JW Promises Value-Priced Comfort Food with Heart

Most self-professed foodies at some point play with the notion of what kind of restaurant they would have if they opened one. Mine would be a lot like JW Restaurant.

It would be a small, cozy place offering a casual sophistication and friendly attitude that customers could feel at home with. It would serve inventive twists on the American classic cuisine that I grew up on. And it would be a place that would reflect the joy I get from planning and preparing meals for others because, for me, cooking isn’t just a creative outlet that I can share with friends and family. It’s like a gift from the heart.

All of these things were immediately evident when I visited JW earlier this week as its staff was in the throes of dealing with trial runs and finishing touches. The new restaurant, located in the historic 1,100-square-foot log cabin that sits in front of the, opens this evening, March 4, to much anticipation and a full house.

Managing Partner Jason Winniford built a following among Gig Harbor restaurant-goers during his management stints at and Sip. The opening of JW is the realization of a dream that has been 15 years in the making.

It’s rooted in the close-knit relationship of Winniford’s team and the shared culinary vision it has to create an inviting neighborhood eatery inspired by American classic dishes and their multi-cultural origins. He co-owns the new restaurant with his father, Joe, and stepmother, Karen. Justin Goodfellow, a longtime friend and 30-year restaurant veteran, is JW’s top chef.

Creative comfort food is how they describe their approach. Quality and affordability is what they want to deliver.

“We wanted to be value-conscious and go for comfort cuisine that offers new twists on old classics,” said Winniford. “We designed our menu so that a couple could come here, have dinner, a glass of wine and leave paying $50 or less including tax and tip.”

JW will draw on an international array of flavors to provide its new twists on American fare.

“We’re taking the term ‘American food’ back and not having it mean just burgers and steaks, but have it be a marriage of cultures, which is what we are,” said Goodfellow.

I happened to arrive just as friends and colleagues were gathering to sample and critique potential entrees for the menu. Winniford invited me to join in.

Goodfellow served up four main courses representing inventive takes on roasted chicken, bourguignon, seared scallops and macaroni and cheese. All of them, which make up four of the five entrées on JW’s opening menu, were a flavorful delight and offered a satisfying range of textures.

My personal favorite was the roasted half chicken with tarragon gravy and mashed red potatoes. The chicken was perfectly prepared, moist on the inside, crispy skinned on the outside. The tarragon was present but didn’t overpower, allowing the gravy to add a tasty, yet balanced dimension to the chunky mashed potatoes.

The bourguignon, prepared with domestic wild boar rather than the traditional beef, paid homage to the chef’s affection for one-pot dishes and pork. Slow braising infused the entrée with a deep richness and made the meat pleasantly tender to the bite. It was served with grilled polenta, whose moist center and crisp outer shell provided a sweet, textural counterpoint to the saucy dish.

Seared scallops paired with risotto cakes and roasted red pepper romesco sauce prompted moans of delight from the entire table. The Mediterranean flavors of the romesco were a perfect foil to the sweet creaminess of the scallops, while the risotto cakes contributed a satisfying crunch to the dish.

Even the four cheese and macaroni, made with brown rice pasta and other gluten-free ingredients, was judged a winner, despite initial skepticism expressed from myself and a couple of other tasters at the table. Rice-based pasta can easily taste flat. But the sharp tangy cheese sauce made with a blend Swiss, provolone, cheddar and Parmesan succeeded in overcoming that — although I did wonder if the finishing flavor of each bite could benefit from a bit more salt in the pasta cooking water.

These four entrées and a fifth, a tip steak served with crimini mushroom red wine Dijon sauce and mashed potatoes, range between $12 and $20 in price. Appetizers are $6 to $12 and salads, $5 to $8. Customers also will be able to order a glass of wine for $10 or less from an international selection of wines.

Winniford is hoping the value pricing will entice Gig Harbor restaurant goers into JW not only on the weekend, but mid-week as well.

“The challenge will be getting people to join us on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Once we’re actually open and they see what we have, then we’re hopeful they will come down,” he said.