Widely known as one of Washington’s best restaurants, Pacific Grill ranks high on my list of all-time favorite places to meet friends for lunch. Nothing sets the last leg of my day off to a better start than a Pacific Grill grilled cheese and a glass of perfectly poured wine. Actually, screw my friends — I could be dining with Fall Out Boy at Pacific Grill and I’d still be happy with the meal in front of me — and that’s saying something. To top it all off, Pacific Grill’s owner/chef, Gordon Naccarato, is one of the calmest, most open-minded and forgiving people known to man. Knowing this only made me eager to test his patience.
STEPH DEROSA: Would it be OK if I interviewed you?
GORDON NACCARATO: Sure!
DEROSA: OK, cool. I’ll have to warn you, though. It’s not a fancy column or anything. It’s just Trouble with DeRosa.
NACCARATO: Huh? What column is that? I’m not familiar with it.
DEROSA: (sigh) I figured. Well, what I do is sit and talk to people around town for a while and usually, by the time it’s all said and done, people get irritated with me and ask me to leave.
NACCARATO: Nah! I don’t think that’s going to happen. Go ahead and ask me questions. I’ll do whatever I can to help.
DEROSA: Wow, you’re awfully nice. This is kind of weird, actually. I’m used to people being irritated with me.
NACCARATO:Well, remember, I have sat in a closed room with you for over an hour at one time.
DEROSA: Yeah, that was pretty awesome. We do a fine job at creating a podcast together, don’t we?
NACCARATO: Yep.
DEROSA: Since we work so well together, think you have it in you to give me a job at Pacific Grill?
NACCARATO:OK.
DEROSA: Great! Wow, that was too easy. I suppose you’d have me start as a dishwasher, right?
NACCARATO: No, actually I’d put you as a bartender.
DEROSA: Say what? You’re kidding! But, why a bartender?
NACCARATO:I think you have a great personality and you’d keep the bar guests entertained.
DEROSA: Oh, I see. So I’d be the spectacle behind the bar — like the lady with a third eye or the freak show at the circus. This will only make me want to drink all the liquor behind the bar, you know.
NACCARATO: I give up. I’ve been nice all I can. Drinking behind the bar is not going to fly. You can leave now.
DEROSA: Well, it’s about time — although I wish you would’ve kicked me out earlier. My butt is stuck to the barstool and my left leg is asleep.
NACCARATO: And what in the heck happened to all the vodka?
DEROSA: OK, I’m gone.
[Pacific Grill, 1502 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.3535]
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