Stonegate Pizza

Where:  5419 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma, 253.473.2255

Hours: 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Daily

Cuisine: Creative multicultural dishes - pizza, steak, pasta, burgers,  seafood, sandwiches, salads

Scene: Family friendly dining, full service bar, live music

Drinkies: Beer, wine, liquor, espresso, soda, juice

Prices: $6-$20

ANNOUNCER: South Tacoma Way gets a bad rap for its seedy past. But look at it for the variety offered: drink strong cocktails, eat stupidly large burgers, car shop, hit a blues jam, order flowers, swap meet cruise, buy a dog, get car tabs, rent storage lockers, float naked in a pool of mineral water, and enjoy sushi and pho - all on one street. Similarly, many things can be done at Stonegate, where karaoke, live bands, family dining, a full bar and a separate lounge are offered on two floors.

JAKE: Stonegate is huge. Of the numerous times we've been there, I have never seen more than 10 people in either lounge or dining room. The bar upstairs seems to be the real attraction and the only area that actually feels finished. The rest of the place looks like a mishmash of art, layout and ideas that don't coalesce. On both visits I felt ignored. The kitchen staff saw us standing in the dining room; they stared back. Where's the sign telling you what to do?

JASON: When we were seated in the Rum Lounge, our server was fast with menus and reading my mind - by suggesting cocktails. However, when seated in the dining room we were just asked if we were ready to order. Weird that there's such discrepancy in service. I've had clams in wine, but never in beer. Hefeweizen steamers piqued my interest. Disappointingly, too many empty shells and an oddly bitter aftertaste derailed my anticipated enjoyment.

JAKE: Lightly toasted ciabatta bread accompanying the clam appetizer won my heart - chewy, soft goodness.  Made in-house, 3-bean soup with hearty sausage and onions was spot-on. It could have been hotter, though. The Caesar salad had committed suicide à la dressing drowning. Romaine was crisp and cut into very manageable pieces, which I was happy to see. Jason, you were in hog heaven over the anchovy flavor and tons of grated parmesan.

JASON: Croutons were small, crunched down easily and didn't cut the roof of my mouth. The dressing had a serious mayo taste at the forefront before settling into creamy anchovy and pepper. I missed the lemon zing that should always be present in a good fresh Caesar dressing. And yes, it was totally drenched in dressing just like a 1986 high schooler with a bottle of Polo. Jake, didn't you wear that cologne? I seem to remember you thought spraying it on meant you didn't actually have to shower.

JAKE: Yeah, and you thought dabbing Crown Royal behind your ears made you sophisticated. Where the menu listed marinara, a more apt description might be tomato paste. Bland red sauce covered spaghetti noodles stingily dusted with parmesan. The grilled ciabatta that came with this chintzy bowl of pasta was not delicious like what we had previously.  This tasted like gas and burger meat - no joke. Call me crazy, but I think it occupied a recently vacated spot where a burger had just been grilled. Not wise to do when sending it out with a vegetarian dish. Gag.

JASON: Double gag. No way salt and pepper alone could make that veggie marinara palatable. Grandpa Stonegate's secret meat sauce was an entirely different experience. In comparison to the veggie marinara, it was the best spaghetti sauce in the world. Full of chopped onion, garlic, and herbs, it also had big chunks of sausage. In reality it was simply a good sauce. Sorry, Grandpa - nothing to brag about. Pasta was cooked al dente. Hallelujah.

JAKE: Angry Hawaiian pizza was full of mellow flavors of pineapple, surprising coconut milk and ginger; the thin crust was excellent. Sounds gross till you realize there isn't that awful marinara as a base, but a sweet Thai chili sauce with tender chicken pieces and red bell peppers in a sprinkling of mozzarella. I was skeptical in general. Now I'm sold on the pizza at least.