Darren Nicholas is back where he started at Carillon Point.

Nicholas used to work for Yarrow Bay Grill, which had one of the prime locations at Carillon Point with a grand elevated view of Lake Washington.

But Nicholas moved about 200 feet back from the lake and one floor down two years ago when he became the manager of Bin Vivant, one of the main restaurants for the Woodmark Hotel. Now, Nicholas can once again enjoy that elevated view as Bin Vivant has become Bin on the Lake, taking the location where the Yarrow Bay Grill used to be located.

“We got everything finished at Bin Vivant and this space comes open,” said Nicholas, who has been in the process of moving the restaurant for almost a year. “(The previous location) felt like a hotel restaurant. We have been busy since we opened. It is exactly what we were hoping for. I am just glad we had the foresight to see into the future.”

Along with the move, Bin on the Lake has gone through some changes. The menu has been revamped to cater to a younger crowd. The layout of the restaurant allows for most to come in, get a drink and some food and enjoy the view.

“We are a little more casual and we have tried to make the prices a bit more manageable,” said Nicholas. “The prices were way higher at Yarrow Bay. We were trying to make the prices more approachable.”

The task of reconstructing the menu fell on chef Scott Lents, who had about a month to recreate the menu.

“We wanted to stick with a Northwest feel,” said Lents, who added that the menu is constantly evolving and will offer seasonal dishes as well. “We tried to think of bar food with a twist. It is a little more higher end. This space is nice because we have more street recognition and the view is awesome.”

One of Lents creations that has become a favorite of patrons is the Breakfast Bottle Burger.

“His burgers are the best in town,” said Nicholas.

Bin on the Lake’s new menu boasts more “small plate” meals than Bin Vivant. One of the most popular small plate meals is Lents’ Baby Back Ribs.

Along with the more casual menu, Nicholas is anticipating different event nights, such as Ladies’ Night and Spin the Bottle, with the occasional evening of live music.

“We are catering to a younger audience,” said Nicholas. “And there is a lot more energy.”

One of the biggest draws for Bin has been the outdoor dining area. Nicholas said it has been packed every night since its recent opening with the exception of the few rainy days.

In addition to the high-end bar atmosphere and catering to a younger crowd, the space also has a sit down area with more of a restaurant feel.

But one significant thing has not changed for Bin is its signature wine bar that has made the move and is the center piece of the new space.

“The physical move has been the hardest part of this,” said Nicholas. “The wine bar took four days to move with all the pieces.”

The wine bar is the core for the restaurant with over 80 wines available and the list of wines is constantly evolving. And the biggest advantage of the wine bar is the fact that patrons can get any of them by the glass without having to buy the bottle.

“It gives the flexibility to offer all types of wines from around the world by the glass,” said Nicholas, about the 1, 3 and 6 ounce servings. “(In a place without a wine bar) they open the bottle and it spoils.”

Nicholas said that “parking is a breeze,” and patrons can even come by boat.