Aqua Via

From the minimalist Mediterranean décor to the actual conception and design of the restaurant itself, Jeff Taylor (Capitale Espresso Grill, Louisa Ristorante, and Water Street Cafe and Bar) created a spot where Olympia’s renowned creativity fuses with excellence in taste and service when he created Aqua Via — a mouth tempting hideout downtown on Capital Way near Batdorf and Bronson.

Taylor’s Aqua Via dishes are refined, clever, artful and just plain delicious. Wine list includes 45 varieties of white, red and rose wines from the Mediterranean.

Organic wines are identified by a small heart next to the selection. — Jake de Paul

[Aqua Via, Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday noon to 8 p.m.]

Quickie Too vegan Thanksgiving

November, in addition to being famous for “Chicken Day” — which is a real thing, by the way — is also National Pepper Month, National British Appreciation Month, Aviation History Month and National Diabetes Awareness Month. An odd combination, if you think about it, yet somehow strangely appropriate. Almost all of the things celebrated in November are very good reasons for you to eat Thanksgiving dinner at Tacoma vegan restaurant Quickie Too.

Vegan food is healthy, in case you haven’t heard, which should help fend of that pesky type II diabetes — but tofu can also be pretty bland. This is where the pepper from National Pepper Month will come in handy. Then, throw in the Quickie Too atmosphere — where you’ll meet people you can travel with (perhaps to England, hint, hint), and you’ve got almost the whole package.

However, a note to traditionalists — Quickie Too will not be serving your grandma’s Thanksgiving dinner. That may go without saying, however, since my research suggests very few grandmas are attracted to tofu. — Suzy Stump

[Quickie Too, Thursday, Nov. 26, 1 and 5 p.m., $20, young children are less, 1324 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma, 253.572.4549]