for camping with some fishing docks. The old bar and restaurant building was there, but in shambles. The Pogue family added cabins and firepits, and eventually rebuilt the restaurant. They recovered the old bar back from a French Cafe that was said to have once served as a brothel. A row of inviting Adirondack chairs lines the porch on the lake side, reminding us that we must come back on a sunnier day. The old photographs and light stained wood attest to the owners' embrace of the history of the place -- and interest that was also clear when Tom Pogue, who runs the restaurant, described some of the history to us. It was an all around pleasant experience, but we look forward to coming back when it's warm and dry and we can kick our feet up for a while.

4005 120th Ave SE, Tenino, WA 98589 - (360) 264-3474             
Est. 2014 - Building constructed: 1968
Web site: facebook
Reviews: thurstonchamber - yelp - tripadvisor 

#2658 #S1289 - Vespolina, Seattle - 11/20/2014

Update: Vespolina closed July 2015.

In one of the more high turn-over restaurant locations in Seattle, tucked around a corner from heavily traveled Pike Place Market, well regarded local chef Jason Stratton established the spanish-themed Aragona in 2013, then converted it to the Northern Italian-themed Vespolina a year later.

96 Union St, Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 682-3590
Est. Sep 8, 2014 - Closed July 24, 2015 - Building constructed: 1985
Previous bars in this location: Leo Melina, The Other Place, 96 Union, Harbor Place, The Islander, Thoa's, Aragona
Web site: facebook
Reviews: capitolhillseattle - seattlemet - eater - yelp

#2657 #S1288 - Jack's BBQ, Seattle - 11/19/2014

Texas Trinity Combo, Jack's BBQ, Seattle, WA

Jack Timmons, who came from Texas by way of Microsoft, claims that the BBQ in Seattle now is better than in Texas, which he attributes to "raising the beef in a more moderate climate. You don't have to cross-breed and harden your stock to survive a hotter summer or colder winter." (eater.com) I don't know if he's going to persuade anyone with that, but he serves up some pretty compelling arguments from two mammoth smokers burning hardwoods shipped from Texas. It is Central Texas style -- Timmons explains "Well, you know, I grew up in Dallas, and the barbecue there wasn't that great by today's standards. East Texas is really no different than Louisiana barbecue. Lots of sauce, use of pig, and fried stuff. In West Texas you cook over a coal fire. And in South Texas you bury stuff in the ground — it's called "Barbacoa. Now in Central Texas you cook in an offset smoker with a clean wood fire. A lot of flavor comes from that." (ibid) As per the web site, the food is "based on the BBQ style started in butcher shops in Central Texas in the late 1800’s. Beef and pork with a simple salt and pepper rub, smoked low and slow over hardwoods (post oak, mesquite, hickory, pecan), and served on butcher paper. Sauce is optional, along with pickles and white bread."

Timmons began hosting "Seattle Brisket Experience" events, and moved into this roadhouse like space in south Seattle after Bogart's closed. The events gave him a reputation as Seattle's "King of Brisket." As of 2018 he is serving it at Mariner games in Safeco Field and expanding to a second location in South Lake Union. And he is also serious about his liquor. They have an extensive, creative cocktail menu (carbonated margaritas on tap), some good local craft beers (along with Shiner Bock), a small, nice selection of wines, and an ongoing series of events in conjunction with local distilleries and brewers. Try the Smoked Old Fashioned.


