West Seattle, Washington
16 Sunday
(Friday morning photo by David Hutchinson)
Three days after fire damaged Alki’s historic Homestead Restaurant, its owner has a clearer picture of the road ahead to getting it reopened. As we reported Friday morning, investigators say the $400,000 fire was an electrical accident – sparked by too many Christmas lights plugged into a single socket. Tom Lin, who bought the Homestead after longtime owner Doris Nelson passed away, provides this update on what’s happening now with the restaurant (an official Seattle landmark), its employees, and the prospective new owner he was in the process of selling it to when this happened:
The dust has finally settled after 3 chaotic days. I know many people are interested in knowing what is going on with Alki Homestead after the fire, and I will update as much as I can as we proceed with the cleanup.
First of all, I must thank the Fire Department and the Police Department for the prompt response time. I believe the phone call was made at 5:20 AM and they had the fire out by 5:40. I don’t think anyone can ask for more than that. It was such a blessing that fire started at 5 AM instead of 5 PM and no one got hurt.
At 6 AM, my longtime employee, Bonnie, who worked for Mrs. Nelson for 17 years and has worked for me for 3 years, showed up in tears wanting to talk to the Fire Chief. She had one request, she asked if anyone could get the reservation book so she could call all the customers who had reservation for the weekend. A “firewoman” went inside, grabbed the charred reservation book and handed to Bonnie.
After examining the damage, I think it will take longer than 6 months to reopen Alki Homestead. The damage is quite extensive. I believe the entire roof needs to be replaced. The middle part of the second floor will have to come down. There is a big hole in the ceiling of the first floor where the fire went up and that also punctured a hole in the roof.
This is our photo from Friday showing that damage:
Tom continues:
The ceiling of the main dining room is pretty much charred. The fireplace actually stopped the fire from spreading to the left side of the dining room. All the tables and chairs are gone. Luckily, the dining table that is over 100 years old is still standing. The King and Queen’s chairs are ok. The PI clock and the sideboards are charred. All the chandeliers are melted. I think we can salvage the pictures of the Barnards.
I will know more next week after we get the official damage report. I have already instructed the general manager, Chris Long, to supplement employees with their salary for at least 3 months. It is more than a job for most of them and we will not leave them on the street at any cost.
I know we have lots of gift certificates outstanding. We will try to get other restaurants in Alki to honor them or we will redeem the gift certificates with cash. I will post the details soon. If any restaurants would like to honor our gift certificates, please e-mail me.
I have spoken to the buyer of the restaurant business and he is still interested in taking over, except it will be on a later date. I will disclose the buyer’s identity later in the week after our meeting tomorrow. We will be renegotiating the terms of the sale and hopefully come to an agreement.
I bought Alki Homestead because I wanted to preserve the part of history that has been very important to this neighborhood. Some people may still want to treat me like an outsider, but I have as much at stake as anyone else who lives here. In any event, our goal is to restore the restaurant and hopefully make it better. We will get a better facility that will meet the ADA standards, from the bathrooms to the handicapped ramp. Hopefully wheelchair customers won’t have to go through the kitchen and hopefully the bathrooms will be big enough to accommodate wheelchairs with no steps going up and down. This may be our chance to update the restaurant, think positive. Both Alki Homestead and the pan-fried chicken will return.
So much for the thoughts tonight, hope to get some feedback soon. My e-mail is alkihomestead@yahoo.com.
Tom Lin
For those who’ve never been inside, this Wikimedia photo shows what a special place it’s been:
But just hours after the fire, so many of those interior fixtures, as Tom mentioned, were in a charred heap outside:
We will be following up with Tom for those future updates he mentioned.
Eerily, we can’t help but note that it’s just a few weeks till the first anniversary of the fire that closed another beloved West Seattle restaurant for months – the Charlestown Cafe fire in February 2008 – that one, too, an accident; the Charlestown finally reopened almost five months later.
(scroll down for latest information, continuing to add it as we get it)
(photo by David Hutchinson)
ORIGINAL 6:23 AM POST (which was headlined “Alki Homestead fire out”): That’s according to Helen Fitzpatrick of the Seattle Fire Department, who says flames were coming from the rear of the restaurant when crews arrived. Crews were sent out about 5:20 am. The Homestead’s log-house building on 61st SW south of Alki SW (map) is a city landmark (since 1996); the restaurant business was up for sale last year and we had reported just before the holidays (11/25/08 WSB report here) that its owner, Tom Lin, had found buyers. According to the Fire Department, no one was in the building at the time of this morning’s fire. More details and photos shortly. 6:43 AM UPDATE: Another photo from David Hutchinson, this one showing the fire-response vehicles lined up all the way onto Alki Ave. Witness reports say firefighters had to cut into the building while fighting the flames. No word of any injuries.
