This week, signage went up for Ballard’s upcoming Sri Lankan-inspired bar.
Nestled in a narrow space just south of NW 65th St on 24th Ave NW, Rupee Bar is quickly taking shape behind closed doors.
The creators behind Rupee are Manolin owners Joe Sundberg and Rachel Johnson, who say they’re not quite ready to announce a definite opening date. “All it takes is one hiccup in the construction, or one extra demand from the city…and all those target go out the window,” they tell My Ballard.
Along with the space, the menu is still undergoing development, but we do know that it will trend towards “spicy, coconut heavy, and lots of seafood,” as the owners told Seattle Eater earlier this year. One dish that seems likely to be on the menu is the one above: pani puri by chef Elisabeth Kenyon.
We’ll keep tabs on their plans, but in the meantime you can follow along with their progress on Instagram.
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“One extra demand from the city” eh. After all, the city is chock full of restaurant experts. Juist ask them. I’ve lived ion my moms home for 36 years now. Because it’s a “r
I think he finally stroked out guys.
I think he strokes while he posts all the time.
Smells like … cultural appropriation.
How about some people from Sri Lanka opening a restaurant in Ballard serving real Sri Lankan food?
FWIW I have been to Sri Lanka and India.
I don’t know, I once got the worst stomach cramps after eating at a restaurant in Kandy and spent three days on my hotel bathroom floor.
Are people really going to flip out that the cooks aren’t from Sri Lanka??? Ever been to a French restaurant in New York? Everyone in the kitchen is Latino. If someone wants to go out and learn a cuisine and not present it as “authentic” but rather “inspired by” or “based on” then what’s the problem? Manufactured outrage…try that with some coconut and fish. I’m sure it’s delicious.