A new spot is shaking things up in Woodinville this fall, with a focus on craft cocktails and curated spirits.
Jackson House, owned by Lauren Jackson, will open at 17409 133rd Ave., Unit 115, in the former home of Pintxo by Valdemar, with plans to honor the spirit of the previous spot.
“I’ve been working toward the goal of Jackson House and opening a restaurant since I started my culinary journey many years ago. For me, it’s a lifelong dream,” Jackson told What Now Seattle.
She continued, “I was the executive chef at Pintxo by Valdemar and they were looking at refocusing more toward wine and wanted to pull out of the area. I said, ‘Perfect! This is my opportunity.’ We’ve got a great staff; we’ve retained the whole team. We’ve got a great product. We have a great working relationship with Valdemar Wines to have some of those still on the menu, but refocusing more toward cocktails and whiskeys.”
Jackson has been working with bar curator Owenuma Johnstone to craft a menu featuring a wide selection of local whiskeys, gins and vodkas for Jackson House.
“We’re really excited to be able to continue pushing in the direction of working with local distilleries and manufacturers. We have an amazing old-fashioned coming up. It’s called ‘Proof of Concepts.’ It takes a really beautiful high-end whiskey and brings out some of those notes with melon. We also have a lot of Gold Rush cocktails and really fun things planned,” she said.
When it comes to the food, Jackson plans to keep some of Pintxo’s signature dishes while expanding the menu to include flavors inspired by the team’s diverse heritages, alongside Pacific Northwest favorites.
“I’m known for my lamb rib chops which we’re definitely continuing. People tell me they cry when they taste the dish, so we cannot take that off the menu. We have a Dungeness crab cheesecake. It’s got caramelized onions and feta cheese,” Jackson said.
She continued, “Then we have some really new interesting things. We’re doing a take on poutine. Our bartender is Canadian. We’re doing damper; it’s an Australian bread we’re going to serve with caramelized onions, jam and compound butter. I’m Australian, so we’re doing some stuff that reflects our heritage that feels special and meaningful to us.”
Though renovations are still underway, the space will reflect a “warm, fun atmosphere.”
“We’re putting in some really nice mood seating and lovely velvet sofas,” Jackson said. “We’re going to make this place ritzy. It’s going to be a real cool place to hang out–a little casual, a little sexy, a little fun.”
Jackson is eager to keep the space alive and fulfill her passion.
“I’m excited for the hospitality aspect of giving people an experience. I want to always leave people going above and beyond their expectations. Life is busy, and if we can give people a respite for a couple of hours, or even a drink, or whatever it needs to be, where they can walk away going, ‘Wow! I feel refreshed,’ that’s my goal,” Jackson said.
Jackson House is expected to debut on October 22. Reservations are available by phone at (425) 364-4544 or on Tock.
For updates visit the restaurant’s website and follow along on Instagram and Facebook.
[Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to include how to reserve a seat at Jackson House.]
