Restaurant notes: Capasso's consolidation in Collingswood
West Side Gravy and Blackbird Dining Establishment are about to become one.
Alex Capasso says he might be ready as soon as this weekend (Feb. 5-6) for the unveiling of the side-by-side West Side Gravy and Blackbird Dining Establishment, in the old Woolworth's at 714 Haddon Ave. in Collingswood.
Blackbird, which Capasso opened at 619 Collings Ave. in spring 2007, is taking part of West Side Gravy's space in the sunlit storefront. WSG, a comfort-fooder, opened last spring.
Capasso says the restaurants, which will have separate entrances, "conceptually" will be the same as before -- Blackbird is the more refined. He'll be executive chef, with longtime assistant William Connelly as chef de cuisine for both dining rooms.
The move eliminated the chef de cuisine's job at West Side Gravy, so Siobhan Allgood is gone. Allgood, who appeared on Season 7 of Hell's Kitchen, is cooking up a project with fellow HK-er Matt Sigel (Season 5) while she looks for a new gig.
Blackbird's space on Collings Avenue will become the new home of IndeBlue, the Indian restaurant across the street. IndeBlue intends to open there March 1.