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Capitol Hill food+drink | Shibumi Ramenya — and the ‘notorious’ and ‘provocative’ restaurateur behind it — lands on Capitol Hill

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Stapelman (Image: Shibumi Ramenya Facebook)

Stapelman (Image: Shibumi Ramenya Facebook)

The latest player in Capitol Hill food and drink will bring plenty of drama to the scene. Eric Stapelman is working to open Shibumi Ramenya on E Pine in the coming-soon development The Collins across the street from The Cuff and Fire Station 25.

Expect hot stuff.

The chef / restauranteur / entrepreneur / ex-boyfriend of Sex in the City actress Kristin Davis riled up the tabloids in 2008 after more than a decade’s old sex pics of the star — who plays the “good one” on the libido-centered series — showed up on the Internet.

Eric Stapelman was Kristin Davis’ boyfriend at the time, a cook in New York who is now executive chef at Trattoria Nostrani in Santa Fe. Reportedly, Stapelman was pissed at Kristin and sold the photos to a third party.

Stapelman is bringing his latest venture to Seattle after a year of giving the concept a go in Santa Fe before calling it quits and heading to the Pacific Northwest.

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Following his social media updates, it appears Stapelman has moved to Seattle along with the venture that is still in its planning stages as the designs are finalized and construction permits secured for the retail section of the 13th and Pine mixed-use apartment building named to honor the Hill’s “speakeasy era.” A liquor license permit for a full bar is also in the works.

(Image: Shibumi Ramenya Facebook)

(Image: Shibumi Ramenya Facebook)

Stapelman hasn’t yet responded to our inquiries about the new venture but his updates about the restaurant on Facebook reveal bits and pieces of what’s coming. “Working on the new menu for Shibumi/Seattle,” he writes in an update from earlier this summer. “I’ve hired a wonderful gentleman, Toshiro to manage the restaurant. He’s from a small town near Kyushu and has a wealth of knowledge and is a pleasure to work with. I prepared 10 courses for us to taste and we are going to rock.”

Santa Fe media, while having a hard time spelling his name correctly, hang words on Stapelman like “notorious” and “provocative.” It’s possible his past attempts at a “fragrance policy” at his restaurant also have played a part.

Needless to say, CHS can’t wait to meet him.

Capitol Hill food+drink notes

  • Riedeman (Image: Canon)

    Riedeman (Image: Canon)

    We promise there is no segue from the main item to this note about Laurie Riedeman, the new chef at 12th Ave’s Canon. Riedeman joins the phenomenally successful craft cocktail bar that just celebrated its two-year anniversary after opening in summer of 2011. While many might readily apply the labels “notorious” and “provocative” to her husband — and partner in the now shuttered Elemental — Riedeman tells CHS Phred Westfall won’t be joining her at Canon. “They have such great recognition for their cocktail program, my goal is to let the world know they do have great food, too” Riedeman says of her new mission at Canon. “My style is more just elegant, simplicity — not a lot of bells and whistles.” Canon says previous chef Andrew Cross left “to live on a farm in Blaine.” This is Riedeman’s first time working on Capitol Hill.

  • Also re: Canon: “There is no bathroom like this one in Seattle…
  • The guy from the Baltic Room is part of the team helping make the Bauhaus move to the former Capitol Club space happen. They’re hoping to retain the club’s liquor license for what comes next when Bauhaus moves back to Melrose and Pine in two years. UPDATE: The Capitol Club is holding another “garage sale” Wednesday to clear out stuff from the old night spot including lots of kitchen equipment and tables. Sale runs 3 to 7 PM — “outdoor tables & chairs, light fixtures, ceiling fans, computer equipment, major bar/kitchen equipment, curtain rods, stand up freezer, misc decor and restaurant wares.” In the meantime, Melrose and Pine is open through October 5th — its 20th birthday.
  • After debuting at Broadway and Union in early 2012, liquor license paperwork suggests 8oz Burger is going to join a long list of food and drink joints with a Capitol Hill and a Ballard outlet.
  • CHS kinda loves Le Zinc’s Andy McClellan: “Say you came to Le Zinc, alright, we advertise that the chicken on our menu is Tyson chicken. People would be pissed off about that, right? I want people to think about local liquor the same way they think about local, seasonal food.” More here from Seattle Met.
  • We’re told Sheryl Crow played Starbucks’ Roy Street Coffee over the weekend:IMG_2216
  • A gluten free eater gets pretty excited about Broadway’s Zpizza.
  • Here is what happens when a hungry patron misses out on last call at Hot Mama’s.
  • Old news we missed. The Noc Noc is dead to be replaced by a new Elysian pub.
  • Falafel Salam’s owner hopes the truck will succeed as works to make Pike/Broadway a steady choice for Capitol Hill street food.
  • 20+ restaurants and bars on the menu at third annual Omnivorous benefit for Capitol Hill Housing
  • Your dream of a pot shop opening up the street from Crumble & Flake? Dashed.
  • ICYMI: Meet the (highly experienced) kids behind 11th/Pine’s Big Fun.
  • 19th and Mercer, a building already home to Linda, Josh and Dani, is recruiting new residents with a foodie-friendly street party:

