I came across a post online that listed somebody’s wish list of the stores they wish were still around at Bellevue Square. This prompted me to create my own.  In no particular order, here is my list of the 10 stores that I wish would come back at Bellevue Square:

1. New Jake O’Shaughnessey’s – If you were looking to celebrate a special occasion in Bellevue, New Jake O’Shaughnessey’s was a popular choice.  The restaurant went out of business a long time ago and is now occupied by the Cheesecake Factory.
2. The Nintendo Store – Many long hours were spent playing Super Mario Brothers and several other games in the dimly lit store. It was located where Seven Salon currently occupies space.
3. Nordstrom Garden Terrace Restaurant – Nordstrom used to have a fine dining restaurant on the 3rd floor when they opened up their expanded store to the size it currently is today.
4. FAO Schwartz – It’s a small world after all…We’ll all miss the oversized stuffed animals. FAO Schwartz declared bankruptcy in 2009. The brand has since been purchased by Toys ‘R’ Us, which closed all stores expect for the flagship store in New York City.
5. Frederick & Nelson – It goes without saying that Frederick & Nelson is likely one of the most cherished department stores in the Seattle area that is no longer in businesses.  Luckily for Nordstrom, Freddy’s went out of business and Nordstrom now occupies enough space to make Bellevue the 2nd largest Nordstrom store in the country (the Flagship Seattle Store is 1st).
6. The Frankfurter – It’s hard to find a great hot dog in Bellevue without them.
7. Jungle Jim’s – Who could forget this burger joint that had the back of a pink Cadillac stuck into the front of it and a jungle theme inside?  Abercrombie has since replaced it.
8. K B Toys – Okay, maybe I don’t really care about this one coming back, but I just have great childhood memories buying Nerf toy guns from here.
9. Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream – The brand has seemed to successfully expand in international markets. I’m hopeful it will come back to Bellevue Square in the near future. The Baileys Irish Cream milkshakes were the best!
10. Schwartz Brothers Restaurant – This was one of the best (and quickest) restaurants at Bellevue Square, with a nice selection of high quality foods.  It was similar to how I now think of the Nordstrom Café that is the 3rd floor.

What are the stores you miss from Bellevue Square?

The handcrafted cocktail is made up of a unique blend of whiskey, Cynar artichoke liqueur, dry vermouth, peach bitters, and Luxardo maraschino liqueur and is aged in an oak barrel for over 2 moths. The cocktail will be offered for a limited time at John Howie Steak.

The drink (in its imagery) looks extremely seductive, especially set in front of the wood barrel with its golden finish. I’m not sure if I’ve been seduced more by the graphic depiction or by  the description of the drink, but either way it will be enough for me to go in and give the drink a try.

Have you tried it yet? Let’s hear your feedback in the comments section.

Here are the reasons that we think Amazon should choose Downtown Bellevue:

1. Familiarity – The 1st Amazon Fresh location was in Downtown Bellevue, so Amazon is familiar with this area and already has experience with a retail location here.
2. Tech Companies – Bellevue has a great breadth of large technology companies, such as Microsoft, Expedia, T-Mobile, Verizon, and more. Employees from these companies would be more likely to be interested in what Amazon stores would sell.
3. Free parking – Need we say more?
4. Educated Residents – 60% of Bellevue’s residents have a bachelor’s degree or higher. Amazon’s most popular device, the Amazon Kindle, is largely utilized for reading. This device and other products are popular to a large array of the people, but those that read a lot are likely to be the more educated.

Where would you like to see an Amazon Store in Downtown Bellevue? Bellevue Square, The Bravern, a strip mall, the base of an apartment or condo building?

Although details on the store(s) haven’t been released, we look forward to the developing details.

