Ipanema, which sat in the old Wolfgang Puck space on Harbor Steps for a while, is back. This time around, no kidding, the full name is The Grill from Ipanema. But it's still (or again) Marco Cazas Beaux at the helm, and the concept remains Brazilian churrascaria-style steakhouse with tableside rodizio service.
The young lady, the Girl from the Grill, is none other than Liliana Edwards, known to many late-night clubbers as the charming GM at Club Sur in SODO. The chef is Jared Velasquez, who has cooked at the old Ipanema, as well as Il Bistro, Avenue One and Volterra.
Marco, you may recall, owned Buenos Aires Grill before opening the original Ipanema. He went on to launch Club Sur, and has now reassembled his loyal, meat-loving crew in Belltown. For all that, he's very camera-shy and at a preview last Friday asked us not to take his picture. So be it.
The GM at the new Ipanema is another Club Sur veteran, Rodney Flores,Behind the bar, leading "Team Caipirinha," is the well-known Belltown barkeep Alberto Meza, who had been helping out at Fumaça just down the street but was happy to move "closer to downtown" and rejoin Marco's team.
There's a soft opening this weekend in the space, which began life as Fandango, then served as home to Torero's, Twist, Ventana, and, most recently, Mestizo.
The Grill From Ipanema, 2313 1st Avenue, Seattle, 206-457-4885 
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