White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Shop and play at Burger Planet (9614 14th SW) starting at 3 pm today (Saturday, August 24):

Burger Planet adds, “Free entry into the Tournament with purchase of a burger. We’ll have a DJ and local artists selling their wares from 3-7. Nintendo Switches will be available for folks to play from 3-5 and the Tournament will start at 5p. The top player wins a sweet package of prizes, including a Burger Planet gift certificate and a mystery Nintendo Switch game!”

16th SW from Roxbury to 100th and SW 98th from 17th to 15th are closed to traffic right now for the Taste of White Center, benefiting the White Center Food Bank. Until 3 pm, you can visit any of the WCFB’s ticket-sales booths along 16th SW and buy $5 tickets good at participating venues for specific “tastes” – while they last!

It’s an all-out street fair, even a DJ, plus bouncy toys on 16th near 100th. Lots of places to sit and enjoy your “tastes.”

More than 30 restaurants, bars, and food stands are participating this year.

TUESDAY: That’s the first food truck set up in the space that held the Locker Room Bar and Grill before two 2021 fires, at 9633 16th SW in downtown White Center. The gutted building was demolished, and a somewhat sunken lot remained – now morphing into a home for food trucks. First one is Alebrijes Oaxaca Kitchen, open daily 11 am-9 pm, with – as our photo shows – a canopy set up so you can eat there if you want to.

ADDED WEDNESDAY: Thanks to Gill for the photo of the menu:

(Click here for a larger version.)

Businesses around the region have been finding ways to help the fire survivors in Maui. Thanks to Amy for the tip about another one: Patrick’s Café and Bakery in White Center will donate proceeds from shave-ice sales this Sunday (August 13th) to Maui relief. Founder Patrick Choy is from Hawai’i, and shave ice is a popular treat in the islands, so it’s the perfect benefit. Patrick’s is at 10003 15th SW; Sunday hours are 8 am to 3 pm.

(Photo from May visit to Highland Park Corner Store in West Seattle)

It just might be the most famous food truck in the region – and it’s coming to White Center this Saturday. Here’s the announcement from the DubSea Fish Sticks:

The Dick’s Drive In Food Truck will be at The DubSea Fish Sticks game on Saturday, June 24th as the Fish Sticks host the Gumberoos for a 6:05 pm game. Dick’s Drive In will also have a photo booth and merchandise table outside The Fryer (aka Mel Olson Stadium). The food truck will be open from 5 pm-8 pm or until they are sold out.

While outside food and drinks are not usually permitted inside the stadium, the Fish Sticks will be allowing all Dick’s Burgers and Milkshakes inside the ballpark as part of this partnership.

Parking is limited inside of Steve Cox Memorial Park but free street parking can be found on 102nd, 14th Ave SW, and 13th Ave SW. The Fish Sticks do ask that visitors be kind neighbors and do not block local businesses or private driveways. The Metro H line is also a great option that has a stop just outside of the Park.

Tickets to the Fish Sticks game can be purchased online at tickets.gofishsticks.com. Gates open at 5:05 pm.

One week from tomorrow, you’re invited to enjoy the Taste of White Center, benefiting the WC Food Bank. Here’s the announcement:

The White Center Food Bank is excited to bring together our neighborhood’s wide variety of restaurants for a family-friendly event and fundraiser. With 34 restaurants participating, attendees purchase $5 tickets to try a variety of foods like banh mi sandwiches, Colombian empanadas, Indian fry bread tacos, strawberry basil kakigori, and much more. Iconic restaurants like Tomo, Puffy Pandy, Salvadorean Bakery, El Catrín and others are ready to serve up amazing bites!

Each ticket is an opportunity to taste a small plate, drink or dessert from participating restaurants. All ticket proceeds support the White Center Food Bank, while sponsorship dollars go to the restaurants to purchase ingredients and pay for event costs.

Tickets will be available for purchase at three locations in downtown White Center in the area of (16th Ave SW, between Roxbury and 100th St). A ‘menu’ will be given to each attendee at the time of ticket purchase, with a map and details on restaurants and items available. This is a first come, first served event, with limited quantities available at each establishment. There will also be a raffle for 2 roundtrip tickets on Alaska Airlines.

