West Seattle restaurants: Itto’s to bring ‘Moroccan fusion,’ tapas-style, to The Junction

By Randall Hauk
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

The West Seattle Junction is getting a tapas lounge!

Local resident Khalid Agour is hoping to have his new endeavor ready for business no later than July 1. Itto’s will bring Moroccan fusion to the northeast corner of California SW and SW Genesee, as soon as the former Firefly Café and Creperie space can be made ready.

Agour’s brother Aziz will be the culinary mind behind Itto’s, named for their mother who passed away last November and was the primary chef for the Agour family when the brothers were young. Khalid says that the restaurant will fulfill a long-held ambition to start a business in his neighborhood.

“West Seattle doesn’t have anything like what we plan to create,” said Khalid Agour, while adding, “It’s been a dream and now it’s coming true. Naming it for (his mother) is a way we can keep her with us.”

Khalid is a veteran of the Seattle restaurant scene, with 20 years experience backing his westside play, most notably in running Toscana Pizzeria on Capitol Hill the last 15. Aziz has many years of experience living and training in Europe, as well as the familial Moroccan heritage, to help to inform a diverse menu that Khalid says will change weekly.

“There will be five or six staples, but the menu will otherwise change every week,” said Agour.

“You’ll see Moroccan and Spanish, of course, but also French and Jewish, among quite a few other regional cuisines.”

“We’re going to let the flavors speak for themselves.”

Further details such as menu pricing are not yet available, but Agour says he plans to have some happy-hour deals. Along those lines, expect a full bar, to include craft cocktails along with beer and wine selections.

That said, Agour, both as restaurateur and as a father, understands the value of being family-friendly and wishes to emphasize that Itto’s “will be for everybody,” while also recognizing that West Seattle can be a tough market for new restaurants.

“I am from West Seattle and would love the local support. We are opening to succeed and not to fail. We’ll do our best to be a valued part of this community.”

Itto’s will initially open for business every day from 3 p.m. 4 PM until midnight.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: After Randall finished this story, Khalid Agour contacted him to add that someone has stolen tables and chairs from outside the future Itto’s. If you have any idea what happened to them, please contact police.

40 Replies to "West Seattle restaurants: Itto's to bring 'Moroccan fusion,' tapas-style, to The Junction"

  • Curtis May 5, 2015 (12:18 pm)

    Wait……..local? And they aren’t a new burger or pizza place? Is that even allowed? 😉 Sounds great and worthy of our support. Best of Luck to you! P.S. You, um, do serve Merlot, right?

  • Jason May 5, 2015 (12:20 pm)

    Welcome to the block, can’t wait!

  • Marge Evans May 5, 2015 (12:23 pm)

    this is good news. not another burge joint/ pizza place. I look forward to dining there.

  • David May 5, 2015 (12:44 pm)

    NICE!

    But I’m confused…I’ve been “told” that no businesses can open in Seattle. No one will open a restaurant in a town with a $15 minimum wage…it CAN’T be done! (I’ve heard over and over). So what are these people thinking? Why is Pagliacci expanding, not closing? We increased our minimum wage, remember? It’s why all of the Junction storefronts are empty and Capital Hill has no restaurants either now. LOL. Of course it’s joke, the problem on Capital Hill is TOO many new restaurants (keeping in mind 50% of all restaurants fail in the first year, having nothing to do with minimum wage). And the Junction in West Seattle isn’t fighting a problem of all of the businesses closing and not being able to attract new business, but TOO many buildings and many new businesses making the place more “dense” which annoys a lot of long timers.

  • Shane May 5, 2015 (1:00 pm)

    This sounds great! I love both that it’s Moroccan fusion and that it’s tapas so you can try many things. I hope they get the tables back too.

  • M May 5, 2015 (1:06 pm)

    VERY good news. Excited for them to open.

  • Supportive May 5, 2015 (1:25 pm)

    Sounds excellent! I will definitely be checking you out.

  • red_rooster May 5, 2015 (1:25 pm)

    West Seattle needs more vegan options!

    This may not be what the new owners have in mind, but leaning on the highlights: “will be for everybody,” and “recognizing that West Seattle can be a tough market for new restaurants” screams vegan options to me!

    Good luck! I wish you much success.

  • JTB May 5, 2015 (1:32 pm)

    Yea.

  • Al May 5, 2015 (1:42 pm)

    Oh, YES!!!! TAPAS IN WS?! I’m there!

  • AM May 5, 2015 (1:46 pm)

    SO EXCITED! Sounds delish and love that it’s a local family. LOVE LOVE LOVE. So excited to try this out!!!! Congrats and best of luck!!

  • heather May 5, 2015 (1:56 pm)

    YUM!!!!
    I’ll be there.