It’s a rumble in the bacon jungle, and Bellevue has to decide – who has the best unique bacon dish? The two places with the most noteworthy and talked-about bacon offerings in downtown Bellevue are LOT No. 3 and John Howie Steak. Where some places may top their food with the crispy slices of porcine goodness, these places are so confident of the Power of Bacon that you can just order it on its own. But they don’t present a serving of bacon without adding a little culinary panache – let’s meet the contenders:

For those who crave the crispness of biting into a slice of bacon, the Tempura Fried Kurobuta Bacon at John Howie Steak is as much about texture as it is flavor. It sounds extravagant, yet their preparation of fried bacon isn’t overly heavy, allowing for the main ingredient to shine through. Thick, long strips of Kurobuta pork belly are dipped in a light batter and then fried, yielding an extra layer of intense crunch, with the added heat from the frying beginning to render the encased bacon into a buttery texture. The slices are presented as a literal bouquet, fanned-out in a tall pilsner glass, nestled on top of a bed of greens and served with a side of chili ponzu sauce. The dipping is optional, providing a sweet and spicy kick to each bite, but the bacon is more than capable of standing on its own. It’s available for $6 on John Howie Steak’s Happy Hour, which runs daily from 3-6pm, as well as an After Dark Happy Hour, starting after 9pm.

Flavor packs a one-two punch at LOT No. 3, where bacon aficionados can choose sweet and/or savory. Sliced thick from Wisconsin-based Nueske’s slab bacon, the slowly smoked flavor of Applewood is absorbed into every bite. It’s got a rich meatiness, with the heightened bite of smoke that demands a slow, relaxed enjoyment of each slice, preferably with a whiskey or bourbon-based cocktail in-hand. Their candied bacon is a nod to a Southern favorite, where maple syrup is often used. LOT No. 3 creates a caramelized brown sugar coating that offers a sweetness that compliments the smokiness of the bacon, further adding to the flavor experience. As an added treat, LOT periodically serves Old Fashioned cocktails where bacon has flavored the bourbon, lending its smoky, savory notes to an already hearty drink. You can customize your bacon order at LOT No. 3 during their daily happy hour from 4-6pm, each slice (candied or smoked) at $1.

So, Bellevue, it’s up to you to decide – there’s a crispy bacon bout to knock the other out, a tasting challenge for the readers to take on, deciding whose swine is most divine? Just remember, keep the fight clean, no hitting below the belt, and remember – everybody wins when bacon is involved.

There have not been any official announcements as of yet, but the change in venue for the Bellevue Farmer’s Market on Saturdays is a significant indicator that we may see earlier development at Washington Square than originally planned. Last year the Bellevue Farmer’s Market took place in the empty parking lot where the construction is planned at Washington Square. This year, up until a few weeks prior to the first Saturday Farmer’s Market, the event was still planned at Washington Square. The change in location seemed like a last-minute change, which alludes to something happening there in the near future.

The continuation of the Washington Square ‘Superblock’ has been long awaited by the community. If this project were to break ground, it would be the largest mixed-used project of this scale in Downtown Bellevue.

Within the last year food trucks in Downtown Bellevue have started to appear more regularly. The trucks have frequented locations such as the Barnes & Noble parking lot, Rudy’s Barbershop parking lot, and most recently the old KFC lot.

If you’ve been to downtown Portland before, you are familiar with the many street corners that are full of food trucks. Besides the volume of trucks that Portland has compared to Bellevue, the main difference is that these trucks are regularly parked in specific areas every day. You can count on these food trucks in Portland to be there day after day.

Currently in Bellevue they are inconsistent. The best way to keep up with their whereabouts is by following their Twitter feeds, signing up for emails, and serendipity. This is not effective. Companies with trucks have expressed that they would like to visit Bellevue more often, but the issues seems to be that there is a lack of space and getting the proper permission from the city is challenging.

Currently food trucks frequenting Bellevue are Buns on Wheels, Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream, Tuscan Stone Wood Fired Pizza, and Skillet.

There are 2 great locations for food trucks that are currently being under utilized – and until larger construction projects take place, would be great to see taken advantage of and managed as food truck destinations:

1) Washington Square Parking Lot (106th Ave NE & NE 8th St) – This location provides great access for both workers and residents of Downtown Bellevue. The 2010 Farmers Market was hosted at this location on Saturdays, and the feedback about this location was very positive.

