The pink-colored and boat-shaped Pho Bac restaurant in Seattle's Little Saigon.

Pho Bac’s original restaurant opened in 1982, but has gotten upgraded since. | Photo courtesy of @phobacseattle

Hoist those sails, land + food lubbers. After being mostly out of commission for two years, Pho Bac’s legendary boat-shaped restaurant in Little Saigon is preparing to reopen in October, says co-owner Yenvy Pham. And the seasoned ol’ vessel still has some surprises within its planks.

Making new waves 🌊

After some renovations (and a pretty sweet disco ball), what Seattleites simply call “the boat” had a resurgence in early 2020 that was soon stymied by the pandemic. It has hosted a couple of pop-ups since, but mainly stayed dormant while Pho Bac Sup Shop across the parking lot and the franchise’s other locations — including the acclaimed new speakeasy Phocific Standard Time — did their thing.

A plate of banh mi next to bowls of soup on a silver tray and a cup that says "Pho Cup o' Noodles" — Pho Bac has been experimenting with different dishes at other outposts.

This spring, the boat got a fresh paint job in mauve — a tribute to Yenvy’s late brother Khoa, who loved the color. The menu is also getting an update with Vietnamese chicken + rice dishes that will likely be the biggest additions. They sound simple, but traditional versions are made with an exciting balance of flavors.

Steam ship 🍜

Even if the poultry plates are new, comfort food has always been a staple of the restaurant. After Yenvy’s parents opened the spot 40 years ago, the boat soon became known as Seattle’s OG pho destination.

In 2007, the Vietnamese Catholic Church had a parade with a boat float. Rather than discard the structure, Yenvy’s dad wondered if the end of it might look good planted outside his shop — and he was right. Many diners can’t imagine the neighborhood without Pho Bac’s seafaring vibes.

The boat itself will have a few upgrades — the outdoor deck is fully swabbed and may host some more pop-ups.

Yenvy even slyly joked that there could be “karaoke.” Hey, why not? A boat party is the best kind.

Use the links below to bowl over any foodie friends with the news.

EVENTS

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Today

SIFF Film Talks: Paul Verhoven | Wed., Sept. 21 | 7 p.m. | SIFF Film Center + virtual | $10+ | This chat dives deep into two of the Dutch filmmaker’s most provocative films — “Total Recall” + “Basic Instinct.” 🎥
Through the Looking Glass: the Burlesque “Alice in Wonderland” | Wed., Sept. 21 | 7:30 p.m. | The Triple Door | $45+ | Enjoy a saucy rendition of the Lewis Carroll classic with colorful costumes, dancing + psychedelic tunes.

Thursday

Home Free Vocal Band | Thurs., Sept. 22 | 7:30 p.m. | The Moore Theatre | $57+ | You might recognize this acapella country group from the fourth season of “The Sing-Off.” 🎶

Friday

PhinneyWood Art Walk | Fri., Sept. 23 | 6-9 p.m. | Various Phinney Ridge locations | Free | Stroll along at this artsy neighborhood party with local restaurant specials. 🎨
Kirkland Oktoberfest | Fri., Sept. 23 | 4-11 p.m. | Marina Park, Kirkland | $15+ | There will be wiener dog races, beer, and an attempt at the Bavarian handshake world record. 🍻

Saturday

Champions of Magic | Sat., Sept. 24 | 2:30 p.m. | The Moore Theatre | $24+ | A full super team of magicians perform interactive illusions + escape stunts.
Pacific Northwest Ballet: “Carmina Burana” | Sat., Sept. 24 | 2 + 7 p.m. | McCaw Hall | $48+ | The PNW ballet’s 50th anniversary season begins with founding director Kent Stowell’s deeply dramatic, classic production. 🩰

Sunday

Seahawks vs. Atlanta Falcons | Sun., Sept. 25 | 1:25 p.m. | Lumen Field | $99+ | After a road loss, the Hawks hope to get back on track against a winless Falcons squad. 🏈

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

For tickets to local and regional events, check out our 6AM Tickets resale marketplace.*

100+ MORE EVENTS

ARTS

New art is waiting for you at the Henry 🎨

Nina Chanel Abney, Captain F.M., 2022. Collage on panel. © Nina Chanel Abney. | Photo courtesy of the artist and Pace Prints.