White Center Food Bank looks forward to hosting this celebration and sharing the diverse culinary talents of our neighborhood around the one thing that always brings community together: FOOD!

The sign on Pho White Center‘s door at 9642 16th SW simply says “temporarily closed,” hours after Public Health – Seattle & King County announced it had shut down the restaurant for violations:

Pho White Center at 9642 16th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98106
Closed: May 1, 2023 at 5:30 pm

Reasons:
-Permit suspended due to repeat critical violations including:
-No designated Person-in-Charge of food safety
-Inaccessible handwash station
-Improper cooling of foods
-Holding foods at room temperature
-Inadequate procedures for holding foods at room temperature

Status: Closed

A check of the Public Health inspection database showed Pho White Center most recently had an “okay” rating.

More than a year after we first reported the plan for Que Chevere to open in the former Taradise Café space at 9808 16th SW, it has quietly opened. We noticed the “OPEN” sign last night and went back today for a closer look.

We’re told they opened in late December. When we talked with proprietor Felipe Maqueda in 2021, he was planning on Latin American cuisine, and the menu reflects that, including Mexican favorites – see it here, here, and here.

Que Chevere is open for lunch, dinner, and/or drinks Mondays through Saturdays.

Something new in downtown White Center – waffles! Here’s the announcement from Full Tilt Ice Cream, which will host the new endeavor for starters:

Full Tilt Ice Cream today announced Waffle Wizards, a new breakfast and brunch concept. Waffle Wizards is scratch-made waffles and toppings, brought to you by Melisa Nielsen, a longtime Full Tilt employee

“This has been in the works for awhile.” says Mell, creator of Waffle Wizards. “It just seems like a natural extension of ice cream.”

Waffle Wizards will be available October 22nd, inside Full Tilt in White Center. Service will start at 11am until the sell out. Last weekend was the soft opening, and they sold out in under 2 hours.

Waffle Wizards will be converting to a mobile breakfast truck in the coming weeks after getting everything worked out at the Full Tilt storefront.

FT/WW is at 9629 16th SW.

Li’l Woody’s is celebrating Labor Day by giving away free burgers for three hours this afternoon. Between 2 and 5 pm today (Monday, September 5th), you can go to Li’l Woody’s at 9897 16th SW in downtown White Center for your free burger. Note that it’s a basic free burger – if you want anything extra, that’ll cost you. One per customer, and you have to order in person – no online or phone orders. (Thanks to Karen for the tip.)

Chef Gino from TheHomeSkillit.com invites you to the first of his tailgating events, Friday nights in White Center:

This is the first in a series of Friday events:

If you don’t know Chef Gino, he’s a West Seattle-based entrepreneur and says he’ll be vending at Lumen Field on these gamedays:

The Seahawks’ first preseason game is on the road tomorrow vs. the Steelers

Pizza and ice cream will be cohabiting in downtown White Center starting this week – Full Tilt Ice Cream‘s founder is adding vegan pizza under the same roof (9629 16th SW). Here’s the announcement we just received:

Full Tilt Ice Cream today announced Elder Gods Pizza, a new vegan pizza place inside Full Tilt. Elder Gods Pizza offers the only all-vegan pizza in the area.

“The only vegan pizza we liked was way up in the U District.,” says Justin Cline, owner at Full Tilt and Elder Gods. “Also, we wanted to bring Detroit-style pizza to White Center.”

Features and benefits of Elder Gods Pizza include.

-All-vegan pizza kitchen. No chance for cross contamination.

-A unique pizza style for White Center. This is a rectangle pizza, cut into squares with the sauce on top.

-Once the pandemic quiets down a bit, we will offer in-store dining.

Elder Gods Pizza pre-order will be available starting 02/23/2022. For more information visit eldergodspizza.com.

(White Center Now/West Seattle Blog photos)

Four months after the fire that gutted the Locker Room Bar and Grill, one of the other businesses affected is about to reopen: Full Tilt Ice Cream‘s flagship location at 9629 16th SW reopens tomorrow (Tuesday, January 18th). We stopped by this evening as they finished getting ready.

