Opening Night at Night Kitchen

Hard to believe the stir, 40 years ago, caused by the illustration of little Mickey's pee-pee when In the Night Kitchen first saw light of day. Avalon Zanoni, Art Institute grad, chef, and baker, brushes aside all the gender-squeamishness and concentrates instead on the brand new Night Kitchen's role-playing possibilities. In the space formerly occupied by Entre Nous, she and her stout-hearted team have just launched Seattle's first overnight restaurant, unlike greasy 24-hour diners, aimed at a sleepless hipster mainstream as well as under-served denizens of the alternative LGBT universe. Yes, plus night owls, insomniacs, clubgoers, and shift workers. Downtown location (216 Stewart, two blocks from the Market), no phone but a twitter feed (@night_kitchen), opening hours from 6 p.m. until 9 the next morning.

There's a new lounge with a mural full of visual puns (the Space Needle is an upside-down whisk) and board games (Food Wars). And, as soon as the liquor license comes through, a bar where Australian Zach Setter can do more than practice his lemonade-making skills. Meantime, Zanoni and her crew are busy turning out steak frites, chicken pot pie, and duck pork burgers. You get the feeling Maurice Sendak would be proud, mighty proud.