2) Old KFC Parking Lot – This lot is currently occupied by Tuscan Stone Wood Fired Pizza, but with several food trucks it would create a spot known for Bellevue food trucks and gain more foot traffic.

Bring on the food trucks!

—–
Steve Ballmer
Chief Executive Officer
Microsoft Corporation

Dear Mr. Ballmer,

Steve…can I call you Steve? I know you, or at least I think I do. I know you sold $2 billion of Microsoft stock last month…I know you want to put your stamp on Seattle culture…I know you want to be known as a man who makes things happen.

With that, there is one thing and one thing only I want for Christmas. Are you ready Steve?
No, it is not a million dollars, but that would be nice…
No, it is not a job with the X-Box Group and a free copy of Microsoft Office, which would also be nice…
No, it is not an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle…I probably would shoot my eye out.

The only thing I want for Christmas is to hear the following next winter:
(Key in voice of Kevin Calabro)

And now, the starting lineup for your 2011-2012 SEATTLE
SUUUUPPPPPERRRRRSONICS:
Center- Emeka Okafor
Forward- Trevor Ariza
Forward- David West
Guard- Marco Belinelli
Guard- Chris Paul

Yes Steve, I want you to bring an NBA team back to the great city of Seattle. Our rich basketball tradition and bright basketball future needs, yearns for a team. Kids are growing up in the greater Seattle area right now without the privilege of rooting for a hometown team. No Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, or George Karl to warm their winter nights. No Big Smooth, Hersey Hawkins or Detlef lighting up December games like a Christmas tree. Steve, do what’s right here…How you ask? Okay, here you go.

Find a NBA team that is struggling financially and is in need of new ownership…

• Done, the New Orleans Hornets are soon to be sold to the NBA who will then find an ownership team able to support and make the franchise successful.
• This is all made possible as a result of the following:
  • A struggling economy in New Orleans…
  • Poor attendance (About to trigger an escape clause in their lease as a result of low attendance)
  • Current ownership partners have a deficit of $83 million (as of June 30, 2009)
  • Majority owner George Shinn recently cited financial troubles and unsuccessful negotiations with minority owner Gary Chouest. (Never a good sign)

Build a strong ownership group and plan of action to show the NBA that Seattle can sustain a profitable franchise.

• Done, the Seattle SuperSonics have flourished before and can do it again. You showed great leadership in trying to keep our team when Clay Bennett was ripping them to Oklahoma City, and now is the time to step up and bring a team back. With Seattle being the 13th biggest Television market in the nation and with a promise for a new, privately funded Arena in the works and possibly in Seattle suburb Bellevue, everything looks to be in place…can you say “BING ARENA”?

Have the money to buy the team…

• Done, everyone knows who you are and what you do for a living right? You are freakin’ Steve Ballmer, you’re bigger than US STEEL! (For all the young ones out there…that was a Godfather reference, go ahead and rent that). The NBA is said to be planning on buying the Hornets for around $300 million and is looking to sell for around $350 million, which can be found in the cushions of your couch Steve. So, clearly money is not an issue here.

Bring the team seamlessly to the greater Seattle area…

• Done, purchase the team with you as the head owner, build a new arena and use Key Arena as a stopgap until new, state of the art building is ready.
• Prove to David Stern and his NBA cronies that the likes of Kansas City, Las Vegas, Anaheim and San Jose are small potatoes compared to Seattle.

Yes, I have thought about how ironic it would be to steal a team after our city was destroyed by Clay Bennett and the Oklahoma City ownership group. But honestly, the Hornets have only been in New Orleans since 2002 and had to be moved during Katrina for two years. New Orleans is an NFL city where the Saints run supreme and Hornet basketball history is as thin as Paris Hilton after the flu. I mean, have you ever seen a real nest of hornets in New Orleans? I think not! Seattle needs the SuperSonics back in town for the city, the economy, the kids and if anything, to get our mind off the Seahawks and Mariners.

So Steve, that is all I got…have a good holiday and if you make this wish come true I promise to buy season tickets including nachos and a diet coke every game, KNOW THAT!

Warmest Regards,

-Slim
Slimwiththetiltedbrim.com

#6 Sushispotting: Flo Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar

So I’ve had a lot of a comments on my Sushispotting posts, telling me I must go to Flo. Well, today I did. (note that this is not the first time I’ve been here- I’ve been to Flo many times over the last few years.) And let me say that I get why this place engenders such swooning devotion; the sushi is truly delectable. But I am the kind of person who feels as if there are diminishing returns in a restaurant’s deliciousness the higher its prices go. So while Flo is amazingly delicious, with a proper sushi ambience (including attentive tea-bearing servers, skilled sushi masters behind the bar, and even Japanese tinkling fountains), it is also quite punishing on my wallet.

I ordered the bento box, which included one of the best tempuras I’ve ever had, miso soup, salad, rice, a crunchy hamachi roll (also yummy), and nigiri so buttery it made me want to lick the box clean. But my lunch tab was nearly $20, which rather puts this joint out of reach for everyday, go-to sushi. Now, many of you are willing to pay $20 a pop for a delectable sushi lunch; I applaud you! I, however, am rather a cheapskate…though I would be happy to have YOU buy ME lunch at Flo any day of the week. And dinner, too.

Freshness: 5 fishies
Roll/Menu Variety: 5 fishies
Value/Cost: 2 fishies
Downtown Bellevue Core Walking Distance: 4 fishies
Proper Sushi Ambience: 5 fishies
Overall Deliciousness: 5 fishies
TOTAL: 26 fishies

Flo Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar
1150 106th Ave NE
(425) 453-4005
http://www.florestaurant.com/
Monday-Thursday 11am-2pm, 5:30pm-9:30pm
Friday 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-10pm
Saturday 4:30pm-5pm, 5:30pm-10pm
Sunday 5pm-9pm

#7 Sushispotting: Safeway’s sushi bar

Now, what would be the complete, polar opposite of Flo Sushi? Well, as I was walking down Bellevue Way, I saw Safeway’s reader board advertising freshly made sushi. I figured hey, I’m committed to this Sushispotting idea, bring on the raw fish.

Needless to say, as a sushi snob, I wasn’t expecting much. But I was actually pleasantly surprised. I would normally avoid pre-made, grocery store sushi like the plague because it’s not fresh, and the cold rice makes my happiness die a bit inside. But lo and behold, Safeway has a real sushi bar. With real people rolling sushi to order, if you don’t want to grab one of the pre-made boxes (and I didn’t).

For about $5, I got a surprisingly good, fresh spicy tuna roll box, with 12 small rolls. And as any sushi lover knows, 12 rolls is plenty for anyone’s lunchtime appetite (even mine). And as for a value-cost ratio, $5 is amazing for sushi. So if your sushi-jonesing bar is low, or it’s 3am and nothing but sushi will do, Safeway, like Motel 6, will always have the light on for you.

Freshness: 3 fishies
Roll/Menu Variety: 2 fishies
Value/Cost: 4 fishies
Downtown Bellevue Core Walking Distance: 5 fishies
Proper Sushi Ambience: 0 fishies
Overall Deliciousness: 3 fishies
TOTAL: 17 fishies

Safeway
300 Bellevue Way NE
It’s always open. ‘Nuff said.

#3 Sushispotting: Kobe Well Being Tonkatsu

I was feeling lazy today, and hit the first sushi joint nearest my office. This also makes the first NEW sushi joint for me- I’ve never been to Kobe Well Being Tonkatsu. I was a fan of the previous restaurant occupying this space- Asian Spoons. However, apparently I was their only fan. They went out of business a while back.

So Kobe Well Being Tonkatsu specializes in, surprise, tonkatsu (Japanese deep-fried pork cutlet). But they also offer a full menu of sushi and bento. So I sat myself at the counter by the window and ordered one of my fave lunches- a bento box. I love bentos because they don’t force me to settle on one delicious Japanese dish, but rather several at once, and at a discounted price to boot. Kobe’s bento didn’t disappoint- for $9.95 I got chicken teriyaki (but weirdly, no rice), three pieces of tempura, six spicy tuna roll pieces, salad, miso soup, and three slices of orange for dessert. The spicy tuna roll was just how I like it- fresh, not overly chili-oil-spicy, and all the ingredients mixed into the tuna before it’s rolled (pouring chili oil over the top after it’s rolled is a cheapie shortcut, IMHO). The tuna roll made me wish that I’d ordered more sushi- but I had noted that their sushi ran a wee more expensive than the bentos. Call me cheap, but also call me full and happy.

