Harissa Mediterranean Cuisine to open this Thursday

Less than two weeks after the previous tenant, Himalayan Kitchen, shut its doors, the restaurant space at 2255 NE 65th Street is (nearly) ready to open to customers once again.

Welcome to the neighborhood, Harissa Mediterranean Cuisine.

I talked with Harissa’s front-of-the-house man, Denzel, this afternoon about the new restaurant, and the food (Lebanese, by chef and owner Walid Alabtan), and he’s very excited. One might say he’s giddy.

They are celebrating the grand opening weekend with a 2-for-1 special (bring the flyer to redeem the deal; good through Sunday, November 7th). They’ve canvassed my part of the neighborhood already, but if you haven’t yet received your flyer, Denzel said to stop by the restaurant tomorrow, after 11 am, to pick one up.

Harissa will be open for lunch and dinner, Tuesdays through Sundays, from 11:30am-10:30pm.

Oh, and, would you like to see a menu?

Click on the image to open it to full size (big file)

Denzel said that they’re happy do to-go orders, but to please give the restaurant at least a 30 minute lead time, especially this first week. The phone number is (206) 588-0650.

Beer and wine will also be available.

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UPDATE (Thursday, Nov. 4): Interview post with chef and owner Walid Alabtan is here:” Harissa: A chat with chef and owner Walid Alabtan.”

I hope to speak with chef and owner Walid tomorrow, if he’s available. (As you can imagine, everybody’s pretty busy over there at this time.)

Himalayan Kitchen CLOSED?! (updated)

[UPDATE: Post about new restaurant opening on Thursday, November 4th, in the old Himalayan Kitchen space, is here: “Harissa Mediterranean Cuisine to open this Thursday.”]

Some sad news I accidentally ran across just this morning (on a site about data mining, of all places):

Last night, I visited my friend Sheila, owner of the Himalyan Kitchen [2255 NE 65th St] in Ravenna, Seattle. She told me the sad news that they were going to be closing the doors today (so we managed to have one final meal there).

The Ravenna Blog JUST got take-out from the establishment last Thursday, October 21, and saw no signs then that they would be closing.

We’ve got no official confirmation of the closure yet, but we’ll do some investigating today. Look for an update this afternoon.

As potential eulogy, I offer this review of the Himalayan Kitchen from the Seattle Weekly (August 9, 2010), and this excerpt from it, which really sums up the place for me:

With the monster portions they serve, it’s easy to find yourself sitting in The Himalayan Kitchen for a few hours picking away at your dish, which is totally fine. The restaurant is occupied mainly by families with kids darting between tables and fighting over the free lollipops, which gives the place a lively ambience. Servers treat you like family, telling you to save your rice pudding for last. Also, the background music was something lifted from the soundtrack of a spaghetti western, which is bad-ass. I mean, who wouldn’t want to feel like the High Plains Drifter munching on curry?