For nearly two years West Seattleites have been mourning the closure of the beloved Alki Market. All the while, many have anxiously awaited the news of what business would move into this idyllic waterfront space next. And though nothing will replace the 40-year-old beachside grocery store, a classy new operation has sprouted up on the corner of 63rd and Alki Ave. contributing to West Seattle's growing restaurant scene.

Introducing Cactus - a festive new restaurant full of hand painted tables, brightly colored tiles, wrought iron desert grass, Latin music and the flavors of Mexico and the Southwest.

The third location for this neighborhood restaurant, Cactus began in 1990 in Madison Park with Bret Chatalas who had grown up in the restaurant business working for his dad since age 10 at Lowell's in Pike Place Market.

"We started as a quaint little Mexican place, kind of like a taco shack," recalls Chatalas who co-owns the restaurant with his brother Marc. "But slowly we began to build a loyal following, adding a bar in 1999 and another location in Kirkland in 2002."

During these years of growth Cactus also showed up on the media radar winning a spot on the coveted Seattle Times Top 10 Restaurants list - two years in a row. According to Chatalas, Cactus went from a small restaurant to two large establishments that were packed all the time. In fact, Cactus was the first restaurant in Seattle to assign pagers to the slough of hungry customers waiting in line.

Chatalas was even eyeing West Seattle way back then, once considering the old Boca space which is now Duke's on Alki. But he wanted to wait for something a bit bigger. And his patience paid off as the perfect opportunity came this winter - a corner spot on the end of a row of restaurants with roll up doors and beachfront, Olympic Mountain Views. When asked why he picked West Seattle, he motioned toward the water saying, "Just look out the window - that's why we're here, we fell in love."

Chatalas also feels that Cactus is the kind of restaurant that does well in close knit neighborhoods and is at its best in the warm, summer months, similar to what the majority of summer crowds consider as Alki's prime time too.

And though Cactus will typically flower during summer with open-air walls and outside seating for 30, it's also prepared for fall and the cool winter months ahead with a cozy fire pit and heat lamps to keep customers toasty.

Along with the seasons, the menu will also change to incorporate fresh produce and new flavors while offering crowd favorites year-round. Some of these crowd favorites include appetizers like the Grilled Jalapenos filled with goat cheese and wrapped in bacon, the Ten Dollar Nachos served in a paella pan, and the Blue Corn Calamari with smoked Fresno aioli and lime chimichurri.

If you're looking for greens, some tasty salads to try are the Mexican Chop Salad with chile-marinated grilled chicken breast and the Ensalada de Carne Asada (or skirt steak salad) with avocado, blue cheese, bacon and romaine in chipotle-balsamic vinaigrette.

And speaking of greens, Cactus offers several vegetarian options such as the popular Butternut Squash Enchiladas filled with jack and goat cheeses, spinach, roasted butternut squash and caramelized onions as well as the Navajo Torta made with Indian fry bread, annatto beans, jack cheese, shredded lettuce, guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo.

Craving carne? Or something meatier? Since your teeth in the free range Grilled Flat Iron Steak, the spice-rubbed Puerco Adobo, or the Chicken Fried Chicken with chorizo-thyme gravy and pico de gallo. Si, si, si!

Dessert calls for the chocolate lovers' Cowgirl Brownie served with peanut butter cajeta and Mexican vanilla bean ice cream, Bananas Dulce flash seared with brown sugar and Meyer's Dark Rum served over coconut ice cream, and the Three Milk Cuban Flan.

To wet your whistle on your thirsty trek through the desert, Cactus has a wide range cocktails - both with and "sin" (meaning "without" in Spanish) alcohol. Prickly Pear Mojitos, Margaritas and Hibiscus Chi Chis top the list for drinks with a kick. But Cactus is also well known for their sophisticated offerings of herbal-inspired, non-alcoholic beverages such as the Mexican Lemonade with fresh sprigs of cilantro and a hint of jalapeno, the Perfect Prickly Pear made with fresh juice and served in a martini glass, and the Mango Mint Sunset made with hibiscus flower water.

More than just a soda with a straw, these alcohol-free drinks are concocted to best experience truly fresh ingredients and distinctive flavors. They also make expectant moms and other non-drinkers feel like their not missing out. After all, considering the many bars and possible ordinances arising on Alki with the growth of alcohol service on the beach, it's nice to know that there's a conscious effort being made to encourage patrons to keep things classy and under control.

"We're a restaurant first," says Chatalas. "We offer dining for families, and focus on food. We want Cactus to be a friendly, safe neighborhood place."

So come discover Cactus on Alki and see how something that's normally found in the hot, dry desert of the south can flourish in our little Northwest neighborhood surrounded by water.

(Information Box)

What:

Cactus Restaurant

Where:

2820 Alki Avenue SW

www.cactusrestaurants.com

933.6000

When:

Lunch: Coming soon, inquire within

Dinner: Mon-Thurs 5-10 p.m. & Fri-Sun 5-11 p.m.

Reservations accepted on a limited basis for parties of 6 to 8.

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