December 2, 2013 · Exit133

Smoke + Cedar = New Tacoma Dining

If you've recovered from Thanksgiving feasting enough to start thinking about food again, you might be interested to learn that Gordon Naccarato of Pacific Grill has plans for a new restaurant project in Tacoma, set to open sometime early next year.

The News Tribune reports that Naccarato plans to open Smoke + Cedar in the new Elks Lodge space at Allenmore Golf Course, just off South 19th and Cedar.

The restaurant will serve polished modern fare – expect playful spins on classic American dishes. Naccarato’s food comes with a 1960s sensibility, but with 21st century presentations.

You'll be able to try out Smoke + Cedar for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner, or just enjoy the bar menu.

The TNT's preview of a breakfast menu that includes biscuits and gravy and brioche French toast has us salivating. And with a good-sized bar and an 80-seat patio space, this could be a new happy hour and weekend brunch favorite.

There's also word of an on-site smoker that will contribute to the flavor of the menu. We look forward to seeing what Naccarato and chef Matt Colony can do with that.

A smoker should fit right in with the modern, but rustic NW lodge feel planned for the new restaurant. The specific opening date will depend on construction progress.

They had us at biscuits and gravy. Who else is hungry?

7 comments

ThriceJamie December 2, 2013

Food's cheaper at Walmart across the street.
- 253loveforever January 9, 2014
  
  Jamie, Although I am 100% behind the legalization of marijuana in the great state of Washington, I do feel it necessary to tell you that you my friend are high if you'd rather eat the mass produced slop from Walmart than any actual restaurant with trained chefs preparing each dish. I'm all for getting stoned out of your mind and stumbling down the street to TacoHell and eating until you run out of change, but I have never been so stoned as to eat at Walmart. With that I bid you good day
Glenn December 2, 2013

If Naccarato was really such a fan of Tacoma, he would have told the Elks to go fuck themselves after they sold out the city to WalMart. I won't be spending any of my money on anything that goes to the Elks or Walmart.
- NameGordon Naccarato December 5, 2013
  
  Glenn, I agree with you concerning WalMart, however you have your facts wrong. The Elks sold their interest in the old Elks property to a Seattle developer who was negotiating with MultiCare for a Medical-Office Complex (the current WalMart site) which as you know that neighborhood is full of. After doing an extensive feasibility study-- MultiCare pulled out (after spending like $150,000 dollars), but by then the Elks had already been bought out, and long-gone out of the deal when the Developer then turned around and sold to WalMart. It is an unfair characterization to condemn the Elks. As a Tacoma native and longtime resident, I too was very unhappy with WalMart moving into our community--and like you--refuse to shop there. I employ over 125 local people in my restaurants and by the time SMOKE + CEDAR opens early in 2014 that number will be over 200. Although I understand your animosity, I would welcome your change of heart towards my project and the Elks who are being unfairly maligned. Thank you for your consideration.
  - Glenn December 7, 2013
    
    Thank's for commenting Gordon. I haven't seen that side of the story told anywhere before this so I will look in to it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
  - Jesse December 8, 2013
    
    So you're saying that a Seattle developer bought the Elks property thinking Multicare was going to build on that site BEFORE the Multicare feasibility study was completed. That fell through so they sold to Wal-Mart. Do I have that right? What developer spends millions of dollars buying a property to develop BEFORE feasibility studies are done. That doesn't happen. The Elks knew what they were doing when the site went to Wal-Mart..
Robin Echtle December 2, 2013

Agree with Glenn (above), but will the Elks get any $$ out of this???