Our first food and drink notes of the New Year. Here’s what is cooking in 2011 on Capitol Hill. Got something to help us spice it up? [email protected]

• How about something to get you excited about the year ahead? We already told you about the imminent arrival of Samurai Noodle on Broadway in the old Bailey Coy space. Just before the holidays, we caught wind of another exciting noodle project brought to you by a familiar Capitol Hill foodie face. Eric Banh and his 19th Ave East Monsoon might be a CHS advertiser but he was surprised to hear us digging into the plans for his new business being planned for 12th Ave. Sorry, Eric. It’s just the way we are. When we find plans for a $30,000 build-out to a familiar cafe space, we have questions.

  Happy to report that Banh had answers. He tells CHS his new noodle shop venture will take over the space vacated by Watertown after it abruptly closed shop this fall. Banh’s plan? Take affordable, locally sourced noodle soups and dishes to another level and feed a hungry Capitol Hill, Central District, First Hill and Seattle University student population. Banh said he is still refining the concept but his goal is to create an extremely focused menu that delivers the highest possible quality product at prices that anybody can afford. It’s an extension of his recipe behind his Baguette Box sandwich shops. “Ultimately, we all want comfort food,” Banh said.

  Neighbors in the area have a sense of humor.

  In the meantime, Banh is struggling to rein himself in. Should his menu be strictly Vietnamese noodles or should the menu expand to include Korean and Japanese variants? “The sky’s the limit. Where do I narrow it down?” Banh asks. He said he hopes to emulate the focus an eatery like Cafe Presse has created with a relatively small menu that delivers quality and consistency. “We tried to engineer the best way to do it,” Banh said. “It’s easy to come up with any menu. But Presse is very methodical.”

  Banh said the struggle to keep things simple is tough. His first pick for the new restaurant’s name was even rejected by his lawyer. There’s always something waiting to distract your focus. But Banh said the project is a lot of fun and reminds him of when he first started Monsoon 12 years ago. “We have a puny budget. We also know this will work. How do you balance price and quality is the question.” Banh tells CHS he expects to be open on 12th Ave by early spring.

• Speaking of Monsoon, Seattle Times includes the 19th Ave East eatery in its list of top 2010 happy hours.
• Over the holiday, we reviewed the year in food and drink. One of the big stories from 2010 was the battle over Terra Plata. We wondered where the project was headed as it seemed like work in the space had ground to a halt. But we’ve seen that the space is in motion again and a CHS commenter says he was told the project is still a go in 2011.
• Central Co-op’s grocery department is now on Facebook.
• Want Columbia City Bakery bread delivered?
• The Volunteer Park Cafe made the New York Times with nary a mention of zoning laws.
• Asanova’s liquor license was approved but we *think* the new north Broadway lounge will be called Kanapé . Hard to say. Nobody calls back. Nobody responds to e-mail. CHS is hurt.
• Stranger’s Bethany Jean Clement unleashes her inner 93-year-old in this swipe at the lack of true Steampunk-ness at Grim’s. Here’s the weird part. I’m the guy she writes about who noticed her name tag at the Mashable event. I noticed her name tag because, frankly, I was wondering what the fuck Bethany Jean Clement was doing at a Mashable event. Now we know. Also, Tavern Law is not a real speakeasy, the Unicorn is not a real French Circus Circus, and no fur trappers live at Linda’s.
• We have the goods on yet another sure-to-be amazing craft distillery coming to the Hill. Here are the details on Oola. Oh, they’re also looking for a food + drink neighbor if you’re looking for a new space.
• Not going anywhere are the owners of Tidbit. We had reported that the restaurant was for sale late last year. They’ve informed us that they are sticking with the bistro and have a bunch planned for 2011. Next week, Tidbit will be holding a benefit for an employee’s 15-year-old daughter who has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s.
• Here’s a delicious picture from Saley’s. Yum, crepes. Oh, look, pie at the DeLuxe.
• Pie? Yes, High 5 Pie is open and ready to serve you. I ate pie for lunch last Friday. High 5 is a CHS advertiser as is Tidbit, above.
• Speaking of advertisers, we’re proud to welcome our latest food and drink sponsor to the family — welcome 12th Ave’s Chungee’s Drink and Eat http://chungees.com/. Their one-year anniversary is coming up in February..
• Did you go out on the Hill for New Year’s Eve? How was it? Let us know in comments.
• UPDATE: Here’s what’s left of the inside of the Maharaja. Already being gutted.