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Friday, June 29th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 07:15:16 am
The bartenders at one of my semi-regular haunts have a customer with the following modus operandi: She orders a drink. When the drink is delivered, she puts the glass to her lips. Then she says she doesn't have any money. The bartenders get stuck with her tabs. Cheers! Stiffing a server on a tip is one thing; not paying for what you consume is theft. Dining and dashing surfaced in a "Blondie" comic strip. (That Dagwood -- whatta proto-foodie!) The Bumsteads left a restaurant without paying. The punchline: When the waiter chased after them, Dagwood mocked the waiter for finally paying attention to them. The Fifth Amendment and statutes of limitations aside, does anyone want to 'fess up to dining and dashing? Why'd you do it? Did you know you were stealing? Restaurant and bar folk: Ever been ripped off? What did you do?
Categories: Customers and kids
• 9 comments
Thursday, June 28th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 11:19:49 am
 Rosé and jerky, on my deck. Being a reporter is about making connections. You know: Follow the money. Saddam, WMD. Rosé and jerky. "A lot of people are opposed to rosé," said Angi Unger of Bacchante Wine & Essentials in Tacoma. "A lot of people are used to white zinfandels, a pink wine that doesn’t have a lot of flavor, that’s too sweet, that doesn’t really say much about the wine." Rosés are made from several grapes: sangiovese, syrah, merlot. Being a fan of big, bad reds, I was skeptical of rosés at first blush. Hmmmm, tastes like under-sweetened Kool-Aid. But, given time, the half dozen bottles I've sampled in the past month have all been dry and drinkable -- nothing like the bubblegum-in-a-bottle of pink wines past. No wonder the French drink the stuff like water. Rosé is the new black. "They’re making such great rosé right now," Unger said. "You have the smell of initial flavor, then you’ve got spices that linger in the middle and then a finish that lasts for a long time." And the jerky connection? Like rosé, jerky's got a blush (thanks to sodium nitrite, a chemical that turns meat pink). And in my recent eating and drinking, lamb jerky, pork jerky, pepper jerky, and good o'l jerky jerky all paired well with rosé I'm still in the middle of my research, but I'm encountering tons of great jerky in the South Sound: Meat Shop of Tacoma (whose all-natural, organic jerky qualifies as artisan jerky in my book), Green Valley Meats in Auburn, Stewart's in McKenna, Johnson's in Olympia, Parkland Meat in Parkland, Blue Max in Puyallup, and AA in Lakewood. Now, I'm wondering what to do with all that jerky. About 15 years ago I had a memorable green papaya-lamb jerky salad at a Vietnamese restaurant. I want to recreate it. The organic, no-nitrite jerky at Meat Shop of Tacoma reminds me of carne seca, the dry shredded beef that's wonderful in tacos and scrambled eggs. Inspired by Fife City Bar & Grill's pecan-bacon waffles, I'm flipping out thinking about the jerky flapjacks I'm going to make this weekend. Maybe I'll throw together a jerky and cheese plate. I might even open another bottle of rosé. Wednesday, June 27th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 07:08:11 am
 Mmmm, pie, made by my crusty old landlady. I knew this would happen. I wondered what took so long. I've been in this business 22 years -- long enough to know that when there's a cute pop-culture tie-in to be made, you'll find a reporter somewhere. In fact, I had the idea months ago. But I haven't been in the mood for movies lately. As for pie -- well, I love good pie (especially with flaky lard crust), but my calories are better committed elsewhere. I'm talking about "Waitress" and this e-mail I received from Tuddo, an Ed's Diner regular:
Haute pie? They'd better not. 'Nuff said. When I want pie, I race to Don's Drive-In in Puyallup. I recall a slice of Don's rhubarb pie last year. The flaky crust had a delicious, sugary crackle. I've also enjoyed flashbacks of Antique Sandwich Co.'s marionberry pie; its tender, flaky double crust served as the thinnest of a shell for the tangy filling. I mentioned in my 2004 review that Antique's peanut butter pie was pretty good, too. I believe I wrote that Lone Star's "pecan pie was a triumph of nuts over corn syrup. At Corina Bakery, "pecan pie was sweet and slightly toasty." The key lime pie at Shenanigans was great until they stuffed it in a shot glass. I dug the slice of key lime I ate at The Ram on Ruston recently. Ditto the slice at Hearthfire Grill in Olympia. I've also had decent, but not entirely memorable, slices at Knapps in the Proctor and Angela's on Portland Avenue. I've been meaning to drop into Boston Harbor Pies in Olympia, but there's only so much pastry I can put in my body. Tuddo said, "If you don't care for pies, I would happily volunteer as the TNT pie critic." Believe me, Tuddo, I've considered taking on an intern. Until then, let me just deputize everyone in the South Sound with the authority to tell me (and Tuddo) where to get really good pie. The pie comment lines are open ... PIE PS: Oh, yeah: The deadline for the Puyallup Fair pie contests -- making them, not eating them (sorry, Tuddo) -- is Aug. 31.
