Your Daily Dose of Food News, Events and Must-Read Miscellany

1. Sadly for Ballard, Friday will be Azteca’s last day of business. The flagship location of the now regional chain has served the neighborhood for 40 years. According to Eater Seattle, there were several reasons for closing the restaurant, but it was mostly a matter of the lease not being renewed. Azteca is throwing a closing dance party Friday with a DJ until 2 AM.

2. The Space Needle’s SkyCity restaurant is adding live music and “sunset specials.” The specials include starters and drinks and a trip to the Observation Deck now through May 22, on Mondays and Tuesdays from 2:30 to 6 PM. The catch is a $25 food and drink minimum per person. Through April 27, Thursdays through Sundays are Live Piano Nights during dinner service.

3. Mezcaleria Oaxaca is now open on Pine Street on Capitol Hill as of Tuesday night. The mezcal-focused bar and Mexican restaurant is operated by the family who runs Queen Anne’s Mezcaleria Oaxaca and Ballard’s La Carta de Oaxaca. The 3,000-square-foot space includes a rooftop deck and a wide selection of mezcales, including some so rare you won’t find them anywhere else in the U.S.

4. Come April, Bellevue will be home to Hokkaido Ramen Santouka, a Japan-based chain serving – you guessed it – steaming bowls of ramen. The spot will be open for lunch and dinner, reports Seattle Met, and will have a more extensive menu of side dishes than at its other locations.

5. Adorable North Dakota food critic Marilyn Hagerty, who writes for the Grand Forks Herald, gained fame when she penned a glowing review of the Grand Forks Olive Garden. Hagerty is back in action with a review of Ruby Tuesday, which she calls “pretty good” thanks to a “well-stocked salad bar” and “well seasoned food.”