What's in that paper bag? At new 6th Ave tavern, an Irish drinking snack sensation
A new Irish-inspired bar and restaurant opened on Tacoma's Sixth Avenue just in time for St. Patrick's Day.
After a few soft-open days last week, Kingfisher and Rye Tavern officially debuted on Monday, welcoming a steady stream of revelers and neighbors seeking a pint of Guinness and a nip of Jameson, or just momentary refuge from the worries of today and every day. From the kitchen emerged several paper bags on plates with a ramekin of curried sauce on the side.
A paper bag, you ask?
As they were finalizing menu details in February, owners Michael Gruber, previously of Edison City, and Craig Moore, best known in the area for the late Copper Door in the Stadium District, teased a mystery dish 'that involves a bit of theater.' I frenetically Googled phrases like 'classic Irish pub food with theatrical presentation' and discovered the carvery, a British buffet of carved meats and accompaniments that has something of a spotty reputation. While I would not dismiss an improved version of this '70s-era tradition, the paper bag is much more fun.
The Irish spice bag is a modern invention, purportedly at a specific Chinese restaurant in Dublin, although some argue it was in a rural town southeast of the capital. (Irish Chinese food, the marriage of starchy staples like fries and fried chicken balls with fried rice and sauces, is taking a star turn thanks to YouTube and TikTok reviews explaining the trend to a bewildered global audience.) The paper bag entered the chat circa 2010, according to Just Eat, a major food-delivery platform in the United Kingdom.
At its most basic, the spice bag ($15.99) is drinking food. At Kingfisher and Rye, that translates to pub fries, bite-sized chicken nugs, grilled onions and bell peppers, all seasoned with salt and pepper, a shake of sugar and five-spice, usually a combination of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, fennel and Sichuan peppercorns or chilies. Choose between curry or sweet-and-sour sauce, or don't and get both.
The menu instructs you to 'shake the bag and dump it,' but it's not necessarily uncouth to leave the sauce on the side and dip. Take the bag on your bar crawl or shake and share with the table.
The plate of pickled vegetables ($8.99) — beets, asparagus, cauliflower, peppers, carrots, artichokes on a bed of arugula — is generous enough to share with a crowd. Other light bites include a Caesar, roasted lemony Brussels sprouts and a house hummus with pita. Shareable snacks range from spiced nuts and pretzel sticks with beer cheese to a plate of chips (as in fries) and wings with sauce options like Korean BBQ, honey chipotle, garlic butter and curry.
Sandwiches include a BLT, breaded chicken cutlet with lemon-caper sauce, 'The Bourdain' with mortadella, provolone and pistachios on a Kaiser roll, and a butternut squash grilled cheese with quince, a tart and somewhat bitter fruit that makes a lovely little jam. A quad of burgers offers a classic iteration as well as one with mushrooms and another with a green peppercorn aioli and goat cheese.
Find the spice bag as well as beer-battered haddock, chips and mushy peas under 'mains,' which also includes two stews (one that's vegan, made with mushrooms, lentils and a Belgian beer broth), chicken croquettes and five-cheese mac.
The woodwork of the former Crown Bar, which closed in December after owner Bob Jensen sold the business to Gruber and Moore, shines against the new forest-green wallpaper in the bar area and the golden hues of the dining room with table service. Outside of the requisite Guinness, the six-tap draft system is pouring local brews, the cocktail menu leans classic, and the bar is stacked with American whiskeys and friends from across the pond.
Events are already underway, including Tuesday trivia, with additional ideas en route all in an effort to make Kingfisher and Rye a neighborhood pub with daily hours for lunch, dinner and drinks well into the evening.
▪ 2705 6th Ave., Tacoma, instagram.com/kingfisherandrye
▪ Planned Hours: Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-1 a.m., Sunday TBD
▪ Details: new neighborhood pub with full bar plus sandwiches, burgers, fish and chips, Irish fare and apps
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