Categories: Help Wanted
• 6 comments
Tuesday, June 26th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 05:51:52 pm
Capers Downtown opened today, serving, sandwiches, salads and soups in a comfortable, soaring space with park-side seating and a view of Tacoma's Old City Hall. Capers Downtown is Eve Hewitt's spin-off of Capers Take Home Eatery on Proctor Street, which she opened with a childhood friend in 2002. Hewitt said she'll shuttle between Capers Downtown and Capers in Proctor. "Sandwiches, salads and soups" doesn't do justice to the type of food Capers serves. Turkey is the bird kind, not the processed kind. Roast beef is cooked in house. The pulled pork sandwich rivals Pacific Grill's. Spicy pork pot stickers over Napa cabbage could make me reconsider my aversion to salad meals. Salad/sandwich prices are $8.99. There are a couple of entrees: zucchini quesadilla, Dungeness crab casserole, both with salad. Pastries, too. Hewitt said she plans to introduce a bistro-style dinner menu in a few months, with dishes like paella, lasagna, enchilladas. Dinners will be prix fixe, about $10-$15, and by reservation only, she said. Good news for the downtown worker lunch crowd: a half glass of Capers' house red or white is $3.50. For those who can while away an afternoon at a park-side table, there are some Spanish, Australian and California beauties on the wine list. Capers Downtown seats 50 inside and about a dozen outside. One downtown wag told me that Capers Downtown is the kind of restaurant that's ready to be reviewed right out of the gate. Let's settle for a first bite in July. Capers Downtown: 701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma; 253-272-2240. Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. POSTSCRIPT: Eve Hewitt told me in December that she had planned to open Capers Downtown in May. It's almost July. She's not alone. Permits, construction, inspection delays are just a few of the many reasons that announced restaurants take so long to open. Bombay Bistro on Sixth Avenue, for instance, says it's awaiting final inspections. Mr. Greek's local franchisee told me landlord problems slowed his progress in Puyallup. He told me he was considering another city. So here's the deal: Rather than play chase the restaurant, I'll blog about new restaurants when I hear about them and when they open, with reports in between only as warranted. Ali Kashi, general manager of Bella Vita, an Italian restaurant and "ultra lounge," told me he'll open Aug. 1, in the space formerly occupied by a Sixth Avenue mini-casino. Blue Olive's former chef, Roman Aguillon, helms the kitchen. Check back here Aug. 1. Stay tuned for word on Bombay Bistro, Mary's Burger Bistro, Woody's Wharf, The Red Hot, Crown Bar and Opa!, a Greek restaurant, just like you asked for.