    19th & Delicious is a celebration of all the amazing food (and culture) on Capitol Hill’s 19th Avenue.Come out to see why so many people love this little slice of Capitol Hill and to welcome new entrepreneurs to the neighborhood. Savory Snacks from Tallulah’s and Kingfish CafeSweets from Hello RobinMolly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream, and High 5 PieBuzz from Fuel CoffeeLive music by Night CadetGames from MoonjarTours of 19th & Mercer ApartmentsBenefiting the Jubilee Women’s Center

  • Allow CHS to explain the new Montana parklet to you. The elevated portion is a park and has park rules. No booze. Anybody can sit there. The street level, standing section is like a sidewalk cafe — but with no seats. Here’s the key. You *can* drink in that part. If you are unsure, here’s the best way to handle things if it gets blurry. If you are in the E Olive Way parklet and *you are sitting,* you can’t be drinking. If you’re standing, everything is A-OK. Basically, it’s a good life lesson. Carry on. UPDATE: We, um, stand corrected. From Montana: “It’s true, we do put tables and chairs out on the patio side when it’s not raining.” So… if you’re up high, you’re in the parklet, down low, the patio. You can drink on the patio. I’ll take that life lesson, too.

    (Image: Hello Seattle)

    (Image: Hello Seattle)

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10 Comments
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David
David
10 years ago

Drama is right…nothing to get to excited about. If only you knew the real “scoop” about the man with NPD.

Eric Stapelman
Eric Stapelman
10 years ago

Your sensationalistic approach to your blog is unwelcome and unwarranted. You could have shown some courtesy and fact checked prior to posting incorrect information. The story line here is about the positive contribution that I made to the community while operating three restaurants in Santa Fe for a total of fifteen years. We regularly held four benefits annually for ten years raising almost 400,000.00 for non-profit organizations ( Santa Fe animal shelter, Santa Fe Opera, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Rape Crisis Center, Fine Art for at Risk Teens, etc) in addition to the countless man hours that I volunteered regularly.
Drama is not what I intend to bring to the Hill, more so I intend to bring traditional Japanese Izakaya. Wonderful food in a warm atmosphere, with a full Shochu and Sake list and a full bar.
I had hoped that this blog took a more mature approach rather than the “National Enquirer” approach.
E.S.

ASG
ASG
10 years ago
Reply to  Eric Stapelman

“sensationalistic”? really?
Is your comment representative of this “mature approach” you espouse?

r
r
10 years ago
Reply to  Eric Stapelman

This guy sounds like a dick on all accounts.

r
r
10 years ago
Reply to  r

Abysmal reviews of his previous restaurant too. I give him a year on the hill, tops.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/shibumi-ramenya-santa-fe

TomJohnsonJr
TomJohnsonJr
10 years ago

“Out damned spot” not working.

sex in the seattle
sex in the seattle
10 years ago

Say hi to Kristin!

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[…] have changed so dramatically,” new Capitol Hill restaurateur Eric Stapelman tells CHS about our introduction to the neighborhood of the New York-to-Santa Fe-to-Seattle transplant and his Shibumi Ramenya […]

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[…] In September, CHS first reported on the Capitol Hill arrival of the “notorious” and “provocative” restauranteur. […]

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[…] In September, CHS first reported on the Capitol Hill arrival of the “notorious” and “provocative” restauranteur. […]