Sweetwolf's: Tim & Eric's Awesome Show?

Is it possible to be everything to everyone?

If Tim Judge & Eric Wolf, the co-owners of Sweetwolf's have their way, they'll be able to pull it off. You may remember Sweetwolf's --  the new restaurant opening tomorrow at the corner of 6th Ave & 12th Street -- as the restaurant that, back in June, held a contest on their Facebook page. They asked for a lil' class participation from y'all, requesting that you suggest dishes that YOU'D like on their yet-to-be-developed menu.

Now that fall is here, the menu and the restaurant have taken shape, and Tim & Eric are finally ready to open the doors. I recently stopped by to chat with them about Sweetwolf's and what it'll be bringing to the neighborhood. As a bonus, I also got to meet Matt Marks, who's bringing Forty Weight Coffee to Sweetwolf's and running a coffee shop out of the joint during the morning hours.

Sweetwolf's is Tim & Eric's first venture into restaurant ownership. They'd been looking at the space for years, telling themselves that if it ever went on the market, they were going to snatch it up. One day they were passing by and saw the "FOR RENT" sign out front. Two days later, they'd signed the lease.

The interior has a rustic feel to it, with exposed brick walls and lots of dark wood. It features a partially exposed kitchen with a brick oven in it near the back, a bar with seating for 8-10 on one side of the space, communal seating for about twenty on the other side & a few two-top tables in the window. Outside, there's seating for another twenty at communal & two-top tables. With all the communal seating, they hope to get people who don't know each other talking to one another. Love thy neighbor, damnit!

First and foremost, Tim & Eric are striving to make Sweetwolf's a restaurant with a communal, neighborhood feel. Both of them live and hang out in the area. Tim's spent the last few years running things at Toby's Public House and the now-defunct Kitchen Bar. Eric's an artist & huge foodie who has eaten all over Park Slope. All of the staff they've hired are from the hood. They apparently have the necessary Park Slope pedigree.

They stressed that they'll cater to regulars. If you're there on the regs and have a menu suggestion, they'll listen. Like, if you just can't live without peanut butter on your burger, you'll get peanut butter on your burger. You might also get a ridiculous nickname reflecting your dietary habits, but that's a topic for another day.

As for the menu, the Facebook contest influenced 100% of it in one way or another. Overall, it'll be a Classic/New American menu that focuses on a few staples--a steak dish, a burger dish, a chicken dish, a freshwater fish dish & one featuring saltwater fish. The choice under each category will constantly rotate, as will the specials. With this always-evolving menu, they'll be able to keep things fresh & new, while featuring a ton of the Facebook suggestions.

Since Park Slope’s full of hippies, they got a bunch of suggestions for veggie dishes from the Facebook contest. That'll be reflected in the menu. If you have an allergy, their dishes will be simply made, allowing them to easily work around it. How's Lobster "Mac & Cheese" made with quinoa sound to your gluten-free ass? Tim's a new father, so if you're a breeder too, they'll have a kid's menu for your breedling. Basically, they want their menu to be acceptable to as many people as possible.

They'll have eight drafts and 10-12 bottles of beer -- quality brews like Smuttynose & Lagunitas that pair well with the food. Their wine selection should be good as well, considering Tim's background as a wine broker, beverage director and brand ambassador.

During the lunch hours, they'll be offering items like paninis & Belgian fries cooked in duck fat. Their goal is to make food that's quick & easy, stuff that you should be able to run over and grab during your lunch break. During the morning hours, Forty Weight Coffee -- founded by two guys from upstate who now live in Park Slope -- takes over, offering single-origin, small-batch-roasted coffee, their signature espresso blend and pastries. They'll have wifi too, so you'll be able to sit there in the morning sipping espresso & soaking up precious table space to your heart's content. Don't worry though. After all, if that's what makes you happy, Tim & Eric are probably cool with it too.

Sweetwolf's will be open Tuesday to Sunday from 7am-Noon for breakfast, Noon-4pm for lunch and 4pm-10:30pm for dinner (till 11pm on the weekends). They're reserving Mondays for special events & fundraisers & shizz. Soft opening tomorrow. Full opening October 18th. (Update: According to Tim, they're now targeting the 18th as the soft opening. Full opening to likely happen the following week.)

Read way more from Shawn at eatdrinksnack.com.