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Doing New Years in true downtown Bellevue style

December 30, 2011

It’s that time of year again. Break out the party poppers and champagne, pin up a brand new calendar and maybe a list of resolutions—it’s New Years! Luckily for Eastsiders, downtown Bellevue is a New Years party hot spot. The following is a list of downtown restaurants and entertainment venues gaurenteed to help you ring in 2012 right.

Pearl Bar and Dining
Pearl Bar and Dining is well established as one of the best dining options on the Eastside, so it comes as no surprise that they will be hosting a fabulous New Year’s Eve celebration! Join Pearl on December 31 for a gourmet three-course dinner followed by a nightclub style party and a champagne toast to ring in 2012. Pearl’s New Year’s Eve Ball will include multiple bars, a DJ and even party favors. Tickets are $30 per person through Brown Paper Tickets or $40 at the door. Valet parking is provided free by The Westin Bellevue. Come celebrate a gem of a year at Bellevue’s own restaurant jewel, Pearl!

Pogacha
Early birds rejoice because Pogacha is celebrating all day long on December 31! Starting at 11 a.m. on New Year’s Eve day Pogacha Bellevue will be serving its breakfast and lunch menu until 3 p.m. Starting at 5 p.m. Pogacha will feature a special New Year’s Eve menu in addition to a host of new winter specials like Hawaiian blue prawns and a variety of featured wines including Ross Andrew’s Boushey Syrah and Soos Creek Sundance Red.

Purple Café and Wine Bar and Lot No. 3
If you didn’t get your fill of New Year’s Eve festivities, Purple and Lot No. 3 have the perfect solution—New Year’s Day brunch. On January 1 both restaurants will be serving a New Year’s brunch to welcome in 2012. Items include hearty morning favorites like seasonal omelets at Purple and bagel sandwiches and waffles at Lot No.3. So put off cleaning up your New Year’s Eve party mess, just for a bit, and enjoy a New Years day brunch! Purple Café will also be open for New Year’s Even festivities. In addition to the full menu, Purple will feature unique food and drink specials.

The Melting Pot
New Year’s Eve is all about fun and the celebration of another successful year gone by—and nothing says fun like fondue! Join the Melting Pot this New Year’s Eve for a special four-course New Year’s dinner complete with featured seasonal wines and cocktails. Dinner is $75 per person and guests who book reservations between 3 and 5 p.m. will receive $100 in Melting Pot gift certificates for a delicious 2012! End the night with The Melting Pot’s signature chocolate fondue and get a sweet start to the New Year.

Wild Ginger
Creative cocktails and delectable dining are the name of the game this New Year at Wild Ginger! On December 31 Wild Ginger’s menu will include a vast array of creative cocktails, as well as a decadent dinner menu available all night. Diners can look forward to Wild Ginger’s Asian fusion favorites such as Thai chili beef, green curry chicken, squash and sweet potato stew as well as a satay bar. Wild Ginger will also serve a host of delicious cocktails like the cracked coconut martini, lychee cooler, vanilla passion sidecar and mango mojito. With options like that, who needs champagne?

Z’ Tejas Southwestern Grill
Can’t wait until the 31st to star your New Year’s celebration? You’re in luck. Z’ Tejas at the Bellevue Collection is starting their New Year’s festivities early too. December 30 through January 1 Z’Tejas will be serving a special New Year’s menu. Featured items will include an ahi ceviche with seasoned tostados, Southwestern chicken achiote and a molten chocolate cake for dessert. A trip to Z’ Tejas can be a delicious precursor to your New Year’s Eve!

Not everyone’s New Year’s Eve celebrations center around a meal out. For party-goers that prefer their night out with a little more action, downtown Bellevue has plenty of exciting options.

Munchbar will be hosting an angels and demons costume party on New Year’s Eve complete with guest DJ, celebrity host, champagne and of course prizes awarded to those with the best costumes. If you’re interested in something a bit more formal, consider New Year’s Eve at Piano Bash. Piano Bash will be holding a black and white themed attire party on New Year’s Eve featuring a prefix dinner, champagne toast and live jazz band.

Down the street in Old Bellevue The Spot Off Main will be hosting a New Year’s Eve party of its own. Don’t have a New Year’s Eve date? Play their “Match Ups” game and leave a message for that certain someone you’d like to stand by when the clock strikes twelve. The pinnacle of the night will be a champagne toast at midnight and a drawing for a trip to Hawaii! Doors open at a 8 p.m. and happy hour prices will be offered all night long.

520 Bar and Grill is known among locals for hosting festive holiday parties and New Years is no different. 520 will open at 8 p.m. on December 31 for a pre-funk and DJ and dancing begin at 9 p.m. Celebrate with your close friends at 520 all night!

