#2688 - Raging River Cafe and Club, Fall City, WA - 1/11/2015

Located in a strip mall across the street from the Snoqualmie River, the Raging River Cafe and Club is known most for its old school diner style breakfasts. But it also has a bar section, with an almost fern-bar style, rectangular bar -- wines and spirits behind glass up top, and river rock below -- which caters to a lively, dive-bar sort of crowd.

33719 Redmond-Fall City Rd SE, Fall City, WA 98024 - (425) 222-6669
Est. year - Building constructed: 1956
Previous bars in this location: Sportsman's Cafe
Web site: theragingrivercafeclub.com - facebook
Reviews: yelp - tripadvisor - beeradvocate - untappd 

#2687 #S1304 - Agave Cocina and Tequilas, Seattle - 1/6/2015

Sitting along with a number of other restaurants in a clutch of condos in the shadow of the Space Needle, Agave is a local mini-chain of modernized Mexican restaurants owned by Federico Ramos, with sister restaurants in Issaquah and Redmond. Frederico is said to have designed the fixtures and ironwork himself, and to accompany the food he built the largest selection of 100% agave tequilas in the Pacific Northwest.

I will have to be more adventurous in future visits, but in this one I was inclined toward the margarita with jalapeno and cilantro. I like both the food and drinks and a bonus was sassy bartender Katie K.

100 Republican Street #100, Seattle, WA 98109 - (206) 420-8195
Est. May 3, 2014 - Building constructed: 2012
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: agavecocina.com - facebook
Reviews: eater - worldsbestbars - thestranger - yelp - tripadvisor  

#2686 #S1303 - Bitter Raw, Seattle - 1/6/2015

After a working tour of Japan, New York, and San Francisco, John Sundstrom returned to Seattle and started collecting recognition from James Beard and others at places like Dahlia Lounge, Carmelita, and Earth & Ocean, before opening cozy Lark on Capitol Hill in 2003. Eleven years later he moved Lark to a much larger room to in a 1917 warehouse, which had enough room on the upper floor to create a comfortably dark second bar, Bitter/Raw. The focus is shellfish, chacuterie, and fancy, raw, small plates, and while oysters are a little too raw and bitter for my tastes, it's a quite nice location for light bites and fine cocktails.

952 E Seneca St, 2nd floor, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 323-5275
Est. Dec 4, 2014 - Building constructed: 1917
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: larkseattle.com - facebook
Reviews: seattlemet - yelp - seattleweekly - restaurantguru 

#2685 #S1302 - Mama Stortini's, Seattle - 1/3/2015

Mama Stortini's, Northgate Mall, Seattle

The first Mama Stortini's was opened in University Place in 1993 by Joe Stortini. Joe was born in Tacoma after his parents, Giuseppe Stortini and Giuseppina Piazza, immigrated from Port Sant'Elpidio, Italy in 1914. Joe excelled in baseball and football in high school and at the University of Puget Sound, eventually being named to both the UPS and Tacoma Athletic Commission's Halls of Fame.

Joe got a Masters in Education and worked as a high school teacher at Mount Tahoma High before leaving to enter politics. He became a state senator and held several other roles in Pierce County politics. No doubt his greatest challenge in life, brought upon himself, came in August of 1991, when a woman with whom he was having an affair killed herself with an overdose of drugs. Stortini, who was serving as Pierce County Executive at the time, was with her at the time and called 911. The incident apparently happened after Stortini informed the woman, who had divorced her husband, that he wanted to repair his relationship with his wife.

Mama Stortini's, Seattle

The incident marred a life and careers which already made Stortini one of the most recognizable personalities in the South Sound, feted for his many contributions to local charities. I assume the incident led to his departure from politics, and eventually into the restaurant business. Joe expanded to a restaurant in Puyallup before selling the business in 1999. He would later return to the business with Joeseppi’s Italian Ristorante on Pearl Street in North Tacoma, which he runs to this day, well into his 80s.

Meanwhile, the corporation that acquired Mama Stortini's expanded to Northgate Mall in Seattle. It no longer has the personal touch that Joe provides, but it does feature a stolid menu of Italian-centric American and Americanized comfort foods, some nice wines, and some sugary cocktails that one doubts would meet the approval of old Giuseppina Piazza.

Joe Stortini, found of Mama Stortini's
while serving as state senator in 1973

Joe Stortini, circa 2013

401 NE Northgate Way #1103, Seattle, WA 98125 - (206) 365-5567                              
Est. Nov 25, 2014 - Building constructed: 1950
Previous bars in this location: Twigs Bistro and Martini Bar, Romano's Macaroni Grill
Web site: mamastortinis.com - facebook
Reviews: yelp - tripadvisor - eater 

#2684 #S1301 - Nana's Family Mexican Kitchen, Seattle - 1/1/2015

Update: Nana's Family Mexican Kitchen and Cantina closed in September 2017.

The food at Nana's struck me as fairly pedestrian American Mexican fare, but there's no way you'll miss the visuals. The 90-year-old, two-floor Queen Anne hill bungalow is covered in a detonation of raucous colors -- as if your eccentric aunt had the bingo night of a lifetime and decided to spend her winnings taking a U-Haul down to the Nogales public market. The people are nice, and the drinks are pretty much what you'd expect.

Nana's Family Mexican Kitchen and Cantina, Seattle, WA

1825 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 - (206) 922-3340                             
Est. Aug 6, 2014 - Building constructed: 1925
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: facebook
Reviews: respectmyregion - yelp - tripadvisor - zagat - theeatguide - queenanneview  - queenanneview 

#2683 #S1300 - Red King Crab Seafood, Seattle - 1/1/2015

Red King Crab Seafood Restaurant, Seattle, WA

Update: Red King Crab Seafood closed in June of 2015.

Owner Kwang Yoon serves some nice sushi and various Asian and seafood plates in this old Belltown Austin Bell building location in what seems like a halfway point between casual and white tablecloth fancy. The cocktails here are not as much of an attraction, but you can find a nice wine.

Red King Crab Seafood Restaurant, Seattle, WA

2328 1st Ave, Seattle, Washington - (206) 441-7511
Est. Dec 5, 2014 - Closed June 28, 2015 - Building constructed: 1908
Previous bars in this location: Taberna del Alabardero, Cascadia
Web site: redkingcrabseattle.wix.com/redkingcrab
Reviews: eater - yelp - tripadvisor - urbanspoon

#2682 - Brick 29 Bistro, Nampa, ID - 12/30/2014

Brick29, Nampa, Idaho

The description of "comfort food elevated" and promise to satisfy foodies and less adventurous eaters was just the ticket for our extended family dinner, and Brick 29 delivered in spades. The upscale but affordable food from James Beard award winning chef Dustan Bristol was delicious and the cocktails did not disappoint. This was served in a pleasant old Masonic Hall, with early 20th century touches. (Since this visit they have moved to the upper floor of the building.)

320 11th Avenue South, Nampa, ID 83651 - (208) 468-0029
Est. 2007
Web site: brick29.com - facebook
Articles ranked: idahostatesman - idahopress - boiseweekly - yelp - tripadvisor