Regent Bakery and Cafe makes quiet debut on Capitol Hill -- UPDATE: Pictures!

(Images: CHS)

With one legend of the Capitol Hill sweets world celebrating a decade in business, a legend from the Eastside is also celebrating this eighth day of February -- the much anticipated (and slightly secretive) Regent Bakery and Cafe is planning a noontime debut at 14th and Pine.

CHS has confirmed that the new addition to upper Pike/Pine will open today for a quiet launch. If all goes well, expect to visit the new Regent Capitol Hill between 11a and midnight.

Thanks for the tips alerting us to the increased activity at the new cafe. Its backers have been mostly radio silent since CHS first told you about the plans for a second Regent last July.

Back then, we told you about the plan to turn the retail condo that was formerly home to the headquarters of the Online Coffee chain into an expansion of the legendary Redmond bakery.

"We are Asian style, made fresh every day," Regent owner Teresa Loh told CHS in July.

She also said the new Capitol Hill Regent will be true to the original's roots but more upscale and will cater to the Hill's more vibrant nightlife with booze and cocktails. Loh said Regent Capitol Hill will serve Chinese dishes like salted fish diced chicken hot pot and chow fun with barbecue pork as well as sweet treats, tea and their popular cakes.

When we spoke with Loh in July, she had yet to visit the location for the new venture but had high hopes for what she expects to remain a bustling food and drink economy on the Hill. We've seen her at 14th and Pine often over recent months -- the original plan was for Regent Capitol Hill to open in November -- but we haven't been able to get more updates on the project. We're excited to step inside today, also.

UPDATE: A visit as the new space opened showed an operation in full motion. Loh said they're ready to serve everything from their pastries and cakes to lunch to cocktails at the full bar. Way to hit the ground running.

We're assuming you'll see a lot of Regent in coming days -- it's a fun space to shoot with a huge display case of cakes and cake slices (slices run 3 bucks and change -- whole cakes vary) and a wall of self-serve baked goods and pastries. For those, you grab a white tray, fill it up and head to the register. You can then sit or get your tray full of goodies to go.