Hugely Popular Mexican Restaurant in Queen Anne Changes Its Name

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Different Name, Same Mezcal and Mexican Food Focus

After seven years, Mezcaleria Oaxaca in Queen Anne — the frequently-crowded sibling restaurant to Eater 38’s La Carta de Oaxaca, specializing in mole dishes, tacos, and an extensive mezcal list — has changed its name to El Mezcalito. The management, staff, and most of the food will remain the same, although there will be a couple of new additions to the menu, such as chapulines (grasshoppers). This may help set it apart from its offshoot Mezcaleria Oaxaca in Capitol Hill. Both restaurants were launched by the family that owns La Carta, but the family’s former business partners took over the Capitol Hill location three years ago and have been operating it separately.

Upcoming Ballard Butcher Shop Tries Crowdfunding

Beast and Cleaver — an upcoming whole animal butchery and kitchen in Ballard that will serve lunch and dinners — has launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds as it ramps up its efforts to open this fall. So far, the campaign has raised about 66 percent of its $30,000 goal, which is earmarked for deli cases, drying and curing chambers, and a rotisserie for large meats. Owner Kevin Smith — a London native who has worked for the acclaimed steakhouse The Butcher’s Table — says that he and his business partners have been funding the buildout and shop equipment entirely with their own money to this point, but hopes this campaign can accelerate things.

Kirkland Urban Readies Massive Market, With Pizza Restaurant

This Wednesday, the massive 50,000 square-foot QFC market at the new development Kirkland Urban in Kirkland, WA, will open to the public, and it includes a Tutta Bella inside. The Italian restaurant chain — with five other locations around the city and a food truck — plans to serve up Neopolitan wood-fired pizza and a canoli bar at its QFC outpost, along with salads, lasagna and porchetta sandwiches. There will be counter seating, take out, grab-and-go items, and online ordering. Meanwhile, Kirkland Urban will also feature a Shake Shack and a Dough Zone Dumpling House sometime in the near future.