White Center Now: The blog about White Center

While at the Taste of White Center, we discovered it’s Grand Opening Day for La Garrafita, the new ice-cream shop next to Wolfpack Cellars. We’ve mentioned before in North Highline Unincorporated Area Council coverage that county rep Phillip Le had told NHUAC an ice-cream shop from Boulevard Park would be opening there, and indeed it has.

If you want to be among the first to check out La Garrafita in White Center, they’re open until 9 tonight. According to an online description, they offer handmade ice cream, milk based but with water-base options for those who can’t have or don’t want dairy. They’re having a BOGO special for grand-opening day.

The Rat City Art and Food Walk happens every third Thursday. So here’s where to be this Thursday night (October 16)!

10:50 AM: 11 am-3 pm today, you’ve got a chance to help the White Center Food Bank while trying food and drink from more than 30 local purveyors during the Taste of White Center – just look for the WCFB booths in the heart of downtown, buy your $5 tickets (each one gets you a small plate, or beverage, or treat, depending on what a venue’s offering) and get started! We’re headed there soon and will add updates.

ADDED 12:36 PM: Our report!

Even if you’re not hungry – yet – you should be at the Taste of White Center! It’s a street party that, yes, is primarily to raise money for the White Center Food Bank, but there’s a lot of entertainment and information to be had too!

Mariachi musicians played outside Pho Tai, next to the new Whateke Sports Bar …

Dancers are in the Tim’s Tavern lot … and there’s a kid zone just north of 100th:

Families were also drawn to the visiting North Highline Fire Station crews parked on SW 98th:

But back to the food. Maps show all 35 participating venues – including our partner site West Seattle Blog’s sponsors Alpine Diner and Big Mario’s Pizza:

Big Mario’s is serving up big slices of cheese pizza for your $5 ticket (buy tickets at the WCFB booth at 16th SW/SW 98th – each one gets you one of the designated dishes or drinks at participating businesses):

Desserts are available too – Puffy Pandy has ice-cream puffys:

Participants are on White Center’s side streets too – even north of Roxbury in South Delridge, Young’s Restaurant, Max’s Triangle Pub, Can Bar, Nacho Mama, and Meat the Live Butcher. You can get a map/list, but not tickets, at the WCFB table on 16th right off Roxbury if you want to decide. All the ticket revenue goes to the WCFB; the participants are being compensated with sponsor funding. This continues until 3 pm!

Tonight (Thursday, June 19) is the big night – the monthly Rat City Art and Food Walk! Dozens of venues this time around – here’s the list published by organizers:

Reader Claire sent that photo of a sighting at Steve Cox Memorial Park, where the Dub Sea Fish Sticks open their season Saturday night – a brand-new food truck called Crispy’s. Its website isn’t up and running yet so we asked Fish Sticks boss Justin Moser what it’s all about. His reply: “We are planning on using the food truck as another concession stand during games and having it out at events, for catering and more throughout the year … we’ve been working on this truck for 8 months now and have been trying to get the final touches wrapped up by Opening Night.” P.S. If you don’t have your tickets for Opening Night yet, sorry, it’s sold out – but you’ve got other opportunities to see the Fish Sticks fry their opponents this summer.

If you’re not planning on doing your own grilling on Memorial Day, let Lil Woody’s in White Center do it for you – for free! They’ve declared Monday “Free Burger Day,” between 2 and 5 pm. A few ground rules: The freebie is just a basic burger, “extras cost extra,” limit 1 per customer. Li’l Woody’s is adjacent to Beer Star and Zeeks Pizza at 98th/16th in the heart of White Center.

Plenty to enjoy on this gorgeous night, all around White Center and South Delridge, 5-8 pm. See the venue and artist list here!

Tonight’s the night – the Rat City Art and Food Walk is back, 5-8 pm. Here’s where to go:

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.