Renton Annexes Kent

April 1, 2009

In a surprise announcement, Renton Mayor Denis Law announced to the City Council today that the City of Renton was unilaterally annexing the entire City of Kent.
" Enough of this studying stuff", he said, "Annexing unincorporated areas is simply not enough if we are to become the second largest city in King County. Kent is now ours, and Tukwila is next."
Despite objections from Councilmembers Zwicker and Corman, the council assented to the Mayor's action.
Asked for her reaction, Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke displayed a certain finger and said "Annex this!"
She also reported that Kent was sending forces to protect it's boundaries, and that roadblocks would be set up near the Great Wall Shopping Mall as well as along the boundary separating Kent from Renton's Cascade neighborhood. Mayor Cooke also announced that Renton residents would be charged ten dollars to enter Kent.
Asked for their opinion, a representative of the Skyway Business Association stated " Please annex us. We won't set up roadblocks, and it's pretty unlikely you'll even get shot."

Cafe Lure has it's allure

Some restaurants have menus that go on for pages. Those restaurants have got nothing good to eat, but the menu is like an encyclopedia, and the menu goes on and on.
Cafe Lure is different. The menu is small, but the food is really good. I went for the first time this evening. Cafe Lure has been open since early December, alongside it's sister establishments the Tapestry Saloon and Calico Cheesecake.
Cutting to the chase, prices are reasonable, the place is pleasant, and service is very competent.
Entrees run from 12-17 dollars, and range from Fettucine to short ribs to salmon to bourbon steak to ciopinno, amongst other items. Also on the menu are sandwiches, salads, and burgers.
Burgers and sandwiches run about 8 dollars, and come with soup or fries or a side dish. I had the Jamaican jerk chicken burger served with sweet potato fries. Anyplace that has sweet potato fries can't be all bad. Two of my companions had the portobello mushroom burger, and the other companion had the salmon, which he proclaimed as moist and succulent.
I also had some vanilla creme brulee cheesecake for dessert, which I shared with my wife, but I hoarded most of it.
Cafe Lure is a nice addition to downtown Renton, and between Happy Delusions across the street, where you can buy adhesive bandages that appear to be sliced bacon, and the fun new Liberty Cafe, it appears that this corner of downtown Renton is evolving into one very cool area.

Cafe Lure
917 S. 3rd St
Renton WA
425-572-5931

Papaya is open and good

Papaya has opened in the Landing, directly across from the Regal Cinemas. It's not what I expected. For whatever reason, I was expecting elegant Vietnamese ala Lemon Leaf, but Papaya is casual and inexpensive. I don't recall anything on the menu over 7.95. I had the Lemon grass chicken and carmelized onions over rice noodles, and my wife had a salmon baguette, a first cousin to sub sandwiches and Vietnamese banh mi. The salmon was very fresh, and the lemon grass chicken was very nicely done, maybe not as spicy as I usually like, but there's a large selection of sauces available to add.
I didn't order dessert, but they sure look tempting. Either I didn't read the menu correctly (that's entirely possible) or they have a maple bacon cream fritter, amongst other things.
It's a fun place with good food, and I hope they do well.

Papaya
830 N 10th st, Suite 11
Renton, WA 425-917-1417

Is the Landing just full of characterless chain stores?

When the Landing first opened, I didn't really get what the excitement was all about, other than to provide tax revenues. Lowes, Target, Red Robin, Petsmart...these kind of places are found all over the United States, and I wouldn't go around proclaiming my pride in Renton because they have a Lowe's.
But, Papaya is set to open soon in the Landing, across from the movie theate. And it's owned by Gene and Hoang Sens, my favorite Renton restauranteurs...How might you have heard of them or experienced their food?
30 years ago, you might have eaten Gene's pizza at the old Renton food circus, which was across the parking lot from where the downtown Renton Fred Meyer now stands. Then they opened Gene's on 3rd, an awesome Italian restuarant...Then they opened Jubilante, developed the menu for the Dog and Pony, opened the Red House, and then Blossom Asian Bistro. I remember when they were selling Gene's, tired of being in the restaurant biz. That sure didn' last, or maybe it's all they know how to do. But damn, they do it well!

Greenfresh gone, Thriftway going, Uwajimaya coming?

Greenfresh Market, Renton's closest thing to Whole Foods, closed it's doors a few months ago.
Unbeknownst to many, they happened to serve the best burger in Renton at their deli, but it's a vacant storefront now, and I miss them
Renton Village Thriftway is having a 20% off inventory reduction sale, but it appears to be going the same route as Greenfresh. Renton Village Thriftway has been a pleasant, if somewhat overpriced place to shop, with a lot of consistently high quality items, very similar to the Metropolitan Market chain, and I'm sorry to see them go.
These aren't easy economic times for Renton nor a lot of other places. It seems that upscale supermarkets have reasons to worry.
But today's P-I (also likely shutting down in a couple of weeks) had a blurb stating that Uwajimaya was eying the Thriftway site. I've been to the International District store many times and I think they'd be a great addition to Renton.