Bar Ferd’nand I inside Melrose Market (Image: Bar Ferd’nand)

A few more big names in Seattle food and drink are making plans to join the all-star cast inside the Melrose Market of Pike/Pine, Chophouse Row.

CHS has learned that the Liz Dunn office space + food, drink and retail mews project on 11th between Pike and Union is set to add one of her Melrose collaborators as a key ingredient in the new Chophouse recipe as the development moves toward a fall 2014 opening.

Chophouse Row is on track to open on 11th Ave between Pike and Union this fall

Inside this fall, you will find a project being called Bar Ferd’nand II, a 1,400 square-foot edition of the popular Melrose Euro-style bar, wine shop and cafe. Representatives for the Matthew Dillon-backed project declined to comment on the plans at this time. The original Ferd’nand was an outgrowth of Dillon’s decision to bring Sitka & Spruce to Melrose Market from its Eastlake birthplace. In 2011, Ferd’nand added its daytime coffee offerings. We’ll have to wait and see if the full recipe including the cocktail, aperitif and wine bar, the bottle shop and the daytime coffee offerings are also part of the mix at Chophouse.

Ferd’nand’s plan — you’ll find the bar deep within the new project

(Image: Bar Ferd’nand)

Ferd’nand coffee or no, we don’t think you’ll be left wanting for daytime treats inside Chophouse Row as another set of big names is planning a cafe and bakery for the project. The project from Bruce and Sarah Naftaly will take up residence on two levels of the Chophouse marketplace with a split ground floor/mezzanine cafe and bake shop. The couple’s much-loved Le Gourmand and Sambar shuttered on NW Market St in 2012. The duo announced the new Capitol Hill project on their website earlier this year.

The experienced food and drink creators join an impressive roster being assembled for the food and drink components of the Chophouse Row project. CHS reported that the anchor restaurant for the development will be a new venture from Ericka Burke of Volunteer Park Cafe. Playing a smaller part but still expected to make a big splash is the Kurt Farm Shop, a cheese and dairy counter from farm to table champion Kurt Timmermeister. Together, developer Dunn is again bringing together her concepts in a Capitol Hill complex that ties together like-minded small businesses, restaurants and shops. Niche Outside is the first retail element announced for the project. Expect a couple more to be squeezed in before all is said and done. Any more room for food and drink? We’re not sure where they’d fit.

Capitol Hill food+drink notes

• 10,000 square feet of Bavaria on 12th Ave is not enough. The giant outdoor portion of Von Trapp’s is lining up to be open in June just in time for the World Cup — and Seattle sunshine:
  

  Workers are laying the foundation to convert a 6,000-square-foot parking lot into a patio with a 75-foot canopy, full bar, fireplaces, restrooms, outdoor bocce court and maybe a maypole, co-owner James Weimann said. “We’re turning it (the parking lot) into a big beer garden,” he said. “We hope to have it open the first week of June.”

• You’ll see some construction work soon underway at the puny Little Uncle walk-up along E Madison but don’t expect an expansion. Plans are for the popular eatery to make some behind-the-scenes upgrades to its facilities in the amazingly efficient, teensy-tiny setting on E Madison at 15th.
• You’ll soon see more of another popular Capitol Hill chow counter. Kedai Makan is back at the Broadway Farmers Market every Sunday.
• Open soon: Cafe Solstice at 925 E Thomas. A few teaser pics here. CHS wrote here about the cafe’s return to Broadway.
• 

  Brewery backer Gay Gilmore (Image: Optimism Brewing)

  Optimism Brewing used April Fools Day to tell the world it had found a home at Broadway and Union. Now you can follow the progress as the husband and wife team behind the project document the conversion of the old auto row-era building into a modern beer brewery. Check out optimismbrewing.com/ for pictures and details.

• Vegan notes: Highline chow is “better than ever” and The Urban Buggy is worth a visit to 308 22nd Ave S.
• Meanwhile, vegetarian favorite Araya’s is now open in Madison Valley.
• Tallulah’s gets three stars from the Seattle Times — “Plenty of families fill the low-slung banquettes, but the Ward and June Cleavers of today are as inclined to carouse here with friends as to cart the kids.”
• The Financial Times writes about Mamnoon’s Wassef Haroun — The Syrian who gave up his tech career to open Seattle restaurant
• Pot you can drink. Probably a good idea.
• CHS learned that there is a promise to keep the Crescent — Capitol Hill’s last dive bar — a dive bar… forever.
• What’s it look like inside the new E Olive Way vinyl bar Revolver? Looks like this.
• An auction will clean out Piecora’s of everything from ovens to arts Thursday.
• Broadcast Coffee is now roasting its own beans and has opened a northern cafe.
• You can eat out and support the American Lung Association this week at Lung Force Dine Out venues around Capitol Hill.
• Chuck’s CD is getting a patio — the parklet is on hold.
• Work has begun on the buildout to create Stateside restaurant in the Six Arms building. We told you about the Vietnamese and French-flavored project from First-time Seattle restauranteur Eric Johnson here. It looks like they have some work to do!
  

  Via Heliotrope Architects Facebook page

• UPDATE: Oops! Forgot to get this in the original post but it’s not too late. Le Zinc’s Wilfried Boutillier writes:
  

  I wanted to let you know that Le Zinc will be offering free mussels on Wednesdays starting this week. That might be something your readers might enjoy.

  Willy

  PS: We call it “FREE MUSSELS WEDNESDAYS”. ahah

  Charming! :) Enjoy your free mussels.