Going inside Cal’s Classic American restaurant is just like stepping into a friend’s dining room.
The restaurant opened Tuesday night at Kent Station offering comfort food items such as pizza, shepherd’s pie and sandwiches. Owners said they wanted diners to have a destination for casual hang-outs.
“There will be nothing fancy or high-brow at Cal’s, just American food done extraordinarily well,” said Chef Shannon Galusha. “I like to give people food that is at once familiar, and at the same time, may astonish or surprise them with an ingredient or flavor.”
Galusha, Jeff Chandler and Matthew Schweitzer are partners of Classic Concepts LLC, a restaurant development group focusing on casual dining experiences.
“Cal’s is a warm, welcoming and inviting space, both approachable and refined,” Schweitzer said. “It’s a family friendly spot that is committed to bringing classic American food done extraordinarily well to the neighborhood.”
Classic Concepts restaurants are each tailored to its specific district, but, all are contemporary environments focused on serving American dishes.
“We want our decorations and our dishes to reflect the community of Kent,” Galusha said, gesturing to a photo on the wall of downtown Kent.
The restaurant walls are made of locally salvaged barn wood, brick and glass. The open air, exhibition-style kitchen features a wood fired pizza oven as a centerpiece for guests to view.
Cal’s Classic American will seat 110 guests in the dining area and up to 65 at the bar.
In a nod to family dining, kids have the option of ordering a “TV Dinner” plate, which includes mini corn dogs, macaroni and cheese and pizza, accompanied by fresh vegetables and dessert. Desserts include doughnut scraps with vanilla cream, sugar cones with house made ice cream and carrot cake.
“People always ask me what the food is going to taste like and I tell them, ‘it’s going to taste local,'” Galusha said. “It’s important to us to support local farmers and craftsmen. I love the idea of having the milkman come deliver at your door.”
All food is purchased from around 70 Washington state farmers, many from the Skagit and Kent Valley. Items on Cal’s all-day dining menu don’t exceed $20, but diners can choose to enjoy the daily specials that may peak above the $20 mark.
“Keeping our food local also ensures we are being fair and true to our customers,” Galusha said. “We are serving organic, seasonal food, which also helps us keep the prices down.”
Also at Cal’s is an indoor and outdoor bar filled with imported, domestic and locally brewed beer. There are a small selection of wines by the glass and bottle.
The outdoor patio is covered and heated, accommodating up to 40 people for nine to ten months of the year. Indoor diners can choose to sit at one of the three self-serve tap booths, where customers can order and pour their own beer.
“We’re genuinely excited to open this restaurant at Kent Station,” Chandler said. “We’re looking forward to complementing the neighborhood and existing restaurants and to be an added feature to Kent and Kent Station in particular.”
Cal’s is open from 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. It is located at 504 Ramsay Way.
For more information, call 253-327-1966 or visit www.calsclassic.com.
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