Whatcom wins in oysters and beer, two Bellingham restaurants reopen
Here’s a roundup of business news around Bellingham and Whatcom County:
▪ Gandolfo’s New York Deli reopened Oct. 13 after a short closure. According to its Facebook page, repairs and maintenance on kitchen equipment were needed to reopen. More information can be found on Gandolfo’s Facebook page.
▪ Fujisan Sushi, located at 216 Harris Ave., will reopen this week after a month off. According to the business’ website, it will reopen Tuesday, Oct. 18.
The restaurant began its break Sept. 19 for a family vacation, according to the website. The restaurant offers a mix of Japanese fare including sushi rolls, ramen, nigiri and sake.
▪ Rain or Shine Riviera Club remains open at The Portal container village on Bellingham’s waterfront and plans to be open through the second week of November, according to an email from co-owner Ticker Ba-Aye.
The restaurant, a sister business of Filling Station, offers scratch-made burgers, sandwiches, fish and chips, salads, beer, wine, housemade cocktails and slushies.
It opens at noon Wednesdays through Sundays and has been closing around 8 p.m.
Rain or Shine Riviera Club will close for the holidays and re-open early in the new year, Ba-Aye said.
▪ Several Bellingham-area breweries won awards at an annual national beer festival held in Denver. The Great American Beer Festival handed out awards for over 100 styles to breweries across the country. Bellingham breweries were awarded medals in four categories, including two gold medals.
Kulshan Brewing Co. took home both gold medals. One for its transporter brew and another for the gose brew, winning the brown porter category and German sour ale category, respectively.
Wander Brewing of Bellingham won a silver for its champagne toast, taking second place for the German sour ale category. The second silver was won by Boundary Bay Brewing and Bistro for its blonde ale in the golden or blonde ale category.
▪ Blaine Oyster Fest, located in downtown Blaine, concluded last weekend and announced its winners this week.
Jack Niemann’s Black Forest Steakhouse in Blaine won for the best overall tasting oyster. The restaurant’s winning dish featured a bloody mary oyster shooter with micro greens, according to a Blaine by the Sea Facebook post.
Best oyster presentation was awarded to Chada Thai Restaurant of Blaine. Its dishes featured oysters with spicy Thai sauce and Panang curry sauce.
▪ The Vault Kitchen and Christopher Rylands of Renaissance Orchards will team up for a special cider tasting Saturday, Oct. 29, in Blaine. Cheese and charcuterie pairings will be prepared by The Vault Kitchen to compliment Rylands’ ciders.
The event will feature locally grown apples along with the French-inspired pairings from 4-6 p.m. Reservations are required and the cost is $35 per person. More information can be found on The Vault Kitchen’s website.
