![]() ![]() ![]() “It’s not residential at all, so we can do live music or movies on the brick wall,” she says, referring to the massive, blank panel that encloses the back end of the patio. The diner’s lone neighbor on the block is a Goodyear tire shop, and Guyton plans to take advantage of that. Guyton says this area is for friends who need a spot to hang out over a plate of cheese fries, which will come studded with lardons and sprinkled with green onions, as they pregame for a concert at Golden 1 Center or Ace of Spades - or maybe an event at Jim Denny’s itself. Behind that will be clusters of tall tables, an outdoor bar, and a DJ booth. Her vision for the Jim Denny’s patio is multipurpose: A flora-lined trellis will have heaters and misters nestled into it to accommodate the seasons, with plenty of big tables to be shared among larger groups of people. Guyton wants to preserve much of the original diner’s interior outfitting but has transformed the counter into what she calls “this really sexy kind of sit-down adult experience,” complete with a beer and wine menu and, later, an assortment of cocktails crafted by bar manager Ciera Rusciolelli. “You have all that beautiful neon signage,” she says. This new iteration of Jim Denny’s will also be a noticeable departure from the historic diner itself Guyton shelved the breakfast menu in favor of a dinner service that set a moodier, more sophisticated vibe. But running Jim Denny’s lets her flex her skills as a restaurateur, she says, and to prove to herself, her supporters, and even her haters that she has even more to offer Sacramento diners than just succulent fried chicken. Letting go of South, which served award-winning fried chicken based on Guyton’s family’s recipe, was emotionally and financially devastating, plunging her into an intense depression. Until the lawsuit is settled, she essentially cannot serve her own soul food. Kavookjian also sued Guyton in the midst of their separation and South’s shuttering, demanding rights to her family’s recipes - ones that formed the foundation of South’s success. Last June, she announced the closure of South, the popular soul food kitchen she ran with her former business partner and ex-husband, Ian Kavookjian. The concept of revival has also been on Guyton’s mind. “I want this diner to be light and easy and super approachable, and also culturally inclusive, having things on the menu for everybody, and you walk away full and happy.” “Having this opportunity at Jim Denny’s, I just want to have fun,” she says. Guyton, 46, wasn’t alive during the height of the West End era, and the original Jim Denny’s didn’t offer hot dogs like the Hey Papi when it opened in 1985 - which is exactly why she wants to serve them now. Guyton hopes to turn Jim Denny’s into an approachable and inclusive dining option for downtown Sacramento. The West End community was forced out in the late 1950s and ’60s when the city’s redevelopment agency authorized a demolition of the area, and along with it, much of the multiculturalism for which Sacramento was well known. It’s as much a demonstration of Guyton’s commitment to giving her menu personality as it is an homage to another important piece of downtown Sacramento history close to her heart: the West End neighborhood from the late 1940s, where Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, and Portuguese immigrants, along with Black Americans, lived among and influenced one another culturally. One of those dogs, the Hey Papi, is made with chorizo and dressed in mango salsa, crushed Takis Fuego, and togarashi-spiked mayo, laid across a brioche roll. Every now and then she’ll indulge at a baseball game, ordering multiple franks throughout the day with a beer, or sunflower seeds, or Dippin’ Dots - but mostly, she’s excited to dream up and serve the playful hot dogs she craves when she reopens the historic Jim Denny’s diner next month as its new owner. There aren’t a lot of places you can get a quality hot dog for dinner in Sacramento, she says. Restaurant owner N’Gina Guyton has hot dogs on the brain lately. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |