The Blue Glass (American)
704 NW 65th St. (Map)
Seattle, WA 98117
(206) 420-1631
TheBlueGlass.net

Yelp: “…Came here on a whim for brunch on a Saturday afternoon, and so happy we did! …”

Seattle Times: “The menu: They call it “global comfort food.” What that means is variety: Southern Hush Puppies, French salad, Vietnamese fish cakes…”

(10 votes, average: 4.2 out of 5)

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Ridgeback Cafe (Creperie, breakfast, neighborhood cafe)
500 NW 65th St. (Map)
Seattle, WA 98117
(206) 783-4073
TheRidgeBackCafe.com

Yelp: “…Delicious food and Stumptown coffee makes a great combination…”

Urban Spoon: “…the crepes will definitely keep me coming back…”

(8 votes, average: 4.13 out of 5)

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Aventura Mexican Restaurant (Mexican)
Aventura Mexican Restaurant (Map)
Seattle, WA 98133
(206) 363-3089
aventuramexican.com

Yelp: “…The quesadillas are unique – deep fried …”

Urban Spoon: Outside doesn’t look fancy. But inside is clean…

(4 votes, average: 3.75 out of 5)

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The owners of Prost! and the Nickerson Street Saloon are joining with two others to open The Ridge restaurant at 7217 Greenwood Ave. N., next to Ken’s Market. The Ridge, a family-friendly restaurant, will serve pizza, sandwiches and salads. The Ridge will also have a bar, and will serve beer, wine and liquor. The Ridge will be open for lunch and dinner. They will not offer delivery, but will have take-out.

They hope to open by the end of August.

Chris Navarra owns Seattle German Pubs Inc., which includes Prost! at 7311 Greenwood Ave. N. and four other pubs (Prost! In West Seattle, Prost! in Portland, Feierabend in South Lake Union, and Die Bierstube on Roosevelt).

His co-owners of The Ridge will be Chris Gerke (who has owned the Nickerson Street Saloon on the south side of the Fremont Bridge for 16 years and lives in our neighborhood), Tom Griffith (who owns T.S. McHugh’s and 10 Mercer downtown) and Larry Wikan (a beer distributor who also lives in the neighborhood).

Navarra gave us a sneak peek at the inside of the space, which is currently gutted. The front area will have regular tables and the bar to the left, while the back area will have large family-style tables perfect for a baseball team end-of-year banquet. Also in the back upper area will be the kitchen and some games, such as shuffledboard or old-fashioned video games like Ms. Pac-Man.

The walls will be covered with old neighborhood photos.

“We’re going to be all about the neighborhood. We’re trying to name all the pizzas after neighborhood businesses. The Carmelita is going to be the vegetarian; the True Value will be pepperoni or double pepperoni,” Navarra explained.

He said the restaurant would also like to name pizzas after the Woodland Park Zoo and Fire Station 21, and donate a portion of the proceeds to the zoo’s conservation efforts and a firefighters’ fund.

Navarra and his wife and 2-year-old daughter live in the neighborhood. His family is from Germany, so he was used to being able to take the whole family into a pub while visiting there, and wanted to create the same kind of experience here (hence the recent addition of a railing at Prost! that symbolically separates the bar from the regular tables, so children can now enter that restaurant).

Navarra, who opened Prost! in September 2002, looked at several available spaces in the neighborhood over the last few years, but found the rents too high. He said the old Berserk Games space, at 2,400 square feet, was perfect, and the landlord (the owners of Berserk Games) were very accommodating and happy to find a new tenant without having to actually advertise. (Berserk Games, now called Card Kingdom, moved to Ballard.)

“I’ve had this concept for a pizza place in the neighborhood for a long time,” Navarra said.

While the restaurant will be family-friendly, Navarra envisions it turning into the adult neighborhood hangout later in the evenings.

“After the kids go home, we want to make it a place to come.”

The 85th Street Cafe and Deli, on the corner of 85th and Greenwood, is up for sale.

Owner Timur Leno told PhinneyWood in September that he was remodeling. But, no construction work was ever seen and the restaurant has been closed for months. The For Sale sign went up in the window over the holidays.

The Ridgeback Cafe just opened a short time ago in the old Renick Printing space at 500 N.W. 65th St, next door to Slave to the Needle.

Owner Justin Taft said they received final permit approval from the City of Seattle at 2 p.m. and rushed to open the family-friendly cafe months after they originally intended to open.

“It feels fantastic. It’s been such a journey, but it’s been a great experience,” a very satisfied and relieved-sounding Taft said. “We’re so ultra prepared. We are so stoked.”

No stranger to the restaurant business, Taft also owns Georgetown’s well-regarded Hangar Cafe.

The cafe will be open 7 a.m. – 9 p.m., Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Fridays, 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Saturdays and 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Sundays. Taft eventually hopes to hold communal dinners on Sunday evenings.

The Ridgeback will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menu includes crepes, waffles, sandwiches, light tapas, soups, salads, beer, wine, desserts and Stumptown Coffee. Taft says The Ridgeback (so-named because it’s on the backside of Phinney Ridge) provides a “pro-family friendly” option on a street with a lot of bars.

He’d been looking for a second location for some time and saw the “for rent” sign go up in the window the day it was posted, while he was on one of his frequent visits to The Sneakery.

You can find out more about the cafe on Ridgeback’s Facebook page.

The Blue Glass restaurant and bar officially opens at 5 p.m. today at 704 NW 65th St. next to The Dray. The Blue Glass is in the old Tigertail location. It will serve “global comfort food.”

Hours will be 5 p.m. to midnight Sunday-Thursday, and 5 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday. You can check out their Facebook page for photos of construction and their signature blue glass light fixture outside.

Our sister site My Ballard reports that the owner is also the owner of Ballard’s Tractor Tavern.

We finally got ’round to adding The Olive and Grape, 8516 Greenwood Ave. N., to our Food & Drink section, where you can read and post reviews, as well as rate local eating and drinking establishments.

The Olive and Grape replaced Olive You in Greenwood in September. Let us know of any other restaurants, drinking establishments and coffee shops you’d like to see added to the site.

Here are all the neighborhood restaurant inspections for the last two months. We’re also now including restaurants on Aurora Avenue, which we haven’t always done in the past. And we’re also listing the restaurants with no violations.

Inspections are performed by Public Health – Seattle & King County. According to Public Health, 35 or more red critical violation points require a re-inspection within 14 days; 90 or more red critical violation points require the establishment be closed; and 120 or more total red and blue points also requires the establishment be closed.

Yannis Restaurant, 7419 Greenwood Ave. N.; Sept. 2 inspection, 5 points:

• Food and non-food contact surfaces not properly used and constructed; non-cleanable

Yen Wor Garden, 8580 Greenwood Ave. N.; Sept. 13 inspection, 34 points:

• Insects, rodents, animals present; entrance uncontrolled
• Utensils, equipment, linens improperly stored, used, handled
• Food and non-food contact surfaces not properly used and constructed; non-cleanable
• Toilet facilities not properly constructed, supplied, cleaned
• Non-food contact surfaces not maintained, clean, sanitized
• Thermometers not available or used as required to evaluate temperature of potentially hazardous foods
• Improper cold holding temperatures (>45° F)

Unphogettable & Teriyaki, 10414 Holman Rd. NW; Sept. 14 inspection, 15 points:

• Improper cold holding temperatures (>45° F)
• Plumbing not properly sized, installed, and maintained, improper backflow devices, indirect drains, cross connections present

Wayward Coffeehouse, 8570 Greenwood Ave. N.; Sept. 17 inspection, 20 points:

• Toxic substances improperly identified, stored and used
• Improper cold holding temperatures (>45° F)

Crosswalk Tavern, 8556 Greenwood Ave. N.; Sept. 17 inspection, 5 points:

• Food and non-food contact surfaces not properly used and constructed; non-cleanable.

Baranof Restaurant, 8549 Greenwood Ave. N.; Sept. 20 inspection, 51 points:

• Improper handling of pooled eggs
• Utensils, equipment, linens improperly stored, used, handled
• Garbage, refuse not properly disposed; facilities not maintained
• Improper cooling procedures
• Improper cold holding temperatures (>45° F)

Upper Crust Catering, 8420 Greenwood Ave. N.; Sept. 20 inspection, 35 points:

• Improper cold holding temperatures (between 42° F to 45° F)
• Improper cooling procedures

Mandarin Gate, 10000 Aurora Ave. N.; Sept. 27 inspection, 38 points:

• Hands not washed as required
• Garbage, refuse not properly disposed; facilities not maintained
• Inadequate hand washing facilities
• Plumbing not properly sized, installed, and maintained, improper backflow devices, indirect drains, cross connections present
• Wiping cloths improperly used, stored

Makeda Coffee, 153 N. 78th St.; Sept. 28 inspection, 0 points.

Oaktree Sushi & Teriyaki, 10002 Aurora Ave. N.; Oct. 5 inspection, 58 points:

• Inadequate hand washing facilities
• Food contact surfaces not maintained, clean, sanitized
• Raw meats, poultry, aquatic foods not stored away from ready-to-eat foods
• Improper cooling procedures
• Non-food contact surfaces not maintained, clean, sanitized
• Warewashing facilities not properly installed, maintained, used; no test strips available and used

Uber Tavern, 7517 Aurora Ave. N.; Sept. 29 inspection, 0 points.

Manna Deli, 9831 Aurora Ave. N.; Sept. 30 inspection, 5 points:

• Raw meats, poultry, aquatic foods not stored away from ready-to-eat foods

Fushen Seafood Chinese Restaurant, 9019 Aurora Ave. N.; Oct. 5 inspection, 0 points.

Good Guys Pizza, 10330 Aurora Ave. N.; Oct. 5 inspection, 0 points.

Greenwood Elementary School, 144 NW 80th St.; Oct. 11 inspection, 0 points.

Duck Island Ale House, 7317 Aurora Ave. N.; Oct. 11 inspection, 0 points.

Choi’s Mongolian Grill, 10023 Holman Rd. NW; Oct. 12 inspection, 15 points:

• Food not protected from potential contamination during preparation, storage, display
• Inadequate hand washing facilities

85th Street Market, 656 NW 85th St., Oct. 20 inspection, 10 points:

• Wiping cloths improperly used, stored
• Food worker card not available or current, new food workers not trained

7-11 Store, 5900 Phinney Ave. N.; Oct. 20 inspection, 17 points:

• Insects, rodents, animals present; entrance uncontrolled
• Food worker card not available or current, new food workers not trained
• Wiping cloths improperly used, stored
• Permit not posted; mobile vehicle name not easily visible

74th St. Ale House, 7401 Greenwood Ave. N.; Oct. 23 inspection, 0 points.

Bleacher’s Pub, 8118 Greenwood Ave. N.; Oct. 26 inspection, 20 points:

• Inadequate hand washing facilities
• Food not protected from potential contamination during preparation, storage, display
• Improper cold holding temperatures (between 42° F to 45° F)

Fatty’s Corner Pizza, 10410A Greenwood Ave. N.; Oct. 30 inspection, 5 points:

• Warewashing facilities not properly installed, maintained, used; no test strips available and used

ECS Aurora, 9881 Aurora Ave. N.; Oct. 30 inspection, 5 points:

• Food worker card not available or current, new food workers not trained

Here’s a roundup of tidbits from Phinney-Greenwood restaurants.

The new Olive and Grape at 8516 Greenwood Ave. N. has applied for a liquor license to sell beer and wine. And it’s started evening delivery service between 50th and 145th streets. The restaurant is also holding a contest to name the two donkeys featured in the mural on their wall. Enter the contest through Oct. 30 to win dinner for two.

