Wait a minute... didn't that place used to be Swimclub?

By Jason Sheehan Fri., Dec. 5 2008 at 4:26 PM

Yeah, it did. Swimclub 32, where sake and hot-rock wagyu kobe ruled. Small plates and Asian-influenced nouvelle cuisine was what Swimclub 32 started out with (as documented in the picture at right), before it shifted into a strange, Italian fusion concept with a garden on the roof and sous-vide prep in the minuscule galley. Next stop: pizza, drawing on the East Coast passion for simple, thin-crust pies possessed by owners Chris Golub and Grant Gingerich, who also planned to include the greatest hits they'd put together for happy hour at Swimclub.

When it became the promised pizza place this summer, the space at 3628 West 32nd Avenue was still known as Swimclub 32. But last week, the owners decided to change up the concept again -- and this time, they changed the name, too.

Thus, El Camino. Same space (with the same website at the moment), but completely different place, now offering beers, big-screen TVs, margaritas and Southwestern/Santa Fe-style cuisine.

And while one of the initial complaints about Swimclub was that it had been somewhat difficult to find, since there was never a big sign out front, no one is ever going to miss El Camino -- what with the partners now having painted the building bright pink and all. -- Jason Sheehan