For those with athletic flair, head to Lucky Strike Lanes! They don’t call it “the ultimate playground for adults” for nothing. In addition to a bowling, Lucky Strike features an arcade, billiards room, dance lounge and bar, making it a great choice for your New Year’s Eve venue. Lucky Strike’s New Year’s celebration will also include an appearance from UFC Octagon Girl and Brittney Palmer.

However you like to welcome in the New Year, downtown Bellevue has all the venues to make it happen. Here’s to 2012!

Give the gift of good eats and holiday treats

December 16, 2011

Shopping for friends and family is one of the most enjoyable parts of the holidays. However thinking up gift ideas that are both creative and personal can sometimes be a chore. Don’t fall into the shopping rut of neckties and mittens this year—below is a list of easy gift ideas from downtown Bellevue restaurateurs that will add that personal touch!

Does your friend, co-worker or family member have that one special restaurant they rave about? If so, you may want to consider purchasing them a gift card to their favorite dining spot. Some of downtown Bellevue’s best eateries are offering up gift cards for holiday gift giving this year including Red Robin, Blue C Sushi, Flo Japanese Restaurant, Palomino, Wild Ginger, Pearl Bar and Dining and Z’Tejas. And several feature bonuses for the gift giver too! For instance Blue C Sushi offers $10 off the price of every $50 gift card purchased and Z’Tejas offers a $5 bonus gift card for every $25 in gift card purchases.

If you need gift cards in bulk, Vovito Caffe and Gelato features a “buy five get one free” deal; a great option for office gifts as well as stocking stuffers! Gift cards are perfect for anyone on your list that lives or works in downtown Bellevue.

John Howie, owner of John Howie Steak and Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar has a creative solution for the foodies in your life. In addition to gift cards at both of his fantastic restaurants, Howie will be selling his famous seasoning rubs and specialty salts; an ideal gift for the chef in the family or just fans of John Howie’s restaurants. In addition, Howie will be offering both small and large cedar roasting planks; a great gift for the family gourmet who thinks they have everything. Another idea is John Howie’s new book Passion and Palate—a collection of Howie’s own stories and recipes.

For those on your list with a sweet tooth, swing by Specialty’s Café and Bakery and pick up a box of their cookie mix. Specialty’s is famous for delicious, gourmet cookies and they make a great gift for kids or as an enticing snack to set out at a holiday gathering. Mixes are just $12 each and come in three delicious verities; white chocolate, milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate. Mixes are available both online and in Specialty’s locations.

Specialty’s isn’t the only place with holiday treat offerings. In addition to retail wines, gift cards and holiday catering platters, Purple Café and Wine Bar offers boxes of sea salt caramels. These delicious confections strike the ideal balance between sweet and salty, making them a great accompaniment to your holiday party appetizers.

And not to be outdone, Trophy Cupcakes is offering a variety of new, seasonal cupcakes inspired by holiday flavors. Stop by any of their three locations to sample the chocolate candy cane, gingerbread, bourbon eggnog and candied yam cupcakes. Buy a few to try or a dozen for your next party or get together.

Gifts are only one aspect of your holiday giving. If you’re stressing over what to bring to the holiday office party, look no further than Tap House Grill. Through the holidays Tap House club members are eligible to receive a free Tap House Growler just by swiping their member card. Growlers can be filled with any of  Tap House’s 160 varieties of beer. Growlers are great for sharing with friends, family and co-workers and make a unique gift for the host of the party.

The holidays are meant to be a time of relaxing with family and friends but as we all know, it is easy to get caught up in the obligations this time of year brings. Sometimes a good laugh can provide the perfect cure for all that seasonal stress. Luckily for frazzled holiday shoppers The Parlor Collection has a fresh new December lineup of comedy acts. And in addition to top notch comedy shows, The Parlor Collection offers weekly events like Roadhouse Wednesdays, Karaoke on Thursdays and a daily happy hour. For a full list of Parlor Collection events check out their events calendar here.

If comedy isn’t your thing, The Spot Off Main offers a more down-home line up of events with activities such as beer pong on Thursday and a poker tournament every Tuesday. Come relax and watch the game after a hectic day at the mall or just stop by for a night out with a few good friends.

Downtown Bellevue also has a variety of dining options available the 24th and 25th of December. Bellevue’s own Palomino will be open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. on December 24 and from noon to 8 p.m. on Christmas Day. Its special menu will include Puget Sound clams, roasted prime rib, rotisserie pork loin, warm pear bread pudding and an extensive menu of specialty wines.

Joining the lineup of restaurants open on Christmas are Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant, making for a truly A-list holiday dinner lineup!

