Seattle Sun Newspaper - Vol. 7, Issue 3, March 2003
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Uncommon Grounds aims to be anything but common hangout
By CLAYTON PARK
Fil Romero was only 15 when he decided what he wanted to do when he grew up: open his own restaurant.
His dream as a teenager in Spokane was to find an old fuselage of a Boeing 707 and convert it into a restaurant/nightclub. He insists he was serious, although he sheepishly adds it was the late '70s and disco was cool back then.
Needless to say, that plan never took off.
But the next year, at age 16, he began his career in the restaurant business by taking a job as a cook at a local McDonald's.
He's never looked back. Over the years, Romero has gone on to hold a variety of restaurant jobs, including server, supervisor and, at the posh Rainier Club in downtown Seattle three years ago, banquet captain.
He has also worked at a wide range of eating establishments, including the Red Robin at Southcenter (where he met his wife Amy, a co-worker, nearly 14 years ago), Cutters at the Pike Place Market and the Fairview Club.
He finally fulfilled his lifelong dream of becoming a restaurateur nearly two years ago when he and his wife bought Uncommon Grounds in the Roosevelt neighborhood from original owner Saed Amoura.
The couple proceeded to transform the coffee/dessert shop into a full-service restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menu offers what Amy Romero describes as "Northwest Eclectic" cuisine, including everything from vegetarian dishes to New York strip steak, as well as homemade soups and desserts.
The Romeros also added an extensive selection of fine wines, including some unusual varieties such as viognier and semillon. "We want to broaden people's horizons," says Amy. Every fourth Wednesday of the month, the restaurant, which the couple now describe as a "wine cafe," brings in a winemaker to lead a winetasting event, from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Uncommon Grounds has also become a place to enjoy live music (every Friday and Saturday night) and view artwork by local artists, including painter Darlene Coffman of Roosevelt and photographer Dana Cassara, who is also from North Seattle.
"We'd like to be a neighborhood-type place, sort of like a British pub, where people can come and do whatever they feel like doing" a hangout, as opposed to a more formal place that people only come to on special occasions, says Fil Romero.
Case in point: on Mondays, the restaurant offers a "Hospitality Industry Appreciation Night" promotion which offers discounts on food and non-alcohol beverages to hospitality industry workers who show their pay stubs.
The Romeros admit it took a while to form a clear vision for their restaurant. "When we started, we tried to be all things to all people," says Fil.
Amy says they also made initial mistakes by offering some menu items that proved overly ambitious as well as experiencing staffing problems that have since been ironed out.
The Romeros say things finally came together about six months ago. They have steadily built a solid base of regular customers, which continues to grow.
"If anybody tried us when we first opened, we'd like to invite them back to give us another try," says Amy. "Our food rocks now!"
Adding live music nights on weekends, with no cover charge, has helped attract new clientele. Amy, an avid musician herself who plays flute and guitar, is in charge of booking the acts.
In March, music nights at Uncommon Grounds will include the following: Conlin Roser Duo (jazz), on March 7, 9-11 p.m.; M.J. Bishop Band (Northwest country), March 8, 9-11 p.m.; James Curley Cooke (solo blues), March 14, 9-11 p.m.; Thornton Creek (southern rock), March 15, 8-11 p.m.; Andy Shaw Jazz Quartet, March 21, 8-11 p.m.; Grupo amoroso (jazzy pop-bossa), March 22, 9-11 p.m.; Dan Sales (blues, jazz), March 28, 9-11 p.m.; and Eva Tree (folk/pop), March 29, 9-11 p.m.
On Wednesday, March 26, the restaurant will also host a wine tasting, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The cost to attend the event is $20 per person.
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Uncommon Grounds is located at 6508 Roosevelt Way NE. For information, call 527-1128.