Duo's, the restaurant taking over the space 2940 Avalon Way (formerly occupied by Avalon restaurant), is getting closer to opening say the owners with remodeling nearly complete. The West Seattle Herald was the first to tell you about the business when they first moved in, in late August. They say a mid-November launch is now likely.

A new sign for the restaurant is now up outside.

The business model made sense for the company which has been specializing in catering because that business will sustain them and make the restaurant an expansion of what they are already doing.

This week they are finishing work on the floors, and furniture that has been delivered will get unwrapped and put in place. "Next Tuesday we're planning a friends and family only 'mini-tasting' to figure out what we want to serve," said Josh Cooper, "so within two weeks we will be completely done and ready."

They are planning a limited soft open, again only for close friends, and will follow that with the actual opening. This timing of course is dependent on getting their liquor license.

Cooper and Benjamin Jury talked about the decor. "It will be comfort oriented with couches, a really large family style table on the side, with a couple of 'four tops' as well.

They are working out their hours too. "We're thinking 4pm to 11pm for food," said Cooper, " then from 11 to 2am we'd remain open for people who just want to have beverages." But they have something innovative in mind for the late night crowd. "We're going to provide free snacks and meals after 11pm just so people have something to nosh on to keep them more sober." That means custom blends of nuts, (including one called 'pig candy' blended with bacon), plus tapas and even small panini sandwiches.

The beer and wine selection will focus primarily on local offerings but, "we'll bring in some special bottles from France and Italy too."

The house drinks will be paired with the menu, but "they won't be extravagant, or over costly, (...) The bar manager wants drinks that people will purchase and enjoy. There won't be any $200 bottles of wine."

Wil Yee another owner and chef was working with chef Jessica to create some crostinis on Thursday, but he said they are testing some unique recipes. Pork Belly Burgers might be served but in a chinese rice flour bun (so it's gluten free) called a Bao. So the name becomes Pork Belly "Baogers". Another test underway is the Kalua Pork Loco Moco. A Hawaiian style with what is called Kalua Pork, not the coffee beverage but an ethnic designation of smoked pork. Lumpia will show up to but, "ours will be meatier than what you might expect."

"We're going to introduce some things that we're pretty excited about including some pastas. We're trying to keep it no utensils, all hands on food," said Yee.