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Barrio to open in Trace North

February 5th, 2008 · Comments · By Matt

The restaurant going into the ground floor of Trace North and 12th and Madison is Barrio [pdf]:

Barrio, pronounced “[something],” takes its name from the Spanish word for neighborhood, a term generally used to describe a cohesive place. The food will take an innovative approach to regional Mexican cuisine by bringing a simple and seasonal Northwest style to inspired traditional Mexican dishes. Barrio is slated to open this summer, and will also offer well-crafted cocktails and serve dinner nightly until late. The restaurant is a new concept from Larry and Tabitha Kurofsky, who are also behind the successful Purple Café and Wine Bar restaurants.

I was hoping 2008 was going to be the year that the PR firms retained by condo developers and their marketers reached out to the bloggers who drive the majority of their online traffic but I guess not.

Popularity: 17% [?]

Tags: Trace Lofts · Trace North

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  • s
    (however, if you want to argue that "purple" is a stupid name for a wine bar, i'm with you all the way!)
  • s
    jesus christ, people...it's a fine name. it means neighborhood. not ghetto. not "dangerous place." if you go somewhere were there are a lot of latino folks (in other words, someplace OTHER than Seattle and, i guess, L.A.) you'll see this is true. stop being so goddamned white (and i'm really really white myself, so i can say that).
  • Barrio just announced today that they will open (along side Purple Cafe) in Downtown Bellevue at Bellevue Towers Condominiums!
  • NDS
    I think its a matter of seeing the concept and tasting the food.


    Rover's in Seattle is named after a dog but people flock there every day...
  • tom
    I CALLED IT! if you remember I posted a month or two ago about what restaurant was going into this location (around the time of the holiday party). Not very pleased with the name but I still think it will be a decent restaurant.
  • jcricket
    Eric - Thanks for the update. Those two series of lots seems like excellent opportunities to really shore up that neighborhood. I can't imagine saving the now graffiti covered cow wall is that important. I'd rather see a 130 unit apartment building or whatever (maybe with some retail at the base?) than it just sit vacant for another 5 years.

    I do get that having a massive neighbor right against you (in the Deano's case) would be somewhat disconcerting, but it seems the whole area between Thomas/John and Madison is transforming into more multi-family housing (townhomes, apartment buildings, etc.) and less SFH.

    There seem to be quite a number of empty lots along Madison that need transformation. And it would seem those would be cheaper/easier to get your money back on than some of the other places being built. Lame-o!
  • john cocktosin
    Purple epitomizes the overpriced, tastelessly decorated, pseudo-snobbish, pseudo-trendy restaurant I'd expect to find in Kirkland. As such, I doubt I'll set foot in Barrio. If the people who own La Carta de Oaxaca were opening the restaurant, that would be another story. But alas, if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle.

    ps: well-crafted cocktails == 10 bucks for a bottom shelf drink.
  • jo
    barrio in latin america has a negative connotation, however when used in spain it does not

    semantics :)
  • nitsuj
    Hmm...I'm with econE on this one. I've never heard the word barrio used to mean just neighborhood. I guess translated literally it may mean neighborhood in the same way that cock means rooster.
  • Eric K
    JCricket - both the old Deano's corner (diagonally across Madison from the Safeway) and the building with the cows on it have submitted proposals to build apartment buildings.

    The owner of Deano's owns all of the run-down buildings on that block. The ones along Madison are zoned for 65 ft, but he wants a 65 ft story building that extends to the houses are behind the storefronts. The houses are on land zoned for only 3 stories. That, and the fact that the developer is one of his friends and has never built a building before, is holding up the development.

    The building with the cows on it is owned by the developer who built the 19th Ave Lofts, restored the Broadway Market, Queen Anne High, and many other projects around Seattle. While that lot is zoned for a 65 ft building, some people are trying to preserve the wall with the cows...
  • Anonymous
    I like the concept and name. As a resident of Trace, I'm looking forward to trying it out. It's across the street from Boom (a smash hit judging by the crowds) and just up the street from Bimbos (a Seattle icon serving Mexican food) so the folks launching Barrio will be pushed to deliver something unique and great. Ojala que sea un gran exito!
  • jcricket
    econE you're too funny!

    Speaking of the "ghetto" - I wonder if they'll build a big apartment building on all the closed-down shops at 22nd and Madison. That would really help that "formerly blighted" corner.

    And why no big apartments on 1818/1824 E Madison (Madison & 19th - the building with cows painted on). These seem like pretty natural spots for reasonable apartment buildings.
  • Oh...and barrio down here in L.A. has pretty much become slang for "the (Latino) hood".

    Yes...it still means "neighborhood"...but the one you don't want to live in.

    Who knows...maybe the Kurofsky family (Now that's a Latin sounding name if I ever heard one!) wanted something a little edgier for their restaurants name.

    Perhaps they should hire some gangbanger "Vatos" as servers to really give it that "vibe"

    ;o)
  • Great...exactly the kind of Mexican restaurant I blogged that Seattle *didn't* need. Too bad they had to take their own "Northwest" interpretation for something that can be sooooo simple. What can I expect? Salmon tacos? Blueberry salsa?
  • Weird choice of name considering that "barrio" generally has a negative connotation. It's essentially slang for "ghetto".
  • CG
    Dislike the Purple chain a lot. Pretentious. Awful decor (especially those heavy chairs). Mediocre food. Hope the owners' execution of Barrio is considerably different.
  • Bob
    Don't like beans?
  • I like the idea of the restaurant, but with so many restaurants in the area I think they might have done better with some sort of retail.
    Any news on completion dates? The email i received said "soon"...but I have heard as late as May?
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