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A rising trend in the Tacoma area seems to be pseudo-gourmet food being offered in unlikely places. The standard hangover-helper breakfast menu gets a makeover at Dirty Oscar Annex, a bar that also features live rock bands and an open mic. Cook Kyle Wnuk, who designed the entire menu, uses garlic, béchamel and cream in his made-to-order Italian sausage gravy that graces hand-dredged chicken-fried steak. Also worth checking out are pork belly hash with sweet potatoes and roasted red peppers, breakfast flatbread with egg and béchamel and huevos ranchero with cilantro crema.

Unexpected ingredients are used in appetizers and entrees, too.

"As much of it that can be is made in-house from scratch," says Wnuk.

For starters, there are the hot wings drenched in a pineapple-hoisin glaze. Then there's the half-pound Dirty Burger, a signature dish quickly becoming a popular picture to post on Facebook. The Dirty Burger is made from hormone-free 100% Certified Angus Beef straight from Oregon.

Where did Wnuk get these culinary skills?  The culinary program at Seattle Central Community College and through experiences working at places that serve up the dish-delicious like the Dash Point Lobster Shop, the Cliff House, Sophia Bistro and Il Fiasco, that's where.

Response to the menu has been amazing according to Wnuk. "People are taking pictures of the impressive plates coming out of a bar," he says. 

Wnuk's desire to create a menu of "better dishes" using quality ingredients,  and make it accessible to the everyday person, is being realized. The price point tops out at $13 (average $7), helping insure bar patrons can afford to try things they might not be able to at other restaurants. Braised elk Bolognese rigatoni and an air-cured beef bresaola with goat cheese, poached asparagus and a raspberry-Pinot Noir reduction will be added to the menu this week. These are some of the dishes one would typically see at finer places, places that have cloth napkins and waiters in long black aprons.

[Dirty Oscar's Annex, 2309 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.572.0588]