By Luke Chavez
The Times 

Chef Mike Easton will Bring New Life to a Familiar Space

 

October 28, 2021

Mike Easton

Self portrait of the chef and artist, taken with his 1932 Balda Baldax camera.

Among my most memorable dining experiences is of enjoying a bowl of perfectly sauced handmade pasta paired with a glass of humble house wine. This was a decade ago, at a little pop-up lunch counter tucked inside a tiny gelato shop along the Pike Place Market Hill Climb, those steep stairs that climb from the Seattle waterfront into the heart of the market. Only open for weekday lunch, with a small menu that changed daily written on a chalkboard, this was Il Corvo, a hidden gem that quickly gained cult status. I returned several times, always feeling like I was in on a secret. So, when I heard that the mastermind behind this magic, Chef Mike Easton, had purchased a building on Waitsburg's Main Street, I was eager to ask him about his plans.

The first time Easton stepped foot in Waitsburg, fifteen years ago, it was love at first sight. He was visiting artist friends from Seattle, who had just purchased an empty historic building. The charm of this small town was immediately apparent. The open sky and rolling landscape reminded him of his New Mexico roots and offered a welcome respite from city life. It didn't take long for him to start imagining a place for himself in this unique little town.


Those early visits to the Touchet Valley would stick with Easton as he continued to build a name for himself and grow his culinary career. Having worked his whole life in a variety of kitchens, he honed his craft collaborating with several prominent restauranteurs. He was growing as a chef at the same time Seattle was evolving into the sophisticated culinary destination it is today.


Meanwhile, back in Waitsburg, his friends Claire Johnston and Jim German renovated their historic building and opened the iconic jimgermanbar. An excellent excuse for Mike to make more visits to this side of the state.

As the lunch lines at Il Corvo got longer, he became known for his pasta-making skills and his dedication to seasonal Northwest ingredients. In 2013, after less than two years at the Pike Place Market location, Easton moved Il Corvo to a larger permanent location in Pioneer Square. The lunch-only menu featured a handful of seasonally inspired pasta options, and the relaxed counter service continued.

In 2019, he opened a second restaurant, Il Nido, in a historic building in West Seattle. The restuarant offers an expanded dinner menu and sit-down dining service, which was met with immediate critical acclaim. He has been honored as a James Beard Award nominee several times, and his restaurants have frequently been featured on many "best-of" lists.


During a turbulent 2020, which included a heartbreaking personal loss, Easton made the difficult decision to close Il Corvo. Riding out the bumps of COVID-19 shutdowns and mandates, his West Seattle restaurant Il Nido recently reopened to indoor dining, a relief to his many fans.

This year, things came full circle when Johnston and German announced they were putting their building at 119 Main Street up for sale. Easton jumped at the idea to create his next chapter in a space he first fell in love with many years ago. The sale was made final early this fall, and he has already started some projects to make the space his own.


Mike shared details with me about his new restaurant project, which he has fittingly named Vaccipiano, an Italian phrase for "take it easy." He describes the concept as being similar to the original Pike Place Market version of Il Corvo with the addition of a cocktail bar. Vaccipiano will feature a small, seasonally changing dinner menu of handmade pasta, inspired by his relationships with local farmers and producers.

While he plans to keep the historic charm of the building, he will take down the walls that enclosed the old kitchen and extend the bar counter the full length of the kitchen. With this open kitchen design and limited menu, he can run the restaurant with just himself and one other person while giving diners a truly one-of-a-kind dining experience.


Part of his excitement is the versatility that this building provides. Those familiar with the jimgermanbar will remember the private dining room called "heaven" and its long communal table. Easton plans to continue using this space for private events. There is a wood-fired oven on the back patio, which Easton intends to use for many things, including slow roasting meats for pasta sauces and baking focaccia bread.

Next door to the restaurant is the connected storefront that Johnston and German opened as an art gallery. Easton, an accomplished black and white film photographer, hopes to build a darkroom in part of the space, with wall space to display his photography. The gallery will also be opened up to connect to the restaurant's private event space.


After taking a break for winter, Easton will continue remodeling and updating the building in the spring. He hopes to open Vaccipiano in early summer, 2022 for dinner service four nights a week. Expect beautiful food, in a familiar space, with cozy limited seating. Both local and out-of-town diners will be excited to know that cocktail master Jim German will make the occasional appearance as guest bartender. Being old friends, German and Easton have worked together many times over the years, including Easton's help to develop the original menu concept for Passatempo in Walla Walla.

With all the exciting changes and new faces on Main Street, Easton hopes Vaccipiano will be a positive addition to this small town he loves. I, for one, cannot wait to get in line for the grand opening.


 

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