Story Published:
Oct 10, 2006 at 7:44 PM PST
Story Updated:
Mar 31, 2008 at 12:23 PM PST
SEATTLE - It's easy to like - and hard to miss!
Queen Anne's newest restaurant has marked its territory with a giant neon "Q" at the top of the hill.
"The concept here is not about exactly what the food is, but the experience of the place. It's a vibe. It's cool drinks. It's colorful plating," says co-owner Rick Fox who, along with his business partner Rob Smith, transformed the space which used to be home to Sapphire Kitchen & Bar.
"And we did that in January with the idea of pepping it up and making it kind of a sexy urban lounge kind of a place," says Rick.
"Q" can best be described as a breezy little spot - perfect for after work cocktails and shared plates.
"Four people come in, sit down, get three or four different things - everybody tries it. But there's also the, you know, nice set of salads, there's full entrees all the way up to a tenderloin. We really wanted to be not just a meal, but an experience," Rick explains.
The two friends leave the cooking up to former Il Bistro chef, Maro Gjurasic.
"We're not chefs, but we know what we like from the customer experience. We hire good people who actually understand our concept, too. It's all about how they treat the customer and customer experience," says Rob.
He and Rick, who also own the Triangle Lounge in Fremont and Drey's in Madrona (also a former Sapphire Kitchen & Bar), say their plan has always been to strategically grow when the time is right.
"We're not reinventing the wheel by any means, but we really believe that it's good for Queen Anne. It's really good for Queen Anne."
Places Rick likes to Go Eat!: Restaurant Zoe
Places Rob likes to Go Eat!: Black Bottle
For More Information:
www.QonQA.com/
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