What began as a search for a kitchen to prepare food for their local coffee shops, Ebony and Ivory, led Kennon Maurer and his wife, Kenzie, to discover West 122 and see its “untapped potential.”
Ebony and Ivory operates three cafés in Lacey, Federal Way and Tacoma. Now, the duo is ready for their next venture.
“Originally, we were not going to keep the restaurant aspect of West 122, but as we looked more into it, met the staff, tried the food and saw the vibe of the restaurant–we thought there’s a really good thing going here and we should keep this alive,” Maurer told What Now Seattle.
The duo bought the restaurant from owners Keri and Patrick Sherman this summer.
West 122 is open for dinner four days a week, according to its website. Maurer said the extra downtime will allow them to prepare food for Ebony and Ivory, creating a win-win situation.
The restaurant will keep its name, concept and chef Joaquin “Keno” Buttner. However, the Maurers said they hope to add a few fun new items to the menu.
Their favorite dish is the roast chicken—a pan-roasted airline chicken breast with apple cider pan jus and whipped Yukon gold potatoes. Another popular choice is the bone-in Duroc pork chop with creamy polenta.
In addition to these entrees, West 122 offers appetizers such as calamari, meatballs and crispy Brussels sprouts, along with salads. Desserts include apple fritter bread pudding and a double chocolate brownie sundae.
He also mentioned plans to remodel a vacant space in the building into a new concept.
“It would be some kind of unique concept,” Maurer said. “We’re thinking of potentially a speakeasy bar. We’re thinking maybe a bakery or an event space. There’s a lot of different ideas that we have. There might even be a concept where we can do all of those things.”
Another change the duo wants to implement is making the restaurant open to everybody, currently only catering to a 21 and older crowd.
“One of the most rewarding things is really making a vision come to life. Our vision is to really get the word out for West 122 and make this a spot that really becomes a Tacoma staple,” Maurer said. “We want it to be a place that you go to for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, prom nights and everything in between.”
West 122 is open Wednesday and Thursday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., and closed Sunday through Tuesday.
