The approaching debut of Greenwood American Bistro, together with a US Financial institution department shifting in throughout the road, signifies that by the tip of this yr, all 4 corners of the intersection within the heart of Greenwood will, as soon as once more, be occupied. Early subsequent yr, the intersection will get one other thrilling tenant: a bean-to-bar chocolate maker with reside music.
For a stretch of this summer season, whereas Hummus Cafe closed for a rework, solely one of many 4 marquee areas on the corners of Greenwood Avenue North and North 85th Road held an operational enterprise (FlintCreek Cattle Co.). All 4 haven’t been occupied concurrently because the Lodge Sports activities Grille closed in 2021. Every nook options a sublime constructing relationship again to the late Nineteen Twenties; beautiful areas in a bustling neighborhood that has merely had plenty of dangerous luck stopping it from holding onto the varieties of companies it deserves.
Over the course of some months in 2009, a sequence of arson fires within the neighborhood precipitated $3 million {dollars} in damages and destroyed quite a lot of companies alongside the principle drag. Whereas some rebuilt (Taproot Theatre), others moved, centered on one other location, or closed completely (RIP, Szechuan Bistro). In 2016, an early morning fuel explosion flattened a trio of companies there and broken one other 20. Once more, some closed completely (RIP, Neptune Espresso), whereas others moved away.
Greenwood has had a troublesome go of it for the final 15 years, however the neighborhood’s heart is lastly getting the glow-up it deserves.
Greenwood American Bistro
Greenwood American Bistro will convey morning espressos, informal lunches, and an oyster bar to the previous house of the Lodge Sports activities Grille on the northwest nook of Greenwood and eighty fifth. Chef Grant Rico, who most just lately was the opening government chef at Bainbridge Island’s Seabird, and earlier than that chef de partie at California’s Michelin three-star SingleThread, teamed up along with his onetime culinary faculty roommate and skilled restaurant group government, Or’el Anbar to kind Mannequin Restaurant Group. That is the group’s first restaurant.
The pair goals to serve the group all through the day, with the 150-seat restaurant sectioned into a number of completely different components to facilitate that. A tiled entrance space with a walk-up bar, espresso machine, and lounge furnishings is designed for informal noon moments. A protracted banquette and sequence of small tables would be the heart of the bistro service and run parallel to the beverage part of the bar. The strong wooden construction segues right into a uncooked bar and chef’s counter, which features a view immediately into the kitchen, whereas the far finish of the lengthy room has VIP-style cubicles, bigger tables for teams, and a non-public eating space.
Rico and Anbar intend to maintain the restaurant cheap for informal lunches, with $20 protein-heavy salads and hand-held gadgets, like fish sandwiches. The core of the menu holds bistro favorites like roast rooster and steak, and an imported Italian pizza oven will prove the signature sugar kelp pita, served with a carrot dip. Different components of the menu will convey Rico’s fine-dining expertise into play for splashier meals, like roasted dungeness crab or braised lamb with garlic sauce.
Greenwood American Bistro hopes to open by early December, with a mushy opening in November, however whereas Mannequin Restaurant Group works on that, they’re already brewing a second spot: Robin’s Restaurant and Market, which can take over the previous Artwork of the Desk house in Fremont.
Cocoa Legato
Former Theo Chocolate supervisor and musician Aaron Lindstrom’s Cocoa Legato will be a part of Hummus Cafe on the southeast nook, hopefully by early subsequent yr. The small-batch, bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturing facility will produce chocolate utilizing cacao from small farmers in Colombia and Peru in a single portion of the house. Within the different might be a restaurant and reside music venue, which can promote the chocolate bars and now have a window for viewing the method of creating them. “You possibly can come and watch an acoustic people singer or a small jazz group whereas sipping a cup of espresso or scorching cocoa,” explains Lindstrom. He plans to have a brief meals menu, with chocolate-based dishes, each candy and savory, and to supply chocolate lessons within the night—tasting, pairing, and making.