Just in time for the 2015 Copper River salmon season, Ray’s Boathouse & Cafe will offer a selection of pinot and Copper River salmon pairings in both restaurants, May 15–June 15. Jon Rowley brought the first Copper River to Ray’s Boathouse in 1983; before that, it was typically canned and shipped to Asia. An instant favorite, it’s been a coveted seasonal delicacy ever since. Ray’s will also offer 20 pinots by the glass via its Coravin wine system, including wines from Domaine Drouhin, Shea Wine Cellars, Domaine Serene, and Beaux Freres.
If you love Italian wines, you should take the opportunity to meet eight of Italy’s finest winemakers (and one from Spain). McCarthy and Schiering is hosting wineries represented by the Vias Imports portfolio, which provides access to some of the most diverse Italian wines available in the U.S.: wines from Produttori del Barbaresco, Fossacolle, Bruni, and Le Salette will be served, among others. The Swedish Cultural Center, 1920 Dexter Ave. N. (with plenty of free parking), hosts the event, 6–8 p.m. Wed., May 13. Tickets are $19.95; call 524-9500.
West Seattle Junction is getting a Moroccan-fusion restaurant, Itto’s, slated to open on or before July 1. The West Seattle Blog reports that it will be located in the former Firefly Cafe and Creperie space, and offer Moroccan, Spanish, French, and Jewish cuisines on a menu that will rotate weekly. Brothers Khalid and Aziz Agour, the proprietors, also run Toscana Pizzeria on Capitol Hill. E
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