Go Eat! Antiques, iron work and great food

Go Eat! Antiques, iron work and great food

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Story Published: Mar 31, 2008 at 1:22 PM PDT

Story Updated: Mar 31, 2008 at 1:23 PM PDT

By Julien Perry

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SEATTLE -- What started out as a cool little neighborhood tequila bar has spread like Tex-Mex wildfire throughout the Puget Sound.

"The Matador's been busy since day one," says co-owner Zak Melang.

After opening the first Matador location in Ballard four years ago, Zak and his partner Nate Opper have opened four more -- the latest one in Portland just two months ago.

"We had to change the name in Portland because there was another restaurant called 'The Matador,' so we had to change the name to 'Casa del Matador.'"

Zak says architecture is the deciding factor in new locations.

"Three out of our five restaurants are all historical buildings, and we just love that rustic look."

It wasn't long after Zak moved to Seattle from North Carolina in 1992 that he met Nate and got the business ball rolling.

"I wanted to do a tequila bar, he wanted to do Tex-Mex; it just happens that those two ideas worked well together."

Nate's construction background was the perfect compliment to Zak's artistic abilities.

"I go down to Mexico two or three times a year and buy some really cool antiques to put throughout the restaurant. You mix that with the custom woodwork we do, the custom metal work and the great food, I mean, there's no one else that's really doing that."

You'll definitely know when you're in a Matador.

"Some of the the things you'll always see in a Matador: You'll always see a fireplace, you'll always see a round bar, you'll always have great food and you'll always see amber lighting, red curtains, handmade tables, a handmade bar and  custom iron work."

Besides offering one of the best Happy Hours in all of Seattle (can you say $4 quesadillas?) Matador has the usual spicy goodness.

"Enchiladas. They're definitely our best seller. But our carne asada, without a doubt, is a favorite. The stuffed jalapenos -- they're stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped in bacon. I love the blackened Ahi tuna; I get it almost every time I come to the restaurant."

Zak says he'd like to open a different concept restaurant, if just to give him another excuse to explore new neighborhoods.

"I love the Northwest in general and it's just cool to open places in different cities to give me another reason to go hang out in that particular area."

Places Zak likes to Go Eat!: Oceanaire, The Met, Cafe Juanita, Talarico's.

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