Masa first peek

After Monday night’s grand opening, I can say one thing for sure: Masa es mi casa.
This traditional Mexican restaurant, the second venture for the proprietors of Asado, served up muy especial mojitos and margaritas. The nachordinary starter came with a delectable bean puree. The potato and chorizo tacos and the chicken enchilada made me salivate at first smell, and they tasted even better going down. Dessert? The churros with chocolate and caramel dips are the only way to go.
The menu is enormous, in dimension and number of items, and every offering shows the true innovation that the Weekly Volcano knew we could expect from executive chef and proprietor Shawn Quinn. 
As for the amenities, there’s a fresh tortilla preparation room visible from Sixth Avenue, a wood fired oven kitchen for the extravagant pizzas, and a first-come, first served diner-style area with a counter that fronts the main kitchen for to-go or late-night a la carte menu items. The formal dining room is gorgeous and quaint with Dia de los Muertos flair. The bar includes long tables for large groups or friend making.
The lid on the bathroom trash can electronically opens and shuts. Whoa!
And that’s just the first floor. The upstairs portion of Masa includes a tasteful banquet room for reservation or overflow seating if there isn’t a party going on. There’s also an outdoor patio that will have a full bar. I’m already dreaming of summer Sixth Avenue lovin’.  Masa es bonita, caliente y mi amor. — Natasha
[Masa, 2810 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.254. 0560]

Pacific Grill correction

In the Nov. 22 issue of the Weekly Volcano, Brad Allen mistakenly included the menu for the Matador in his Pacific Grill Happy Hour column.  If you remember, he explained the Grill’s happy hour is home of the beautiful people, especially during its weekly Thursday night “Chill” happy hour, which is correct.  He also described a Tex-Mex menu, which was incorrect.   
The Weekly Volcano sends its apologies to owners Gordon and Steve Naccarato as well as Chef Aaron Valimont for not correctly describing their innovative creations such as meat candy, barbecue oysters, cheeseburger sliders and their latest creation — delicious blue cheese Tater Tots. 
The Pacific Grill offers two weekday happy hours — 2-6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close.  Saturday and Sunday, it’s 4-6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close. Drinkies are hacked down to $2 drafts, $3 wells and $5 martinis and wine. Appetizers are $5 or less during happy hour.
Pacific Grill is a high-class restaurant serving fun creations among fine cuisine, and adding a DJ to its Thursday night happy hour needs to be celebrated, not masked.  Please accept our apology. — Ron Swarner
[Pacific Grill, 1502 Pacific Ave., downtown Tacoma, 253.627.3535