6:49 AM UPDATE: Co-publisher Patrick has an update from SFD spokesperson Fitzpatrick at the scene: The fire broke out on the 1st floor and flames did shoot up through the roof. No idea yet what caused it. Damage is mostly confined to the 1st floor (which of course is the restaurant’s main floor). 61st remains blocked off from Alki Ave to SW Stevens (Log House Museum).
7 AM UPDATE: Most of the fire vehicles are starting to pack up to leave. We’re not being allowed around back of the building so far, so it’s too soon to say just how extensive the damage appears from the outside.
7:06 AM UPDATE: Fitzpatrick says there’s “significant smoke and char damage on the first floor” and some damage in the attic area. Investigation into the cause continues.
7:22 AM UPDATE: Patrick just talked with owner Tom Lin at the scene. The message he wanted to reaffirm: Nobody is hurt – in the past there were tenants renting some space in the building but that space has been vacant for a while. Tom knows his office was damaged but doesn’t know the extent of the restaurant damage yet and so has no idea when it’ll reopen. He told us that he lives nearby and heard the sirens; when he realized how close they were, he went over to look and was shocked to find out it was the Homestead. Patrick asked about the in-progress sale mentioned in our November report; Tom said it hadn’t closed yet but the prospective purchaser had been actively preparing for some potential remodeling work, and the restaurant had been scheduled to close soon because of that (as he’d told us in November). Patrick adds that the fire damage is not visible from outside, at least from the front of the restaurant; Tom believes the thickness of the log structure kept the flames from actually breaking through the framework, aside from the aforementioned attic damage. (added later – video we shot as a TV reporter was interviewing him with the same questions we’d asked some time earlier)
7:38 AM UPDATE: Owner Tom just told Patrick investigators believe the fire was electrical in origin.
8:01 AM NOTE: We’ll have more photos back shortly, more clearly showing the damage from outside. Regarding the mention of the attic, we’re reminded that we covered a special sale at the Homestead last April (here’s our story, with photos); many of the items had been brought out of storage in the attic.
8:15 AM UPDATE: Adding more photos. First, this is from behind the restaurant, showing the roof damage – that’s right behind the famous vertical neon sign:
Looking at the roof from the front, only a little damage can be seen, right around the chimney:
Here’s a wide shot of the restaurant’s century-old building – from this angle, if not for the fire trucks, you wouldn’t have known there’d been a fire:
By the way, if you’ve never been inside the Homestead, here’s a photo of the interior.
10:29 AM UPDATE: From Dana Vander Houwen at the SFD: The fire is blamed on “excessive draw of power for Christmas lights plugged into a single outlet” and damage is estimated at $400,000.
11:45 AM UPDATE: From an opening to the courtyard on the alley behind the restaurant, you can see this sad scene – burned items from inside the restaurant.
Thinking about going out to dinner? We just finished a quick drive-by tour of most West Seattle restaurant zones and can confirm the ones that are open greatly outnumber the ones that are closed. It started with this WSB Forums thread; we posted “open” sightings on Twitter (you can see them here) from the roadside, and WSBF members are adding what they’ve seen, too – if you know of one that’s not mentioned, please add it there! For pizza delivery, by the way, looks like everybody’s open (big pizza holiday, what with the bowl games on TV, as Pagliacci‘s home page notes).
