Quietly serving since 2017, Gig Harbor bistro closes. What’s next?
After five years in Uptown Gig Harbor, the intimate bistro Gertie and the Giant Octopus has closed permanently.
The restaurant served its final dinners on Saturday, June 4, according to a social media post. The post hinted that the space would continue as a bar and eatery under new ownership.
“It has been a tremendously rewarding experience serving the Gig Harbor community since 2017 and we are so grateful for the opportunity,” the post read. “While we are sad to go, we welcome the new owners and wish them a successful journey.”
With a name that references the giant octopus under the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and the tale of Galloping Gertie, the original connector that collapsed in 1940, the restaurant focused on European bistro fare with Northwestern ingredients. Dishes such as a chilled octopus salad, Pacific Gulf shrimp with garlic, chili and lemon, and lamb ragu over pappardelle regularly graced the menu, accompanied by a mix of old and new-world wines.
Chef Robert Mario DeLaura opened the restaurant, but from 2019 until now the kitchen was helmed by Kieran McMeekin, whose resume includes stints at Brimmer & Heeltap and Foodz Catering in Seattle. He also spent time at seasonally focused restaurants in California, Utah and Colorado.
Business licenses for Gertie and The Giant Octopus, 4747 Point Fosdick Dr. #600, are listed under the name Sidney Beers, a Fox Island resident, according to state records.
The News Tribune did not immediately receive a response to messages left with the restaurant by phone and email following the June 4 closure.
According to a June 24 liquor license application, a new business called Formosa will replace it.
In the same plaza, Green.House continues to offer an upscale setting for seafood, wine and cocktails. Downtown, Brix 25 serves Pacific Northwest fare on the waterfront, along with the unique Animarum at 4107 Harborview Dr.
Reporter’s Note, November 2022: Formosa opened in Fall 2022 with a menu of American breakfast dishes, paninis and pasta, plus beef noodle soup and steamed clams.
This story was originally published June 17, 2022 at 9:05 AM.