Downstairs soon: Todos Santos, Cherry Street Public House

The wraps came off of Cherry Street Public House yesterday, revealing a much airier concept than I'd expected. This space just to the left of Weyerhaeuser's front door is bright.

When I think about a coffee shop, I think dark woods, dim lights, browns, tans, and maybe some dusky reds and oranges. You know, Starbucks, Peets, Tully's, Seattle's Best.

When I think pubs, I think nearly the same thing, just with golds added in. I've never been to London or Dublin, but movies tell me that's what they all look like, so it must be true.

Not true with this place. White neon above the light wood bar proclaims that whatever ails you're treating with ale, you won't be nodding off. The blue, green, and white accents at the counter (go, Soundinerhawks!) are mirrored in the blue plates and bowls. The exposed concrete ceiling and industrial-chic ventilation ties in with the Weyerhaeuser offices next door. Today, it looks like they're applying the finishing touches. I might've been able to walk right in, but there's still binders on some tables and a few laptops being poked at. Their Facebook page said "two weeks" on January 30, so it's two days past -- this place looks like it could go live at any minute. "Bar, Coffee Shop. Restaurant." Curiosity abounds.

Our southwest corner, however, is still under brown-paper cover. Back on November 23, I explored a little bit into the name and liquor license application, Rumors from coworkers were that a brewpub was going in the space, perhaps because Elysian Brewing founder Joe Bisacca's name was tied to the site. I felt that "Todos Santos" might be a placeholder name, but today, I'm feeling fairly confident that it's accurate. We won't be lowering growlers down to get them filled with an IPA.

Two job postings I found from December (link, link) describe Todos Santos as "a new, 7,000 square foot modern Mexican restaurant located on Occidental Park in Pioneer Square. The food theme will be modern Mexican as is currently being executed in Mexico City (not Tex-Mex rice and beans)." This is likely to give nearby Casco Antiguo some competition.

So... Mexico City style cuisine? No rice and beans? I'm way over my head here, but Google pointed me to a pair of articles, one about traditional Mexican restaurants in Mexico City, another about a restaurant in Phoenix owned by a woman from Mexico City aiming to remedy the problem that "the Mexican food [in Phoenix] didn’t resemble what she ate in Mexico City."

So: no rice, beans, nachos, or sour cream. Yes to street tacos, guacamole, tamales, perhaps chorizo and potato tortas, and apparently lots of mole sauce. And with the liquor license, you've gotta know there's going to be tequila and, I hope, mezcal.

Also a bit confusing: the name. Todos Santos is a coastal town, about 40 miles north of Cabo San Lucas, so I'd assume by the name that it'd have an emphasis on Mexican seafood. Mexico City is 150 miles from the coasts.

Regardless, I'm excited to see what shows up downstairs, and look forward to the smell of chorizo and pollo wafting up.

(Edit: December 16 update below)

I spoke with an employee of Cherry Street Public House this morning. She says they'll be opening next week (edit to edit) Sunday, February 19, with waffles and other breakfast items in the morning, and lunches focused on -- did I hear her right? -- Persian food, especially stews. She says their menu should be on their Facebook site soon. (edit to edit: now it is! Click the image to the right to embiggen.)

A few more details ("Equipped with a full kitchen, serving breakfast, lunch, late night fare, beer & wine, and of course exceptional coffee!") are in a recent Craigslist job posting.