A new seafood and Scandinavian-Swedish restaurant, featuring locally sourced ingredients, is set to open in Seattle this fall.
Lingon, owned by seasoned restaurateur Edward Bunker, will debut at 1518 4th Ave.
“This opportunity just kind of fell into my lap for a lease here and I thought what a great location to open a little Scandinavian-Swedish influenced cuisine restaurant,” Bunker told What Now Seattle
Bunker oversaw a complete restaurant build-out, installing new floors, ceilings and essentially renovating the entire space. The design, inspired by live oak and redwoods, will comfortably seat 26 guests.
“I’ve taken the local wood slabs that are about three inches thick and put those for my bench seating–that’ll be the backs of the bench. They were rough cut and I sanded them down and worked really hard to epoxy them,” he said. “Along the front of the windows that look out into the park, those are going to be live oak bar tops that you can sit at.”
Bunker said the kitchen won’t have a gas stove or deep fryers, so the menu will focus on and highlight seafood.
Standout dishes will include Toast Smögen, a crab and shrimp dip made with fresh horseradish, dill, chopped red onions, and mayonnaise, topped with caviar. Another highlight is the house-cured Salmon Gravlax, marinated in a brown sugar and dill brine, thinly sliced and served on toast with a dill mustard sauce. Lingon will also offer half-shell oysters, shrimp cocktail and crab.
“It’s an influenced cuisine, so there will also be caesar salads, arugula salads, croque monsieur sandwiches and green lip mussel shooters. There’s going to be a whole bunch of different varieties of Swedish pancakes and Swedish waffles,” Bunker said.
He also noted Washington is known for its wild mushrooms. Depending on the season, he plans to feature specials such as a savory crepe with locally sourced, in-season mushrooms and a seasonal chanterelle soup finished with bacon and lingonberries.
Lingon’s drink menu will feature a selection of beer and wine, including local Washington vintages alongside options from California and Oregon. Guests can also enjoy Bellinis, mimosas, fresh-pressed lemonade and Swedish lingonberry soda.
Bunker said he’s excited to showcase dishes rarely found elsewhere, giving first-time visitors to Seattle a chance to taste flavors native to the region.
Lingon plans to welcome its first guests on October 3.
