Story and photo by Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for White Center Now

Peruvian food seems to be gaining popularity nationally the last few years, and new fans are growing in numbers here in the Seattle area lately. It made a brief stand in White Center – but several years ago, the El Chalan restaurant (16th and 110) closed, and Peruvian food hadn’t been seen here since.

But back east and around the country, Peruvian roasted chicken and other traditional dishes became very popular, and sit-down fine-dining Peruvian establishments became reliable and established. Now, Peruvian street food seems to have finally made its way back to the Seattle metro area with some help, in no small part, from Walter Diaz of San Fernando Roasted Chicken (photo).

San Fernando Roasted Chicken is affordable Peruvian street food, cooked homestyle, says Diaz, and along with a number of other South American delights, it will soon be served up in downtown White Center, at 9809 16th Ave SW.

White Center Now talked with Walter Diaz a few days ago about his plans to open the third San Fernando Roasted Chicken store in the area. As he worked a busy lunch crowd in his second restaurant on Rainier Avenue just south of the Dearborn/I-90 interchange (the first is in Lynnwood), he said he is waiting for the installation and permitting of a hood for his stove and hopes to be opening in White Center sometime next month, give or take a few weeks.

The menu for the existing two San Fernando shops – entrees, appetizers, side dishes, and of course, chicken – can be seen here.

In 2012 and moving forward, Taco Time NW will continue to increase the number of products sourced from northwest suppliers and will purchase local ingredients whenever possible, including tortillas baked fresh daily from La Mexicana, a local family-owned company that Taco Time has worked with for almost 40 years. Taco Time NW’s beef is sourced from local family-owned Petschl’s Quality Meats, which delivers fresh, northwest beef to the restaurants. Taco Time NW’s famous Mexi-Fries will be made in Washington from Washington state potatoes and northwest-based Darigold provides Taco Time NW’s 60-day aged Cheddar cheese.

…Additionally, Taco Time NW is introducing new green initiatives, including investing in many compostable packaging options. At over half of its restaurants where hauling compost to a commercial compost facility is possible, Taco Time has designed a program that allows all compostable items to be disposed of in one bin, eliminating the need for guests to separate out the compostables. When possible, the compostables will be transported to local composting company Cedar Grove.

Taco Time NW will also celebrate its 50th anniversary with the introduction of a traveling taco truck, which will visit 50 community events and block parties between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Besides White Center, Taco Time Northwest operates 72 other restaurants “from Lynden to Longview,” points out the announcement.

Want to engage your restaurant staff on going green? ECOSS can help! We’re looking for 25 family-owned restaurants in SeaTac, Tukwila and White Center to compete in a 30 day going green challenge. You’ll receive a getting-started package and a road map on four different areas of focus. Work with your staff to conserve resources and cut costs. If you are interested in participating in this free program, contact Stephanie@ecoss.org (or) 1.206.767.0432 with your name, restaurant name, phone number, and address before November 25th.

We went over to Uncle Mike’s Superlicious BBQ in White Center after finding out via the restaurant’s Facebook page that they are closed temporarily because of a small fire. Co-owner “Uncle Mike” Gordon explained a grease fire broke out in their smoker; he had it mostly put out even before the North Highline Fire Department crew arrived – but since it’s the weekend, they won’t really know before Monday what they need to do for repairs and replacement, so they don’t know how long they’ll be closed. Mike and his spouse/business partner Elizabeth Gordon want you to know nobody was hurt – they’re OK, and their dining room is undamaged:

The restaurant at 9640 16th SW has drawn rave reviews – not just for its barbecue, but for other menu items like fried chicken and vegetarian options – since its opening almost a year ago.

As you might have seen in the comments following our previous story about the former Thai Thai Restaurant‘s future plans – those plans have suddenly changed.

Just a few days after WCN spoke with grieving family members of the late Thai Thai owner Sam about their plans to reopen as Ped Nin Thai, they told us they now have to find a new location.

In what Choothai Chaiboonruang said was as an unanticipated misunderstanding with the property’s owners, lease talks fell apart over terms that the family said were not what they had thought they’d be. So they are instead looking for a new site, after more than a quarter-century at 16th/112th.

Since they don’t have one in mind yet, they would welcome information regarding potential sites at pedninthai@gmail.com. They hope to find a space with more updated equipment and lease terms that serve the long-term vision the family has for the successful business. Chaiboonruang says the family has already removed the appliances and equipment they wish to keep as they prepare to look for a new location in the White Center or Burien area. He will keep us abreast of the family’s journey to bring the new Ped Nin Thai to its new home.

Story and photos by Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for White Center Now

The former Thai Thai restaurant at 11205 16th SW in White Center will be reopening its doors under the new name of “Ped Nin Restaurant,” as requested by the late owner Sawang “Sam” Sudthaya, who died last month after a year-and-half battle with cancer.

Sam’s widow,Orawan and daughter Samantha will continue to run the beloved Thai restaurant with the continued help of Orawan’s sister Nujaree in the kitchen and Choothai Chaiboonruang, who spoke with WCN on behalf of the family (Nujaree and Choothai are in our photo at right).

For nearly 30 years at this location, Sam hosted patrons with open arms, as Orawan and Nujaree prepared the dishes that brought back repeat customers for not just years, but decades. It was the quality of the home-cooked meals and the graciousness of the family that brought many diners into the lavender-colored cement building, located just before what is now the northern boundary of Burien.

This bittersweet re-opening has been anticipated by many of their loyal and regular customers who for the past year and a half have wondered how Sam’s battle with cancer was coming along. Sam and his wife had returned to Bangkok for surgery and then had come back to White Center optimistic about his recovery and hoping to reopen the Thai Thai. But soon after their return and before they had a chance to reopen, the cancer surfaced quickly again, with no medical solutions. Sam chose to be at home with his family and died there on June 24. He had asked them to continue his life’s work but under the new name “Ped Nin,” which translated to English is “Black Diamond.”

The family is busy doing maintenance on the equipment and building and cleaning the space that sat empty for so long. They hope, depending upon public health inspection schedules, to be open by the end of July. They also are planning to have a website in the future as they begin a new era of the restaurant they are each devoted to. They thank all of their friends who are also their customers for their support as they return to work to fulfill Sam’s request at the Ped Nin Restaurant, (206) 246-2246. WCN will let you know when the opening date is finalized.

ADDED 2:22 PM: Just had it pointed out to us (by Krista on Facebook) that Proletariat Pizza, on the other hand, is now open Sundays, as of today.

WCN contributor Deanie Schwarz sends in the proof – customers are in the house and burgers are being served at Zippy’s Giant Burgers (9614 14th SW), which moved from West Seattle after three years of ever-increasing popularity. They had hoped to open the new location a month sooner, but permit/inspection challenges were cited for the delays – all behind them now.

ADDED MONDAY EVENING: The dinner rush is out the door:

Earlier, Deanie caught Jon Talmadge tackling a King Lou Lou – the truly “giant” burger now on the Zippy’s menu:

The King Lou Lou is a dine-in-only option, which’ll cost you $14 and change. Four patties, eight pieces of bacon, grilled onions, quadruple cheese, chipotle mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato. Topped with a crown (Lil Zip w/cheese). The King Lou Lou is named for Luis Jimenez, one of the creative stars of Zippy’s kitchen.