Categories: Restaurant openings
• 8 comments
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 12:41:33 pm
Oh, yeah: Ed's Diner is mentioned in this article, from Restaurants and Institutions magazine. Here's a contextual excerpt:
And these paragraphs, which, respectively, give a Tacoma chef and a Tacoma critic the penultimate and final words:
Categories: Reading Room, Reviewing
Monday, June 25th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 09:00:39 pm
 Sparkling shiraz, in crystal, on my deck tonight. Sparkling shiraz is my new grape Nehi. Let me explain: In broadening my wine horizons, I inadvertently slipped into the bubbly, juicy side of the wine aisle. At first I thought I'd bought nouvelle cold duck. Bolder than burgundy, more purple than Prince and fizzy to boot, sparkling shiraz is a wine unto itself: big, grapey and satisfyingly sweet, like a cold grape Nehi with extra bubbles and a tannic twist. Bless the Aussies for finding the perfect excuse to drink cold red wine. So far, $10 Paringa -- I found it at Tacoma Boys, Stadium Thriftway, Vin Grotto and my local stop and rob -- is my favorite. I also hear good reports about Hardy (about $17) and Shingleback (about $25). Tonight I enjoyed Paringa sparkling shiraz with my home-cooked dinner: cherry-roasted rack of lamb and baked acorn squash with bacon-fat butter and rosemary. I've also enjoyed sparkling shiraz with burgers, sausages and steak. It’s great with turkey, too. Ever heard the phrase "barbecue wine"? Sparkling shiraz is a beaut of a barbecue wine -- sassy, slightly sweet and able to take on anything from charred meats to potato chips. Kind of like Shelia, the Aussie broad from cooking school who melted my hot-cross buns on her barbie. Anyway, before I finish the bottle and get misty about Shelia, please tell me which wines you like to drink with any of the following back-yard barbecue foods: Grilled steak. Grilled sausage. Grilled fish. Grilled vegetables. Grilled oysters. Hamburgers. Hot dogs. Fried chicken. Potato salad. Corn on the cob. Baked beans. Three-alarm chili. Fruit salad. Ambrosia salad. Summer berry cake. Albarinos, vinho verdes, moscato d'astis, proseccos, roses -- even zinfandels, chardonnays and sauvignon blancs -- are all acceptable answers. Yeah, so it's the night before deadline and I'm fishing for quotes. Who wants to be quoted in next week's food section? Talk to me by Tuesday afternoon, people.  Like grape Nehi -- but different and better.
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 02:26:26 pm
 Gary Lawrence, at the grill at Gary's Steak Out: Why work to death? Gary’s Steak Out & Bar has been sold to the people at Primo Grill, Gary Lawrence confirmed today. Primo chef/owner Charlie McManus told me he’s going to reopen Gary’s as Crown Bar, an American bistro and “neighborhood bar,” in September. Lawrence said he’ll be packed up by the end of July. Lawrence didn’t just sell his 3-year-old grown-up steakhouse: McManus and his wife, Jacqueline Plattner, are buying the entire 10,000-square-foot building on the 2700 block of Sixth Avenue, home to a tattoo shop, a chiropractor, a driving school and a doggy day care. Lawrence said the sale price was "beyond fair with Charlie." “I’m really happy somebody’s gonna care about it like I do,” said Lawrence, who has operated restaurants in that building since 1987 – first Brunchies, then the breakfast spot The Sunriser, and finally, Gary’s Steak Out. Lawrence opened Gary’s Steak Out in August 2004, spending $400,000 to transform his iconic Sixth Avenue breakfast joint into an upscale dinner house. “I got tired of making breakfast, got tired of the speed,” Lawrence said of his early-rising days cooking 10-egg omelets and 1-pound plates of hash browns for hung-over patrons. “I got tired of food being all over the floor. I built a really nice place and want to keep it that way.” At Gary’s Steak Out, maple walls give the dining room an intimate, dinner-club feel. Marble in the restrooms is just plain classy. McManus said the restaurant’s “got great bones” that reminded him of the Crown Bar in Belfast, his hometown. “I don’t want to do an Irish bar,” McManus said. “There are too many around already.” Lawrence said he plans to “semi retire” and undergo a “life change.” He’s 43 years old. He had “a couple of small heart attacks a few months ago.” He said he’ll make his side business of selling old muscle cars his main business. Lawrence commutes from Shelton with his wife, Tess. Her mother works at Gary’s as a hostess. Her father washes dishes. “We’ve been there 20 years,” Lawrence said. “Why work them to death?” Meanwhile...