Pearl’s ‘sister restaurant’ Koral to open in 2012

November 28, 2011

If you’re an Eastside resident chances are you’ve heard the buzz about Pearl Bar and Dining. Although Pearl opened its doors in the midst of a major economic downturn, its distinctive Northwest-inspired cuisine and sleek, modern ambience won over even the most discerning foodies, allowing the restaurant to flourish here in downtown Bellevue. Coming off three years of great success with Pearl, founders Bradley Dickinson and Mikel Rogers (pictured above) recently announced their newest culinary addition to the Eastside, Koral.

The concept behind Koral is a contemporary take on the all American tavern. Unlike Pearl’s sophisticated, elegant feel, Koral will be a warm, inviting, down-to-earth haunt where you can unwind after a tough day at the office, long workout or hectic day of running errands. Koral’s menu will reflect its homey feel with reasonably priced dishes featuring recognizable ingredients like oyster shooters and roasted pork shank. Adventurous eaters need not be disappointed though as Koral will also feature a handful of more unusual items such as Gnocchi with braised oxtail.

Koral is set to be located in Bellevue’s Hyatt Regency Hotel in the space formerly occupied by Twisted Cork. Construction on Koral is scheduled to begin at the end of this month and Bellevuites can expect to be enjoying downtown’s first new American tavern by mid-late February. If history is any indication, Koral will surely follow in Pearl’s footsteps as one of Bellevue’s restaurant staples.

Bellevue’s restaurant scene; something to be thankful for

November 21, 2011

A  home cooked turkey dinner is a Thanksgiving staple; however the time and effort that goes into creating that holiday feast can be tiring. Why not skip the drama this season? Let the professionals take care of the cooking and cleaning this year as you sit back and experience the unparalleled elegance of  Thanksgiving dinner downtown Bellevue style!

Basil’s Kitchen
Visiting Bellevue for the holidays or have family who is? Why not have Thanksgiving dinner right at the hotel! The Hilton Bellevue’s own Basil’s Kitchen is hosting a Thanksgiving dinner of its own, and although you might not think to dine out for Thanksgiving at a hotel restaurant, Basil’s food is bar none. Basil’s Kitchen is a Mediterranean restaurant and its menu for Thanksgiving reflects that. Basil’s will be offering a slow roasted leg of lamb and chipotle roasted half chicken in addition to more traditional options like roasted turkey breast, roasted prime rib and pan seared salmon. Dessert will be buffet style with an assortment of holiday cakes, pies and cookies as well as chocolate fondue. *Prices range from $26.00 to $29.00 for adults and $12.95 for children under 12.

Daniel’s Broiler
Staying true to its roots, Daniel’s Broiler will be offering a prime rib and pork roast in addition to fresh Northwest salmon and an entrée of roast turkey for those that prefer to stick to the traditional. Dessert promises not to disappoint with delectable choices like vanilla bean crème brulee and chocolate raspberry charlotte in addition to the Thanksgiving staple of ice cream and pumpkin pie. As one of the Eastside’s premier steakhouses, Daniel’s Broiler is a great Thanksgiving choice for any family of foodies! *Prices are $50 for adults, $12 for children 6-10 and children 5 and under are free.

Maggiano’s
Looking to add a little Italian twist to your Thanksgiving celebration? Look no further than Maggiano’s. In true Maggiano’s style, the restaurant will be serving a special Thanksgiving menu that will include all of your Thanksgiving favorites with a unique Italian twist. The four course menu includes irresistible dishes like roast turkey with focaccia sausage stuffing, parmesan crusted tilapia, garlic mashed potatoes, four cheese ravioli and much more. Dessert will include such delicacies as a pumpkin praline cheesecake as well as a warm apple crostada. For a full menu drop by Maggiano’s in Lincoln Square and get ready to spice up Thanksgiving with the flavors of Italy! *Prices are $36.95 per person and $17.95 for children ages 5-12.

McCormick and Schmick’s
Although famous for fine seafood, McCormick and Schmick’s makes a mean turkey! This year Bellevue’s seafood staple will be serving a fixed three course menu of roast turkey, mashed potatoes, apple-butternut squash casserole, cranberry sauce and all of your Thanksgiving favorites. Desserts include your choice of pumpkin or apple pie, making McCormick and Schmick’s the place to go for die hard traditionalists to get their fill of the full Thanksgiving experience.*Prices are $23.95 for adults and $7.95 for children.

Palomino
Dining out for Thanksgiving can be fun experience, but Palomino understands that many families want to celebrate at home. For all of you who want to stay home for the holidays but avoid the mess of cooking a big meal, Palomino is offering its classic turkey dinner available for order. Now you can enjoy traditional favorites like slow roasted turkey, apple sausage stuffing and garlic herb mashed potatoes made by Palomino and enjoyed right in your own home. Orders are available for any group size and can be placed by calling (425) 455-7600. Customers are encouraged to order ASAP as Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching.

