Beacon Hill’s Acclaimed Homer Closes Temporarily for COVID-19 Precautions

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Beacon Hill’s Homer Closes Temporarily for COVID-19 Precautions

Last week, the acclaimed Beacon Hill restaurant Homer announced on Instagram that it was closing temporarily after someone an employee came in contact with tested positive for COVID-19. The restaurant — which had recently reopened for patio dining, in addition to takeout — says it was waiting for the results from staff members who were tested, and is “paying employees every week for the time they spend to get tested.” As the Seattle Times wrote this weekend, and has become clearer in recent weeks, there seems to be no consistent guidelines from local officials for restaurants to follow if an employee tests positive or was exposed to someone with COVID-19, besides making sure that person stays home and isolates. Many restaurants are left to decide for themselves on how to handle things. Homer’s decision comes shortly after the pizzeria Supreme closed down due to an employee testing positive for COVID-19, though there was no official announcement. Homer plans to reopen Friday.

Popular Catering Company Umami Kushi Starts Takeout Service of Its Own

One super popular catering operation is starting to branch out. For years, Umami Kushi delivered its excellent yakitori skewers and okazu pan (hand-held bread stuffed with savory fillings like salmon and curry beef) to local cafes, markets, and special events. Now, it’s opened up a new takeout service at its commissary kitchen in Seward Park. The menu is similar to what’s on the website, and will have special okazu pans (along with some sweet items) made fresh, with online preorders. The to-go window will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. primarily on Saturdays, but diners can check in any day to ask which items are available.

Seattle Kraken Promo Video Featured a Local Fishery Owner

Seattle’s NHL team name was finally revealed last week as the Kraken. But the announcement was preceded by a mysterious teaser video showing a fisherman on a vessel extracting a net from the sea with some young helpers. Turns out that the captain of that ship from the video is Scott Kimmel, owner of the 34-year-old Port Townsend-based company New Day Fisheries. Kimmel revealed that he shot the clip in May with his two kids (and dog), and didn’t know what the video would be used for until the day the promo was released. New Day Fisheries — which specializes in crab and prawns — supplies many local markets, its biggest client being QFC. And, yes, Kimmel likes the name: “They did a good job,” he recently told King 5 news.