Tacoma’s only champagne bar now open in Proctor. There’s beer, cider and cheese, too

Tacoma’s only champagne bar is open again.

This is a move for The Blue Octopus Champagne Bar, which closed its Point Ruston location in June and quickly found a new home at the former storefront for Alegre Bakery & Gelato in the Proctor neighborhood.

The wine bar had a soft opening in September. Its grand opening will be Oct. 26 with a masquerade party and live music.

Owner Kerry Cole opened her bar with an expanded menu and additions that I predict will make it among the best entertainment destinations in the North End.

Live music is hosted Friday nights, and art shows will open regularly at the bar.

Visitors can expect tastings, dinner events and wine-and-oyster education sessions in the coming weeks. One of the biggest changes since moving is that Cole has expanded the food choices. Already, the menu offers cheese and charcuterie plates and other nibbles, but Cole also plans to offer raw oysters-on-the-half-shell and a caviar selection.

She also added more Washington labels to her lineup of wine by the flight, glass or bottle.

The Blue Octopus’s emphasis, as the wine bar’s name would suggest, is bubbly. Wine lovers still will find the city’s largest selection of champagnes, sparkling wines, cavas and proseccos.

Here’s a first-sip report.

The space: The 32-seat wine bar has had a total decor overhaul. Find high-top seating, a massive communal table built for a party of 10 in a space heavy on dark wood accents and muted earth tones. A long bar supports a live-edge wooden bartop. Revolving art displays soften the industrial bones — polished concrete floors, a tall ceiling, vintage floor-to-ceiling windows.

The owner: Cole is an artist who first opened The Blue Octopus a decade ago in downtown Tacoma as a paint party destination, later moving to another downtown Tacoma location, then Ruston, then Point Ruston. She’s dropped the paint party concept from The Blue Octopus and now focuses exclusively on sparkling wines and sparkling wine accessories (see: cheeses/meats/oysters).

Sparkling cocktails menu: The city’s largest selection of sparkling cocktails and mimosas. Pretty stemless flutes come adorned with edible flowers, brushed with edible gold and garnished or flavored with fresh herbs. A dozen cocktails ($10 to $13). Some are named with nods to famous artists, include the Frida, a combination of pineapple, coconut and Prosecco ($11) or the Ansel, with lemongrass syrup, Prosecco and lime.

Six mimosas ($5 to $9) cover the gamut of fruity flavors, from passionfruit to guava. Order a flight of three for $14.

Try the: The Klimt is a go-to for the ladies-who-sip crowd. The sparkling wine cocktail is flavored with blackberry syrup, garnished with fresh thyme and comes with a rim dusted in edible gold ($13). The Salvador combines muddled jalapenos and cucumber and tasted far more botanical than it was spicy ($12). The Monet combined pretty blue sparkling wine with a raft of edible flowers ($13).

Bubbles list: Six Proseccos and cavas ($8 to $14 glass/$26 to $30 bottle), 15 sparkling wines ($9 to $16 glass/$27 to $88 bottle) and flights priced $18 to $45. Twenty-four champagnes by the bottle listed, with bottles ranging from everyday drinkers at $42 to premium splurges at $125 to $490 each.

Wine list: More than 30 red wines listed by glass or bottle ($7 to $18 glass/$25 to $65 bottle). White wines include 21 choices by glass or bottle ($7 to $20 glass/$25 to $41 bottle).

Beer and cider: Three rotating draft beers ($6 to $8), 14 beers in can or bottle ($3 to $12) and nine ciders in bottles or cans ($4 to $12).

Hot tips: Sparkling sake is listed, $11 to $40. The champagne bar also has an espresso machine.

The food menu: Snacks include truffled popcorn ($6), olives, nuts and chips ($4 to $6), radishes with French butter and salt ($7), cheese plates ($11 to $20), charcuterie plates ($18 to $28) and desserts ($8).

Get the: Large cheese plate layered with a dairy extravaganza. A soft, tangy goat cheese was rolled in black sesame seeds amidst piles of blue Stilton, English coastal white cheddar, wine-soaked toscano, plus an assortment of fruit (strawberries/blackberries/grapes), truffled marcona almonds, toasted hazelnuts, honey and house-made crackers from Tacoma’s Art of Crunch.

A touch of whimsy: Cole, known for her wicked sense of humor, has added chambongs to the menu. That would be champagne served in a glass designed to mimic a beer bong, only classier (because champagne). Whimsy also shows up in the tongue-in-cheek cocktail names. This is a wine bar with a great sense of humor.

The Blue Octopus Champagne Bar

Where: 3820 N. 27th St, Tacoma.

Info: 253-301-0877 or theblueoctopus.com

Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday