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Sue Kidd is the Lifestyle Editor at The News Tribune and the ringleader for the Food and Home&Garden sections. She has worked as a food journalist at Northwest newspapers since 1993, most recently as a food writer, editor and restaurant reviewer in King County before joining The News Tribune in 2004. Her food obsessions at the moment are honey, cheese and oysters.

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Good eats and drinks around Tacoma, Pierce County and South Puget Sound
Tuesday, February 12th, 2008
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 12:06:33 pm


Kris Blondin opened Vin Grotto in downtown Tacoma in late 2003.

Vin Grotto Café and Wine Bar, a pioneer of downtown Tacoma’s revival, has been sold.

Vin Grotto proprietor Kris Blondin said she’ll close out some wine Feb. 18-19 and “I am out on the 20th.”

Coming soon in Vin Grott's Pacific Avenue space: Merende, a 75-80-seat Mediterranean-Italian restaurant helmed by Jeff Bishop, who was previously the chef at two acclaimed South Sound restaurants, Il Fiasco in Tacoma and Brix 25 in Gig Harbor, and at Sound Food Cafe on Vashon Island. Bishop is partnered with Ian Lombardi, whose Gig Harbor family owns the Harbornet Internet service provider.

Bishop said that because the name of the restaurant means “small bites” in Italian, diners can expect the small-plates, shared dining experience of “not ordering a heavy entrée but ordering four or five different dishes.” He’ll still do full meals for those who like that style of dining.

Bishop said there’s no target opening date yet. He said the kitchen will be re-rebuilt and the bar will be moved.

“As soon as we get the keys we’ll know more,” Bishop said.



Jeff Bishop, with former Il Fiasco co-owner Jill Wambold, in 2004.




UPDATED 2-14

Commercial real estate broker and former restaurateur Mark Wambold was the matchmaker on the deal. He was Bishop’s boss at Il Fiasco and Brix 25. Lombardi cooked at Il Fiasco.

Wambold said they’re shooting for a mid-April opening.

“I opened my first restaurant on April 13, “ Wambold said, referring to Marco’s, which debuted in the Gig Harbor location that’s now Brix 25 in 1993. “I’m hoping there’s a bit of luck there.”

Wambold said he was approached by the Lombardi family about opening a restaurant for their son Ian, who attended Apicius Cooking School in Florence, Italy.

“He spent time doing the thing that all young chefs want to do,” Wambold said. “His family’s real good to him that way.”

Ian Lombardi, 25, said, "I kind of went over there on a whim when I was 19, and I got a job cooking."

Of his vision for Merende, Lombardi said: “I want to have a nice, family Italian restaurant. I don’t see a whole lot of Italian restaurants in Tacoma. You have Europea Bistro and Il Fiasco. It’s kind of a tragedy.”
Categories: Restaurant openings, Restaurant closings, Changes and sales 13 comments

COMMENTS:

Leper @ 17:57 - Tuesday, February 12th, 2008 Email
Wow, another "Italian" restaurant. I'll sleep better tonight.
debaser @ 18:30 - Tuesday, February 12th, 2008
Bast of luck to Kris and her family!
debaser @ 18:35 - Tuesday, February 12th, 2008
"Bast" of luck?! Err... Best of luck Kris!!
(Fortunately I cook better than I spell!)
ChefGordonNaccarato @ 19:15 - Tuesday, February 12th, 2008 Email

Hey Jeffrey--Welcome to the neighborhood.

Glad to see Jeff is going to be cooking again in Tacoma (and Downtown).

He is one of the best Chefs in Tacoma.

Fantastic news.

deb @ 20:18 - Tuesday, February 12th, 2008
Yea!! Small plates. Will be waiting anxiously for their opening.
buddyandelliott @ 15:17 - Wednesday, February 13th, 2008 Email
I always loved Vin Grotto and it will be missed. Best of luck to Kris and the rest of the staff in what comes next. Kris worked her ass off down there, she deserves a medal for all she fought for in the city.

BTW: Italian, wow, there's none of that around here. Maybe he could throw some Spanish, Greek, Turkish and French into it, those cuisines all feature small plates as well.
(There I go, I know nothing about the business except the eating side, and I'm giving advice.)
goddesslunacy @ 01:45 - Thursday, February 14th, 2008 Email
Can we have some caprese, heavy on the basil?
Mike_T @ 09:02 - Thursday, February 14th, 2008 Email
Didn't they, and other area restaurants, have a bit of a problem w/ the crowd from the mega-churches underage night club that's across the street? Has that been solved?
vingrotto @ 13:45 - Friday, February 15th, 2008 Email
/vingrotto.com
Thank you everyone for your good wishes. This decision was very difficult. Vin Grotto will be open for lunch only this Monday and Tuesday. Jason and my final curtain call. :-(

MIKE _T: Most of the problems in the area have been addressed and the atmosphere has improved.

I believe this restaurant will be a great addition to the neighborhood. Interesting, MY birthday is the 13th of April...

Best of luck to the Lombardi family and Jeff!
Ebjornson @ 18:53 - Saturday, February 16th, 2008 Email
http://i.feedtacoma.com/Erik/
Thank you everyone for your good wishes. This decision was very difficult. Vin Grotto will be open for lunch only this Monday and Tuesday. Jason and my final curtain call.

Thanks Kris! Keep in touch.
snogler @ 14:13 - Tuesday, February 19th, 2008 Email
Nice picture Jeff- reminds me of the good old days!!!!
ScarlettatTigerLake @ 21:14 - Friday, February 22nd, 2008 Email
Hey Bishop, so glad to see you back, and Ian glad to hear your restaurant inspirations are coming to fruition. You couldn't have picked a better Chef and partner. Bishop it's been awhile since I've seen you. Tom and I look forward to your arrival. snogler was it really a memory of the good old days?
snogler @ 14:07 - Tuesday, March 18th, 2008 Email
absolutely!
Miss you all.
G

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