Restaurant Roundup: Cider, Curry, and Food Delivery Dues 

Life is like a flight of — well, take your pick. Cake? Steak? Matcha? Even in a box of chocolates, there are bound to be some you like, and others you could live without. That’s the flavor of this week’s food news in Seattle — some good, some bad.

Invite a pal who loves apples

Can’t commit to any weekend plans? Let this be the de-cider. Eater’s Meg van Huygen plotted a Puget Sound expedition to visit some of the region’s best cideries. For many stops, like Cockrell Cider Farm in Puyallup, the apple doesn’t have to fall far from the tree to be poured in the taproom. Our suggestion — try Finnriver Farm & Cidery, which just took home multiple awards in the 12th annual Northwest Cup Cider Awards.

Get your curry fix in Capitol Hill

Aamrai Indian Kitchen & Bar is now open on Bellevue Avenue, where guests can enjoy butter chicken, fish curry in mango sauce, and tandoori masala lamb chop, as well as tasty cocktails

like the raspberry lychee martini. The space most recently hosted The Jilted Siren, a short-lived lounge at the center of local restaurateurs’ displeasure when Seattle City Hall eliminated the tip credit. Now, the area seems to be defying predictions of doom and gloom — coffee and cocktail bar Tiny Laurel, and Double O’ Burgers, a walk-up smash burger window, are both recent additions.

Is it worth it?

That’s the question many couch-bound Seattleites with a craving for (insert your favorite restaurant here) are asking themselves. It’s official: The Emerald City is spending the most green on DoorDash delivery in the nation, thanks to another increase (the third in a year) in service fees tied to local regulations and minimum wage requirements. As the most expensive food delivery market, fees in Seattle are on average double those in Portland, San Francisco, and Denver.

Car crash closes Mioposto

If you had plans to eat at the family-owned pizzeria and Italian kitchen in Ravenna, those will have to wait. On Friday, July 4, a driver ran a red light and crashed their SUV into the front of the restaurant, which was filled with patrons at the time. According to an Instagram post, people were hurt, but “no life-threatening injuries occurred,” and the business will temporarily close to assess the damage and begin the process of putting things back together. The owner’s message also shared gratitude for the “incredible firefighters…brave and quick-thinking team, and the compassionate community members.”

Down & Out

Remembered as a member of the “______ & ______” naming convention club by the Capitol Hill Seattle Blog, Finch & Pine is now permanently closed. Sarah Moran, the owner of the Pacific Northwest cafe, cited “many factors that have made it more and more challenging” in her decision, but she also has plans to cook at private events and pop-ups around the city in the future. It remains to be seen who will take over the vacant space inside the Belroy Apartments.

We’re losing The Whale Wins

At the end of October, acclaimed chef Renee Erickson will close the European bistro that earned her a James Beard Award in 2016. The Whale Wins, which felt the weight of rising costs in the face of lagging sales, was the flagship of Sea Creatures, the restaurant portfolio Erickson owns alongside Jeremy Price, Chad Dale, and Ira Gerlich. Changes are underway at other establishments in the group; the closure of General Porpoise doughnut shops was announced last month, and Bateau and Boat Bar are both on a hiatus.