Woven Seafood & Chophouse is that magical kind of restaurant that is just about perfect for nearly every occasion. Whether you want to catch up with a group of old friends, snuggle with your love interest, watch the big game, or celebrate your grandparents’ 55th wedding anniversary, there is a charming table where you will feel comfortable, well-taken-care-of and, very soon, sated.
That view!
With its floor-to-ceiling windows and 180-degree view of Commencement Bay, every seat at Woven is a good seat. On a recent Saturday night, the restaurant was already bustling at 5 p.m. with groups of laughing friends, smiling couples, families and even a few high schoolers dressed for prom. The grayscale fabrics and natural wood and fibers are calming, and the warm red and black accents and carefully calibrated lighting invite relaxation. The happy chatter of guests fills the expansive Hawaiian and Indigenous art-filled space which flows easily from one dining area to the next, each with a slightly different vibe.
The Tacoma, Washington, based restaurant is a partnership between James Beard Award–winning Chef Roy Yamaguchi, known for being a founder of the Hawaiian regional cuisine movement and his wildly popular Roy’s restaurants in Hawaii, and the Puyallup Tribe of Indians on whose ancestral land the restaurant sits. In fact, if you would like to fly into dinner, the Puyallup Tribe has partnered with Kenmore Air and opened a seaplane terminal right next to the restaurant on Ruston Way.
An inspired menu
The menu offers a selection of local seafood and meats in both small and larger portions. Many dishes could be shared (but don’t come near my poke bowl or I will poke you with my chopstick).
Snack on the complementary edamame while you peruse the menu and decide where to start.
The seafood pillows, filled with pork, crab and shrimp, are a favorite of diners, our server told us. These lovely porky, briny mouthfuls were draped with a chili-soy vinaigrette and topped with strands of bright green seaweed and nibs of fried garlic.
For sushi lovers, there is a selection of classic-with-a-twist sushi rolls (yuzu tartar sauce drizzle, anyone?) or the aforementioned poke bowl at Commencement Bay, filled with soft cubes of tuna, hamachi and beautifully crisp slices of carrot and cucumber, then topped with truffle pomme frites and a dusting of black sesame seeds.
The salads are generously portioned. The heaped baby kale caesar showered with parmesan is on its way to being a house staple and the autumn mixed greens hits just the right note with the sweet crunch of candied pepitas and a pomegranate-molasses tang.
The misoyaki glazed black cod is the most popular fish entree we were told, but my companion opted for the six-ounce beef tenderloin with oozy blue cheese croquettes served with a skewer of blistered grapes, Walla Walla onion jam, and a squiggle of lemongrass balsamic. And if that wasn’t enough, we thought we’d better get an order of buttery, herby, twice-cooked Skagit Valley potatoes to share.
The wine list is nearly all-Washington wines with a strong selection of glass pours and bottles. Woven has partnered with Yakima’s Treveri Cellars to create the crisp, bespoke Woven Brut and Woven Brut Rosé. Wines from outside the region are carefully chosen to add interest and uniqueness to the menu; I chose a glass of Mexican Sauvignon Blanc which beautifully complemented the poke bowl.
Beer and cider on tap are all regional, including two Tacoma breweries. For those who fell in love with Roy’s mai tais on Hawaiian vacations, you can now get one right here on Ruston Way (the Roy’s Signature Hawaiian Martini, too!) as well as many other imaginative cocktails.
Were we too full for dessert? Yes. Did we order dessert? You betcha we did. The cornbread tres leches cake was a super generous square of sweetened cornbread soaked with horchata and dolloped with coffee whipped cream and a few fresh berries. The Wojapi-style berry panna cotta is full of texture and flavor — soft vanilla custard, tangy berry coulis, juicy fresh berries, and crisped rice pearls. Would I also eat that for brunch? Yes, I would. We finished with the chocolate molten lava cake with raspberry coulis, vanilla ice cream, and chocolate cookie dust. This perennial favorite was perfectly made.
Native Hawaiian and Indigenous art
The artworks hung and placed throughout Woven were chosen with intention to honor, celebrate, and share the talents of Native Hawaiian and Indigenous artists.
A stunning selection of mixed-media artworks greet guests as they enter the restaurant’s lobby. In this space you will find a school of glass salmon by Lummi artist Daniel Joseph Friday, a trio of canoe paddles by Tulalip artist Ty Juvinel, and a diptych by Vancouver Island artist Rande Cook (Kwakwaka’wakw). “Ulana,” a carved wood sculpture by Native Hawaiian artist Mark Chai, rests on the upstairs landing. As you move through the restaurant you will also find original works by Kaili Chun and Barry Herem.
Every moment of the Woven experience was chosen to delight, inspire and relax their guests. The servers are attentive and friendly, the view unparalleled, and the menu inspired. Woven is a journey you will want to take again and again.
In partnership with Woven Seafood & Chophouse
