Music
Seattle four-piece Hunting Grounds are in a state of flux. Their already multifaceted sound is about to take an evolutionary leap with the departure of singer Mike Ensor, whose vocal contributions added an unmistakable New Wave vibe to the band's genre-bending indie rock songs. Now remaining members Todd Bernier (guitar,
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Given the opportunity, I could eat Enoteca wine bar's cheese plate for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And then I could do it all again. Why? Because Bill Bonnie, Enoteca's owner, offers the largest selection of artisan cheeses from around the world. Formaggio di Fossa from Italy, Le Moelleux du Revard
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Chef Charlie McManus and partner Jacqueline Plattner raised the bar for Tacoma restaurants when they opened the critically acclaimed Mediterranean-ish Primo Grill in October 1999. And after more than 10 years of dining at Primo, even though there are three or four nightly specials every time I visit that would
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For good, solid nachos, you don't go the "Mexican" kitchen route - and you don't go to a sports bar or pub, where "nachos" means any pile of chips covered in effluvious crap and topped with cheese that remains fluid at room temperature. No, you mosey on over to the
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Beef bulgogi, a Korean dish, consists of thin strips of super-soft beef marinated in a sweet, spicy concoction. Typically the meat is barbequed, though at Lakewood's Obok Restaurant it tastes more like it has been simmered with large pieces of white onion and is heavy on red chili peppers. I
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Traditionally fish balls are pounded by hand (rather than being ground) to achieve a smooth texture. If they're not done in the traditional fashion, those served at Mizu Japanese Steakhouse in Gig Harbor certainly fool me. Rolled in crunchy panko breading and given a turn in hot oil, these hand-formed
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The thin crust New York-style pies at this popular downtown Olympia locale will be my number one pick when the Weekly Volcano hosts its Tournament of Pizza next March. And I am not alone. Old School packs them in anytime of the day with pizzas loaded with toppings on a
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Blazing Onion in Gig Harbor may appear to be just another churn-‘em-out sit-down fast-food joint focused on burgers with crazy toppings. But take a walk on the lighter side and you'll find a worthy plate of fish tacos. Think generous pieces of hot, grilled cod come cradled in warm corn-and-flour-blend
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Though I do not, there are those who believe only certain items should be eaten in the morning. That list probably includes heavy meats cooked in oil, butter-laden or sugary breads, piles of potatoes and fruit as a garnish. I'm guessing asparagus is not on that list. Thankfully Sorci's Italian
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Any restaurant that combines half a pound of beef, apple wood-smoked bacon and a Macrina Bakery brioche bun deserves to have its burgers taken very seriously. At Maxwell's Speakeasy, this dream burger exists. The Walker Burger, named after the building the restaurant anchors, is grilled then topped with white cheddar,
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Hot dogs are awesome. Of all the tube-shaped meat products out there, hot dogs are the king. And right now in Tacoma we are living in a golden age of hot dogs. We have gourmet dogs and street dogs and gourmet street dogs and veggie dogs and plain old dogs
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Flying Tomato Italian Grill in Graham makes pillowy, soft flatbread and cuts it into pieces for easy sharing. Ramekins hold a variety of tasty items that can be spread, drizzled and smeared on the hot bread to create a customized flavor explosion. Oh alright, I'm completely biased; if there's roasted
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When I think of sardines, I think of oily fish in an odd mustard or tomato sauce packed in a can with a peel-back metal lid. There is no can involved at Morso, Gig Harbor's newest wine bar. From a menu of small plate, or tapas-style, dishes crafted to complement
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Meconi's is an extremely popular lunchtime sandwich shop, and for good reason. The Philly cheesesteak features sliced steak, grilled green peppers, onions and mushrooms, topped with mozzarella on a hoagie that's been lightly fried on the grill. Stacked, rich in beef flavors and hot to the touch, hands down, this
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Sage's Brunch House's marvelous migas are a medley of red and ancho peppers, garlic, beans, corn tortillas, onions, eggs and Portuguese sausage garnished with pasilla pepper cream sauce, cilantro pesto and flour tortillas on the side. The portions are generous, but you won't have trouble finishing them. The savory combination
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I love prawns (little mud bugs of the sea that they are) skewered, grilled, roasted, baked, hot or cold. Marzano's Restaurant on Garfield Street uses a generous number of sautéed black tiger prawns and plump sea scallops in the farfalle di marine, a large-portion seafood pasta dish. A simmered sauce
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Goat is as Mexican as it gets, especially inside a taco created on the tough streets of Pacific Avenue near East Tacoma. Vuelve A La Vida, Tacoma's most authentic Mexican restaurant, serves a marinated goat taco that puts the olé in your day. The birria (meat stew) tastes mellow and
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In the short rib market, I like Korean style best, and no one does that better than Lakewood's Palace Korean. These babies come out center-of-the-sun hot and crisp, with a silky, sugary sauce that blends nicely with the beef and fat hanging off the bones. I love Palace Korean's side
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The Crown Bar ranks as my favorite hip spot in the South Sound because it delivers on intimacy, an excellent street foods menu and cold beer. I like many items on the menu, but when I want perfection, I dive into a plate of their fried oysters. With just the
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These are no factory-made, mass-produced, tasteless, bland tamales. The masa is fresh; the tamale dough is perfectly steamed and as fresh as it can be. You know the tamale was just prepared, feet from your table, and delivered right to your delighted taste buds. The tamales have a variety of