Via Twitter, James reported a film shoot of some kind at the West Seattle Taco Time (map). Via Facebook, Amanda reported seeing Pat Cashman and crew filming a commercial there. Not sure if they’re still there – advise if you’re in line-of-sight (or line-of-salsa), while our roving crew heads that way. 12:06 PM UPDATE: Co-publisher Patrick‘s back with the photographic proof (above). If you are new to Seattle and want to know what Pat C’s famous for – many things but most notably (to us as 1991 arrivals, anyway) the long-gone and much-missed local TV comedy show “Almost Live!” which aired on KING every Saturday night till about a decade ago. When we got here, it was our primer – and an uproarious one – to Seattle neighborhoods. Many have lost much of the character for which “Almost Live!” spoofed them but our nostalgia burns bright. Here’s a sample of Pat C’s work from AL via YouTube:
Another long-gone staple of Seattle life … the never-ending rug-shop going-out-of-business sales in Pioneer Square. Lots more “Almost Live” clips on YouTube, including the all-time favorite Ballard Driving Academy. And KING still shows re-re-re-re-runs after Saturday Night Live. The show was so hot in its heyday, KING was allowed to delay SNL a half hour to run AL first after the 11 pm news.
**We told you last summer about the pilot recycling project in city parks. Now the Parks Department hopes you’ll take a moment to answer a survey about it. Here’s the link.
**Reminder that tonight, in addition to the Alaskan Way Viaduct public forum tonight at Town Hall (5-7:30 pm), there are two big public hearings tonight at City Hall – the new tree regulations at 5:30 (more info on the City Council home page), proposed rules about guns in parks at 6:30 (more info here, including a link for online comment).
**Two weeks after Prost West Seattle opened its doors, there’s word West Seattle’s next drink-and-food — plus music — place is getting close. Feedback Lounge (between new Beveridge Place Pub and future Zeeks Pizza/ex-Corner Inn in Morgan Junction) has posted new pix and info on its MySpace site, and a hoped-for January opening is mentioned; its liquor-license application also has shown up on the state’s website.
**Also just got word that Spring Hill in The Junction has launched a blog-format site (an increasingly popular thing for businesses to do). See it here.
Got this note from a Pegasus Pizza employee – who wants to be sure you bring something along when headed there for your next pizza this holiday season:
Hi, my name is Laura, I am trying to organize a big Christmas food drive down at
Pegasus Pizza on Alki. There is already a big box down there all ready and waiting for donations! But Pegasus isn’t exactly like Safeway where you can get something inside while shopping to drop off on your way back out the door so I’m having a much harder time getting the word out than I expected. I was hoping that it could go onto the events page of the blog just so that people will see it and know to bring stuff down with them when they come for lunch/dinner.Basic info: We are collecting any/all non-perishable food items; all donations going to the West Seattle Food Bank for christmas. If customers bring in 5 or more items of food, we are giving them a coupon for $2.00 off any size pizza.
We’ve listed this with other business drives on the Holidays page, of course, but wanted to give an extra shoutout to Laura, who concluded her note by describing herself as “just a … college kid trying to make a tiny little difference.” Pegasus is at 62nd/Alki (map), online at pegasusonalki.com.
Good food doesn’t have to be expensive: That’s one of the guiding principles for the Junction restaurant we are welcoming today as WSB’s newest sponsor, Ama Ama Oyster Bar and Grill. It’s been in business more than a year now but Ama Ama also has something new – someone new, to be precise – Chef Jared Wentworth, who recently joined Ama Ama:
Ama Ama notes that Jared “has worked his way west while honing his culinary skills in New York (Aureole, Park Avenue Cafe) and Chicago (Charlie Trotter’s, Atlantique, Tizi Melloul) and most recently in Seattle as Chef de Cuisine at Quinn’s on Capitol Hill. He has worked for acclaimed chefs such as David Burke, John Hogan, Keith Korn, Charlie Trotter, and David Bouley. Jared brings to Ama Ama extensive knowledge of French, Japanese, and Mediterranean cuisines, and more than 12 years of executive chef experience preparing cutting-edge food. While Jared has had many high-profile culinary experiences, his approach to cooking remains simple: Fresh, wholesome ingredients, dictated by the changing seasons. He also shares in our belief that creative, high-quality food doesn’t have to be expensive.” Speaking of “not expensive” — 7 days a week you have a chance to try Ama Ama‘s fabled oysters for a low price – they’re 75 cents each from 4 to 6 pm and 10-11 pm every day/night. If you’re looking for someplace to get a late bite to eat, oysters or not, Ama Ama serves till midnight every night of the week. You’ll find Ama Ama on the northeast corner of California and Edmunds (map) in The Junction; you can find its new fall menus online. We thank Ama Ama Oyster Bar and Grill for supporting 24/7 West Seattle news/information/discussion — for, and by, the community — by joining the WSB sponsor team; the current lineup is here, along with info on how to become part of it!
