It's time to get out of your dining rut and discover new South Sound restaurants. And to help you, we have a few suggestions, at places you should definitely try.

Hometown Dogs
Not satisfied with the sub-par Chicago dog offerings in the Puget Sound, Debby Graham decided that with her close proximity to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, she most likely wasn't alone in her frustration.  And rather than settle for less, she did something about it.  She started her own business - Hometown Dogs, specializing in hot dog favorites from Chicago, Detroit and Atlanta to name a few.

Though generally anchored at the Centerforce campus in Lakewood, where she is an executive director for job training, as a food truck, Hometown Dogs can often be found at local events or farmers markets.  Debby stands behind her belief in the Centerforce mission by hiring trained employees directly from the Lakewood campus.

Since the original mission was to bring an authentic Chicago dog to the masses of the South Sound, I obviously had to go with the Chicago dog.  Hometown Dog's Chicago begins with a Vienna all beef hot dog on a poppy seed bun, and then it is all topped with mustard, fresh tomatoes, fresh onions, neon green relish, sport peppers, and just a dash of celery salt.  From the first bite you can taste the quality of the hotdog, and the freshness of the tomatoes and onions, as well as the sweet and spicy combo of the relish and peppers.  Hometown Dogs hits the Chicago on the head with an absolutely perfect balance of flavors and textures.

In addition to the Chicago, Hometown Dogs offers a simple hotdog menu with a local Seattle dog of cream cheese and jalapenos, the Detroit dog with chili, cheese and onions, the New York dog with hot sauerkraut, and the Atlanta dog that stars a topping of fresh, crisp cole slaw.  The beverage menu is just as basic with soda, water, coffee or hot chocolate.  If a tasty dog isn't enough to satisfy your appetite, then grab one of the affordable companions such as baked beans or potato salad.

Hometown Dogs, 5204 Solberg Drive SW, Lakewood, 253.584.1001

The Red Hot
The 6th Ave neighborhood in Tacoma has become a destination for breakfast each weekend, with lines at a handful of eateries up and down the Ave. The Red Hot, already established for great brews and creative dogs, jumped onto the breakfast scene a year ago and has added Sunday mornings to its creative side.

Along with offering breakfast twice a week, The Red Hot has added Stumptown Nitro Brew iced coffee to its daily menu. Imagine great Stumptown coffee, brewed cold and stored cold in kegs, then infused with nitrogen and run through the tap system.  Now you have yourself one of the best cups of coffee that will ever touch your lips! If nitro coffee isn't your thing, give a red beer, or a grapefruit radler a try.

Even with Red Hot's limited breakfast menu of a half dozen choices, it may still be difficult to decide as each one is unique from anything else you will find around town.  The double French toast is stuffed with Nutella and topped with banana whipped cream. The hangover hash might be just what your body needs on Sunday morning. And the chorizo scramble will absolutely satisfy your craving for a spicy breakfast.

I finally settled on the biscuit breakfast duo which promised both savory and sweet all on the same metal pie plate. Two breakfast sandwiches, one with sausage, egg, cheese, bacon and spicy mayo; the other with candied bacon, marionberry jam, and banana whipped cream.

The Red Hot, 2914 6th Avenue, 253.779.0229

Tacoma Cabana
Tacoma Cabana refers to its style as vacation fusion, and though located in downtown Tacoma right on Pacific Avenue, it makes you feel as if you truly are on vacation.  From the menu, the dark interior and bamboo everything, to the vacation-styled drink menu, it is an in-town escape from reality.

The vacation fusion menu is truly driven by its selection of appetizers designed to be shared.  The pineapple BBQ pork sliders are unique to any other slider you may find in town, and add the meatball skewer, the Tiki platter filled with tropical fruit, macadamia nuts and dipping chocolate, or my favorite  - the bacon wrapped pineapple, I couldn't find a bad appetizer on the entire menu.  

Combine your appetizer, one of the classic vacation drinks, and add ten friends, and you will be in the vacation mindset that Tacoma Cabana advertises.  Help yourself to one of the grogs available, a Mai Tai, or even a Chi Chi if you find yourself so inclined.  I went full tourist and tried the Polynesian Paralysis, which is a combination of pineapple and orange juice mixed with bourbon.  Be warned, when the menu states "served very tall", it doesn't mean the standard tall bar class, Tacoma Cabana means a foot tall bamboo cup.  But, remember people, we are on island time!

The dinner menu, though much more limited than the appetizer and drink menus, still has some great options. Jerk marinated chicken or curry and coconut flavors drive the dinner menu, but the Kona Coffee rubbed steak caught my eye, and at only $18, is the most expensive item on the menu.  All the flavors on the plate, from the rice, to the grilled vegetables, work perfectly with the bold coffee and earthy tones of the steak.  I've eaten a lot of steak in my day, but few that matched so well with everything else on the menu.

Tacoma Cabana, 728 Pacific Ave., 253.222.4184

Hanks Bar and Grill
Located on the corner of North 6th and K streets, Hanks Bar and Grill (formerly The Corner Bar) serves up some of the best pizza, beers and appetizers in Tacoma.  What once was simply a neighborhood dive bar for the North Slope residents, is quickly becoming one of the best known bars off the beaten paths of Tacoma's bar scene.

One of the draws, which many regulars were hesitant to embrace, is both the new name and a complete remodel inside, last winter.  Gone are the shabby, dirty walls and in are the warm mahogany walls and ceilings formerly gracing the E.R. Rogers mansion in Steilacoom.  Having worked at E.R. Rogers restaurant in the 1980's, I was personally excited to see Hanks preserving this piece of South Sound history.  Hanks, however, placed its own local spin to the remodel by displaying shelves and shelves of old beer cans to maintain the local "dive" feel.

As popular as the homemade pizzas and pretzels are to Hanks' regulars, don't avoid the rest of the menu; there are some amazing sandwiches and pasta on the menu as well.  The Buffalo chicken and pesto chicken sandwiches are certainly worth a try, but I couldn't resist the meatball sub on my visit.  The house-made meatballs on top of a house-made hoagie and smothered in marinara sauce and mozzarella was exactly what I was hoping it would be. The staff told me the meatballs would be a little spicy - and they were right - and it was just enough spice to separate Hanks' sub from all the other meatball subs around town.  Add the soft, warm, fresh bread, and this sandwich is hard to put down.

In addition to a wide open floor plan with plenty of seating in the booths or at a table in the middle, the bar is very accessible and the focal point of Hanks' remodel, making it easy for the staff to see the whole place.

Hanks Bar and Grill, 524 North K St., 253.627.3480