By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Though a key feature of the kitchen is a New York-style pizza oven, new restaurant The Neighborhood is not going to be a place you can pigeonhole as a pizzeria, says its proprietor.
Since our first report four days ago about The Neighborhood taking over the ex-Peel & Press space at 6503 California SW, we’ve visited the space for a chat with owner-operator Jenny Almukhtar.
Though her restaurant-to-be is in the throes of a major cleanup and refresh, it already has a friendly feeling. Jenny’s in-laws were doing some interior work when we dropped by; her mom-in-law already has contributed the chalk sketch shown atop this story. That’s not the official logo, though, Jenny explains; they will have one, and it’s being developed by an artist right now. Jenny says it’ll harmonize with the different colors they plan to use to “lighten up the space” from the woodsy ambience of Peel & Press. You’ll see a mural-style version of the forthcoming logo by the front door, place names (like California/Fauntleroy) on the wall, and some other neighborhood-ish touches in back – hopscotch markings on the way to the restrooms, perhaps. And the name will be spelled out in old tap handles that Jenny and husband Ahmed have collected over their years in the hospitality industry.
What about new tap handles, and other beverage plans? The Neighborhood is seeking a full liquor license, which is what Peel & Press had, so no basic change there. They’ll have eight tap handles, with two of them devoted to wine; four or five draft beers, with a local emphasis (something from Georgetown Brewing, maybe Manny’s, will be included, of course). Cocktails? They plan a housemade limoncello that will play a part – such as in a limoncello martini. They’re also working on a Mezcal Negroni. And a lineup of mocktails that Jenny promises will be more flavorful and memorable than just alcohol-free versions of classic drinks.
But not pretentious, she insists. The whole vibe is meant to be casual – even though you might not draw that inference from a place that will only be open for dinner, for starters. That’s not forever, she clarifies. What they want to do is start simple, get everything right, and then look at how they might grow – pop-up brunches, perhaps? Speaking of which, let’s get back to the food.
“We know Italian,” Jenny emphasizes. That includes some time spent living back east, as you’ll glean from this photo she shares of herself and Ahmed:
Italian is a cuisine that’s “easy to execute,” she adds. You’ll likely see a simple menu with several main dishes such as “deconstructed lasagna” and chicken parmigiana, plus four or five appetizers, a few salads, and the pizzas – we took a peek at the famous oven, which can bake other items too:
Baked items, of course, can be sweet as well as savory! In fact, Jenny says they’re planning a lineup of “fantastic desserts,” including tiramisu featuring the aforementioned housemade limoncello, plus butterscotch pudding, gelato or sherbet, and “something decadently chocolate.”
Back to the pizza for a moment – Jenny plans a Pizza of the Month contest, modeled after the Burger of the Month competition from her days down the street at The Bridge: Customers will suggest it, there’ll be an online vote, and the winning pizza will be a menu feature for the month. That’ll be in the spirit of the community vibe she’s hoping The Neighborhood will offer. Having been in the hospitality industry since she was 13 years old, she says it’s her second nature.
That also plays into listening to what the customers want. Aware of the chatter about how the space was potentially destined for a bagel shop, Jenny says they might try making bagels – sometime.
But first – they have a plan, and will work hard to “get it right.” If all goes well, they’ve chalked in April 2 for a grand opening.
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