By Doug Petrowski

Red Onion Burgers is donating  20 percent of sales, 50 percent of credit card tips and 100 percent of cash tips collected at the restaurant this Wednesday, April 25, to a fund that will benefit families affected by the fire at the Taluswood Apartments Monday.

The Mountlake Terrace restaurant generally hosts fundraising efforts for non-profit organizations and charitable groups on Tuesdays. Red Onion owner Seaun Richards said this special Wednesday benefit was scheduled because they didn’t want to wait for an open Tuesday to raise funds for families displaced by the apartment building fire.

The restaurant hopes to have a raffle at the same time to raise additional money.

More than a dozen apartment units in the Taluswood J Building were damaged by the Monday two-alarm fire. The Red Cross has been providing assistance to those who were displaced.

Red Onion Burgers is located at 23209-56th Ave. W. in Mountlake Terrace.

New Romio's Pizza owner Howard Goehring.

Goehring has spent considerable time sprucing up the restaurant.

Story and photos by Doug Petrowski

When asked why he bought Romio’s Pizza and Pasta restaurant in Mountlake Terrace, new owner Howard Goehring simply answers, “I always wanted a place of my own.”

Goehring purchased the restaurant last October. “It was kind of a hobby for 1o years, looking for the right opportunity,” he added.

A 20-year Army veteran, Goehring spent the past decade at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Seattle, working in their kitchen, doing repairs and helping with new openings.

Fate intervened last year when Goehring had an opportunity to take over the Mountlake Terrace Romio’s. The Romio’s Franchise Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2010. A few of their restaurants closed, some restructured, some sold. According to Goehring, the previous owner of the Mountlake Terrace Romio’s began neglecting the restaurant, devoting his attention to another franchise he owned elsewhere.

“By the time I was looking at this one, it was getting kinda rough,” Goehring explained. “Anyone else would have run from it, but I didn’t.”

Goehring says he spent a lot of time cleaning up the space and repairing kitchen equipment. He also added a fresh coat of paint to the exterior and hopes to open up a banquet room soon.

Business has been slow these first six months, but he says he is paying his bills and meeting payroll. “It often takes two years for a new restaurant to establish itself,” Goehring added.

The ongoing clean-up of a former gas station site just north and east of Romio’s has hindered business some, Goehring said. Crews are there for two-week periods cleaning underground storage tanks and surrounding soils, and laying down concrete pads to build pumping stations on. The Romio’s parking lot has even been fenced off at times during the restoration of the Time Oil site.

Despite the challenges, Goehring has high hopes for his restaurant and his involvement in the community. He was involved in the community Easter Egg Hunt earlier this month and sponsors a sports team in MTYAA. “I want to have a nice place that is family-friendly and that people can come and enjoy,” he said.

Romio’s Pizza and Pasta is located at 24225-56th Ave. W.; hours are 3-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturdays, and Noon-9 p.m. on Sundays. You can view the menu and order online here.

The concept is simple: a freshly pressed waffle topped with your choice of several frozen yogurt flavors and some of the many fruit, chocolate and nut toppings they offer. The waffles used by Melt are not the typical, airy waffle that most of us are used to. Melt’s waffles are a denser and chewier waffle that are made with dough rather than a batter. Pearl sugar is added to the dough which caramelizes on the outside of the waffle when pressed.

The standard Melt Waffle treat comes with the waffle, a swirl of frozen yogurt and two toppings and is $4.95. For a little more you can get additional toppings or yogurt. You also have the option to get just the waffle, just the yogurt or a smaller kid sized Melt Waffle treat.

Melt Waffles & Frozen Yogurt held a special preview evening for their Facebook fans on Friday evening and had a good turnout. I decided to go with the waffle, vanilla yogurt, blackberries and chocolate chips. The combination of the warm, doughy waffle with the cold frozen yogurt is something unique that you won’t find anywhere else.

Melt Waffle & Frozen Yogurt is located at 44th Ave W and 212th, next to Randal Southam Photography Studio and Urban City Coffee. They open to the public at 10am on Saturday, September 3rd.

In light of the recent Japan Earthquake & Pacific Tsunami Urban City Coffee will be donating all of the April 1st  profits to the American Red Cross. By participating and purchasing items at the Café you will be directly helping with disaster relief in the effected regions of Japan.

Live Entertainment – Seattle Favorite “Radumus”

All profits go to the American Red Cross

FRIDAY APRIL 1st FROM 6-10pm
4313 212TH ST SW MOUNTLAKE TERRACE

The restaurant, which will be located at the former Johnny Spuds/Sahara Pizza, will the second location for Gabriel’s Fire. Gabriel’s Fire is currently located in Ballard and if the Yelp reviews are any indication, we’re in for a treat. One reviewer even said it was the best BBQ they have ever had in Seattle.

Gabriel’s Fire is expected to open in May.

[mappress mapid="205"]

Mike will continue to play on the 2nd and 4th Monday’s every month, until further notice.

A little bit about Mike:

Mike has performed rock, blues, jazz and classical music in the Seattle area since the mid 1960s. He has been a member of many local bands and currently freelances with numerous groups including The Guy Johnson Band. Mike performs a solo act called The Mike Show, consisting of popular rock, pop and jazz tunes which showcases him singing, playing the ukulele, guitar and upright bass.

You can learn more at the http://www.MikeEytcheson.com.

He teaches private lessons and ensembles at Roberts Music Institute in Bellevue, Wa.

He also teaches “school of rock” type of curriculums in local schools through the Music Academics Youth foundation – http://musicacademicsyouth.org/musicians.html.

Monday’s songs will have a Valentine’s Day theme.
My Funny Valentine
Angel of the Morning – Merilee Rush
You are my Special Angel – The Vogues
Daydream (what a day for a day dreamin’ boy) – Lovin’ Spoonful Because
(I love you) – Dave Clark Five

Artists that Mike covers are:
The Animals
Beatles
Harry Belafonte
Eddie Cochran – Rock-a-Billy songs
Bill Haley and the Comets
Burl Ives
Jazz Standards – Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, etc…
Kinks
Lovin’ Spoonful (John Sebastian)
Mose Allison (blues artist)
Elvis Presley
Johnny Rivers
Rolling Stones
The Doors
The Shirelles
Van Halen
Neil Young
The Zombies
(and lots more)

DRINK SPECIALS:
On Valentines Day only, Sorelli is offering half priced wine & champagne.

Dick’s ran a poll on its website asking customers where a new restaurant should be built, and the Northend won, with 46 percent of the vote. Over 115,000 people voted in the poll.

Last month Mayor Jerry Smith met with owner and founder of Dick’s Drive-In, Dick Spady, in an effort to bring the restaurant to Mountlake Terrace but apparently it was not enough.

The new restaurant will employ about 20 people and will likely open in late 2011 or early 2012.

View New Dick’s Edmonds Location in a larger map

Over 115,000 people voted in the poll at dicksdrivein.com to decide where the local restaurant chain should build there next location. The company made this announcement Monday morning on their Facebook page:

The cities included in the region voted #1 are Lynnwood, South Everett, Shoreline, Edmonds and Mountlake Terrace. Earlier this month the Mayor of Mountlake Terrace, Jerry Smith, met with Dick’s owner Dick Spady in attempt to woo them to our city.

The new Dick’s restaurant is expected to open in late 2011 or early 2012.