White Center Now: The blog about White Center

12:42 PM: It’s official … the next White Center restaurant opening is this Wednesday (July 19th), just in time for Jubilee Days. Li’l Woody’s announced the opening date today for its 9807 16th Ave SW location, same building as Beer Star (and the future CTO). The local mini-chain also has locations in Capitol Hill, Ballard, and South Lake Union.

ADDED 1:12 PM: More info from the official Li’l Woody’s news release:

… Li’l Woody’s White Center will be open Sunday-Thursday, 11 am-9 pm, and Friday and Saturday, 11 am-11 pm. The telephone number is 206-403-1294.

Li’l Woody’s will be one of two restaurants sharing the building with Beer Star, the expansive, 40-tap beer hall. Li’l Woody’s 1,400 sq. ft space will be cooking-up their beloved grass-fed burgers, shakes using local ice cream from Full Tilt, and hand-cut fries using potatoes grown in Pasco, Washington from Harvest Fresh Produce. …

The White Center space was once home to the Epicure restaurant, a major gathering spot in the 1950s – known to be where “the elite meet to eat.” The “EP,” as it was called, was owned and operated by Joe Boothby, who cooked roast beef on a spit near the front window. The meat became a favorite offering of the restaurant, along with the annual pancake breakfast fundraisers held downstairs. Li’l Woody’s pays homage to the building’s history with the Epicure sandwich: Slow-braised top round, provolone, caramelized onions, and peppercorn horseradish aioli. An extra kick can be added with the addition of Mama Lil’s peppers for $1.

The Epicure joins the club of a special burger found at each Li’l Woody’s location- Capitol Hill has the Chicken Burger, Ballard has the Salmon Burger and South Lake Union has the Turkey Burger.

“We can’t wait to be a part of the White Center community,” says Li’l Woody’s owner Marcus Lalario. “I’m glad that we can celebrate the history of the building and have a part in this new neighborhood development.“