WHERE TO EAT BONES IN TACOMA >>>
Seattle has Quinn's. Olympia has Swing. Tacoma now has Marrow.
Marrow is legally considered a lounge, albeit one that's very food-focused. Only those over the age of 21 can enter and experience the artful creations coming from the hands of three culinary wise men. With Chef Kyle Wnuk leading, he, Chris Lyons and Will Gomez Garciaturn a mere bar menu into so much more. With the exception of tableside gravity bong-smoked scallops, most of what I'd heard hyped about Marrow seems to have become a reality.
With the first full week of business behind it, the staff and owners of Marrow have seen many to-go boxes leave in the hands of dreamy eyed guests. I myself observed a woman wrangle a stack of four.
Inside, an interior palette of bold red, warm cream and dove gray somehow manages to feel muted and calm. Hanging clusters of light bulbs form large individual lights reflected softly in mirrors. Custom butcher-block tables, undefeatable aluminum chairs, bottles strung with wire, menus tacked to individual cork board - all of it mimics elements of a kitchen. These touches at Marrow are creative without demanding too much attention. The décor is uncluttered, and intentionally so. The artwork is edible and appears on angular white plates and in cocktail and martini glasses. A huge front window keeps an eye on the Ave.
Vegetarian and meat-focused dishes are shareable; some are meant as single person entrees though the menu does not indicate such. Wait staff is fairly knowledgeable. Not surprising, the Marrow drink menu does not disappoint; a martini and cocktails with cilantro, ginger, fresh fruit purees and ginger beer made in-house and turn out concoctions like the "Lola," a refreshing palette cleanser of Hendrick's gin, Absolut Pears vodka, lemon with the added niceness of a fresh pear slice as garnish. Beers on draft, meats for charcuterie, soup du jour, desserts and available cheeses are written on two large blackboards near the bar.
Guests seated in the dining area are greeted with menus and table service including glasses of cucumber-optional water. Seating is also available at the bar and at a long, high-top "community table."
On opening day last Tuesday, my tablemates Donna Herren of Tacoma Boys, wine smarty-pants Mick Wilcox and Ty Cline and I employed a shotgun blast approach to ordering. Server Matt took it in stride and returned with bread and butter spiked with Hawaiian black sea salt.
The much anticipated dish of oxtail and bone marrow arrived with three bones of descending size arranged next to pile of oxtail meat and toasted potato bread slices. My first impression: upside down bone lollipop. I wiggled the stick protruding from a bone and giggled. Bones were very hot to handle in my little hands; I wussed out and bestowed the duty of being marrow master to Wilcox. Knife in hand, he went to town scrapping every last bit out - though he even had to take breaks due to the bone heat. The resulting puddle of gray globular bone marrow and ultra rich, herb-flecked oil became a wading pool for bread.
"This is as close to being dairy as it gets," says Wilcox with a happy, marrow-oil sheen on his lips. I agree. Marrow is divine and very much like melted herb butter. Oxtail was fatty in all the right ways. Skip the bitter dressed greens.
Hip-hop artist and producer Todd Sykes joined our merry party and was handed the bone marrow platter with instructions from Marrow Master Mick, "Drop bread on it and eat it all." Like a champ, Sykes dug in as though he gets down on bone marrow every day.
Taking bites of the watermelon salad gave a respite from earthy meat overload. Sweet, clear melon flavor and cherry balsamic vinaigrette walked hand-in-hand with subtly salty goat cheese and pistachio puree.
Charcuterie was as expected: three meats, three cheeses, nuts, bread and fruit. Mustardo base raspberry chipotle mousse spiced things up.
Avocado and honeydew melon done in an Olympia Beer batter ($9) does a lovely play on sweet-salty, soft-crunchy and spicy-cool. Chipotle raspberry mousse brought needed spice to the dish. Cilantro pumpkin seed aioli felt flat. "What does this taste like?" I asked Cline. Without missing a beat, he took a bite and replied, "Like nothing." Oddly, all flavor points had cancelled each other out.
We were all sold on the dauphine potato doughnuts ($7). Think three amazing mashed potato wheels breaded and then fried. The bacon beer dip should be served with a spoon.
Seared on one side only, scallops were tender ($17). Carrot jus with quinoa and shaved celery and fennel salad lent balance the act.
The crowing dish was an oxtail cake ($10); layered with slivered carrot and potato, the exterior meat has a mild crispness I enjoyed. Over-easy duck egg was laid across. Fried basil leaves were an added champagne pop of flavor. The combination of mingled yolk, oxtail, basil is as rich, meaty and earthy as it sounds. "Oxtail just replaced scallops as my favorite," says a grinning Sykes.
Time will certainly tell if Tacoma and surrounding area residents can and will consistently support a brave endeavor like Marrow. A mere five years ago I would have said no. But with the massive onslaught of food-focused reality shows, web content, and Twitter and blogosphere hype, raising chefs to rock-star status and bringing the general population face-to-face with dishes, food styles and ingredients far beyond its comfort zone or natural exposure, I'd put my betting dollar on a yes.
Last Saturday night a weary yet happy-looking chef Kyle Wnuk perched on Marrow's front brickwork. "I've been surprised by people asking me were the weird stuff is," he says. He takes a drag of his cigarette and talks as he exhales, "I mean, come on, I just fed you a plate of bones. On the next menu, we're not holding back. It's gonna get weird. We're just going for it." We talk about ostrich, or rather the lack of it, on the menu as being a tough call. "It's the cost," he says. Wnuk explains they can't affordably offer it at a customer-friendly price.
"Price is very important. We want to keep it so people can try a few new things when they come," says Jaime Kay Jones. She runs the front while Wnuk handles the back. Jaime, husband Jason Jones and Wnuk are the trifecta behind Marrow.
The plan for Marrow is to constantly evolve based on customer feedback - a sure way to keep seats full with returning guests and newcomers.
[Marrow Kitchen and Bar, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., kitchen open until midnight at least, Tuesday-Saturday, late night happy hour starts at 10 p.m., 2717 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.267.5299]