Capons: Good Eats For Overbooked '90S

X 1/2 Capons, Wallingford Center, 1815 N. 45th St. Breakfast, lunch, dinner ($3 to $6); 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Wine license pending. Major credit cards. Nonsmoking area. Information, takeout: 547-3949. --------------------------------------------------------------- Capons is an idea whose time has come - and will keep on coming until economic times get better.

A few years ago, with increasing numbers of young couples working two jobs (or three, or four), I predicted a major increase in the numbers of informal, quick-service and inexpensive restaurants. I also suggested that the demarcation between restaurants and quality supermarkets would blur as the entire food service industry became multifaceted.

Capons is a classic example of those factors coming true. It is a cafeteria-type chicken house, featuring rotisseried chickens (not capons, incidentally), freshly made vegetables, salads and baked goods - all of it executed with a certain flair and an almost bubbling sense of enthusiasm.

It has been open scarcely a month and it has been - to use the restaurant vernacular - slammed.

"The response has been tremendous," said manager Roger Hammerstrom. "We've been absolutely blown away. Our food's been getting raves and our customers love our atmosphere."

Some of Capons' customers don't give a damn about Capons' atmosphere - because they have no intention whatsoever of eating there. They eat Capons' dinners, but they eat them at home.

"Right now," said Hammerstrom, "about 25 percent of our business is takeout. But we expect that to rise to at least 60 percent in a few months."

Capons is the brainchild of owner Barry Horn and veteran restaurateur Bill Waiste, formerly with Restaurants Unlimited. A second Capons is under construction at 605 15th Ave. E., site of the closed Marrakesh.

The marinated (orange-honey-rosemary) rotisseried chicken is excellent. It is plucked off the grilling prongs to order, chopped into halves ($3.95) or quarters ($2.25 for the hind quarter; $2.85 for the wing and breast). You can order a complete dinner plate ($4 to $5.35), with two vegetables or salads and corn bread, or proceed down the deli line and order whatever side specials you'd like, and pay for it by the pound.

Some options: homemade mashed potatoes, carrots in dill butter, cinnamon squash, baked herbed rice, zucchini-potato casserole, garlic new potatoes, Arizona corn (quite good) and scalloped potatoes (ditto). Salads include a fine Cascade apple slaw, an old fashioned potato salad (heavy with large chunks of new red potatoes and black olives, a mixed Salade Nicoise, bacon and peas, etc.

Capons makes its own chicken pot pie (a quarter slice for $3.95) round the clock, freshly made chicken soup and has Starbucks coffee and espresso available from 7 a.m., along with complimentary newspapers.

"Our customers are mostly from the neighborhood," said Hammerstrom. "Most of them are couples, most of them both work and time is tight. They don't want to go back out; they don't want to drive a long way. They don't want to look or pay for parking. They barely have time to pick up their kids, get them to soccer or baseball, throw on their grubbies and eat.

"And, frankly, they don't want to cook. They come in, grab a whole chicken ($7.25) and go home."

How successful has it been? Owner Horn, a former IBM executive, was delighted:

"We've only been open five weeks," he said. "We've had over 8,000 customers. We can't keep the chicken pot pie in the place. We are finding that people are taking our chicken home to serve it on their own china."

There are reasons for that. Capon's single major drawback for the drop-in diner is the fast-food feel of the paper plates and plastic cutlery.

Frankly, the food is too good for that, and although Horn is considering buying more sturdy plastic forks, he would be better advised to switch to heavy duty stainless flatware and durable crockery. It means installing a dishwasher - but I'd do it in a minute, for environmental concerns as well as the aesthetics.

One of the best buys in the place has to be the bulk purchase of chicken soup ($1.55 a cup; $2.95 a bowl; or $4.95 for a quart). It is loaded with chunks of tender chicken, assorted vegetables and a bit of tomato. A quart of freshly made soup and a couple of slices of corn bread translates into a quick and inexpensive supper for two or more.

I thought the mashed potatoes could have been cleared of the few lumps (although the recipe provides for them) and the flavor is fine. The white "pan gravy" is a touch salty.

Wine is being added to the menu after customers requested it. The new Capons on Capitol Hill will open with a beer-wine license. Target date: Nov. 1.

Famous Pacific Desserts provides a range of splendid cookies and cakes.

How many Capons will we see?

"I'm not sure," Horn said. "We are committed to the idea of providing neighborhood service. Both here in Wallingford and on Capitol Hill we will have that. We will have to see where else it makes sense for us."