“Zephyr Paquette’s Skelly and the Bean forces eaters to rethink what they

October 29, 2012 12:00 am
Ham and Eggs: pork-wrapped soft-boiled deviled eggs.
Ham and Eggs: pork-wrapped soft-boiled deviled eggs.

“Zephyr Paquette’s Skelly and the Bean forces eaters to rethink what they value in restaurants. If you dine out because you want to savor fantastic food that exerts a season-finale-like hold on your taste buds, or because you like to spend an hour or so fantasizing that you’ve acquired a fawning staff of valets and footmen, you may not be swayed by the community-oriented charms of Skelly and the Bean, which brings to mind a neighborhood kid’s cardboard fort, albeit with a menu.”Read the rest of Hanna Raskin’s review here.Photos by Joshua HustonPublished on June 11, 2012

MaudaE™s Burger: a bacon weave, fromage, pickled onions, and Petit Paquets.

MaudaE™s Burger: a bacon weave, fromage, pickled onions, and Petit Paquets.

Half (secretaE“-shhh) chicken: potato mash, Brussels, leeks.

Half (secretaE“-shhh) chicken: potato mash, Brussels, leeks.

Chef/owner Zephyr Paquette places finished dishes in the expo window.

Chef/owner Zephyr Paquette places finished dishes in the expo window.

Server Erik Brisbin, showing that service at Skelly is terrifically engaged.

Server Erik Brisbin, showing that service at Skelly is terrifically engaged.

With Skelly and his kid sister Bean on board, Paquette began soliciting the friends she'd acquired over a decade of cooking in Seattle restaurants, including Cafe Flora and Dandelion. She asked for money, furniture, and free labor, and got all of it. Using the tens of thousands of dollars collected for memberships (glorified $1,500time-bound gift certificates, sold for $1,000 a pop), Paquette moved into the 10th Avenue East corner shop that's been serially vacated by Cassis, Tidbit, and Easy Joe's. The space wasn't in wash-and-wear condition, so members offered to paint the walls. A sous chef deck-brushed the floor. Soundgarden contributed a table tattooed with a cigarette burn.

With Skelly and his kid sister Bean on board, Paquette began soliciting the friends she’d acquired over a decade of cooking in Seattle restaurants, including Cafe Flora and Dandelion. She asked for money, furniture, and free labor, and got all of it. Using the tens of thousands of dollars collected for memberships (glorified $1,500time-bound gift certificates, sold for $1,000 a pop), Paquette moved into the 10th Avenue East corner shop that’s been serially vacated by Cassis, Tidbit, and Easy Joe’s. The space wasn’t in wash-and-wear condition, so members offered to paint the walls. A sous chef deck-brushed the floor. Soundgarden contributed a table tattooed with a cigarette burn.

Chef/owner Zephyr Paquette talks with customers after their meal.

Chef/owner Zephyr Paquette talks with customers after their meal.

aEœThe banks are not a fan of me,aE Paquette explained to Voracious last month. aEœSo my only option was to do it differently. I'm veryfortunate. People bought memberships and they came in and painted, they cleaned cow shit off of these boards, and they nailed them up.aE The donors names' are immortalized on a prominently hung board--which sports not a trace of bovine manure--with groovy Fillmore Auditorium lettering.

aEœThe banks are not a fan of me,aE Paquette explained to Voracious last month. aEœSo my only option was to do it differently. I’m veryfortunate. People bought memberships and they came in and painted, they cleaned cow shit off of these boards, and they nailed them up.aE The donors names’ are immortalized on a prominently hung board–which sports not a trace of bovine manure–with groovy Fillmore Auditorium lettering.

Bartender Shattuck Wildaner poses with his freshly made Zephyr Takes Manhattan.

Bartender Shattuck Wildaner poses with his freshly made Zephyr Takes Manhattan.

Chef/owner Zephyr Paquette (center right) takes a moment to pose with her service staff. You get the sense that you're notsupposed to leave until you and your server have developed a private joke to quote on future visits.

Chef/owner Zephyr Paquette (center right) takes a moment to pose with her service staff. You get the sense that you’re notsupposed to leave until you and your server have developed a private joke to quote on future visits.

Skelly and the Bean, 2359 Tenth Ave. E., 328-2326, skellyandthebean.com.

Skelly and the Bean, 2359 Tenth Ave. E., 328-2326, skellyandthebean.com.