You won’t want to miss this, Seattle — on Fri., Sept. 30 from 7-9 p.m., the Henry (Seattle’s contemporary art museum) is hosting a public opening for four new exhibits:

“everything was beautiful, and nothing hurt” video installations
New collages and paintings by Nina Chanel Abney
Photography from the Henry Collection
“this was a densely wooded hill” by yəhaw̓ Indigenous Creatives Collection

The opening event is free, and attendees can expect drinks, snacks + exclusive swag.*

CONTEMPORARY ART THIS WAY

NEWS NOTES

Weather

75º | Sunny | 3% chance of rain
Smoke from the Bolt Creek Fire could linger in the Seattle area through tomorrow, with air that may be unhealthy for those with respiratory conditions, children, and older adults. Forecasters said the air should improve later in the week with a chance of rain on Friday. (Puget Sound Clean Air Agency)

Civic

Mayor Bruce Harrell has selected Adrian Diaz as the new permanent Seattle Police Chief. Diaz had been in the role on an interim basis since 2020 and was one of three finalists selected by Harrell earlier this month after a nationwide search. The Seattle City Council will vote to confirm the appointment at a date TBD.

Edu

Pencils down — heads up. After suspending their strike last week, members of the Seattle Education Association have ratified a three-year contract with Seattle Public Schools. The deal includes a raise for teachers, increased mental health staffing + more money for libraries that serve low-income students. ✏️ (Q13 FOX)

Civic

Trees-y does it. Next week, the Seattle City Council will vote on a six-year parks budget. The council’s proposed parks and recreation spending would be ~$115-118 million in 2023 and as high as $143 million by 2028. Money is earmarked to plant trees, increase staff, and renovate nine community centers. 🌳 (Seattle Times)

Traffic

You may want to plan your travel carefully this weekend. Due to construction, I-90 westbound will be closed at the western side of Mercer Island starting tomorrow, hampering routes around Lake Washington. The closure will continue through the morning of Mon., Sept. 27. 🚧 (MyNorthwest)
Overnight closures on Alaskan Way have begun while work on the planned Marion Street bridge ramps up. The street will be reduced to one lane from 7 p.m.-6 a.m. through Fri., Sept. 30 — two lanes in each direction are open during the day. (Seattle Times)

Eat

Fremont’s got some fresh noodz. Popular ramen joint Ooink — which has operated in a small Capitol Hill shop for six years — recently opened a new location at 3630 Stone Way N. Its new Fremont outpost is bigger than the original, but the menu items remain the same. (Capitol Hill Blog)
New menu alert. Downtown restaurant Outlier is switching from Asian fusion to a focus on burgers, beer + milkshakes. A particularly enticing option is a cheese-stuffed chorizo patty with queso and guajillo salsa. 🍔 (Eater Seattle)

Development

Now, where do we put that lava lamp? UW is looking to lease four new properties near its Seattle campus that would add hundreds of student apartments. The properties include Blakely Village, Nordheim Court, Laurel Village, and Radford Court. 🏘️ (Seattle Times)

Sports

Start printing out those t-shirts. Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith has reportedly filed a trademark for a post-game quote he gave after the team’s first win this year: “They wrote me off — I ain’t write back, though.” The trademark covers apparel, art, toys + other kinds of merch. (MyNorthwest)

Transit

You may hear lots of hammering by the West Seattle docks. Repairs have begun at the Fauntleroy ferry terminal two months after a boat had a hard landing there. The fixes will continue during the fall + winter, and are expected to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. ⛴️ (KIRO 7)

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City

The GOAT of goats 🐐

Goats graze near the I-5 Ship Canal Bridge in Seattle on a sunny day.

Grazing goats have been used to clear roadside areas for years. | Photo courtesy of @seattledot

Don’t worry about calling the nearest farmer if you see billy goats grazing under the I-5 Ship Canal Bridge this week. Those animals are actually hard at work. 🦺

In what seems straight out of a Norwegian bedtime tale, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has commissioned goats to clear the area of pesky weeds — something that cities have done often for similar road work.

Goats are very efficient at removing overgrown brush near bridges + major roads, allowing Seattle’s department to tidy up such areas without resorting to harmful pesticides. And the labor comes relatively cheap — meals provided.

More facts to graze on:

The goats come from Vashon Island through the service Rent-A-Ruminant.
There are 115 of them onsite with their herder — and they’ll be around through Mon., Sept. 26.
SDOT uses the animals because they can navigate steep slopes that human employees can’t.

For those curious on how to get in on the action, the Vashon rental service is available to private citizens, too.

Goat on + check it out for yourself.

THE WRAP

	Today’s issue was written by Gabe. Editor’s pick: I just got back from a quick weekend trip to Mount Rainier — the closest I’ve ever been to that giant. It’s super impressive from all angles, but if you have a chance, check out the scenery from Tipsoo Lake. Totally postcard-worthy. Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Find out how to take part in a Week Without Driving.
Read More

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Editorial: Alina Hunter-Grah, Gabe Guarente, Trevor Peters, Britt Thorson, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Jennifer Fikso | Advertise with us.

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