Thanks to Steven D for spotting this: 
Garlic Jim’s Pizza in The Junction is for sale, $250,000 “furnitures/fixtures included.” Here’s the listing, which includes the line “there is no other gourmet pizza delivery or takeout in the same area” (Pagliacci, practically kitty-corner, isn’t gourmet?). We knew it had changed hands a few months back; its original owner, Ryan Reese, is a local real-estate broker who also just opened the “West Seattle Bros” Christmas tree lot on the east side of The Junction. Also currently listed for sale, north to south: Angelina’s Trattoria (still open), Blackbird Bistro (closed), Beato (closed – it’s listed for either standalone sale or entire building). And as reported here last Tuesday, Alki Homestead owner Tom Lin says he’s found new owners for that landmark restaurant.
We reported back in March that the Alki Homestead restaurant was on the market – the restaurant, not the building. Now, there’s word from owner Tom Lin that he’s found a buyer:
I believe we have found the right buyer for Alki Homestead Restaurant. It is a husband and wife team who live near Fauntleroy Ferry in West Seattle. They were voted as one of the up and coming chefs in Seattle by Seattle Magazine. If the deal goes through, they will take over the restaurant early next year and close it down for few months during the remodeling.
The name will still be Alki Homestead Restaurant and the tradition will be kept alive. It has been very challenging for me the past few years as I am not a restaurateur. My general manager Chris Long has done a tremendous job at maintaining the family-style dining at Alki Homestead.
The potential new owners are now working on the architectural drawing. Alki Homestead will be getting a facelift next year. I truly believe it will be a better place after all (is) said and done.
Lin posted that to the Alki Beach Community Yahoo! Group earlier this morning, and since his note to that group ended with a question about how to post it here, we have taken the liberty of going ahead and re-posting. We also have a followup question out to him, seeking more information about the prospective buyers – online research shows one Seattle chef couple getting a lot of media attention as up-and-comers, but so far we haven’t found any indication of West Seattle residency, so it may not be them. The other followup question – whether the sale is indeed for the business and not the century-old building, which is how it was originally listed (the building itself is an official Seattle city landmark; Lin bought it two and a half years ago, a year and a half after longtime owner Doris Nelson died. Back in April, the Homestead sold off some of its art, crystal, and other items (WSB coverage here). 9:54 AM UPDATE: Just got a note back from Tom Lin – he explains he wants to “keep the buyer’s name anonymous as the deal is not totally sealed yet,” but he wanted to get the word of an impending deal out so that people could enjoy the Homestead for the holidays, before the aforementioned temporary closure next year, and he reiterates the prospective buyer “intend(s) to keep the name and style of food.”
The OK Corral barbecue joint (4417 Fauntleroy in the Triangle; map) opened two weeks ago without even switching signage (here’s our post-opening chat with owner Otis Austin) – but now that’s been remedied – first spotted it last night, got a pic while passing at noontime today. (The “grand opening” sign, however, is legacy from the previous tenant, who didn’t last long.) Also, just got word from West Seattleite Tracy Dart that Christo’s on Alki has added new menu items:
I wanted to pass along some info from my friends (and next-door neighbor) who own a
restaurant down on Alki. The Fotopoulos Family, owners of Christo’s on Alki, are starting their new Greek Menu tonight featuring Mama & Papa Fotopoulos’ traditional recipes from their home village in Pelopnese, Greece. Featuring Lamb Chops, Dolmathes, Moussaka, Pastitsio, Flamed Saganaki, Lemon Oregano Chicken and Potatoes – as well as Gyro & Souvlaki platters. They will continue to have their original menu (pizza’s, pasta, sandwiches & salads, etc.) available as well.I’m excited to have another option for Greek Food in West Seattle, especially from a family who has been serving food in West Seattle since 1996. The entire family runs this place, and mama and papa live over the restaurant. Almost makes you think it’s how it would be back in the old country.
Tracy, by the way, is one of the West Seattle-residing blog authors whose sites are featured on our Blogs page – always the latest 100 entries from a pool of 100 West Seattle-based writers (we’ve been catching up with the latest requests to have sites added to this continuously, automatically updated page – please let us know if we’ve missed yours).