Categories: Changes and sales
• 7 comments
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 09:09:01 am
 Humility and honesty need not be lost in the rush of service. I was having a bad day last week. A waitress at a waterfront resturant was having an even worse day. I got an apology. She got a tip. We both came out ahead. Lunch went like this: I ordered wine, an appetizer and an entrée. She brought the appetizer. A few bites into the appetizer, she told me she’d forgotten to put in my entrée order. What was that again? Finally, she brought wine. It was red; I’d ordered white. A few sips into the correct wine, she returned. A cook burned my entrée, she said. My entrée finally arrived. When she brought the bill, I noticed she’d charged me for the more expensive red wine rather than the less expensive white wine I’d ordered. Everything got fixed, and somewhere in there she offered me a complimentary dessert for my troubles. (I demurred, as I wasn’t even hungry enough to finish the appetizer and the wine.) Lunch had eaten up 90 minutes of my bad day. But I tipped the waitress anyway, about 15 percent. Why? Because every time something was screwed up, my server immediately apologized and did her best to make things right. Like when the cook burned my entree. "I told him, 'Look at me,'" the waitress told me. "'Do you see these tears in my eyes? I'm not going to serve that.'" Attagirl. Come to think of it, I might have under-tipped. Thursday, June 21st, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 07:32:54 pm
I'd barely taken my first canned sip when "Come As You Are" boomed through the bar. A good, grungy sign, that. Especially for a place that boasts of being a dive. Cans is brought to you by the people responsible for Varsity Grill. They've rehabbed their Taboo/Comedy Underground club into a bar pushing canned beer. Over by some arcade games, there's a stage for a band. A sign near the men's room announces a pool room coming soon. There's a full bar. Free peanuts, too. Cans offers some good canned Contiential beers: Boddington's, Murphy's, Newcastle and Pilsner Urquell. For canned beer afficionadoes, there's Rainier, Hamm's, Bud Light, Miller and the like. In all, there are 30 canned beers. I didn't spot any craft beers in Cans' cans. (Maybe if Pacific Grill's Gordon Naccarato had opened Cans, canned Gordon IPA would be on Cans' menu?) On Cans' food menu, country-fried steak, meatloaf and a $6 hot dog caught my eye. So did a handful of craft beers on tap. I look forward to a second beer and something to eat. I'll say this: I would have loved to have spent a couple of hours curled up at Cans reading my book by the wall of windows that looks out to Fireman's Park and the freeway onramp that leads me home. I sensed a roomy, yet cozy vibe. I also must say this: Despite a tasteful bit of beer kitsch and the head of large dead animal mounted on the wall, Cans, at least for now, feels a bit too clean and well-lighted to feel like a real dive. Wait. Maybe that's the point, Tacoma: Cans -- it ain't your daddy's dive. Wednesday, June 20th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 07:40:09 am
 E9's original impressario, Dusty Trail, right, with a bartender in 1994.
Engine House No. 9 celebrates two milestones this summer: the 100th anniversary of the historic fire house’s construction, and the 35th anniversary of the restaurant’s creation. To mark the occasions, E9 brewer Doug Tiede brewed Centennial, a dry-hopped pale ale with a burst of citrus, a cloud of copper and a dry finish. At about 50 IBUs – International Bittering Units, which measure the piney punch of beer – it’s a crisp quaff. “It’s got more aromatics and flowers rather than bitter,” Tiede said. “It’ll keep the attention of beer geeks.” Centennial Ale will be on tap (and in growlers to go) through the end of the year, E9 manager Craig Dickens said. Dickens also sketched out party plans for the E9 fire house, a brick building that’s on the National Register of Historic Places for its architecture and social history. Starting July 23, Dickens said, there’ll be a week-long round of trivia games and maybe some music, culiminating with a family-friendly barbecue and carnival that may include buggy rides, a dunk tank, and relay races. Stay tuned for solid info. In the meantime, care to share your memories of Engine House No. 9? I know Dusty Trail turned a seedy rock ‘n’ joint into an iconic restaurant in 1972. I know E9 became Tacoma’s first brewpub in 1995. I know it led the way in smoke-free dining. But I want to know if it’s true that Kip, a horse from the old fire house, is buried on the south side of the building, in what is now Masa’s parking lot. Ed’s note: In the transition to the new blog system, the “leave a comment” link only appears if you’re logged in. So, registered users and Ed’s Diner patrons, please log in and share your comments. Thank you and sorry for the inconvenience.
Tuesday, June 19th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 05:48:02 am
Judging by events and litigation, there are at least two ways to unmask an anonymous dining ranger: 2. Sue him. Me, I’m shooting for the former. That’s how every server in Los Angeles got to download a picture of the LA Weekly’s restaurant critic -- pink Oxford, mullet and all. No. 2 is the result of a three-line restaurant review written by the restaurant critic of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Here’s how a restaurant named Chops is threatening to chop off the critic’s anonymity, as reported by the Philadelphia Weekly:
I’m no lawyer, but I see two possibilities: 1. The case, along with the critic’s videotaped testimony, goes to trial. 2. The case – in which the restaurant claims the critic erroneously said he ate a strip steak – is settled. Anonymity v. Credibility. That’s a much tougher choice than Barbaresco or Barolo with dinner.
