Summer sun to set on Ovio Bistro

After nearly five years pleasing palates in West Seattle, Ovio Bistro (oviobistro.com) owners Shing and Ellie Chin are sad to announce they will be closing their restaurant at month's end.

With no managers, at least one of the Chins always has been at the restaurant (or at sibling O2 during its run). Now, they'd like to spend more time together as a family. Sons Dylan and Carson are older now and involved in school and sports, and it's been heartbreaking not to be there for them. But it's hard for the Chins to say goodbye to the food-loving community they've nurtured.

"It's just very sad losing something that you started and created," Shing Chin said. Most important now, he said, is ensuring the staff lands on its feet. As for the Chins, they'll be taking some much deserved time off.

Chin said they've sold the space and that another restaurant will occupy the spot. He and his wife called themselves blessed to have so many wonderful customers and staff, and said to expect a big party June 30. They're still deciding on the menu.

"We haven't really planned that far. It's still a little bit of a shock," Chin said.

Fine wines and nibbles in Kirkland

It's almost time for Kirkland Uncorked, the city's renamed annual three-day summer festival of food, wine and art along the shores of Lake Washington.

This year's event runs July 13-15 at Marina Park and features tastings of more than 60 Washington wines, restaurant samples from The Third Floor Fish Cafe (fishcafe.com), Calabria Ristorante Italiano (calabriakirkland.com) and more, live entertainment and a potato-racer competition for the kids.

Chefs Russell Lowell of Russell dean Lowell Catering, Dan Thiessen of 0/8 Seafood Grill and Tom Hurley of Coupage will go head-to-head in a battle of the grills July 14.

The festival is free to the public. Admission into the tasting garden is $20 in advance or $25 at the gate and includes a souvenir tasting glass and five tasting tokens good for wine or food.

Visit kirklanduncorked.com for tickets and details, or call 206-633-0422. The event runs 5-10 p.m. July 13, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. July 14 and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. July 15.

"Z" is for Andaluca's zarzula

The zarzula shellfish stew at Seattle Spanish restaurant Andaluca (andaluca.com) rounded out an alphabetized list of 26 tasty dishes recommended at eateries around the country in the July issue of Men's Journal magazine.

Executive chef Wayne Johnson's mussel-based bouillabaisse swirled with saffron aioli shares the alphabet with oysters from Hama Hama Seafood Company in Lilliwaup, Mason County. Other Northwest finds include Dungeness crab at the Bell Buoy in Seaside, Ore., and huckleberry ice-cream shakes from The Victor Emporium in Victor, Idaho, as part of the magazine's "Great American Menu."

Kokeb cooks up dinner for volunteers

The U.S. Catholic Conference helped Kokeb Ethiopian Restaurant owners Belete and Yeshi Shiferaw flee Ethiopia for Seattle in 1981. This week, Kokeb (kokebrestaurant.com) celebrates its 25th anniversary, and the Shiferaws are giving thanks by hosting dinner for more than 300 volunteers who tutor low-income students as part of Catholic Community Services Youth Tutoring Program.

The pair started out with $200 between them and saved up from two jobs to buy a share of the restaurant. They've owned Kokeb for more than 23 years, raised a daughter and son and say they have plenty to celebrate.

Kokeb is located at 816 12th Ave. in Seattle, 206-328-4050.

M Street's grilling for a good cause

A new Seattle market, M Street Grocery (mstreetgrocery.com), plans to donate all proceeds from its grand-opening barbecue this weekend to Children's Hospital, where owner Matt Randish has volunteered as a counselor.

The event runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and features a live jazz band, giveaways and a hamburger or hot dog, chips and soda for $1.99. Tax-deductible donations to Children's also will be accepted.

M Street Grocery is located at 8th Avenue and Madison Street, one block north from the Interstate 5 exit. Free parking is available in the garage next to the store.

Karen Gaudette, Seattle Times staff reporter