Two notes from the West Seattle fine-dining scene: First, if you missed previous coverage, Beato Food and Wine closes after tomorrow. Second, Spring Hill has announced a few changes – one addition on Sundays, and one special offering on Mondays, which means SH will now be open 7 nights a week — read on:Read More
(video no longer available due to blip.tv shutdown)
That’s part of our quick chat this afternoon with Otis Austin of OK Corral, which just opened a few days ago (as we reported here) at 4417 Fauntleroy (between Aikido of West Seattle 
and Tervo’s; here’s a map; don’t let the old Teriyaki/Burger sign on the storefront, which hasn’t been removed yet, fool you). He says those first few days have gone so well, he’s suffered from what we might call the Zippy’s Syndrome here at WSB (after the hot Highland Park burger joint that was so mobbed the first few days after its opening six months ago, it sold out repeatedly) – and as you can hear him say in our video clip, so much for the naysayers who say that’s a lousy location. In fact, he also told us, “I think West Seattle’s going to work out even better than the North End.” (His first OK Corral is in Greenwood.) He hasn’t printed up takeout menus yet but is working on it; by the way, Otis told us he will probably be closed tomorrow (Sunday) to regroup for the week ahead, though otherwise he intends to be open 7 days a week.
We reported last month that The Bohemian was going to launch Jazz Sunday Brunch as of tomorrow. Just got a note from proprietor/chef Jason Todd Rice that the plan’s on the back burner now: “I would like to extend my apology for our decision to cancel our plans for Sunday brunch service. I feel very strongly that we are not ready to do it and do it right. Our original plan was to start with coffee & pastries during the day and the bar & supper service at night. We would then expand as we were able … After six weeks of our current operations, we have been SO pleasantly surprised at the enthusiasm of our guests and the community; and the volume of business has been incredible! As we are not a big corporate business, with extensive resources in personnel and budget, we are doing our best to ‘walk before we run…’ As soon as we feel that we have our current operation running at maximum efficiency and providing our guests with the best service and product possible, we will be evolving our concept and operation to the next level.”
(Photo by WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli)
We reported last night on the impending closure of Beato Food and Wine after 2 years. Owner Brandon Gillespie promised more information today, and it’s in now. For starters, he says: “Beato is currently for sale. Anyone interested should contact Laura Miller at Catalyst Commercial Partners, 206-351-3573.” (Same listing agent as Blackbird.) His official statement in an e-mail newsletter includes information on final specials:
Due to the current economic conditions, I unfortunately have no choice but to close the doors of Beato Food & Wine. I cannot express how saddened I am to have to do so, and how much I have appreciated your business and support over the last two years. I want to thank the entire staff for all of their hard work. And more importantly, I want to thank all of our wonderful customers who supported us throughout. The final day of operation for Beato will be Friday, November 14th.
In an attempt to celebrate the last week and a half of the restaurant, we have changed the menu as well as designed a four-course tasting menu with wine pairings, available Tuesday through Thursday, for a great price. In addition, from now until our closing, we will be offering a 30% discount on all bottles of wine. Once again, I want to thank everyone who supported Beato over the last two years and invite you to join us one last time to taste an exceptional wine flight as well as what I believe is our strongest menu to date.
(Here’s the info on that “wine flight.”) Beato opened in December 2006 in the space that had previously been O2, after Ovio Bistro moved to The Junction (where it closed in June 2007, in the space now held by Ama Ama). It should be noted that while Beato will be the second West Seattle restaurant to close this fall, three are still scheduled to open — Cafe Revo on Avalon (new construction photos here), Fresh Bistro at Mural across from Jefferson Square (most recent WSB coverage here), and Zeeks Pizza in Morgan Junction (WSB coverage here) — and on a smaller scale, today is opening day for the OK Corral barbecue takeout place in the Triangle area (here’s our story from last weekend).
Thanks to “Mrs. L” for the tip – Leslie Kelly reports that Beato is closing as of November 14th. Nobody’s picking up the phone at Beato right now, but we’ll be working to see what more we can find out. This would be the second major West Seattle eatery shutdown in less than two months, after Blackbird Bistro (which is now listed for sale). 4:58 PM UPDATE: Went by to try to confirm in person. Proprietor Brandon Gillespie isn’t expected in tonight, but a staffer confirms to WSB that November 14th was just set today as Beato’s final day. 5:23 PM UPDATE: We e-mailed Gillespie too and he replied quickly, saying he’ll have the official news release out tomorrow, adding: “We have a couple promotions and other things so we can go out in a good way.” We’ll share that information tomorrow as soon as it’s available.
