Openings | Where’s the (Wagyu) beef? A hyper-local wine BBQ sauce. New Thai food truck

Wendy Culverwell
·2 min read

Spring isn’t exactly springing, but that hasn’t slowed the pace of new business openings in the Tri-Cities.

Here’s a look at some of the new and pending developments this week.

Mezzo Thai

Jacqui Wright, owner of the popular Mezzo Thai, closed her restaurant on Gage Boulevard in 2021 saying it had exhausted its finances. But fans could find her dishes at Soy 705 at 705 The Parkway in Richland.

Now, she reports via Facebook, that she’s converted the former Frost Me Sweet food truck and will begin operating “soon.”

Follow her progress on Facebook.

Jacqui Wright. who closed her of the popular Mezzo Thai restaurant on Gage Boulevard in 2021, has purchased and converted the former Frost Me Sweet food truck and will begin operating “soon”, according to social media posts. The truck is parked with the fleet of other food trucks at Summer’s Hub in Kennewick.
Jacqui Wright. who closed her of the popular Mezzo Thai restaurant on Gage Boulevard in 2021, has purchased and converted the former Frost Me Sweet food truck and will begin operating “soon”, according to social media posts. The truck is parked with the fleet of other food trucks at Summer’s Hub in Kennewick.

Juanito’s Prime Meats

Jose Rodriguez reports Juanito’s Prime Meats opened its second location at 4812 W. Clearwater Ave., the former Giant Nickel spot, in Kennewick in late 2022.

The market sells high quality meats, including Japanese Wagyu beef.

The original Juanito’s opened in Pasco in 2007 at 1620 W. Clark St.

Follow Juanito’s on Instagram.

Napoli’s Italian

Elton Morina posted on Facebook that he plans to open Napoli, an Italian restaurant, at 3280 George Washington Way.

The former Venezia is near the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in north Richland.

Morina says Napoli’s menu will be all homemade — from bread to pasta.

There were no signs of activity at the vacant restaurant during our recent visit but watch this space for updates.

Columbia Gardens vineyard

Fans of Swampy’s BBQ Sauce and Catering, which serves barbecue from a truck at the Port of Kennewick’s Columbia Gardens, will be the winners when a new vineyard begins producing cabernet sauvignon grapes along Columbia Drive.

The port planted a 20-vine vineyard at Columbia Gardens Urban Wine & Artisan Village, 325 Columbia Drive, in collaboration with Victor Palencia of Monarcha Winery, which produces wine at Columbia Gardens.

Palencia will make wine from the grapes. And Swampy’s owner Ron Swanby said he is working with Palencia to make a wine-themed barbecue sauce from grapes grown just feet from his truck..

Don’t rush to order just yet. The port only recently planted the vines and is still waiting for the first leaves to unfurl.