Bainbridge Island’s Acclaimed Hitchcock Plans Series of Street Food Pop-ups

As dining rooms remain closed across the region during phase one of the state’s new reopening plan, one Bainbridge Island restaurant is continuing to adjust via the pop-up route. Starting in late January, Hitchcock will launch a series of street food events on Winslow Way, with eight accomplished chefs showcasing their skills over the next four months.

First up, January 22-24, will be food from Alejandro Tress, who has worked at such spots as the celebrated Astrid y Gastón in Lima, Peru, and Le Bernardin in New York. The Puerto Rican-born chef plans to serve mini pork empanadas with kiwi salsa verde, mofongo, a charred octopus salad, and a twist on alcapurrias made with Dungeness crab and pumpkin. After that, chef Carlo Lamagna (owner of Magna in Portland) will pay a visit February 5-7, featuring several Phillippine dishes, such as ginataang kalabasa and longanisa on pandesal with grilled cilantro relish. From February 19-21, Osmel Gonzales — a sous chef at California’s 3-Michelin-starred restaurant SingleThread — will showcase sandwiches stuffed with pork, yuca fries, and other Cuban snacks. Then in March and April, chefs Berk Guldal, Stefano Schiaffino, Nicholas Leiss, Varin Keokitvon, and Justin McMillan will join the party, although details of their menus have yet to be announced.

For those who have been following Hitchcock’s path over the past year, the pop-up series may not come as much as a surprise. Ever since the pandemic began, the restaurant has looked for ways to expand its breadth through takeout family meals, subscriptions to community supported agriculture (CSA) boxes, and a wine club. In November, Hitchcock even transformed into a fast-casual burger restaurant called Burgerhaus, serving a selection of smash burgers with a Bavarian bent.

This new pop-up series will take place via a grill camped out in front of Hitchcock Deli next door to the main restaurant. In addition to food, there will be a selection of wine, beer, and cocktails to go, as well as covered and heated outdoor seating (plus indoor service if that is allowed by the time the pop-ups launch). “Our pop-ups have saved us, creatively, financially, and spiritually, over the last year,” said Hitchcock’s chef-owner Brendan McGill, who has noted he still plans to open the restaurant back up at some point in 2021, should conditions improve.

• Hitchcock [Official]
• Bainbridge Island’s Hitchcock Plans Transformation Into a Bavarian Burger Joint [ESEA]