1st Richland Popeyes + New Panda opens + Wood-fired pizza mystery brews

Wendy Culverwell
·3 min read

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen will build its third Tri-Cities location at 3160 Duportail St. in Richland, near Yakima Federal Savings and Loan.

State planning documents indicate the chicken restaurant intends to construct a 2,333-square-foot restaurant on a one-acre parcel near the intersection of Duportail and Keene Road.

The first Tri-Cities Popeyes opened in Kennewick off U.S. 395 and the second is at 5814 N. Road 68 in Pasco.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen will open its third Tri-Cities location in Richland. Above, the original in Kennewick readies fro its 2022 opening.
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen will open its third Tri-Cities location in Richland. Above, the original in Kennewick readies fro its 2022 opening.

New Panda Express opens

Panda Express its fifth Tri-Cities location this week.

The fast-American Chinese restaurant debuts a 9 a.m., Friday, April 12, at 1525 W. Court St. in Pasco. The first 88 guests will receive a gift.

Panda Express opens its fifth Tri-Cities restaurant April 12 at 1525 W. Court St., Pasco.
Panda Express opens its fifth Tri-Cities restaurant April 12 at 1525 W. Court St., Pasco.

The Pasco Panda is one of two built simultaneously. The area’s sixth Panda Express is under construction on George Washington Way in Richland. The opening date has not been set, but hiring has started.

Pasco restaurant hours are 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday-Thursday, and 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Friday-Saturday. The drive-thru is open an additional 30 minutes after the restaurant closes.

Go to Pandaexpress.com for information, or pandacareers.com for job postings.

The Rock misses target date to reopen

The Rock Wood Fired Pizza missed its self-set target of reopening as Hot Stone on April 5. A worker at the Kennewick restaurant said it could open the week of April 8.
The Rock Wood Fired Pizza missed its self-set target of reopening as Hot Stone on April 5. A worker at the Kennewick restaurant said it could open the week of April 8.

The Rock Wood Fired Pizza in Kennewick missed its self-set target date to reopen as Hot Stone Pizza.

The restaurant closed and posted signs indicating it would reopen April 5 after rebranding under the name of the company that franchises the Rock concept in Kennewick.

The restaurant stayed closed as the date came and went. A worker said it could open the week of April 8.

Neither The Rock nor Hot Stone could be reached to comment on plans for the restaurant. Hot Stone, aka Hotstone LLC, has posted several job openings, including pizza chef and host.

The pizza restaurant opened at 4862 Hildebrand Blvd., Kennewick, in 2013, near the Southridge Sports and Event Complex.

Pasco Taco Crawl tickets on sale

Ticket books for the 2024 Pasco Taco Crawl are available online. Booklets include a voucher for a taco from each of the 20 participating taco trucks and Mexican restaurants.
Ticket books for the 2024 Pasco Taco Crawl are available online. Booklets include a voucher for a taco from each of the 20 participating taco trucks and Mexican restaurants.

Ticket books for the eighth annual Pasco Taco Crawl are available now.

Proceeds support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton and Franklin Counties.

The booklets cost $37 and include a voucher good for one taco from each of the 20 participating taco trucks and Mexican restaurants April 19-May 4. Participants have until May 4 to vote for the “Best Taco in Pasco,” with the winner announced on Cinco de Mayo.

The number of booklets is limited and all sales are being conducted online.

Taco Crawl has raised $60,000 to support Boys and Girls Clubs in the Tri-Cities since its inception.

Tickets are available on tickettomato.com

Visit PascoTacoCrawl.com for more information on the Taco Crawl.

Marc Restaurant & Bar debut in Walla Walla

The Marc Restaurant has opened as part of the ongoing restoration of the Marcus Whitman Hotel in Walla Walla.
The Marc Restaurant has opened as part of the ongoing restoration of the Marcus Whitman Hotel in Walla Walla.

The Marc Restaurant and The Mark Bar have opened at The Marcus Whitman Hotel in Walla Walla, continuing the historic hotel’s ongoing makeover.

The restaurant focuses on locally sourced ingredients while the Marc Bar, previously the Vineyard Lounge, offers craft cocktails and wine flights curated by the restaurant’s sommelier.

Restaurant hours are 4-9 p.m., daily. The bar is open 4-11 p.m., daily.

Restaurant reservations can be made online or by calling 866-826-9422. No reservations are needed for the bar.

Send food tips to news@tricityherald.com.

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