The margherita pizza and ham and brie sandwich at Minoela. Craig Sailor/The News Tribune

For popcorn fiends who also like to nosh, it might be a duel between The Grand Cinema's popcorn – I know people who say they go to the Grand just for popcorn – and Minoela, the new bistro wine bar that Danielle Kartes opened last week next door to the nonprofit arthouse cinema off of Sixth and Fawcett. (For background on Kartes, read this story I wrote in May).

I don’t know if the popcorn really is better at the Grand, or if it tastes better because the environment provides far more interest than a generic chain movie theater. Regardless, the Grand’s popcorn makes for great snacking. But filling, it’s not.
Enter Minoela: it seems on first perusal the perfect place to grab a substantial something before a movie at the Grand. And, based on a first taste this week, nosh lovers will like Minoela.

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I'm back from working with high school journalism students at the Seattle University Journalism Summer Workshop. I worked with four students who wrote articles you'll see published throughout the summer in The News Tribune and on the TNT Diner blog.

Here's a chef question/answer feature written by Peninsula High School's Ian Clarke with Tacoma chef Matt Stickle.

By Ian Clarke

Executive Chef Matt Stickle has worked at the Bite Restaurant at Hotel Murano for six years and has been working in the food industry for the last 10. The last two restaurants he worked at were the Little Nell in Aspen, Colorado and Mission Grill in Sister Bay, Wisconsin.
We phoned him up recently to throw a few non sequiturs his way. Here's what he had to say.

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Editors note: I'm working with high school journalism students at Seattle University's Journalism Summer Workshop this week. This is one of several articles written by students that the News Tribune will publish this summer. -- Sue Kidd

By Rebecca Harris

Eating your way through the Taste of Tacoma – it’s a combat for your concentration, fighting for the focus of your taste buds — but Donavan Maples hopes that Half Moon Bay Bar and Grill’s first appearance at the food festival this weekend will provide a taste seafood lovers won’t want to forget.

Half Moon is located in Westport – or, as general manager Maples calls the coastal town, “the cousin of Ocean Shores.” Maples’ access to fresh crab and fish guides what he cooks.

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Roseanna Donely and Dale Jarosz, owners of The Ark Smokehouse. Peter Haley/The News Tribune

Sometimes it takes a boatload of people to get a restaurant to float. In the case of the new Ark Smokehouse in Tacoma, Roseanna Donely relied on a crew of helpers when things began to tank.

A year ago, the restaurant veteran – with nearly 40 years’ experience operating the family-owned Caveman Kitchens in Kent – was looking to branch out with her sister Dale Jarosz. They intended to open a smokehouse in Tacoma. They found a location – the Olde Shipwreck on Marine View Drive – and leased the property, taking out a line of credit to complete building improvements.

Then came the economic storm, and The Ark’s line of credit washed away with it.

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The Steilacoom Farmers Market opens its first market season at 3 p.m. Wednesday. Read my story here for background on the market.

Kelly Barkhurst, volunteer market manager, said the market will launch its first season nearly at vendor capacity. She and vendor coordinator Voraya Srisamang have booked 43 vendors. The site of the farmers market – the tennis courts at Lafayette and Wilkes –only has room for 50.

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The waterfront view at Harbor Lights. Peter Haley / The News Tribune

A surf-and-turf menu, stiff drinks and serious hospitality have kept Harbor Lights an anchor on the Ruston Way waterfront for five decades. It celebrates its 50th year this year.

Sure, Harbor Lights probably didn’t serve rhubarb cosmos in the 1950s – that’s the modern influence Anthony’s brought when the Northwest chain bought Harbor Lights in 2000.

But Jeanie DeSmith, who served as hostess for more than two decades at Harbor Lights before retiring a few years ago, said the backbone of the restaurant – its staff and service – are the foundation, and the reason why Harbor Lights persists. Oh, and the stiff drinks don’t hurt, she said. The strong cocktails are leftovers from Harbor Lights founder Anton Barcott, who later handed over the operation to daughter LaMoyne Hreha before Anthony’s bought it.

“Everyone called him boss,” recalled DeSmith of Barcott. “He’d be down there and the guys could come into the lounge, he would have a drink – a ‘toot,’ that’s what he called it. ... He was a great man to work for.”

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Next week, I won't be blogging much, but I've invited guest bloggers from local high schools to post on the TNT Diner.

From this Friday to next Friday, I'll be teaching and mentoring student journalists from Puyallup, Gig Harbor and Auburn at Seattle University's Summer Journalism Workshop. I'll be working with students to write stories we'll publish in the SoundLife and news sections. Students also are interested in learning how to write blog posts. I already have one student interested in writing for the TNT Diner blog. She wants to write a chef Q&A, or write a restaurant profile of some kind.

Question: Which chef would you want the student to interview? Any suggestions? Any chefs want to volunteer to have a student interview them? It's great training for high school journalists -- so if you're a willing participant, please email me at sue.kidd@thenewstribune.com or comment here.