The middle eastern flavors of the Mawadda Cafe will finally be available on November 1 as it officially opens in the Admiral Junction at 2352 California Ave. s.w. Owner Rami Al-Jebori gave the West Seattle Herald a look inside the new restaurant that is in the space once occupied by Museum Quality Framing. We covered the background on the restaurant in early September. The Mawadda did a soft open last weekend and were busier than expected but some of the early issues faced are expected to be worked out now.

The new restaurant joins his existing cafe in the Rainier Valley though some of the menu items will be different.

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The restaurant will seat more than 25 people and is decorated with Iraqi art, drop lighting and the walls and furniture are done in light green, "the color of life," said Al-Jebori. The art was acquired by his brother, who purchased it specifically for the decor, to reflect daily life of people in Iraq.

The menu items include items like Falafel Salad, Gyros & Spanakopita, Chicken Shish Kabob, Lamb Shwarma and a number of vegan and vegetarian options. Also on the menu are several Italian pasta dishes. Prices range from $8.99 to $12.99.

It will be open seven days a week from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm

In other Admiral District restaurant news

Cafe Fiore, a new organic coffee house is opening Tuesday, November 8 at 2206 California Ave. s.w. (north of Blockbuster Video) and joins three other locations (Old Ballard, Sunset Hill and Queen Anne).

General Manager Katrine Callahan said, "We're an organic coffee shop, the first one in Seattle and we've been open for nine years now. We are inviting friends, family and all our new neighbors and community members to come on over on the evening of Nov 7th from 6pm-9pm for a 'house warming' or rather Fiore warming party! The space is two levels with the first offering a stand up bar and bar to have a seat. The mezzanine has seating upstairs and has kids corner with toys. 25 to 30 people can crowd in at a time.

"Caffe Vita roasts our beans, they make a special blend for us, and we use as many organic items as we can," Callahan said. They will offer light pastries and toast but the primary focus is on coffee.

Deming Maclise, the owner did all the interior design for Cafe Fiore. It will be open from 6 am to 6 pm during the week and will open at 7 am on the weekends. Throughout the workweek seven people will be employed there.

The Cask right new door to the Mawadda at 2350 California Ave. went through a period where it was rumored that they were selling but in fact they are sticking around. They will soon be open on Sunday evenings with a focus on live Celtic music.

They are hoping to have a great working relationship with their new neighbors (the Mawadda) since the cafe does not serve alcohol and The Cask has a very limited food menu. They focus primarily on the beer, wine and atmosphere.

Wine tastings with local wine makers happen every Wednesday night 6-9pm.

Pizzeria 22 (Ventidue) is making some menu changes. A little off the beaten path at 4213 College Street the cozy space has been jammed with business since it opened this summer and now with the cooler weather they are changing gears a little. They have added Hamma Hamma clams which are cooked in their 900 degree oven with white wine, San Marzano tomatoes, White Center chorizo sausage and cilantro. These are extremely fresh, brought in daily. They have also just added dark chocolate peanut butter s'mores for dessert. Bar Manager Jesse Barnes said, "I've been working on some new fall cocktails but haven't come up with the names for them. If anyone wants to help us name them we'd love the participation." The restaurant still features hand made wood fired pizza and salads of course and on cooler evenings, it's a good place to get some comfort food and have a glass of Italian wine.

The Brickyard BBQ at 2308 California Ave. has grown a reputation as a place for ribs and chicken (and beer of course) and with its outdoor backyard area people flock there in the summer months. But owners Dan and Don Kriley and and Manager Tim O'Neill have taken steps to make BBQ more than just a warm weather experience. They've enclosed an 800 square foot space that used to be open, put in booths and added two large flat screen TV's with the NFL package. "Sunday is our busiest day right now," said Kriley, "and we've added a Sunday Brunch starting at 9 am." Prices run from $6 for a 2 egg breakfast to $10.50 to build your own omelette. Coming up November 19, the Brickyard is holding their 2nd Annual Chili Cook Off! starting at 6 pm. and they offer a FREE meal for kids under 10 on Thursdays as part of Family Night. They are open Monday –Fri: 4pm-close Saturday: Noon - Close and Sunday: 9- Close.