ANNOUNCER: As Tacoma's Westgate Shopping Center continues to expand, Dutch and Jackie are lured over to sample the strip mall offerings. This week, they pop into Odd Fella's Pub & Eatery.
JACKIE: Don't let the "pub" moniker scare you, Odd Fella's has family-friendly dining on one half and a lounge on the other, so you can bring the brood. The ambiance is casual, warm accents, logo'd booth seating and an open floor plan. There's a television positioned so it's visible to each seat in the house for those looking to catch any big games.
DUTCH: Going in, I expected a basic pub menu of assorted fried foods, but instead there are three pages of options, many of which don't even pass the fryer on the way to your table. Several of which are on the appetizer menu and available for just $6 during Happy Hour each day between 3 and 6 p.m.
JACKIE: I opted for a smorgasbord of offerings starting with the Hot Wings. These guys are breaded and deep-fried, doused in a traditional Buffalo sauce that has just enough spice to matter. I enjoy wings with a crispy breaded bite to them.
DUTCH: I went after the D.B.L.T., which is basically a BLT but with twice the amount of bacon. So much bacon, in fact, that it is a visible stack along with fresh tomato and lettuce on toasted sourdough bread. The bacon was crisp and smoky, and the extra amount with the crisp of the lettuce and the sweet of the tomato might just have changed my BLT expectations from this point forward. The choice of included sides includes fries, tots or coleslaw.
JACKIE: I had to try the Smoky Mac with a "secret cheese sauce" and little smoky sausages -- it's finished with more cheese and comes out bubbly and hot. The dish was indeed ooey and gooey and the mini weiners lended a nice smoke. The dish is pretty approachable and could benefit from some salt, pepper, and Tabasco. I considered washing it all down with a cocktail, but it was mid-afternoon and the cocktail selection brought me back to dance club sippers. I needed the darkness of night to indulge.
DUTCH: Speaking of indulging . . . There are healthier options available here that are worth the visit. I gave the Turkey Cobb Wrap a shot as I felt like I was due for something healthyish for the week. This was basically a cobb salad minus the egg wrapped in a tomato tortilla. Fresh lettuce is tossed in a blue cheese dressing and partnered with bacon crumbles, avocado, tomato, parmesan cheese and deli slices of turkey. It is a fresh and flavorful option, and an unexpected option from a pub meal.
JACKIE: The Spicy Swine features house smoke pulled pork butt, Southern mustard barbecue sauce and melted pepper jack cheese served on golden brown slices of sourdough bread. While not "spicy," Odd Fella's executes the smoky flavors well. Served with your choice of sides, tots or fries that come in a mini metal fry basket, which was probably my favorite part of the visit. I love clever presentations.
ODD FELLA'S PUB & EATERY, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday-Thursday; 7 a.m. to midnight, Friday-Saturday; 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday, 5741 N. 26th St. #101, Tacoma, 253.300.8966, oddfellaspubtacoma.com
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