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MONROE STEAK & SPIRITS, 2011
Monroe, Washington
Mark R. Blubaugh, architect

Monroe Steak & Spirits is a traditional steak restaurant for a traditional industrial town near Seattle. The design is traditional, with a warm, cozy color scheme and lighting. The design includes a very compact commercial kitchen layout, with integral scullery. The rear of the restaurant includes a large banquet room for receptions, live music performances, and large screen sports viewing.

Major Considerations: The kitchen is trapezoidal in shape, because of the intersection of two different street grids in downtown Monroe making the building shape irregular, which made the kitchen design even more challenging. The design makes good use of the walk-in refrigerator with additional reach-in access from the bar side.