Sixth Avenue in Tacoma bustles with diners, and by diners I mean people who eat food. The street swells with happening restaurants and lounges, serving the late-night crowd to the foodnik lunch hour gang. Sixth's culinary cred will only demand more respect when Southern Exposure finally opens. Yes, I said finally. It's been dressed to the nines for a while, flaunting its elegant table settings atop white tablecloths ... with the lights off. Late last year the remodel began where once Il Fiasco entertained and Amore wrestled.

I asked co-owner Angela Hernandez why the tease - is the intention to pique the interest of those headed to Marrow, Masa, Asado and Primo Grill? Hernandez tells me that she and partner Gloria Gentry had intended to open in December, but that didn't pan out. So they've left the table settings to inform the masses about the style they are going for: Old Southern.

"It will always feature old Southern silver service," she said. "We want people to feel like they can pull out the nice suit or little black dress, or not, and enjoy a nice lunch or evening out with comfort food and good music in a elegant setting."

The menu will be seasonal, Hernandez said, and feature Southern and Puerto Rican cuisine, including shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles, gumbo, pulled pork, fried fish and corn bread, just to name a few.

The idea is comfort food in a classy, Southern home setting. Entertainment will include live jazz and blues artists and possibly even a comedy night to mesh with neighboring nightlife activity on peak evenings.

"We are excited to be part of the night life district on Sixth Ave," Hernandez said. "We like to refer to it as the street of dreams, small business," which is an accurate definition for many who have made Sixth Avenue home.

Fingers crossed that eager diners begging for more Southern eats with Puerto Rican flair can look forward to Southern Exposure's grand opening sooner rather than later - although the grand opening announcement won't happen until next month.

Primo Primer

Mediterranean artesian darling Primo Grill, located on Pine just off Sixth, has announced it will soon be relocating. Owners Charlie McManus and Jacqueline Plattner look forward to packing up their kitchen flames, beautiful entreés and mandatory grilled flatbread starter for the move next to their beloved neighborhood bar down the street. This will likely mean a décor and menu revamp to match the new location.