Seattle's First Cat Cafe Opens | Nirmal's Brings Upscale Indian to Pioneer Square

Welcome to CascadiaWire, a weekly collection of restaurant news from up and down the Pacific Northwest corridor.

WALLINGFORD—Eater has been tracking the progress of the city's first cat cafe, Seattle Meowtropolitan, since August, and now we're here to tell you that the opening date is upon us. The Wallingford cafe will open its doors to the public on December 19. They'll begin taking reservations for 50-minute cat play sessions; the sessions are $10 per person and include a drink from the next-door cafe. A common misconception is that you can bring your own cat to the cat cafe, says co-owner Matt Lai. Please don't be the noob that does this.

PIONEER SQUARE—It's been a year since Eater broke the news that prominent Indian chef Nirmal Monteiro would be bringing his world-renowned cuisine to Pioneer Square. Now, the restaurant that bears his name is ready to open at 106 Occidental Avenue S. Nirmal's will feature cuisine from India's many diverse regions; don't go in expecting butter chicken and palak paneer. Rather, Monteiro will show off his incredible range, cooking thalis, Indian sandwiches, soups, seafood, and much more. Monteiro will also have a tandoor oven at his disposal. Regardless of what he's cooking, Monteiro is meticulous and precise, his food vibrant and exquisitely balanced. It's one of the most exciting restaurant openings of late in Seattle, and it opens for lunch December 21, with dinner coming in the new year.

TOP CHEFFAGE—It's time for Top Chef: California, episode 3, where we see way more of Jason Stratton than in the previous two episodes. And it's not altogether good for the Seattle chef. In the elimination challenge, Stratton cooks a Thai dish that flops with the judges, and it's looking like he may very well be on the chopping block.