Central District Classic Jackson’s Catfish Corner Closes Yet Again

Welcome back to Eater News, a semi-regular round-up of mini news bites. Have info to share? Email intel to seattle@eater.com.

• Capitol Hill vegan ice cream sensation Frankie and Jo’s opens its Ballard follow-up this Friday, March 2.
• Starbucks is testing a five pence ($0.07) “latte tax” on disposable cups in the United Kingdom, which may convince customers to bring reusable vessels.
• In the latest episode of Eater’s Cooking in America, Maneki, Seattle’s oldest sushi restaurant, makes sukiyaki (Japanese hot pot) and crab rolls. The video series examines the way immigrant food culture has shaped the flavor of the United States.
• Surprise, surprise: McDonald’s notorious Szechuan sauce, created originally for Disney’s Mulan and more recently given a pop-culture boost by cartoon series Rick and Morty, is corn-syrupy garbage.
• Citing a career offer he couldn’t turn down, owner Terrell Jackson has once again closed the classic Central District restaurant Jackson’s Catfish Corner, though his family apparently has something else planned for the space.
• One of Phinney Ridge’s most popular patios is extending its usefulness as El Chupacabra adds a pergola for summer shade and heaters to ward off the off-season chill.
• Next door, every first Wednesday of the month from 8 to 10 p.m. Thaiku is bringing back Jazz Night, a staple at its former Fu Kun Wu bar in Ballard.
• Jodee’s Desserts is closed after seven years in Green Lake, though the owners ask customers to stay tuned on social media for updates on what they’ll be doing with their desserts in the future.
• Seattle Chocolate Company’s Jcoco Chocolate brand is partnering with chefs Chera Amlag of Hood Famous Bake Shop, Amanda Reed of Heartwood Provisions, and Tarik Abdullah of Black and Tan Hall for a Tastemakers line of chocolate bars, including Abdullah’s Boharat Middle Eastern Spice Dark Chocolate Bar, set to release in late March.

Correction: This story has been corrected to show that the name of Thaiku’s former Ballard bar was Fu Kun Wu, not Fu Ku Wu.