Oysters both raw and roasted, fried chicken and martinis will star at The Loyal, the Wooden City team’s new bar and restaurant in the original space in downtown Tacoma.
Owners Abe Fox, Jon Green and Eddie Gulberg confirmed details of their plans for 714 Pacific Ave. at the end of July, about three months since Wooden City relocated to 1102 Broadway. To lead the new kitchen, the group has tapped Dre Neeley, an accomplished chef who for a decade has been based on Vashon, where he and his wife Pepa Brower own and operate Gravy, a restaurant and catering company that has gained recognition on and off the island.
A Wooden City regular and old friend, said Fox, Neeley had been looking to step away from running his own place just as they were exploring opportunities for their next head chef position. As the group’s footprint grows — they now operate four Wooden City locations, including one in Spokane, two in the South and another on the way in Knoxville, Tennessee — they want to prioritize strong, local hospitality leaders in each restaurant…