See Mexican Meet Northwest at Denny Triangle Newcomer 2120

Chef Derek Bugge and owner Milan Uzelac have opened the ambitious Latin American-Northwest mash-up 2120 next to Amazon’s biospheres. June 24 was restaurant’s first day in business; it’s now open for dinner and lunch, with brunch kicking off on July 1.

Eater stopped by to scope out the space and document a few dishes. Leaning heavily on Pacific Northwest-sourced produce, seafood, and meat, Bugge infuses plates with influences from his native Seattle and from his mother’s Mexican roots.

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There’s a fair amount of crossover from Bugge and Uzelac’s Bellevue restaurant, 99 Park, like grilled octopus, lamb tartare, and chicken with mole negro. Dishes unique to 2120 will include Painted Hills New York steak with cilantro chimichurri, a wagyu burger with Beecher’s cheese, king salmon with salsa verde, and masa dumplings. The new restaurant’s version of deviled eggs also includes chapulines, the toasted Mexican grasshoppers that have caused quite a stir lately at Safeco Field.

On the drinks side, expect wine from regional producers, predominantly local beer, and cocktails like the Gin Wabbit, featuring carrot, lemon, vanilla, and egg whites; the Sotol Sazerac, with sotol, agave, and from-scratch fennel bitters; and a daily punch with a small option for two to four people and a large version for six to eight diners.