Yet another high-profile restaurant is being reinvented with the new economy in mind. Restaurateur Steven Singer plans to reopen his shuttered West County Grill in Sebastopol as Pizza Vino 707, a casual neighborhood haunt touting gourmet wood-fired pies – topped with ingredients from local vendors like Little Gem and Bellwether Farms – plus wallet-friendly vinos and specialty cocktails. Currently in soft opening, the restaurant officially launches on July 21, and though starting hours are limited to Wednesday–Saturday from 5–9 PM, expanded service is in the works, as are live music and an adjacent wine shop (6948 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol; 707-829-9500).
Singer's contributing partners on the 707 menu, Foreign Cinema chef-owners Gayle Pirie and John Clark, have their own reasons to celebrate. The duo opened their Market Street haute dog shop Showdogs this week, and are also throwing a 10-year anniversary party at Foreign Cinema on August 20 – more details to come.