Marcela's also closing Dec. 22

It's not only Bakeman's that's closing December 22; Marcela's Creole Cookery is closing that day, too, according to Eater. Their 10-year lease is up:


Better get your crawfish pie ASAP.

Salumi isn't Mario Batali's place

You may have read today that celebrity chef Mario Batali has been accused of sexual misconduct and has stepped away from his restaurant operations. What does that mean for Salumi? Not much, in my opinion. Salumi is owned by Mario's sister Gina and her husband, not by Mario. He's showed up for book signings, and his mother makes gnocci every Tuesday, but it's not one of his restaurants.

I'm on the fence about going there now, especially since Delicatus is almost as good without the wait. But if you think you can eat at Salumi with a clear conscience, I don't disagree.

Bakeman's closing December 22, after 47 years

Thank you to all our friends and customers for a wonderful 47 year run. Jason is retiring and Bakeman's is closing on December 22, 2017.

— Bakeman's Restaurant (@Bakemans) December 6, 2017

The Puget Sound Business Journal reports (paywall), and the tweet above confirms: Bakeman's is closing. I visited once in October 2016, and I described it's ambiance as "jury duty."

The PSBJ article says that it still had mostly original furniture and fixtures, and the "kitchen equipment is shot. ... Now that [Jason Wang] is leaving, it is time to clean it up. ... We're looking for someone to come in and put in a new restaurant."

Their cash-only policy was a show stopper for me. Some folks really liked it, though. Time marches on.

RPM Pizza is closed, Pizza Professionals is more expensive

[Edit, March 5, 2018: It's re-open!]

The best pizza in Pioneer Square is no more. Open for just a few days short of five months, RPM Pizza and Records (link dead on PC, live on mobile) has a sign in the window, "closed until further notice." The guy behind the counter is less optimistic: "We're closed forever." Their Instagram/Facebook post is equally pessimistic, calling out December 3 as their last day:

So, craving pizza, I wandered back to second best, Pizza Professionals. "Sorry, no more specials," said the woman behind the counter when I asked about the blank space on the chalkboard. A year ago, two slices and a Pepsi ran me $8.69. Today, right around $12. Yowch.

(Update: On February 6, I noticed a sign in the window saying that RPM was planning on rising from the dead, like Jimi Hendrix, sometime in February. Hopefully, it's more than just optimism. Good luck, pizza rockers.)