The big opening of the year in Bellevue — a hush-hush, three-year project in the making from star chef Shiro Kashiba — is finally unveiled, as he gives his star pupil a stage to showcase his fish prowess at the new Takai by Kashiba.
For Eastsiders unfamiliar with his groundbreaking “Shiro” restaurant in Belltown and later Sushi Kashiba in Pike Place Market, Kashiba apprenticed under legendary sushi chef Jiro Ono of the famed “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” documentary.
Kashiba’s expansion to the Eastside overshadows two other big Seattle expansions across the bridge, in which lines wrapped around the blocks during these restaurants’ grand openings. Our roll call of new Eastside restaurants is below.
Bellevue
Chef Jun Takai, Kashiba’s former apprentice, runs the sleek Takai by Kashiba, an Edomae-style omakase restaurant on the ground floor of the One88 Condo, located between Bellevue Square and the Old Bellevue district.
The high-end Japanese restaurant offers only an omakase or set menu priced at $150 in the dining room and $180 at the chef’s counter (that is if you’re lucky enough to score one of the 10 counter seats where Chef Jun, as he is called, holds court).
Takai cut his teeth working at a fish market in Kyoto before moving on to Yokohama and then Tokyo to train to be a sushi chef. The famous Seattle sushi chef talked Takai into leaving his homeland to come to the Emerald City, where he worked at Shiro’s in Belltown for five years, and after Shiro’s was sold, he moved on to I Love Sushi in Bellevue for another five years.
At Takai by Kashiba, the omakase dinner includes about a dozen courses of fresh fish along with bites ranging from tempura to the trendy Chawanmushi savory egg custard. The courses come with two pairing options: sake and wine for $75 or a tea pairing with the sushi for $45.
All the reservations have already been booked for September, but here’s how you can score a seat: behind a pillar is a hidden whiskey bar where all six seats are up for grabs for walk-ins to order dinner.
Nearby, in the Old Bellevue district, Adrian’s Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar, is expected to open any day now. The high-end Mexican restaurant serves crab-stuffed avocado and wagyu beef tacos.
Khushi is the Indian street-food joint from the owners behind Nirmal’s in Pioneer Square. Its Eastside sibling is more casual, with dishes priced $16 and under including paneer kathi rolls, dosi and aloo tiki chaat.
Farine Bakery & Cafe expands with a second Eastside location near Overlake Medical Center, serving tartines and baguette sandwiches from breads made in house along with croissants, palmier and brioche. Its Bellevue branch only does takeout now but will open its 100-seat dining room in the coming weeks.
Crossroads Mall lands two tenants: Crossroads Italiano, which does pasta and panini, and Mochinut, which does Korean corn dogs and mochi doughnuts.
The Rice Table serves tonkotsu ramen and teriyaki chicken, while Young Cafe serves Taiwanese comfort food in the Lake Hills Village.
And the Utah-based cookie chain Crumbl opens in Kelsey Creek Center.
Kirkland
Sparrow, the New American cuisine bistro, debuts in the Juanita neighborhood with steak, seafood and pasta entrees, and for early and late-night happy hour. There’s a long and eclectic shared-plate menu with al pastor chicken tacos, roasted bone marrow and tuna tartare. Dogs are allowed on the patio.
The Village at Totem Lake continues to reinvent itself as a major food hub with the addition of Umigawa sushi and Hanoon, the latter is a fast-casual spot from the owners of the acclaimed Mamnoon on Capitol Hill. Hanoon does lamb dishes and Lebanese wraps with chicken shawarma.
Seoul Bowl is scheduled to open its fourth location in Juanita on Monday, hawking fast-casual rice bowls with bulgogi beef along with the trendy Korean fried wings and chicken sandwiches.
Issaquah
Paseo, which seems to make every best-sandwich-in-Seattle list, brings its signature roast pork sandwich with caramelized onions to the Eastside. Fans were so excited when Paseo debuted in August, that some camped out overnight before the 10 a.m. grand opening, management said. Paseo, with 26 seats, indoor and outdoor, also hawks tiki drinks, but like its Fremont spot, most customers grab sandwiches to go. Paseo plans to expand to Federal Way or Tacoma in 2023, and after that, they’re eyeing a branch in Bothell or Northgate, according to management.
Fortunato Chocolate expands with a second location in the city, near REI. You can get a complimentary frozen, half-banana on a stick dipped in chocolate at both Issaquah locations.
Redmond
The Pizza Factory gives the neighborhood another takeout option. Despite its name, the menu covers a lot of ground, with grinders, pastas and calzones.
Bothell
The couple behind SUSU Dessert Bar — the surprise hit of the pandemic in the Chinatown International District — returns with T55 Pâtisserie, focusing on traditional French pastries instead of the French-Southeast Asian-inspired desserts sold at its Seattle location. Chef Muhammad Fairoz, who has worked at several Michelin-rated restaurants in France, and co-owner Katie Pohl showcase pain au chocolat, Kouign-amann and 14 other pastries. But get there early. During their grand opening earlier this month, the bakery sold out within hours as fans lined up two hours before doors opened. Pohl said they will now continue to bake until noon to ensure croissants and other pastries remain available for the 1 p.m. crowd. Meanwhile, SUSU is temporarily closed while the couple deals with the weekend rush in Bothell. They will eventually reopen SUSU as a late-night wine bar and dessert shop, which was the original concept before the pandemic.
Woodinville
New tasting rooms and bistros are popping up in this wine town every month now. The latest: Walla Walla Steak Co. and the Crossbuck Taproom, both share space in the Schoolhouse District. This charcoal-grilled steakhouse showcases a $160 bone-in rib-eye for two that’s carved tableside as well as seafood such as Dungeness crab cakes. But according to my colleague Jackie Varriano who dined there, the flaming bananas Foster has been a big hit among the crowd. The steakhouse’s casual sibling, Crossbuck Taproom serves burgers and fish and chips.
Crumbl cookie chain also opens a branch near the Target.
Kenmore
Pho House Deli, located off Highway 522, also serves banh mis, rice dishes and vermicelli noodles for those who need to grab a meal on the run.
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