Tutta Bella times two

Et two, Tutta Bella? True, says Joe Fugere, owner of Columbia City's Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria: A second Tutta Bella is scheduled to open in Wallingford in November. That's great news for fans of this stylish and friendly pizzeria (4918 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle; 206-721-3501) where beautifully blistered pies, baked in a searing 1,100-degree oven, come simply adorned with high-quality ingredients.

Open since January 2004, Tutta Bella is one of only a handful of U.S. pizzerias sanctioned by the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana (VPN) — the tomato-stained Naples-based equivalent of a blessing from the pope — and it's a pizzeria well worth cloning. Tutta Bella No. 2 will inhabit a '40s-era brick building at 4411 Stone Way Ave. N., a 6,000-square-foot space that will seat nearly 200.

"We're looking to do just what we've done [in Columbia City]: continue to provide authentic pizza to neighborhoods in Seattle," says Fugere. Will this be the start of something bigger? "I'm going to open as many neighborhood restaurants as I feel the city can support," he says. "I can visualize No. 2 and No. 3 for sure, and then we'll take a rest and see where we go from there." The new pizzeria's design scheme will include an open pizza kitchen with two wood-fueled ovens, a comfortable reception area (lacking at the original) and a separate espresso bar.

Even more Neapolitan

Given the success of Tutta Bella — where Fugere delivers big on Neapolitan flavors, excellent salads, family-friendly service and good value — it's no surprise that he's looking to expand. But he was surprised (and should be flattered) to see top executives from Restaurants Unlimited Inc. (RUI), along with their culinary consultants, taking meetings and sampling big time from his menu on recent visits.

No doubt they were writing off those meals as scouting missions. Word has it that the Seattle-based company has big plans for a casual new restaurant concept: a chain of Neapolitan-style pizzerias. And though the company has been closed-mouthed about their latest business endeavor, hoping to keep things under wraps till fall, word from Don Adams, vice president of creative marketing for RUI, confirms what I've heard.

This would be the first new concept in years for the multimillion-dollar company with 29 restaurants in 13 states — including Palomino and Kincaid's Fish, Chop & Steak House. In addition to the popular Palomino, RUI restaurants include local favorites Cutters Bayhouse, Palisade, Maggie Bluffs and Scott's Bar & Grill.

Adams wouldn't pinpoint specific locations but says the company's plans encompass the Greater Seattle area and that they expect to open three pizzerias within the next year, possibly as soon as March. "Due to the current real-estate market, securing sites would be the only thing that would restrict us from that," he says.

Each pizzeria will be approximately 3,000 square feet and seat about 100, Adams says. And like Tutta Bella, it will offer take-out but no delivery. "The menu will be focused on pizza, but it would also be complemented by what I would call a very craveable salad — something like our chop-chop salad at Palomino." Adams' creative direction helped launch the chain of 11 Palomino restaurants. "It's very exciting for me to be in a position to do this again," he says.

House of Fu Shen

So long to an era. So says Art Furbush, longtime owner of the House of Pizza (9019 Aurora Ave. N., Seattle). Open since 1958 and closed in April, that long-standing pizzeria will soon be home to Fu Shen, a Chinese seafood restaurant presently located in Lake Forest Park (14553 Bothell Way N.E., 206-363-5481).

In the early '60s, Furbush, then a teen at Lincoln High School, washed dishes at the House of Pizza and was later promoted to cook. In 1968, he purchased the restaurant from his employer. But his history with the place goes back even further. While in grade school, he delivered newspapers to the homes behind the restaurant — back when it was a roadside cafe where he would stop to buy a doughnut. He sold his pizza business several years ago and says, "I will miss the House of Pizza after 47 years of operation, but wish the new owners the best of luck."

Those new owners, chef Sang Trenh and his wife, Jenny Liu, plan to sell their 10-year-old Lake Forest Park restaurant and re-create their seafood-oriented menu when they relocate to Seattle (ETA: early fall). Their new location is undergoing a remodel. In the meantime, Liu says, the original Fu Shen will remain open every day but Tuesday for lunch and dinner.

Nancy Leson: 206-464-8838 or taste@seattletimes.com. Find more of Nancy's columns at seattletimes.com/nancyleson. Read restaurant reviews at seattletimes.com/restaurants