Want CHS to know about your food and/or drink item? Got a tip? Send us a note at [email protected]

• Bellevue Ave’s The Lookout has new owners a little over one year after the bar was born in the space vacated by the Artemis restaurant venture. Two travel industry veterans are teaming up to take over the watering hole on the northwestern slope of Capitol Hill. No details on the sale price but new owners Michael Forte and Karen Leofanti tell CHS they have simple plans to make the Lookout a good bar — and a good neighbor.

  “We’re going to work it,” Forte told CHS. “We’re going to be in there every day.”

  ---

  Forte and Leofanti worked together at Cruise West before the agency went belly up. Forte said his experience living in New Orleans inspired him to own a bar of his own. When it came time to find a partner for the venture, Forte said he knew Leofanti was the kind of person he wanted to work with. They both have experience running bars in other places but this will be their first in Seattle. “We want to create a place that is really part of the neighborhood. Where locals want to come to. Where they’re well treated,” Forte said.

  We asked Forte if he had heard about some of the noise issues the bar has had with neighbors living in the area and, especially, problems with the back patio that led to a Department of Planning and Development violation this summer. Forte said he was aware of some of the neighborhood issues before buying the Lookout and said he hopes that being a more present owner will help change the mood around the bar.  “I would be interested in meeting anybody that has complained,” Forte said. “We’re going to be present there. People live there. There has to be some effort maintained that there’s not a sound problem.” It’s not clear what the status of the patio is with DPD following the complaint made this summer but Forte said he also plans to have more employees around to serve the bar and he believes that will also change some of the issues around noise.

  Changes for the feel and the set-up of the space, however, will be minimal. “We’re not going to do too much to the existing plan,” Forte said. “We don’t want to lose the current clientelle.” Forte did say he is planning to put more energy in to food and expand the menu to take better advantage of the Lookout’s well-equipped kitchen space. He also said he and Leofanti are considering leasing an empty space next to the bar to add to the space.

  Forte said, mostly, he is just excited to finally be living a dream in a neighborhood he doesn’t live in but hopes to become a bigger part of. “I’ve been looking for awhile,” Forte said. “Two and a half weeks ago, we didnt even know it existed.”

• Wanna buy a restaurant? We’re told that CHS advertiser Tidbit Bistro is for sale after its move up Hill from 10th Ave East to Broadway. By the way, The Lookout is also a CHS advertiser, if you’re keeping track.
• Speaking of CHS advertisers, our newest food and drink sponsor has a deal for CHS neighbors. Monsoon owner Eric Banh wants you to stop by the 19th Ave East restaurant to enjoy free banana cake with your lunch or early dinner. Noon to 5 PM daily for the free dessert.
• Back down on 10th Ave East, Easy Joe’s has opened for business. Stop by the diner concept on your next visit to Roanoke Park. No updates on Pau Hana, the other restaurant taking over a closed down space in that neighborhood.
• The Other Coast Cafe is now open on East Pike.
• Panera Bakery opens Tuesday in the Broadway Building. And you remember we told you about Yogurtland soon to open next door, too, no? Here’s a blurb from the media release re: Panera’s opening:
  

  The Lunch Catering Contest will award one local business with a catered Panera lunch for 10 employees each week through the month of December. Patrons can enter their business card in to a drawing at the Capitol Hill store and drawings will be held weekly. In addition, the Capitol Hill Panera will donate 10 percent of all Panera Catering orders of more than $150 during the month of December to Food Lifeline, a hunger relief organization working to provide nutritious food to hungry people throughout Western Washington.

• We’re told a secret restaurant is squaring up the space soon to be vacated by Whimsy Home Decor on 14th Ave next to Spinasse. In the meantime, Whimsy is still open and holding a sale to help lighten their move to online only.
• What? You didn’t see our report that Caffe Vita was opening a coffee and pizza operation on 15th Ave East? No, we don’t know when they’ll start to overhaul the old Tilden space. Judging by their responses to our numerous e-mail and phone inquiries on the topic, they might not know yet, either.
• Pai’s Food Truck parks on First Hill every Thursday.
• Seattle Times foodie says we’re too loud.
• Sounds like Melrose Market’s Rain Shadow Meats has been super busy with holiday orders. How do we know? They didn’t even take time to respond to our query on whether they wanted a push for any holiday ordering. We have heard from a few sweets providers, though. Capitol Hill’s High 5 Pie is taking holiday orders while work continues on its 12th Ave shop. The Hill’s only online-only pie provider A la Mode Pies is also ready to serve your pumpkin pie, etc needs. Meanwhile, Madison Market is hosting a “school gym-style” bake sale featuring sweet treat makers from around the city on November 13. Participants include Alki Pies, Boulangerie Nantaise, Celestial Bakers, Flying Apron, Little Rae’s Bakery, Mighty-O Donuts, Julia’s Bakery, North Hill Bakery, Skydottir Epic Cookies, and Wheatless in Seattle.
• Haven’t heard much from Hill restaurants and bars about fallout from the wave of credit and bank card fraud that has centered on Capitol Hill. The CHS company credit card is still in use though we admit to a few second thoughts here and there. Perhaps Hill consumers are already accustomed to this kind of new era disruption of the financial system? Perhaps you’ve transitioned to Capitol Hill dollars?
• Thanks to kage3000 for adding new reviews of Boom Noodle and Glo’s to CHS.