The Crawlspace Gastropub co-owner Jason Farrish feels that a number of quality eateries are helping put the Mercer Island food scene on the map.

He said the city has become a go-to dining destination with places like Vivienne’s Bistro, Allister and Macrina Bakery’s Mercer Island Café making their mark, as well as Farrish’s own restaurant.

“We’re getting a ton of people now every day. I would say probably maybe 10% of everybody who walks in the door are not from Mercer Island. Our place has become this huge meet-in-the-middle destination. People in Issaquah have friends in Seattle and they go, ‘Let’s eat on Mercer Island,’” said Farrish, who owns the spot with his wife, Robin.

“Where Eastsiders meet Seattleites,” he added about a potential Mercer Island tagline.

Farrish and his Crawlspace team can add dual award winners to their burgeoning resume as readers of The Seattle Times voted the Island hotspot a gold medal victor for best Korean restaurant and a bronze medalist for best new restaurant in the paper’s Best in the PNW People’s Choice contest. The Times announced all the winners in its Sept. 21 special insert.

The Times told Farrish that Crawlspace — which opened its doors on Sept. 21 of last year — is the first Mercer Island winner as far back as its records go.

“I thought because it’s Seattle, I thought there’s absolutely no way we’re going to place in anything. But we got nominated in a few different categories. I was like, ‘That’s cool,’” said Farrish, adding that it was an honor to be nominated.

And then the massive news hit of Crawlspace’s triumphs.

“We’re incredibly shocked that we’re a two-category winner. We’re just like, ‘Oh my God, yeah,’” he said.

Since its inception, Crawlspace has been active on the Island and won the Mercer Island PTA Community Partner of the Year award for catering school events and hosting school fundraisers.

Receiving community support with packed tables at Crawlspace has been huge for Farrish, who noted: “It’s been really neat. I never knew Mercer Island was such a hotbed for Korean-Hawaiian-Mexican fusion.”

Farrish, a former worker in the banking and finance fields, is the chef at Crawlspace and enjoys that customers appreciate his dishes and like spending time at the restaurant.

“It’s the most satisfying I’ve ever been professional. It really does feel amazing,” he said.

Crawlspace is located at 3041 78th Ave. SE.