Adios, Taco Del Mar

"We lost lease
Our last day of business 11/30/2018"

The Taco Del Mar on 1st Avenue, which was only the 10th stop on my local restaurant adventure, closes on Friday. I've been trying to get into a rut (i.e., Tat's on Mondays, Taco Del Mar on Wednesdays, Bad Bishop on Thursdays, RPM Pizza on Tuesdays or Fridays), but these closures and openings are making that a bit challenging.

The TDM has been there since at least 2005, and was right around the corner (in what became The Faerie Queene/Pittsburgh Lunch and Superette) before that. They offered what was probably the best lunch deal in Pioneer Square: $7.98 out the door for the Wednesday burrito special, with chips, salsa, and a drink. If you know of a better, cheaper, edible meal nearby, I'd love to know.

On the bright side, the window coverings are down at Meg's, the lights are on, booths are in, and table assembly and carpentry appear to be in progress. I think it might be ready for business in the next few weeks.

Coming soon: D&E and Meg's. Coming later: The People's Burger

Just steps away from each other, signs are up and work is being done on the former sites of Radici and Pioneer Square Grill, which are due to become D&E and Meg's, respectively. In the other direction, The People's Burger is making plans for their first brick and mortar location.

D&E looks to be a restaurant and bar using the same footprint as Radici. Based only on a handful of photos, it might be focused on hip comfort foods, like squash soup and chicken sandwiches. There's more wood and a brighter interior than Radici. It promises to be open by the end of the year. (web / Facebook / Instagram)

Meg's menu, zoomed way in, through a
reflective window. I can almost read it.

Meg's looks to be going for a '50s burger joint theme, kinda like Great State, with pastel yellow, orange, and turquoise decor. "Meg" is Megan Coombes, part owner of nearby German Altstadt Bierhalle and Brathaus. The window signs advertise burgers, fries, hot dogs, and shakes, but a peek in the window shows a menu adding a fishwich, PB&J, some kind of a melt, and an egg and cheese sandwich. Opening is unknown, but it's looking close. (Internet silence, as far as I can find)

The People's Burger is one of the better burgers in town. Their food truck used to show up in Occidental Park, and I've eaten at their quasi-permanent truck across from CenturyLink a few times. The Stranger was the first place I saw to mention the possibility of a brick and mortar location; The Alliance for Pioneer Square spilled the beans that they'll be moving into the old copy center at the corner of Occidental and Yesler, a huge distraction on the way to Tat's. I haven't seen any movement on the site yet, so I'm sure it's still several months away. (web / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram)