Fine Dining in Richland

The unexpected sometimes turns out to be the best possible outcome. A lovely restaurant and wine bar in Richland, Washington, was certainly an unexpected outcome of the marriage of a Battelle project manager working at Chernobyl and a Ukrainian housekeeper. Random yet perfect.

Photo: Jim and Maryna Hartley

Jim Hartley began traveling to the Ukraine in 1997, leading the project to build a thermal heat plant, enabling the shut-down of the final operating reactor. Working seven days a week, 14 hours a day led to a very bad work/life balance. His housekeeper Maryna saw the downward slide and included him on outings with friends and families. Despite the language barrier, the relationship grew. "She reminded me that there’s more to life," recalls Jim. "People have a passion for life there that I haven’t experienced here. Cities have a center and people walk everywhere. They stop and talk to each other and spend time at cafes and restaurants." At the end of the project in 2001, Jim returned to the U.S. He wanted Maryna to share his life here; she came over on a fiancé visa to see if it would work. It was a difficult decision to make, leaving friends and family, but Maryna chose to stay. In 2003, she became pregnant, returning home to have the baby. Jim was working several days a week in Washington, D.C., and although her English was improving, she didn’t think she’d be able to cope with getting to the hospital and filling out paperwork by herself. Jim arrived after the birth and brought Maryna and Katya home.

Looking to work, Maryna wanted a job where she could meet people, improve her English and learn American culture. Her mother had worked for years in a bakery and her sister still cooks in the Ukraine. Maryna decided a restaurant was the perfect answer. "My being naïve, I thought ‘okay’," laughs Jim. They liked the Columbia Point location for its growth potential, exposure to hotels and base of clientele. They found a new building with a space just the right size—"Something small enough that we could manage," explains Jim. At the time, there were no other restaurants in the area. They found a chef and created a menu. Jim had always had an interest in wine and happily created a wine list filled with Northwest wines. "Jim became the bookkeeper and I managed the employees and did the cleaning," says Maryna. A friend from the Ukraine came over to help out. They opened in 2005.

Their concept, which is even stronger today, is that of a European café where people come and stay as long as they like. "Many American restaurants are all about turning tables," says Jim. "They train their staff to move people on. We don’t do this and it’s what makes us different. We’re not corporate. We just want to offer great service, food and wine that’s not overpriced and an atmosphere that makes people comfortable." They take a different view of being successful. "It’s more about what you give to people to make them happy," explains Maryna.

Both food and wine menus accommodate many tastes. With approximately 240 bottles to choose from, guests can find just about anything they like. If a loyal customer enjoys a certain wine, they try to accommodate by adding it to their list. Among the Northwest wines, you may find a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or a New Mexican sparkling wine. Dishes range from pasta to seafood to chicken, lamb and beef. Both Borscht and Pelmeni dumplings are favorites from the Ukraine that Maryna likes to share with guests. Chef Fabricio Mengarelli adds weekly specials to the regular menu, keeping locals happily returning. Hailing from Argentina, Chef received a culinary degree there before moving on to work at several fine dining restaurants in Spain and getting a second culinary degree there. Changing directions, he came to the U.S. and worked in Miami for three years before heading to Spokane where he was chef at a Cuban restaurant. His next stop was Walla Walla where he worked at Creek Town Café. Heading up the kitchen at Katya’s, he takes pride in making everything perfect, in taste and presentation.

"We cater to those who want an intimate evening, who love good food, wine and conversation," says Jim. "We want people to have a great dining experience and not feel they have to get in and out. We’re happy to help them choose their wine and always offer to decant the bottle or let them play with one of our aerators."

And Katya’s namesake? She is as bright and welcoming as her restaurant. "She likes to host and bring water and menus to guests," smiles Maryna. "And she does like to cook. She helps make breakfast every Sunday at home. Jim has taught her to make pancakes and pies and she had made meatballs with me." When asked what she’d like to do when she’s old enough to work, she replies "Be a dishwasher." Another unexpected twist from the universe.


Photo: Katya, lipsticked and ready for her shift

Connie Adams/June 2011

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