T-Doug's New Downtown Mexican Restaurant Is Called Cantina Leña

Seattle chef Tom Douglas was first tossing around the name The Lone Stranger for his downtown Mexican restaurant at The Martin Apartments. But Eater has confirmed with staff that the new 40-seat restaurant will be called Cantina Leña, meaning firewood in Spanish.

The name fits the concept: The restaurant features wood-fired menu items, and there's not an electric or gas burner to be found in the kitchen. Banana leaf-wrapped pork will be cooked in a 10-foot-long pit and masa for tortillas will come from a grinder made from volcanic stone that was imported from California. The drink list includes house-made aqua fresca, melon seed horchata, and slushy margaritas served from a 10-seat bar.

Douglas talked about the cantina in yesterday's Book Club feature: "I'm not trying to open a Rick Bayless style of restaurant. I'm trying to get to a Seattle-Mexican restaurant." When Cantina Leña opens (staff aren't ready to release an official launch date, but cross your fingers for early next month) it will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day of the week.