A Popular California-Based Ramen Franchise Is Coming to Kirkland This Fall

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A Popular California-Based Ramen Franchise Is Coming to Kirkland

Kirkland’s shopping center, the Village at Totem Lake, recently announced that five new restaurants would be coming down the pipeline this fall and winter, including a new outpost of a popular California-based ramen franchise. Silverlake Ramen — which drew long lines for its noodle soup when it opened in Los Angeles three years ago — will arrive in the Eastside center this fall, and it will be joined by an upscale Korean barbecue place called ShabuGen from the same team in winter 2021. The other planned restaurants at Totem Lake are new locations of Capitol Hill Italian spot Due Cucina and the gastropub chain Stack 571 Burger & Whiskey Bar, as well as a Panda Express.

Seafood Icon Ivar’s Introduces Full-Fledged Barbecue Menu for the First Time

Though it’s known mostly for clams and fish, Pacific Northwest seafood icon Ivar’s is turning to barbecue dishes in the pandemic takeout world. Among the new items at Ivar’s Acres of Clams and Salmon House (available for delivery and pickup with online ordering) include racks of spare ribs, pulled pork, and Uli’s Famous Sausage Louisiana hot links. This is the first time in the 82 year-old history of Ivar’s that there’s been a full-fledged barbecue menu section, although the restaurant chain hasn’t been a stranger to smoked meats. When the Acres of Clams restaurant reopened after an extensive remodel in 2015, it was equipped with a smoker, and executive chef Chris Garr has been preparing and smoking bacon for years. In addition, the restaurant sometimes includes limited time offers on its menu for dine-in guests. But this indicates a significant change for an institution that’s built a reputation on consistently popular seafood and PNW nostalgia. The menu won’t be available at the Seafood Bars or Mukilteo Landing right now.

Pho Bac and Mangosteen Launch Outdoor Parking Lot Party

Famed International District mainstay Pho Bac recently opened up the parking lot outside its well-known boat-shaped restaurant for an outdoor party of sorts with fried chicken masters Mangosteen x Boba Bar. On Saturdays and Sundays, the New Wave Summer event (so-called because of the retro 80s music played over the speakers) includes food specials, wine, cocktails, beer buckets, and a live DJ. Both Pho Bac and Mangosteen (which has been holding down the fort for months as a pop-up at the Boat) are serving items that include soft shell crab with garlic noodles, pork ribs with coconut pandan rice, banh khot, and elotes. A percentage of sales goes to the Friends of Little Saigon organization to build a new creative space, and the parties will continue until it’s “hella cold,” says Pho Bac.