  • JanS May 5, 2015 (2:03 pm)

    so sorry to hear,though, that tables and chairs were stolen. Nothing is safe , anymore. But..can’t wait for this place to open…sounds yummy :)

  • onion May 5, 2015 (2:05 pm)

    We love tapas and will definitely be there.

  • Diane May 5, 2015 (2:27 pm)

    sounds fabulous; yay, and welcome; can hardly wait

  • wsgal May 5, 2015 (2:35 pm)

    So excited, welcome!!

  • happycats May 5, 2015 (2:55 pm)

    I agree with you, Marge Evans. Welcome to the neighborhood!

  • Audrey May 5, 2015 (3:06 pm)

    Ditto – Welcome to the neighborhood. I love that we are getting more culturally diverse restaurant choices and that you’re locals is a huge bonus! Looking forward to the opening.

  • wscommuter May 5, 2015 (5:29 pm)

    5 points to Curtis for the merlot line, and a bonus point for doing it in the very first comment. I am chagrined to have missed the chance to beat him out. My hat is off to you, sir.

  • Imelda May 5, 2015 (5:44 pm)

    welcome to the ‘hood! Can’t wait to visit a not-pizza not-Mexican place. woooot!

  • LyndaB May 5, 2015 (5:59 pm)

    Great! Some place new to try. I’m surprised those chairs and tables stayed that long after it closed. Good luck!

  • Joe May 5, 2015 (6:22 pm)

    Sorry to hear about the tables and chairs. Not the warm welcome we wished to give you. Very excited about your menu. Can’t wait to try, and to welcome you the proper way. Keep us posted on your progress.

  • Jenny May 5, 2015 (7:08 pm)

    Walking distance! We can’t wait to visit. So sorry about the table and chairs- that’s disappointing.

  • West Seattle Hipster May 5, 2015 (7:57 pm)

    A restaurant opens in West Seattle and not one inquiry on gluten free options? Progress!

    .

  • JVP May 5, 2015 (8:15 pm)

    Yes! I’m really happy you’re opening this restaurant! We’ll be there the first week you’re open, and hopefu many times after that. Junction needs more international food. Welcome!

  • Jack May 5, 2015 (8:25 pm)

    This sound fantastic! Welcome and can’t wait to taste!

  • Wsgal May 5, 2015 (9:05 pm)

    Hallelujah! More restaurant diversity! So exciting and can’t wait to check it out- I promise to actually do so!

  • cj May 5, 2015 (9:06 pm)

    Sounds great! I do have one concern though, Firefly had space issues so it might be a good idea to look at the table arrangements.

  • Jerry May 5, 2015 (11:00 pm)

    Sounds yummy but sad about Firefly :-(

  • KM May 5, 2015 (11:10 pm)

    YUM

  • Ray West May 6, 2015 (5:10 am)

    When I read “new restaurant” I just assumed it would be yet another burger, pizza, Asian or Mexican place. This is a nice surprise. Let’s hope it lasts. It’s not the best location parking-wise. I’ll definitely give them a try, but I don’t want to have to wait outside for an hour to get in with the limited space there is. Good luck to them.

  • Kim May 6, 2015 (8:15 am)

    So excited to see a new concept opening at the Junction – this sounds delicious! Can’t wait to try it.

  • Paul May 6, 2015 (1:29 pm)

    I hope they have vegetarian and gluten-free options.

  • Laura May 6, 2015 (3:57 pm)

    Very exciting! I’m ready for something else besides burgers, pizza, and Mexican food!

  • Brenda May 6, 2015 (7:24 pm)

    Sounds delicious! Can’t wait to try! Please take reservations as it is a small space.

  • WS Mom May 7, 2015 (5:53 pm)

    I noticed the table & chairs outside & was surprised they were left behind & even MORE surprised that the business owner was being so trusting!!
    I am really sorry they were taken! Stealing someone’s belongings is NEVER okay! Hope they get found & returned BUT highly doubt they will!! Not a great start for the new owners!! Let’s show this new WS business a big WELCOME!!!

    • WSB May 7, 2015 (5:57 pm)

      WSM, we updated in another story today and I should crosslink it here – the owner saw them somewhere online, called police, they busted somebody and got ’em back! – TR

  • Erin May 7, 2015 (9:14 pm)

    Wahoo! New options. Can’t wait to try it out!

  • 22blades May 9, 2015 (12:04 am)

    I have been a customer of his Capitol Hill store for almost a decade and I can say that I am absolutely thrilled he’s opening up here! Actually, even if he sold his Pizza or Lasagna here, people would eat it up.

  • pocketzena May 13, 2015 (11:25 pm)

    THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for this! West Seattle could use more diverse cuisine options. Love Moroccan food and can’t wait until you open. I hope you have lines out the front door for years to come!

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