For those wishing to enjoy Palomino’s slow roasted turkey dinner in the restaurant, Palomino will be open from 12-8 p.m. on the 24th. Enjoy the Thanksgiving menu or choose from Palomino’s signature selection of starters, seafood, steaks and desserts. *Prices range from $27.00 for the turkey dinner ($7.00 for kids) to $38 for the prime rib dinner.

Pearl Bar and Dining
For the past three years Pearl Bar and Dining has been bringing gourmet Northwest cuisine to the Eastside, and now you can enjoy Pearl’s Northwest-inspired Thanksgiving feast in its chic, modern ambiance. This Thanksgiving Pearl will boast an extensive holiday menu that includes such favorites as sage roasted turkey, cedar-plank king salmon, herb roasted beef tenderloin, grilled boneless Berkshire pork chop and a host of delicious, seasonal sides. Desserts will include a traditional pumpkin pie, pecan pie, cranberry-vanilla bread pudding, valrhona chocolate sundae and Pearl’s signature butterscotch sundae. With its extensive array of menu options, Thanksgiving dinner at Pearl is truly something everyone in the family can enjoy! *Prices are $39.95 for adults and $12.95 for children 12 and under.

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
We all know Ruth’s Chris for their fine steaks, but this Thanksgiving the well-known steakhouse will be trading in its steak knives for a turkey baster as it hosts a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. You won’t be seeing steak on the menu—Ruth’s Chris will be serving a fixed three course meal of oven roasted turkey, sausage and herb stuffing, cranberry relish, and for dessert, pumpkin cheesecake and vanilla ice cream.

Those who are fans of fine steak fear not—Ruth’s Chris will also offer its regular menu items in addition to its Thanksgiving menu, allowing everyone to enjoy their favorites. *Prices are $34.95 for adults and $12 for children.

Trophy Cupcakes
Spending Thanksgiving at home but need some help in the dessert department? Let Trophy Cupcakes do the baking! Trophy’s seasonal Candied Yam with Toasted Marshmallow cupcake (pictured above) will surely impress your family and guests. This beloved, miniature cake boasts local, organic Garnet Yams, warm fall spices, and toasted pecans topped off with a generous swirl of fluffy, toasted marshmallow meringue frosting. At only $4 each, we think they’re the perfect finale to any Thanksgiving feast. To place your special order, call (206) 632-7020.

And don’t forget the 25th is Black Friday—time to burn off those Thanksgiving pounds by hitting the malls for all your holiday shopping! After a hectic day of bargain hunting you’ll surely deserve to sit back and relax at these restaurants.

The Melting Pot
The Melting Pot is offering a special Black Friday menu including hearty favorites like filet mignon and teriyaki marinated strip steak for those Thanksgiving dinners that left something to be desired. For diners wanting something lighter after their turkey day feast, The Melting Pot will also offer a vegetarian option of peanut marinated tofu, artichoke hearts and Portobello mushrooms in addition to three different salads.

Paddy Coyne’s Irish Pub
Paddy Coyne’s Irish Pub will be hosting “Man Camp”—an alternative to the traditional Black Friday shopping expedition! From 10:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m. Paddy Coyne’s will be featuring a host of Black Friday specials including a traditional Irish breakfast, spirits and liquor, and two-for-one entree deals.

Three cheers for three years at Pearl Bar & Dining

November 16, 2011

Just three short years ago Pearl Bar & Dining opened its doors here in downtown Bellevue to rave reviews. Since its opening, Pearl has successfully established itself as one of the Eastside’s premier spots for gourmet Northwest-inspired cuisine. With its unparalleled dishes and elegant ambiance, it comes as no surprise to Eastsiders that Pearl has rapidly earned its place as a Bellevue staple.

To celebrate its three year milestone, Pearl will be hosting an Anniversary Celebration on Thursday, November 17 beginning at 6:00 p.m. The event will include a prix fixe dinner (available 6:00-9:00 p.m.) featuring a filet mignon, broiled duck breast and Pearl’s signature Bering Seasablefish. Limited seating is available so reservations are encouraged. Call (425) 455-0180.

Dinner isn’t the only highlight of the evening. Stick around for Pearl’s Cocktail Party in the lounge complete with a live DJ. Guests can also participate in a drawing to win a trip to Las Vegas! The drawing will raise support for the Rise n’ Shine Foundation – an organization dedicated to providing support, advocacy and education to children and teens affected by HIV/AIDS.

So join Pearl for a swanky, stylish celebration of fabulous cuisine and cocktails, and see why this bold restaurant has everyone talking. Here’s to another three years of delicious dining at Pearl!

 
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