U.S. Open (Golf) Fan Guide 2015

48
>>FOOD
Friday, June 12, 2015 • Thenewstribune.com/Entertainment
Dumpling joint set
for Commerce Street
BY SUE KIDD
Staff writer
Pelmeni and vareniki,
those delicious dumpling
cousins of Eastern European
pierogi. And Russian red
cabbage. And borscht.
Andrey Tokar is about to
bring his modern take on a
Russian dumpling shop to
downtown Tacoma. Expect a
summer opening for Vostok
Dumpling House at 1126
Commerce St. The
restaurant will be next door
to Dunagan Brewing Co.,
also under construction.
This will be the second
Vostok restaurant. Tokar
opened his first restaurant
three years ago in Seattle’s
bustling Capitol Hill
neighborhood. Although
Tokar has operated Vostok in
Seattle, he’s a Lake Tapps
resident. He’ll run both
restaurants with his sister,
Anna Motso, a graduate of
South Seattle Community
College’s culinary arts
program.
Those familiar with the
Capitol Hill restaurant
should expect the same style
of food and atmosphere,
Tokar said. Vostok is a casual
dine-in restaurant that also
offers take-out. In Tacoma,
Tokar has plans for delivery
service throughout
downtown Tacoma.
Dumplings come in half
or full orders, priced from
$5-$10, with a short list of
Russian, Ukrainian and
Northwest brews, and cider.
He’ll also serve bread from
Fife’s Kusher Bakery, a
popular item at his Seattle
restaurant.
Tokar, who was born in
western Ukraine and grew
up in South Seattle, said his
dumpling house is a
modern-Northwest take on
the dumpling cafes he
remembers from his
childhood in Ukraine. “Back
home, we have these
dumpling houses. They’re
VOSTOK DUMPLING
HOUSE
Tacoma: Opening this
summer at 1126 Commerce
St.
Seattle: 1416 Harvard
Ave.; 206-687-7865 or
vostokdh.com
considered quick eats.” He
described cafes with
high-top standing tables for
waiting while the dumplings
boiled.
While those places were
more grab-and-go, Tokar
said his restaurant will have
about 30 seats for dining in.
“We’re not really aiming for
a high-end dining
experience. It’s more of a
casual place with quick eats,”
he said, describing a menu
of pure Eastern European
comfort eating.
Vostok’s menu includes a
short list of pelmeni and
vareniki dumplings with
mix-and-match sauces
ranging from a vinegar
sauce, sour cream, thyme or
garlic cream. Side dishes
include the Russian cabbage
salad, borscht soup and
markovka, the shredded
carrot salad.
There’s quite a bit of
movement happening with
Seattle restaurants opening
in Tacoma. Take a look:
Chow Foods: Opening in
Proctor in 2016 is a
restaurant from Peter Levy,
the owner of Chow Foods,
which operates popular
Seattle eateries Hi-Life, 5
Spot, Endolyne Joe’s and
TNT Taqueria in Seattle. The
restaurant will open at
North 26th and North Alder
streets in Tacoma.
Rhein Haus Tacoma: The
Seattle outfit that owns the
Bavarian beer hall and bocce
emporium Rhein Haus is
duplicating that restaurant
in Tacoma. Expect a 2016
opening for Rhein Haus.
Ale House
in UP back
open at last
BY SUE KIDD
Staff writer
Nearly two years after a
fire damaged its kitchen, the
Ale House Pub and Eatery in
University Place reopened
Monday. The staff started
serving at 11 a.m.
So much has changed
since that fire shuttered the
longtime
eatery. The
pub is
reopening
with new
owners, a
new menu
and some
cosmetic
upgrades to
the dining
room. (Fire
damage was
ALE HOUSE
Where: 2122
Mildred St. W.,
University
Place
Information:
253-565-9367
or
facebook.com
/TheAleHouse
PubandEatery
contained to the kitchen.)
What’s the same? There
are still 64 beers on tap.
There’s still shuffleboard.
And there’s still
family-friendly seating and
dining.
“We didn’t change the
taps; we’ll have a strong
emphasis on Northwest
breweries,” said Jon Ecklund,
who co-owns the restaurant
with business partner Peter
Delyanis. They’re both
experienced in the business
world, but this is a first pub
and eatery for both. They
purchased the building and
business from the Dickens
family, who had owned the
Ale House since 2000.
The menu will still list
burgers and sandwiches.
They’ve added a few other
items, too.
Two years is a long time to
wait for a restaurant
reopening. Why did it take
so long? There were
construction delays and
permit complications. There
were updates needed to the
building. There was the
purchase of the building and
the restaurant.
1746368-01-1
MiniGolfbyrrtssss!
rreetoPlay!
June 18–21, 2015
17th & Pacific, Check-in at TAM
www.TacomaArtMuseum.org/Golf
Special at TAM
Opening Party! DJ, Food Trucks, Art-Making, and More
Free Third Thursday, June 18, 5–8 pm
Summer Solstice Sculpture Free Community Festival
Sunday, June 21, 10–4 pm
With support from Metro Parks.