A public service announcement, Pierogi, and future Renton area restaurants?

                                                 




A Public Service Announcement

We are living in weird times. As a result of the fast spreading and potentially lethal coronavirus, many states are under Shelter in place, or Stay at home orders. One is allowed to go outside for exercise, or to pick up food or medicine, or other essentials. But many businesses have been ordered closed,  and social distancing is urged.
Thus, while many restaurants are still open as take out and delivery places, very few of them are thriving. Some were noted as being hangout places, and hanging out at these places is not an option. Some  have closed. It wasn't easy to run a restaurant here before the Coronavirus. Lots of people are out of work. People are being urged to stay home. And we are urged to minimize contact in person with other humans.
But if you can afford to, it's not a bad idea to get restaurant food delivered or picked up, at least once in a while. . They need the business, and it's good to mix it up. You may be a great cook, but sometimes there's just something satisfying about unwrapping that to go order.  Some places have limited menus and limited hours, so check first. But within a couple of miles from my house in Renton's Earlington Hill neighborhood, most places locally are still operating.
As of this writing, the Red House, the Whistle Stop Ale House , and the Brick up in the Renton Highlands are on hiatus, and currently not filling to go orders.There are probably others locally that are hopefully only temporarily hanging it up.
I'm not sure about the restaurants that were set to open in these parts.
In the shopping complex where Uwajimaya is at, the frozen yogurt shop Cherry Du Pon is closed, with a coming soon sign announcing Taco Dudes and Caribbean. I hope they open.

On Airport Way, the former All City Diner/Schumsky's Brass Rail, Home Run Restaurant And Lounge has been sold or leased to the folks who ran the Hong Kong Seafood Restaurant in Rainier Beach.  The Hong Kong had really good Dim Sum.  Downtown Renton hasn't had good Dim Sum in a while, since Hong's Garden departed. The Home Run may have been the worst restaurant I've ever eaten  at in Renton. I came in with my eighty eight year old father, and we sat at the counter for a long time before someone showed up. I ordered fish and chips, and after another long while I see someone  leisurely walk into the kitchen, unwrapping a box of Mrs. Smith's fish sticks from a Safeway bag. No, just no. I don't mind eating crap, but if you're going to serve me crap, could you at least do it quickly?


In North Renton, kitty corner to the Sartori School, the place that was Mexican in it's last incarnation is supposed to become a Cajun/Vietnamese seafood boil place. A sister to a longstanding and very good seafood boil place in White Center.

And in the westernmost Renton Highlands, in the same strip mall as The Brick, a Vietnamese vegetarian place is set to open, hopefully.
Anyway...be kind to each other, get exercise, wash your hands, and try to eat healthily, even if I'm not.

                                              COOKING AT HOME

Most people are minimizing trips to the supermarket these days. Diane and I are going less frequently, and craving comfort foods a lot.  Every supermarket sells frozen pierogi. Pierogi are delicious, a most perfect comfort food. Euroslice Deli in the DK Market building, and Vitmar in the renton Highlands have the best imported pierogi, also called vareniki. They come in different flavors. The potato and mushroom is yummy, and the sour cherry is absolutely awesome! If you're not familiar with them, they're a first cousin of the ravioli and the wonton. Traditionally served with sauteed onions and sour cream. They're very satisfying. The photo is a package of frozen sour cherry pierogi, a Moldovan product.


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