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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!

Blue Martini is moving to the Evergreen State

December 14, 2011

Eastside residents have watched in amazement as downtown Bellevue has developed from sleepy suburb to bustling urban center, complete with world-class shopping and its own active nightlife. With hip hangouts like The Parlor Collection and Munchbar, downtown is the place to be for a night out on the town. This January we’ll welcome the newest addition to Bellevue’s nightlife scene, Blue Martini.

Originally based out of West Palm Beach Florida, Blue Martini’s popularity among young professionals has allowed it to expand to both Las Vegas and Phoenix, in addition to eight Florida locations. So it is no surprise that due to Bellevue’s ideal demographics and rapid growth, general manager Dominic Lebaron was excited for Bellevue to become Blue Martini’s newest home. With its growing recognition and mass appeal, this chain has no intention of slowing down. Next year Blue Martini plans on going international with locations in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as one in Dallas.

Blue Martini is scheduled to open for business as early as mid to late January on the third floor of  The Bravern. It will be open seven days a week from 4 p.m.-2 a.m. on weekdays and from1 p.m.-2 a.m. on weekends, making this chic new hangout the perfect spot to relax with colleagues after a long day at the office or party it up with friends on the weekend.

In addition to a bar that boasts 42 different martinis, Blue Martini will also feature DJs, live music as well as a VIP bar and two private VIP rooms. So make a New Year’s resolution to see the restaurant/bar cities around the country are raving about with a visit to Blue Martini.

Sample the best food in Bellevue without breaking the bank at Seattle Restaurant Week

October 16, 2011


You know you have one – that restaurant you’ve been meaning to stop in to but never have. Well now is the perfect chance to eat at that swanky bar or hip new bistro you’ve always wanted to try! October 16-20 and October 23-27, more than 150 restaurants in Seattle and on the Eastside will be participating in Seattle Restaurant Week.

Sponsored by Seattle Restaurant Cooperative partners and seattletimes.com, Seattle Restaurant Week is a celebration of our region’s unique culinary scene and an excellent opportunity for the budget conscious diner. Participating restaurants offer three course dinners for $28 and some with three course lunches for just $15.

Although Seattle Restaurant Week includes primarily restaurants throughout Seattle, Eastsiders need not feel excluded. Some of the best restaurants downtown Bellevue has to offer are participating in the event. Cantinetta, Monsoon East, Nordstrom Grill, The Melting Pot, Purple Café and Wine Bar, Wild Ginger, McCormick and Schmick’s and Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar are all on the roster.

No special passes or tickets will be required to dine at participating restaurants, however due to high public interest in the event, diners are highly encouraged to make reservations at their restaurants of choice ahead of time to ensure a spot.

Whether you’re a longtime resident of the Pacific Northwest, in town visiting, or just a fan of great food at an amazing price, come sample the best food the region has to offer at Seattle Restaurant Week! For information, visit seattlerestaurantweek.com.

Barrio to transform into new downtown Bellevue event space

July 5, 2011

Heavy Restaurant Group announced today that Barrio in downtown Bellevue (beneath Bellevue Towers) will be transformed into the company’s primary event and catering space. The new venue will open this fall and host a series of food and wine events and will function as a private event space for parties of up to 200 people. Catering at the venue will feature food from Purple Café & Wine  Bar, Lot No. 3, and Barrio. The transition to the new space has begun, and as of today Barrio Bellevue is closed.

In addition to this venue, Heavy Restaurant Group owns and operates six restaurants including four Purple Café & Wine Bar locations in Woodinville, Seattle, Kirkland and Bellevue; Barrio in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood; and Lot No. 3 in downtown Bellevue.

“Ten years ago, when we launched Purple Café & Wine Bar in Woodinville, we set out to create a new type of dining experience grounded on exceptional food and exceptional service,” said Larry Kurofsky, owner of Heavy Restaurant Group. “We also had a vision for continued growth with new locations and concepts. The addition of a dedicated event venue will clearly fill an existing need and offer new ways to engage those with a culinary passion.”

The new downtown Bellevue venue will allow the company to significantly expand its current array of popular events that take place on a smaller scale at each restaurant. In addition, they will now be able to meet the strong demand for parties between 80 and 200 guests that its current restaurants cannot accommodate.

The vision for the space includes a weekly schedule of specialty food events, wine tastings, cooking classes, and private parties. Full details of the new space will be formally unveiled in early fall. The company will also operate its growing catering business from the downtown Bellevue location.

“The addition of an event venue in downtown Bellevue is a great opportunity for us to grow as a company,” continued Kurofsky. “While closing Barrio Bellevue was a difficult decision, we are excited for what this new space has to offer the eastside community.”

Fans of Barrio still have the opportunity to enjoy the restaurant’s unique approach to Mexican cuisine at Barrio in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. Those interested in learning more about the venue as it evolves should follow the project at heavyprivateevents.com.

 
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