Ordering pizza tonight after a rough Monday? Tomorrow, as part of an Election Night event? You might find some info to savor in The 1st WSB West Seattle Pizza Taste Test, organized by WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli, with volunteer help. They didn’t hit every pizza place in West Seattle, but a good sampling – read on to learn more about this beloved food and to see which of the ones they tried came out on top(ping)!Read More
As we’ve reported previously (Sept. 25, Sept. 26, Oct. 7), West Seattle is about to get a barbecue joint, and tonight we know when it’ll open: Otis Austin from the OK Corral called WSB today to say this Thursday’s the day. (In our 10/7 update, he had said he expected to open in the first half of November, so he’s right on schedule.) If you missed our earlier updates, he already has a successful OK Corral in Greenwood, and he’s taking over the West Seattle restaurant space at 4417 Fauntleroy (map), long-vacant former home of Seattle Teriyaki and Burger, next to recently remodeled/changed-hands Tervo’s Mini-Mart. Otis says he’s planning to be open noon-10 pm, 7 days a week, for starters, while he gets a feel for what the neighborhood wants — and for the first two months, he’ll offer a “five-dollar lunch special.” Asked exactly what you’ll get for your five bucks, Otis says with a friendly chuckle that you’ll just have to go in and see. As he had told us last month, though there will be a table or two, the focus will be on takeout.
There’s a lot going on in The Junction — not just, oh, say, visits from the governor, but also, a thriving business district gearing up for the holidays. In fact, the West Seattle Junction Association just rejoined WSB as a sponsor to launch its “Live Local” campaign (more about that here, and in a WSB shopping-season preview tomorrow). Then, there’s the movement to “Eat Local,” and that’s where today’s story comes in. The photo above shows the ground floor of Harbor Properties‘ Mural, on 42nd SW across from Jefferson Square. That particular space, the northeast quadrant of its first floor, will become the home next year of Fresh Bistro, a new restaurant from the folks behind West Seattle-based caterers Herban Feast. A few months after news of the new restaurant emerged, we met with proprietor BJ Duft at the site recently to get the newest details about what’s in the works — from the food (with a chef from legendary Canlis!) to the hours (good news for night owls) to the innovative plan for takeout:Read More
Feedback Lounge, you may recall, is what’s in progress at the old Beveridge Place Pub space in Morgan Junction, next to the ex-Corner Inn/future Zeeks Pizza space. Just found this new MySpace blog update from its proprietors, saying they’re still targeting January for opening, and that they’ve hired “99%” of their staff.
Meantime, in the “recently opened” department, The Bohemian has updates to share. When we heard they’d launched live music, we asked them to let us know as soon as there were specific listings on The Bohemian’s website – and word just came in, those listings are up now; see them here, with details on some of the regular musicians and other artists here. Jason and Terri tell us they’re also launching Jazz Sunday Brunch on November 9th, 10 am-3 pm, with “daytime lunches” soon to follow.
COMING UP: New information about Fresh Bistro, the restaurant that’ll be a big part of the ground floor of Mural, the Harbor Properties project across from Jefferson Square.
A week and a half ago, when we followed up on the news a day earlier of a barbecue joint coming to the Fauntleroy/36th building (next to Tervo’s) by talking to its proprietor, he told us he didn’t want to say too much till he’d finished up some more paperwork. Late last night, he called WSB to say his city license is a done deal and he’s ready to talk. Otis Austin also says that instead of rebranding as “Sammich Slingers,” he’s going to keep the OK Corral name by which his barbecue is well-known in the North End – the new sign in the Fauntleroy storefront’s window (photo above) is already evidence of that. Read on to find out more about his plans:Read More
That’s Jessie Summa-Kusiak, proprietor of Skylark Club and Cafe, standing next to her menus (the only ones we know of where WSB is mentioned, thanks to the tater tots and their nod in this popular post). Skylark has just joined WSB to sponsor the West Seattle Weekend Lineup every Friday (you can always find the latest one here). She says Skylark is all about “beverages, food, and entertainment.” On the first count – 13 new drink specials, 11 beers on tap, one hard cider.
