3 Tacoma restaurant pros on what’s changed and what’s next for the city’s dining scene

The passion of — and for — Tacoma’s hospitality industry was on full display Tuesday night at Odin Brewing, where TNT Diner hosted a live panel discussion with three local chefs and bartenders.

I was delighted to moderate the conversation, where we pored over everything from sustainable staffing to putting people over profit, from the growing pains of a changing city to ushering in the next generation of restaurant professionals.

“The world is slowly healing itself,” said Reginald Jacob Howell, executive chef of en Rama, the exceptional cocktail and pasta den at Courthouse Square. “We’re able to ask each other, ‘How are you doing?’”

No — how are you really doing?

“There’s this sense that we have to be available all the time,” said Deanna Harris-Bender, chef and owner of Over the Moon Cafe, which has been serving downright lovely bistro fare in the clandestine confines of Opera Alley for more than 22 years. “It’s the fine art of saying no. We have limitations — quality of life is much bigger than a dollar.”

We explored the path that each of our panelists took to building what they have, right here in Tacoma. We tried to answer: What is the future of Tacoma’s restaurant scene? What can we, as diners, do to help it thrive?

We laughed and at one point cried recalling the tribulations of 2020 to present day. One of the most important lessons learned, said Sam Halhuli, whose bar The Mule Tavern briefly became a “general store” supplying housemade ginger beer and tonics in the darkest of pandemic days: “We have that grace to actually be able to close for the day,” in the name of staff health and well-being.

I received thoughtful questions from registered attendees, including a provoking one about public transportation — specifically, whether the limitations of Tacoma’s existing systems have hindered the industry’s growth. For downtown, said Howell, the extended Link and the influx of development bodes well for business, but for a neighborhood like South Tacoma, Halhuli noted that ride-sharing is sometimes the only option. He also highlighted the potential impact of a Tacoma-Seattle train connection.

We talked through the newfound relevance of comfortable outdoor dining, the likelihood of late-night dining’s return, the ongoing struggle to find enough talented people wanting to work (and learn and grow) in kitchens, and the reality that food and drink simply tastes better when enjoyed at a table with friends.

To be able to provide or appreciate that experience is both a privilege and a complicated journey, one that I hope we all can find the time, space and means to savor in the city we call home.

There are some awesome bars and restaurants in Tacoma, with more opening every day. As Howell, who was born and raised here, said Tuesday night, “Venture out. See what they’re about. Be with us as we’re taking our time to do it right.”

It was an honor hosting this discussion, the first of what I hope are many. If you missed it, hit play on the video below to tune in to the full conversation.

Thank you to everyone who attended Culinary Comeback: The evolution of Tacoma’s dining scene. To keep up with local restaurant and food news, sign up for the TNT Diner newsletter, which lands in your inbox every Thursday. Have suggestions for a future conversation? Drop me a line anytime at ksherred@thenewstribune.com and on Instagram @tnt_diner.