Categories: Reviewing
Monday, June 18th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 07:10:52 pm
Three homebrewers from Federal Way will get to make their beers in professional brewpubs after being selected in the inaugural Puget Sound Pro-Am brewing competition, a run-up to the Great American Beer Festival Pro-Am competiton, where their beers will vie against other homebrews in September. Their brews will also go on tap as seasonals at Puget Sound pubs. Mark Emiley's English barleywine will be brewed at The Ram in Lakewood. Peter and Janice Twigg's cream ale will be brewed at Diamond Knot Brewery in Mukilteo. The South Sound connection doesn’t end with Emiley and the Twiggs. Tacoma’s Harmon Brewery will brew a pale ale from a Lake Stevens homebrewer. The Powerhouse in Puyallup will brew a “recreational” beer (by a couple of guys from Lynnwood) that won’t be submitted to the GABF Pro-Am. “It tasted very nice,” Harmon brewer Mike Davis said of George Hamasaki's pale ale. “It’s medium-bodied with a nice balance between the malt and the hop character. It had a faint hop nose. A citrusy nose. A very drinkable beer.” Davis said he wants to start brewing with Hamasaki by no later than early August. “He brewed 5 gallons,” Davis said. “We’re gonna brew 310.” That's about 20 kegs. At The Ram, Bill Smith will brew 10 kegs of Emiley's barleywine. “Most us got our start as homebrewers,” said Steve Samuelson, a brewer at The Ram in Seattle. “It’s really fun to connect with those roots.” For homebrewers, it’s a chance to brew with the big boys and have their beer drunk at America’s largest beer festival. In addition to six 22-ounce bottles that will be sent to Denver for judging, brewers will send a keg of each beer to the festival. “I'll be heading out to the GABF,” Emiley said. “It is an annual tradition that will be even cooler with my beer being poured.” Click on the link below for the full list of pro-am brews and breweries.
Categories: Beverages
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 03:34:06 pm
My pod mate EJ just rose up and spoke: "You got to report the opening," he said. "I get to report the closing." He's talking about The South Sound Garage, a place I never parked my dining derriere. Did the promised steakhouse ever materialize?
Categories: Restaurant closings
• 7 comments
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 07:52:25 am
Have you ever had food poisoning? What did you do, besides get ill? I got a call last week from a guy named Dave, a self-described amputee veteran who said he suffered a mondo bout of food poisoning after eating a lobster at a restaurant. He said his ordeal lasted two weeks, including a stint in the hospital. Dave said he’s not allergic to shell fish. Dave said he’s never had a violently ill reaction to any seafood. Dave said he was looking forward to his lobster; his parents had driven him from Orting to Tacoma for lunch. Dave said the lobster was soft and soupy, like an oyster in June. Dave said he “slurped it down.” Dave said he barely made it to the restaurant’s restroom. Dave said he spent a couple of days in the hospital, where, he said, doctors told him he had food poisoning. Proving food poisoning is tricky. Salmonella is the most common type of food poisoning; it can take 24 to 72 hours before symptoms become apparent. Incubation times for other food-borne bacteria vary. Short of an epidemic, it’s tough to peg food-poisoning sources. So why did Dave call me? He’d already called the restaurant and its corporate 800 number. “I’d like a damn written apology,” Dave said. “I just want something for the two weeks I wanted to die. Gimme a couple of grand. Make it happen.” Dave sounded like an angry man. I can appreciate that. Here’s what I told Dave: I’m not the health department, and there’s a bunch of lawyers in the phone book who can help you with that couple of grand. If you want to report food poisoning, call the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department: 253-798-6500. They’ve got the ability to inspect and shut down kitchens. And call when the illness occurs, not a month later. Good luck, and safe dining.
Categories: Ewww!
