It’ll Soon Be Totally Legal to Drink While Throwing Axes at Capitol Hill’s Blade and Timber

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Capitol Hill’s Blade and Timber Now Allowed to Serve Booze

After two years of fighting for a liquor license, Capitol Hill axe-throwing destination Blade and Timber has finally broken through. Starting Friday, April 30, the venue will become the first of its kind in Washington to receive permission to serve alcohol while patrons fling sharp objects into wooden targets. There will be some caveats, including restricting guests to two drinks per 90-minute session, but Blade and Timber — a national brand based in Kansas City — seems to be excited to get booze into the mix right away. “We are planning to start with serving local beers and a few classic domestics,” the company’s managing director Jessie Poole tells Eater Seattle. “We won’t be expanding to wine or cocktails yet, but do have the opportunity in the future, as we also work to expand our food menu over the next few months.”

Georgetown’s Mezzanotte Reopens with Acclaimed Chef at Helm

Some star power has arrived at Georgetown’s Mezzanotte. Starting Tuesday, April 27, the Italian restaurant — closed for a winter break — reopens with chef Jason Stratton taking over the kitchen. Stratton was best known for founding much-heralded Capitol Hill spots Spinasse and Artusi, before he departed for a variety other projects. Now, he’ll bring some of his northern Italian expertise to dishes such as porchetta tonnata (thinly sliced poached and chilled pork loin); spaghetti with braised duck and anchovy sugo; bucatini cacio e pepe tricolore; and tajarin with sage butter and parmigiano-reggiano. The drinks menu will emphasize wines from top Barolo producers, as well as Italian-influenced cocktails such as Monk’s Death In the Afternoon in Venice (Prosecco, génépy, and butterfly pea flower).

Ballard Butcher Shop Beast & Cleaver to Restart Multicourse Dinners

One of the best whole animal butcher shops in Seattle is bringing back its terrific tasting menus. Pre-pandemic, Ballard’s Beast and Cleaver often hosted intimate 10-12 seat dinners on weekends to showcase the shop’s best cuts, and a similar effort will continue under the moniker Peasant, a sly nod to owner Kevin Smith’s background. “My family were immigrants from Ireland who moved to England in the 60’s and didn’t have any money,” Smith tells Eater Seattle. “By the time I was born in the late 70s my mother was making incredible dinners with potatoes, cockles, mussels, seaweed, pigs feet, lambs livers, kidneys, and absolutely beautiful puddings.” Expect lesser known cuts to show up on the Peasant menu, prepared with a mix of classic French and “old school” British techniques. Dishes will include rabbit, bison, juniper-smoked apples made into a traditional English custard, and pâté en croûte served with mustards and pickles made at the shop. Reservations can be made at info@beastandcleaver.com, with dinners beginning May 21 based on whatever indoor capacity is allowed by then.