On the second count (menus here) – her recommendations include mac and cheese, meatloaf, SFV sandwich, or if you’re dieting, the grilled chicken spinach salad, though she also notes they’re “baking delicious desserts from scratch, and we offer not just lunch and dinner 6 nights a week but weekend brunch Saturday AND Sunday.” Plus, she’s got a lunch punch card; after 7, #8 is on the house. Re: entertainment (calendar here) – “Free live music 6 nights a week, closed Mondays. Mostly local original acts, all genres. We link to music clips on our website so neighbors can listen to a sample before deciding whether to head down. Lots of opportunities for YOU to be the rockstar. Karaoke, open mic, open tease, open turntables. Kids are welcome until 11 pm on Sundays for our all-ages show (and before 9 pm every other night).” Jessie moved to West Seattle 11 years ago and opened Skylark two years ago (she was previously a manager at Amazon). She elaborates: “My husband Charles and I met as I was forming a band here in the late 90s (he was my bass player), and we discovered that we had an odd thing in common. Both our fathers supported the family growing up in the 70s by playing guitar in rock bands. His dad was in a disco/funk cover band that played in Atlantic City, mine fronted an original jazz-fusion band in Boston. My dad currently is a composer and does film scores for Errol Morris. (johnkusiak.com; a movie he scored, “Secrecy,” screens at the Northwest Film Forum Oct. 10-16) I’ve been booking bands since college and I managed Ladyfest Seattle 2004. I always wanted my own club, even when I lived in Boston. Here in WS I also realized there was a need for a laid-back, neighborhood place that wasn’t too upscale or intimidating. All the new places going in at the Junction seemed so fancy. Also I wanted to create a place where a woman could go, alone, and have a drink and read or work on her laptop or whatever without being hit on or feeling weird. That we do have solo female regulars tells me I’ve succeeded in creating the right ambience. No TV was another requirement, since I find TVs so distracting when I’m out with friends. Exceptions are games and elections, of course … we’re planning a big election day party (cancelling karaoke for the night) and we’ll have the results projected on a big screen as they come in.” She’s launching weekly Trivia Nights on 10/15 and doing monthly Open Turntable nights (mentioned here; next one is 10/28). Welcome to Skylark Cafe and Club, 3803 Delridge (map); look for its banner atop the West Seattle Weekend Lineup tomorrow morning. Meantime, thanks for your support of all the WSB sponsors who make it possible for us to bring you fresh West Seattle news/information/discussion 24/7; they’re all listed here along with information on how to join them.
We showed you this mural while it was in progress on the south side of Cafe Revo (Italian restaurant taking over the ex-Murphy’s space on Avalon in the Luna Park business district); now artist Glenn Case is officially done, and Revo’s Sofia Zadra Goff tells us they gave the mural a name: Zetta, the middle name of Sofia’s greatgrandmother. We also peeked into the under-construction restaurant space, where the bar’s being built out of a single piece of wood:
Revo’s hoping to open around November 1st. Meantime, we got e-mail late today from Spring Hill in The Junction, wondering if we would share some news, and since we know how you all love restaurant info, we’re happy to oblige:
That’s the cover of the late-night happy-hour menu that Spring Hill is launching next Tuesday, according to the note from proprietors Mark and Marjorie Fuller, who add: “Also, beginning November 2nd we will be opening at 5:15 pm rather than 5:45 pm for fall/winter. One last note: Brunch is coming soon! We are hoping to start brunch the end of November/early December. We would like to extend our thanks to all the people who have supported spring hill restaurant and look forward to seeing you all soon!”
Followup to our Thursday report about the “Sammich Slingers” sign sighting in the former Seattle Teriyaki/Burger storefront in the 4400 block of Fauntleroy: Called the number on the sign again today, and this time somebody answered: Otis, who runs the Greenwood barbecue joint OK Corral. He confirms this is a second location, not just a move. He didn’t want to say too much more till a key milestone in his preparations is past – probably next week. The West Seattle restaurant’s not open yet, by the way, but hopefully won’t take too long. More next week! Meantime, a short distance away, say goodbye to a familiar sign:
We were at Yasuko’s this afternoon for the occasional half-chicken which is demanded by a really rough week. Noticed the cards on the counter said “Beni Hoshi Teriyaki, The Best in Seattle.” Just a new name, an employee explained, not new owners; is the sign changing? we asked – maybe Sunday, he replied. The cards, by the way, have the Yasuko, er, Beni Hoshi menu on the flip side – very efficient use of dead trees for a takeout menu.
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