Plenty of changes and openings on tap in local restaurant circles

Brian Scheehser, executive chef at Sorrento Hotel's Hunt Club for 13 years, is heading to the Eastside to head an as-yet-unnamed restaurant in the new Heathman Hotel in downtown Kirkland.

The Napa Valley-style restaurant will feature organic and rustic artisan foods, complemented by an extensive wine list, said Heathman general manager, Jeff Jobe. Scheehser's dedication to using market-fresh, seasonal produce (he farms a three-acre plot in Woodinville) "was a big draw," Jobe said.

Set to open in May, the mid- to upper-scale restaurant will offer a different menu but the same high quality as the Heathman in Portland, he said. 220 Kirkland Ave., 425-284-5800.

BluWater Kirkland will open Saturday in the dock-side spot formerly occupied by Cucina!Cucina! in Carillon Point.

The restaurant is the fifth BluWater Bistro location. Restaurant-goers can expect the local chain's signature dishes. Service will include lunch 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays, dinner starting at 4 p.m. daily and weekend brunch from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 2220 Carillon Point, 425-822-4000.

Another local chain, Julia's, will open a fourth restaurant on Upper Queen Anne in mid- to late January. It will be housed in a nearly 100-year-old Victorian-style building at 1825 Queen Anne Ave. N. Like the other Julia's locations, it will serve "healthy American fare" for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It doesn't have a phone number yet, but the company's business line (206-334-0513) will take queries.

Marazul, a restaurant blending Asian and Latino influences, will join Whole Foods and Pan Pacific Hotel in the newly developed 2200 complex in South Lake Union. The restaurant, which will include a rum-focused bar and London-style high tea, is slated to open in March.

Menu options will range from ceviches and tapas to sushi, curries and spiced meats. Chef Bruce Dillon is aiming for "a throwback to a period of time" when the British explored the world, mingling the cuisines of Southeast Asia, the Dutch East Indies, Cuba and Jamaica.

Stephanie Dunnewind, Seattle Times staff reporter