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BITE US: Patty's Burgers & Milkshakes, Pacifc Grill's takoyaki

The good word in the South Sound

Pacific Grill's takoyaki

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Patty's Burgers & Milkshakes

The quintessential mom and pop diner, Patty's Burgers & Milkshakes on South Tacoma Way opened about four months ago and has already gained a loyal following. Decorated with pictures of hotrods, James Dean, Elvis and Marilyn Monroe, and photos of customers enjoying gigantic burgers, the red and tan interior has a 1950's retro diner feel. Patty's serves breakfast, burgers and sandwiches, fish and chips, salads and hot dogs, sundaes, banana splits and ice cream cones (ice cream is half-off during happy hour, 5-7 p.m.).  Two menu items are simply outrageous gastro offerings: an 8-egg monster omelet with bacon, sausage, ham and veggies ($9.99), and The Cake Burger - seven hamburger patties and all the fixings are held between home made bread buns ($21.99). To quench your thirst try a huge root beer float with whipped cream.

Fries are straight cut and sprinkled with tangy seasoning salt; onion rings have minimal batter. Fast, friendly service, decent portions and fair prices make Patty's a hit. - Jennifer Johnson

[Patty's Burgers & Milkshakes, 5615 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma, 253.474.0844]

Balls of goodness

I can just hear the moan, "Oh fabulous, here goes the Weekly Volcano, waxing wonderful the Pacific Grill for the billionth time. Seriously?"

Seriously.

I think it would be a crime not to spread the good word about Chef Gordon Naccarato's takoyaki, one of the Japanese street foods on the Grill's Noodle Bar menu. These balls are chunks of heaven. They're currently my favorite dish in the South Sound.

Given the fact the takoyaki ("tako" means octopus and "yaki" means grilled) are perfectly round crispy little balls of goodness, it's easy to assume they're fried octopus balls (like fritters or beignets).

No so fast, tentacle breath.

The reality is these popular Japanese street snacks are griddled, using a custom cast iron pan that allow Pacific Grill chefs to crank out sets of savory ping pong-ball-size goodness. They're much airier than you might expect. Also, Pacific Grill substitutes shrimp for octopus

"The batter is essentially a fritter or dumpling batter, to which we add sparkling water to make the batter light - like a beer batter does to onion rings," explains Naccarato via email.

Wet, dry, crackle, puff - four textures collapse on my tongue, and a tender shrimp emerges as a fifth. Beside the shrimp, Pacific grill's takoyaki includes bonito, scallion, ginger syrup and sweet takoyaki sauce. Each flavor bursts wide open in unison. 

Pacific Grill sells five balls on a plate for $9. I bought two. I thought about a third. - Ron Swarner

[Pacific Grill, Noodle Bar opens at 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 5 p.m. Saturday, 1502 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.3535]

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