• 9 comments
Friday, June 15th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 04:31:47 pm
I've been working with online publishing tools since 1995. I've never seen one implementation go off without a hitch. Here's the link that lets us read the latest comments at Ed's Diner. Sure, you can click on one of the RSS feeds on the bottom right-hand side of the page, but some of us have gotten used to this link, which was on the old interface but disappeared from the one the TNT transferred to this week. That's the way things have gone since 1995.
Categories: All-Purpose Stuff
Thursday, June 14th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 07:20:49 am
 From my Tortilla Flats youth, I remember grandmothers in all-day aprons walking down the streets with buckets in their hands. They were buying menudo at the neighborhood Mexican restaurant and taking it home for their families’ Sunday tables. Growlers remind me of menudo buckets. But growlers are better-suited to filling with beer, root beer or ginger ale. Growlers are reusable, resealable half-gallon glass containers that some breweries will fill up for just more than the price of a single pint at a pub. A growler holds four pints. Do the malt math. The growlers in the picture are relatively plain and simple, about 5 bucks each. Some growlers are the ultimate in beer bling. Growlers and 32-ounce medicine bottles in my modest collection come from Puget Sound breweries. One of them is a present (mmm, smoked porter) that my wife brought me from her trip to Amherst, Mass. Except for one of the medicine bottles, I can take my empties to breweries whence I bought them and have them re-filled with fresh beer – or root beer and ginger ale in some cases. The beer (or soda) stays fresh for a couple of days after opening. My newest growler is from A&W Root Beer. The company started offering them earlier this year. They’re $6.99 filled. Refills are $1.49 – just a few pennies more than the cost of a 20-ounce bottle of A&W at a convenience market. And it’s draft root beer. At some breweries, growlers are a necessity. Georgetown Brewing Company, for example, doesn’t distribute its beer in bottles – it’s on tap only. But at the south Seattle brewery, you can get your growler filled with Manny’s Pale Ale, Roger’s Pilsner or Choppers Red for $5. I’m told Georgetown sells about 200 growlers of beer most Fridays. Besides Georgetown, I also like growlers and medicine bottles to-go from Elk Head Brewing in Buckley, because that’s the easiest way to drink Elk Head’s hard-to-find-on-tap beers, except for the all-you-can-drink samples at the modest tap room. Olympia’s Fish Brewing Company is another favorite place to fill growlers – with organic ales or ginger brew. To save gas, I’ve asked a co-worker who lives on the Kitsap Peninsula to bring me growlers from Heads Up Brewing and Silver City Restaurant and Brewery. The other medicine bottle in the picture came from the Powerhouse in Puyallup, which sells two of its higher-octane ales that way, but does not refill them. Are you into growlers? Where do you fill up?
Categories: Beverages
• 11 comments
Wednesday, June 13th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 05:46:28 pm
Starting Aug. 3, The Spirit of Washington Dinner Train will have a new route: Tacoma to Eatonville. Thanks to Interstate 405 construction on BNSF railroad land, The Spirit of Washington will lose the Renton-to-Woodinville route it’s used since 1992. It’ll make its last run to the Columbia Winery on July 31. The new 3 ½-hour round trip will depart south of Freighthouse Square, on Tacoma Rail's mountain tracks.