That wall is an example of what had to be fixed before Full Tilt could reopen – firefighters had to break through it while working to stop the fire in September. And they’re two doors down from Locker Room; the damage was even worse at neighboring Huong Xua Deli and, on the other side of Locker Room, Bizzarro Italian Café. No updates on them yet (Bizzarro is still open in Wallingford). Full Tilt will reopen with a few new touches – like this Simpsons-themed pinball machine:

Hours will be the same as they were pre-fire – 3 to 8 pm.

(WCN photos)

Meet Anu and P.K., proprietors of The Roll Pod. They opened the doors on their new White Center restaurant (9602 16th SW) tonight. We stopped in for photos, including the mural wall:

This is the Indian fast-food restaurant’s second bricks-and-mortar location; the other is in Bellevue.

See the menu here. The Roll Pod will be open 7 days a week, 11 am-8:30 pm.

Thanks for the tips! The sign’s been up for months at 9602 16th SW – now finally The Roll Pod is about to get rolling. The Indian fast-food mini-chain says its White Center location will open its doors this Saturday (November 6th) at 6 pm. It’s also offering 15 percent discounts with the promo code WESTROLL. Hours will be 11 am to 8:30 pm, 7 days a week. You can preview the menu here. This will be the fifth incarnation for the space in less than five years – 3.14 Bakery, Brass Knuckle Bistro, Biscuit Bitch, and Bloom Bistro.

(WCN photo)

Between Taboo Video and Southside Pizza, new restaurant Tomo is on the way, and it’s a hot ticket – or should we say, hot plate – weeks before opening. First day will be September 9th, and it’s already fully booked for the month, with October reservations to be offered starting at 10 am September 1st. James Beard Award-winning former Canlis Chef Brady Ishiwata Williams‘ restaurant promises food “created with micro–seasonal, ethically–sourced ingredients and inspired by the heritages of our culinary team.” Tomo is named for the proprietor’s grandmother, Tomoko Ishiwata Bristol, and the restaurant’s website also notes that “tomo” is from the Japanese word for “friend” (tomodachi). The space at 9811 16th SW, which will seat 28 diners, has some food history – Meander’s Kitchen and San Fernando Roasted Chicken in the early 2010s. See sample menus for Tomo here. Tomo will offer two 5-course set dinner menus, and a la carte lunch on weekends; the restaurant also will require proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

Three White Center food and drink notes:

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BOOMBOX BAR: For the first time since Boombox opened at 9608 16th SW, it’s opening indoor seating on Monday, as King County goes into Phase 2 of the governor’s reopening plan. 25 percent capacity. Boombox enthused online, “It has been SUCH a long wait for us but we know it is worth it because truly we have the best community and friends in the best neighborhood ever.”

GOOD DAY DONUTS: The mega-popular donut shop at 9823 15th SW is opening seven days a week starting tomorrow, Monday-Saturday 8 am-2 pm and Sunday 9 am-1 pm. The shop adds, “Pre-order available all 7 days, yay!”

BIZZARRO ITALIAN CAFE: The new White Center restaurant at 9635 16th SW just got its liquor-license approval and is offering wine specials. 206-453-4441 is the number to call with questions/orders.

2:59 PM: For the second week in a row, White Center has a new place to eat. This time, Boombox Bar – in the former Swallow space, 9608 16th SW – is open for business, offering takeout through 9 pm tonight. You can see the Boombox menu here. It’s been a month and a half since we first mentioned Boombox was on the way.

6:03 PM: Because of this afternoon’s weather, we talked to the Boombox crew by phone rather than going over. They tell us they’ll be open noon to 9 pm, 7 days a week for now (closed Christmas Eve/Day and New Year’s Eve/Day). Their theme: American comfort food, and (when indoor dining is allowed again) come-as-you-are dining. They’re still awaiting their liquor license so no cocktails yet. In the future, post-pandemic, they hope to be a relaxed venue, full kitchen and bar, maybe eventually adding karaoke, trivia, other entertainment.

We first told you last month that Bizzarro Italian Café was expanding and would take over the former Noble Barton space in downtown White Center. Today is opening day – 5-8 pm for takeout; you can call ahead for pickup, 206-453-4441.

They also offer third-party delivery. Menu’s on their website.

Tomorrow’s your last chance for a while to enjoy what White Center’s bar/eatery Anju offers:

Anju is at 9641 15th SW.