Vermillion’s mix of booze, community, and art has survived more than a decade of changes in Pike/Pine. It is adding an ambitious new partner to add good eats to its menu for Seattle’s COVID-19 reopening era.

Lobster Daddy will bring lobster rolls, seafood chowder and creations, plus some witty merchandise and marketing to be part of the offerings at the 11th Ave art bar:

Lobster Daddy (LD) is throwing their first soft-open event at Vermillion on April 2nd and 3rd from 3pm-9pm. LD will be featuring crab rolls and lobster rolls with a variety of amazing ingredients from Asia. You also won’t want to miss their beautiful octopus carpaccio dish (Akkorokamui) named after a giant octopus-like monster from Japanese Ainu folklore.

Owner Kodey Currier says the plan is for Lobster Daddy to continue the pop-up as Vermillion’s kitchen, first as takeout only and, hopefully, with sit-down service as the city and the bar fully reopens in May or June.

“It’s a rich little treat,” Currier says of the decadence of Maine lobster and the allure of Lobster Daddy’s rolls. Part of the intention, he says, is keeping prices just a little lower than you might expect for a lobster roll — the Lobster Daddy roll weighs in at $22.

Lobster Daddy debuted last year with takeout out of a Mount Baker commercial kitchen and a menu of rolls — “3oz of Maine lobster tossed in ginger lemon aioli, loaded into a crisp traditional lobster roll and topped w/ chives” — plus Tom Kha Chowder and “Akkorokamui” octopus carpaccio.

In addition to the Capitol Hill link-up with Vermillion, Currier has teased nationwide orders for frozen Lobster Daddy creations in the future and also offers some amusing designs in the Lobster Daddy merch section.

Vermillion’s eventual reopening for customers and sit-down Lobster Daddy dining will come after some overhauls and upgrades underway in the bar. For now without customers in the space, Currier says, Lobster Daddy is using the bar’s licensed food preparation area. Eventually if things work out, the space could get a kitchen upgrade to help make Lobster Daddy more at home.

Currier says the next steps he hopes will be opening at another Seattle bar location after putting out a call on social media for venues that might be looking to partner. The nimbleness of popping-up in a bar’s kitchen helps Lobster Daddy mitigate risk in the COVID era and also offers venues a potentially boosted stream of revenue.

Lobster Daddy debuts on Capitol Hill with a “soft” pop-up to get started serving your takeout desires this weekend on Friday and Saturday from 3 PM to 9 PM.

Vermillion is located at 1508 11th Ave. You can learn more at lobsterdaddy.co.

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