Nestled in North Tacoma's charming Three Bridge District, Café Brosseau welcomes those who want to cozy up to flavors, reads and screens. Among their assortment of Madrona Coffee Co. concoctions, Mad Hat Tea options and Corina Bakery pastries you'll spy a menu of sandwiches and dogs perfect for lunch time munching while typing away on the laptop or nibbling between friendly bits of conversation.
The item you must try in my humble opinion is the Sriracha Dog ($6.25). This quarter pound, all-beef frank stretches across the coffee shop in a grilled bun, split down the center and piled high with bacon, gratuitous amounts of cream cheese, sliced sweet Lynnae's Gourmet Pickles, and then drizzled with sriracha. The sweet and spice combo pack a one-two punch for your taste buds - the pickles serve to adorn your dog better than any relish you've experienced to date while the cream cheese cools it all down. I don't dare pretend to be all hoity-toity about my dogs but the textures are well balanced while the flavors are fun and compelling without being too adventurous.
If you're one who learned how to order food a la When Harry Met Sally and feel like mixing it up, the Café Brosseau crew is happy to make substitutions with cheddar or Havarti cheese on hand or even Lynnae's other pickled choices - dill or spicy. But really in this gals eyes no substitutions are necessary.
CAFÉ BROSSEAU, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, 2716 N. 21st St., Tacoma, 253.327.1306