One section of The Olive and Grape’s mural, painted by local artist Chrystine Westphal.

Green Bean Coffeehouse at 8533 Greenwood Ave. N. is now open until 9 p.m. on weekdays. And they’re starting an open mic night later this month. Stay tuned for more details.

Fatty’s Corner Pizzeria at 10410-A Greenwood Ave. N. is now open on Sundays, but closed on Mondays. Owner George Coromilas says Fatty’s will offer football specials on Sundays. (Disclosure: Fatty’s is a PhinneyWood sponsor.)

Let us know what’s happening at other restaurants in the neighborhood.

MyBallard reports that the Blue Glass applied for a liquor license in the former Tigertail location at 704 NW 65th, on the Lower Phinney/Ballard line. Their liquor license application is “to sell spirits, beer, and wine by the individual serving for on-premises consumption. In this case, 50 percent or more of the establishment is dedicated to dining.”

Tigertail closed last year. At the time, a letter from the Department of Revenue posted in the window said the bar owed back taxes.

We last posted a roundup of restaurant inspections in the neighborhood back on July 23. A number of people commented for and against us posting the inspections, some saying health inspectors always look for little things to dock restaurants on, while others felt it was a health and safety issue.

We’ve decided to list all restaurant inspections that receive any violation points. Many pass the inspection without any violations at all, so we won’t list those.

Restaurant inspections seem to happen in bunches, with sometimes several weeks in between any restaurants in our neighborhood being inspected. So, here are the inspections from the end of July through mid-September.

Mr. Gyros, 8411 Greenwood Ave. N., had a July 30 re-inspection after its inspection on July 7 netted it 70 points. The re-inspection docked Mr. Gyros only 5 points.

-Food worker card not available or current, new food workers not trained.

The 85th Street Café & Deli at 8420 Greenwood Ave. N. received 23 points on July 30:

- Inadequate hand washing facilities

- Food worker card not available or current, new food workers not trained

- Inadequate equipment for temperature control

- Single use and single service articles improperly stored, used

The Café has been closed for several weeks. Owner Timur Leno told us by email on Sept. 3 that it was being remodeled, but a PhinneyWood reader wrote in comments that he found a Craigslist ad listing it for sale. (That listing is no longer on Craigslist.) Leno has not returned another message to clarify. Last month Leno sold nearby Olive You, at 8516 Greenwood Ave. N. It is now called The Olive and Grape.

Aventura Mexican Restaurant at 10515 Greenwood Ave. N. received 20 points on Aug. 9:

- Warewashing facilities not properly installed, maintained, used; no test strips available and used

- Inadequate equipment for temperature control

- Toxic substances improperly identified, stored and used

King Falafel Grill, which opened last month at 8317 Greenwood Ave. N., received 15 points on Sept. 1:

- Food worker card not available or current, new food workers not trained

- Food not protected from potential contamination during preparation, storage, display

- Improper hot holding temperatures130° F to 139° F

El Chupacabra, at 6711 Greenwood Ave. N., received 10 points on Sept. 8:

- Food not protected from potential contamination during preparation, storage, display

- Food worker card not available or current, new food workers not trained

The Ould Triangle at 9736 Greenwood Ave. N. received 30 points on Sept. 13:

- Food worker card not available or current, new food workers not trained

- Insects, rodents, animals present; entrance uncontrolled

- Inadequate hand washing facilities

- Improper washing of fruits and vegetables

Snoose Junction Part Dieu at 10406 Holman Rd NW received 10 points on Sept. 14:

- Inadequate hand washing facilities

Richshaw Restaurant at 322 N. 105th St., received 20 points on Sept. 14:

- Warewashing facilities not properly installed, maintained, used; no test strips available and used

- Improper cold holding temperatures (>45° F)

- Plumbing not properly sized, installed, and maintained, improper backflow devices, indirect drains, cross connections present

Manna Smoked BBQ at 10410 Holman Rd. NW, received 5 points on Sept. 14:

- Wiping cloths improperly used, stored