Family Emergency Forces French-Japanese Gem Iconiq to Close

Iconiq, the well-received Japanese-French restaurant in Mount Baker, will close temporarily after service on Saturday, October 28. Chef-owner Toshiyuki Kawai told Seattle Met he’s headed to Japan to deal with a family emergency, and he hopes to reopen eventually, though his exact timeline is unclear.

“It’s really hard to focus on what I do in the restaurant right now,” Kawai said, “so I think I made the right decision.” He suggested he might be back after a month or two, but doesn’t know for sure.

Iconiq opened earlier this year in the former home of A La Bonne Franquette, winning over critics despite sporting a name that seems more appropriate for an ironic hip-hop group. In its review this summer, Seattle Met said, “This restrained dining room offers reassurance that pleasing people needn’t negate ambition;” The Seattle Times had a similar experience in the spring: “Iconiq has the relaxed demeanor of a neighborhood place [...] Yet the food and service has the refinement you expect when appetizers are in the double digits and entrees hit $30.”

Kawai, who has cooked at Maximilien, Luc, RN74, and Book Bindery, was making a name for himself. Surely his fans are hoping he can make it back to Seattle in short order.