Wild Ginger's longtime chef finds 'home' in Redmond
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Hold on to your chopsticks and prepare, once again, to taste the wonderful world of Asian food, translated via Jim Han Lock. The James Beard Award-winning chef, late of Wild Ginger, is set to open Jeem Asian Restaurant, in Redmond (14850 N.E. 24th Street, 425-883-8858). ETA: any day now.
Lock's eponymous restaurant (Jeem is his given name, though he's taken the Anglicized version as his own) will be open daily for lunch and dinner, offering everything from satays to sushi, dim sum to steak and lobster dinners. "We're doing the works, the whole package," he says, explaining that diners might relax at a 16-seat satay-, sushi- and noodle bar, or choose to sit at an adjacent chef's table. With capacity numbering 300, Lock is quick to note that the space — re-created in the husk of the defunct East Ocean Chinese restaurant — offers "lots of banquet opportunity."
Lock's mastery in the kitchen, coupled with his ability to bring together and manage a veritable army of talented Asian chefs, brought great success to Wild Ginger during his 12-year tenure. He left in 2001, shortly after Wild Ginger moved from its Western Avenue location to a greatly expanded venue at Third and Union. Since then he's traveled the world on an extensive tasting tour of Southeast Asia, China, Australia and New Zealand; acted as a restaurant consultant (most recently at Silk Asian Steak & Seafood, in Atlanta); but often returned "home," keeping an eye out for a place to call his own. Alan Lau and Wei Wu are Lock's partners in Jeem.
"There are too many pan-Asian restaurants in Seattle," Lock told me a year ago when he was toying with the idea of opening one near Pike Place Market. That deal fell through and, taking his own astute observation to heart, he chose, instead, to head east to Redmond where fans on either side of the lake are certain to seek him out.
McHugh's Irish eyes smiling on Capitol Hill
One of Seattle's longest-enduring restaurateurs, Mick McHugh, quietly opened Maguire's Irish Bistro Friday. The handsome new 90-seater (332 15th Ave. E., Seattle; 206-328-0700) was named for his dear friend the late Father Joe Maguire — a much-beloved Seattle University Jesuit whose Irish spirit is honored here on Capitol Hill. "I grew up on Capitol Hill, as did my mother and father before me," says McHugh, an SU alumnus whose family ties to the neighborhood are a century old. "I've always wanted to go back up there sometime in my career and open up a small neighborhood place."
McHugh's illustrious career spans four decades. In addition to Maguire's, he's the owner of F.X. McRory's and T.S. McHugh's and was long known for his business partnership with Tim Firnstahl — dissolved when the pair famously divvied up a then-$16 million restaurant empire by tossing a coin off the Space Needle.
Last fall, as part of a Seattle-Galway Sister City delegation, McHugh traveled to Ireland where the Irish bistro trend — a step up from the Irish pub in food and service — struck his fancy. Returning to Seattle, where he'd recently sold his long-held Leschi Lakecafe, an opportunity presented itself on Capitol Hill and Maguire's Irish bistro was born.
The menu highlights a solid list of bistro staples including entrée-sized salads ($7.85-$13.85), sandwiches and burgers ($8.85-$10.45), a trio of aged corn-fed steaks ($15.85-$21.85) and such house specialties as halibut fish 'n' chips, grilled wild salmon and seafood fettuccine ($13.95-$21.85, salad included). Stop by, have a plate of Irish nachos (waffle fries with gorgonzola sauce) and raise a pint o' Guinness to the memory of Father Joe. Maguire's is open daily from 3 p.m. 'til midnight.
Sold — Blue Onion Bistro
"Chef Scott Simpson is an accident waiting to happen," I wrote in a 2001 review of the then-new Blue Onion Bistro (5801 Roosevelt Way N.E., Seattle; 206-729-0579). "Guys with this much energy tend to burn out fast, so you'd best find him before he crashes."
Well, true to prediction chef Scotty and his talented chef/business partner Susan Jensen called it quits early this week, after making their memorable mark in a converted 1930s-era filling station along the far reaches of Roosevelt's automotive row. Yesterday they turned one of my favorite restaurants over to new owners Cora Foss and Roy Leitner.
Before riding off into the sunset in his baby-blue BMW roadster, Simpson says he'll be helping his bistro's new owners with the transition. He and Sue will be on hand to advise the new kitchen crew, whose menu will include lighter fare for summer, keeping aboard such Blue Onion Bistro-classics as "Blue Ribbon Mac and Cheese" and "Dr. Scott's Maple Duck" weekend breakfast in the offing.
"This is our dream," says Foss, a career waitress with some serious truck-stop trade to her credit. "We've been searching for a place for two years, and discussing it for seven. We wanted something a little funky, with a good atmosphere, and the Blue Onion was it. They already have a great thing going. I feel real confident that we'll be able to uphold their standards."
As for Scotty and Sue, the summer looks rosy and holds no immediate plans. "I'm going to take some time off to spend with my kids, I haven't seen them in four years!" says Sue. "What can you say after four years?" adds Scotty, who admits that he was "born to cook" and expects to be doing so somewhere, someday, but not without taking a much-deserved break. "Arrivederci! And look for me in the future."
Blue Onion Bistro will be open for lunch Tuesdays through Fridays and for dinner Tuesdays through Sundays. Closed last weekend, it's expected to reopen June 12.
Au revoir, Bandol
Jef Fike's new Pioneer Square bistro, Bandol (508 Second Ave., Seattle), was shuttered Saturday. The cause: financial difficulties.
Long labored over and short-lived, the handsome French bistro anchoring the Smith Tower opened in October providing lunch, take-out and happy-hour distractions in addition to catering services. Dinner was added to the lineup early this year.
Meanwhile, Bandol's sister restaurant, Cassis (2359 10th Ave. E., Seattle), remains open for dinner, as it has been since 1997. That said, it might behoove Cassis fans — or anyone looking for a great plate of pomme frites — to "show their love" by making reservations at Cassis immediately (206-329-0580) if not sooner.
Nancy Leson can be reached at 206-464-8838 or taste@seattletimes.com. More columns at www.seattletimes.com/columnists.