Freshness: 4 fishies
Roll/Menu Variety: 4 fishies
Value/Cost: 4 fishies
Downtown Bellevue Core Walking Distance: 3 fishies
Proper Sushi Ambience: 5 fishies
Overall Deliciousness: 4 fishies
TOTAL: 24 fishies

Kobe Well Being Tonkatsu
850 110th Avenue NE
(425) 451-3888‎
Monday-Saturday 11am-2:30pm, 4:30pm-10pm
Sunday 5-9pm

#4 Sushispotting: Ginza

Oh, Ginza. How do I love thee. No website, no marketing, yet packed to the sushi gills every day for lunch. And on the nicest Downtown Bellevue street to boot- Main Street.

I discovered Ginza years ago, and I will admit it: I don’t like to tell people about it. It’s mine. It’s been run by the same family for ages, out of a quietly hidden location behind Main Street. The menu includes not just sushi- served from a proper sushi bar- but also Japanese tapas (izakaya), udons, and rice bowls. And their lunch menu is a deliciously screaming deal- $9 for the special bento of the day, which today was one salmon hand roll, a tuna hand roll, salad, miso, rice, and nigiri. I know that sushi is a religious argument, but there is nowhere else I have been in Downtown Bellevue that compares to Ginza.

Dang. Now you’re all gonna go. My secret is out….

Freshness: 5 fishies
Roll/Menu Variety: 5 fishies
Value/Cost: 4 fishies
Downtown Bellevue Core Walking Distance: 4 fishies
Proper Sushi Ambience: 5 fishies
Overall Deliciousness: 5 fishies
TOTAL: 28 fishies

Ginza
103 102nd Ave SE
(425) 709-7072‎

#5 Sushispotting: Sushiya

Sushiya is one of those quiet, unknown sushi restaurants. Which I find weird, since it’s well located in Downtown Bellevue, and quite good. I ordered the daily special- a true sushi aficionado will always order the special- which was 5 pieces of nigiri, salad, miso, and udon noodle soup. Besides the variety of their menu, Sushiya scores for free green tea and including miso soup. These are important sushi-eating components.

I hadn’t been to Sushiya in a few years, but was happy to taste that their fish was fresh and delicious. Its prices are standard for sushi lunch, and while I enjoyed everything, there wasn’t a whole lot to make Sushiya stand out. But if you’re looking to try a hidden Downtown Bellevue restaurant, I recommend a sushi break at Sushiya.

Freshness: 4 fishies
Roll/Menu Variety: 4 fishies
Value/Cost: 4 fishies
Downtown Bellevue Core Walking Distance: 5 fishies
Proper Sushi Ambience: 5 fishies
Overall Deliciousness: 4 fishies
TOTAL: 26 fishies

Sushiya
300 110th Ave NE suite 104
(425) 467-1453
http://www.sushiyabellevue.com/

While scoping out my new neighborhood, I noted that I am absolutely surrounded by sushi joints. That’s a bit like surrounding a hungry lion with lame gazelles; I’m gonna eat, and eat big. But with so many sushi restaurants, where do I begin?

Lucky for me, I have an answer! This summer, the challenge is on: One Woman, 15 Sushi Joints, No Prisoners. I will be Sushispotting- trying one of the 15 joints each week, until each one has been properly sampled (it’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta eat it). I will be reviewing each sushi joint on a scale of 1 to 5 fishies in the categories of Freshness, Roll/Menu Variety, Value/Cost, Downtown Bellevue Core Walking Distance, Proper Sushi Ambience, and Overall Deliciousness. The sushi restaurant at the end of my quest with the highest rating gets…more of my sushi-gluttony business. And hopefully yours.

Late the grazing begin.