3924 Airport Way S, Seattle, WA 98108 - (206) 467-4038
Est. Sep 8, 2014 - Building constructed: 1950
Previous bars in this location: South End Tavern (30s and 40s), Goldie's (1997-2008), Bogart's (2011-2013)
Web site: jacksbbq.com - facebook 
Articles ranked: eater - eater - seattlemet - seattletimes - texasbbqtreasurehunt - texasmonthly - seattlemet (Daniel Vaughn) - hungrydogblog - houstonchronicle - king5 (video) - sipnorthwest - seattlemaven - microsoftalumni - seattleweekly - heyprettything - samanddavy - 425magazine - thestranger - yelp - tripadvisor 

#2656 #S1287 - Admiral Bird, Seattle - 11/16/2014

Admiral Bird, Seattle, WA

With just 3 seats at the bar (and where minors are not allowed), I think this is the smallest legal bar in the Seattle area? Then again, the bar is at best the fourth or fifth consideration in their business model, behind the coffee shop, the waffles and cafe, the gifts and the flowers. Which is not to say that they give little thought to their bar offerings, as along with some nice beers and ciders they feature a fruit driven cocktails like a spicy sangria, mimosas, and various shrubs.

2600 California Ave SW, Seattle, Washington - (206) 305-7182
Est. Feb 3, 2014 - Building constructed: 1906
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: thirstiestbirds.com - facebook
Reviews: yelp - tripadvisor - westseattleblog - westseattleblog - thestranger 

#2655 #S1286 - Westside Public House, Seattle - 11/16/2014

Update: Westside Public House closed Nov 15, 2015.

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Bars and restaurants in this space tend to turn over in one to three years, and so it was with A Terrible Beauty before this place (2011-2014), Table 35 before that (2010-2010), Ama Ama Oyster House (2007-2009), Ovio Bistro (2005-2007) and so on. This round is a fairly straight forward modern sports bar, with lots of TVs, 30 beers on tap, and a menu focused on burgers. Just don't get too attached.

4752 California Ave SW, Seattle, Washington - (206) 420-1425
Est. Nov 10, 2014 - Closed Nov 15, 2015 - Building constructed: 1910
Previous bars in this location: Guppy's West, Ovio Bistro, Ama Ama Oyster Bar, Table 35, A Terrible Beauty
Reviews: eater - westseattleblog - yelp - tripadvisor - westseattleblog  

#2654 #S1285 - Andra Loft, Seattle - 11/12/2014

Andra Loft, Andra Hotel 2nd Floor, Seattle, WA

Ändra Loft was briefly a Scandanavian themed bar run by local Seattle celebrity chef Tom Douglas, adjacent to his Hot Stove Society cooking school. Douglas himself never seems to have made much of the location -- it was even listed among his 15+ restaurants on his web site -- and it was not long before the Loft appears to have been converted to simply an event space available from the hotel.

While it was operating as a bar and restaurant I enjoyed an RKV (rye, cumin, and maraschino) from a friendly and capable bartender, along with gyros from Douglas's Lola.

2000 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121 - (877) 448-8600               
Est. July 7, 2014 - Closed ? (2016-2017) - Building constructed: 1925
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: hotelandra.com
Articles ranked: seattlemet - zagat - eater - thestranger - yelp - tripadvisor - oyster - seattleweekly  

#2653 - Kroakers, Everett, WA - 11/9/2014

Update: Kroakers closed in August 2016 and was replaced by Sirens Market and Coffee House.

As per the  Everett Herald, Dave Weston purchased PC's Pub after the previous owner retired in February 2012. He renamed it after his home bar, which friends named after the noise from nearby frogs.

The joint was known as the Jumping Jack Tavern from at least 1950 through 1977, then became the Stage Stop Tavern from 1978 into the 90s, and PC's Pub by the late 90s. PC's was a divey neighborhood bar and Kroakers is somewhat less divey, with lots of TVs showing sports, pool tables, darts and poker games. There's a reasonable selection of beers and inexpensive dive bar cocktails with the standard Fireball and flavored vodkas. The back bar is an unusual, Seattle-made piece, with what looks like inlaid green marble, including a mid-century diamond shape that is reflected in the counter and flooring.

3021 Rucker Ave, Everett, WA 98201 - (425) 258-9465
Est. 2012 - Closed Aug 2016
Previous bars in this location: Jumping Jack Tavern, Stage Stop Tavern, PC's Pub
Web site: facebook
Reviews: heraldnet - yelp