A new cafe coming to Bellingham offers a twist on the traditional local doughnut
Here’s a roundup of recent retail activity around Whatcom County:
▪ A new cafe is coming to Bellingham later this summer with an interesting menu.
Mochinut is planning for a grand opening in early August at 228 N. Samish Way, in the former Trove Coffee spot near Boomer’s Drive-In.
Once open, Mochinut will offer 50 different flavors of Mochi Donuts on a rotating schedule. A Mochi Donut is a hybrid of doughnuts and mochi Japanese rice cakes and will be offered for dine-in or takeout.
The menu will also have Chung Chun Korean rice corndogs, six different flavors of milk tea with boba and eventually some fruit tea, said Anh Tran, who will manage the Bellingham Mochinut, in an email. It will also offer Vietnamese-style coffee.
With the tagline “more than just a donut,” Mochinut has a host of cafes in the U.S., South Korea and Thailand, with two in Seattle and one in Edmonds. Along with Bellingham, Mochinut is opening cafes soon in Bellevue and Lakewood.
▪ Cheba Hut, the sandwich shop going into 306 W. Holly St., is aiming for a Monday, June 27, opening, according to a Facebook post. The theme of the restaurant is a playful nod to the cannabis culture, with sandwich names like Jamaican Red and Acapulco Gold.
▪ Luxe Thai Cuisine in Ferndale is open after some renovations and an ownership change. According to a company Facebook post, Sue Day is the new owner, taking over for Sue Nuntalogawithoon, who operated the restaurant for 15 years.
▪ A Bellingham building permit application was submitted for a new veterinary clinic in the Barkley District. The proposed clinic is called Cypress Veterinary Hospital at 2210 Rimland Drive, Suite 105.
▪ Building permit applications were also submitted for a Pizza Hut restaurant at 1251 Lincoln St., near Great Clips and near the Fred Meyer Lakeway store.
▪ The Willows Inn on Lummi Island is now offering a lunch menu on the deck 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday through Monday. Menu items may change from time to time, but menu offerings usually include Pacific Northwest oysters, salmon chowder, cocktails, beer and wine.
Reservations are recommended but not required. Details can be found on the restaurant’s website.
▪ The Hotel Bellwether has brought back its summer music series Blues, Brews and BBQ every Thursday through Sept. 8, featuring different bands. Doors open at 5 p.m. with general admission and BBQ buffet tickets ranging from $15-$28 available for pre-purchase online or at the door. Details can be found on its website.
