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Revolution Hall will finally get its anchor restaurant.
Gregg Matteucci, David Regan and Suzanne Regan, owners of Tucci Italian restaurant and co-founders of former Pearl District French spot Fenouil, will join Tucci chefs Jeff Emerson and Kurt Spak (formerly chef-owner of Alba Osteria) to open a gigantic restaurant called Buckman Public House next to the concert venue.
"It'll be on the first floor just down the way from [cafe and bar] Martha's," David Regan tells WW, "There'll be a very large patio. "
Unlike Tucci or Fenouil, however, Buckman Public House won't focus on a specific ethnic cuisine, but rather "interesting American small plates" across a broad range of cuisines. The restaurant is planned for fall 2016, and is still gathering permits and building its menu after accepting an invitation to start the restaurant there.
"Mississippi Studios had been part of helping sign somebody to come in," says Regan. "After interviewing us, they liked what we were talking about. The businesses will complement each other, for all of the people who come to the shows and want to eat something… The restaurant will be large enough. One of the big advantages is that people with larger parties, in Portland you find a lot of very limited seating."
For the owners, there's also a personal connection to the building, which was once Washington High School.
"Grandma Tucci went to school at Washington High School," says Regan of his wife's grandmother. "We've got all the yearbooks. Lots of well-known people have gone to Washington High School, including James Beard."
Regan was mum on whether they'd also be serving Beard's trademark onion-and-butter sandwich.
Willamette Week