Categories: Changes and sales
• 2 comments
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 06:49:03 am
I'm taking the weekend off. So I won't need the media freebie pictured on the right. Heck, I don't even plan to write about the Washington Brewers Festival for my still-brewing personal blog. I just plan to enjoy the beer and enjoy myself. If you see me Saturday or Sunday, I'll be the guy who paid 20 bucks at the gate to reacquaint himself with hopped-up buddies from Alpine, Roslyn, Iron Horse and a bunch of other far-way Washington (and out-of-state) breweries that only visit Puget Sound for beer festivals like this. Family-minded beer lovers also have reason to celebrate: The festival, which coincides with Father’s Day, takes place at family-friendly Saint Edward Park in Kenmore, not in an adults-only hall at Seattle Center like last year. In addition to samples of beer from Washington’s best brewers, there’ll be a brewers keg toss contest, live music and kids’ activities. For times and ticket information, click here. Here’s how I plan to spend my first 12 tasting tokens: Diamond Knot’s Brown American Dogfish Head’s Indian Brown Ale Elliott Bay’s B-Town Brown Heads Up’s Damn Red Scotch Ale The Harmon’s JT Memorial Kolsch Northern Light’s Chocolate Dunkel The Ram’s Berry White Belgian fruit ale Baron’s Schwarz Anderson Valley’s Summer Solstice Cerveza Crema Alpine’s Bohemian Pilsner Anacortes’ Mai-O-Mai Bock Roslyn’s German-style dark lager I plan to take a picnic of cured meats, cheeses and crackers. Food at Washington Brewers Guild festivals is never as good as the beer. I might trade you some of your beer tokens for some of my salumi. Tuesday, June 12th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 07:48:09 pm
The owners of Tacoma’s Primo Grill will receive honorary degrees from Tacoma Community College in recognition of their contributions to the school and its students. For the past eight years, Charlie McManus and Jacqueline Plattner have raised and donated more than $70,000 to a TCC art scholarship. "We believe in strong local connections," Plattner said. "We display the artwork of local artists and support local wineries and also local farmers of produce, meats and seafood. Being part of our community is very important for us." Some TCC art students, in fact, helped design and paint Primo's tables. Plattner and McManus will receive honary Associate Degrees during Saturday’s commencement at the Tacoma Dome.
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 06:26:41 pm
I'd overheard that my favorite chef-owned Tacoma steakhouse is for sale. I went down there to check things out. What I overheard at the steakhouse upset my tummy. No, I didn't get confirmation on the steakhouse sale rumor. I overheard a cellphone conversation from hell. My wife and I dined one table away from three people who were sitting by the window. I glanced their way a couple of times, but I couldn't pick up their conversation. Then one of the guys at the table made a cellphone call. It sounded like he was talking to an old college buddy. It sounded three times as loud as the conversation he'd been having with his tablemates. Why do people yell into cellphones? Yeah, my T-Mobile service blows, but what's with the yelling? What's with making or taking cellphone calls in the middle of restaurants? What's with intruding on other diners' spaces? What's with making the people at your table sit and wonder what to do or say while you jabber on at a volume better suited to a Sea-Tac runway than a grown-up steakhouse? Where's rivitman's cellphone disabler when you need it?
Categories: Customers and kids
• 16 comments
Monday, June 11th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 11:44:43 am
Woody’s Wharf, a casual restaurant serving seafood, steak, salads and pasta, will replace Blue Olive, the swank martini bar that sunk on Thea's Landing last year. Woody’s Wharf principal Coy Woods said he and his daughter, Raquel Wheeler, are finalizing the purchase from Blue Olive’s Derrick Martin and Kevin Glagavs. Woods said the purchase price "is nobody's business." He said he hopes to open Woody’s Wharf in early July. Woods’ In the Woods LLC previously owned the Best Western Executive Inn in Fife, plus “specialty” restaurants in Utah and Idaho.
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 11:21:50 am
UPDATED June 24: Barry Watson sent this e-mail:
END UPDATE Barry Watson, proprietor of Rosewood Cafe in Tacoma's Proctor neighborhood, suffered heart attacks last week. He's scheduled for quadruple by-pass surgery on Tuesday. Here's what he said in an e-mail:
Categories: Chefs
• 6 comments
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 09:46:27 am
 Strawberries of the future, at WSU's Goss Farms in Puyallup. Here’s the way it usually works: Growers plant strawberries. Strawberries are delivered to consumers. Chefs taste strawberries. Chefs figure out what to do with strawberries. Here’s how things could work: Chefs taste strawberries. Chefs tell growers which strawberries they like. Growers put those strawberries into production. “For the first time in history, chefs are being invited to tour the WSU research garden where the strawberries of the future are being developed,” said Jon Rowley, the food marketing master who arranged next Monday’s tour, in which a group of chefs will taste and evaluate new strawberry cultivars at Washington State University’s research station in Puyallup. “I hope to be able to show the chefs that there are many different strawberry cultivars available and they have different characteristics,” said WSU researcher Patrick Moore. “I also hope to learn what they are looking for in a strawberry.” Moore does what bees can’t: uses controlled pollination to produce seedlings for WSU’s breeding program. Currently, there are about 4,700 stawberry seedlings planted at WSU’s Goss Farms. Most are from WSU’s breeding program, but plantings include selections from Oregon and British Columbia breeding programs. If chefs like flavors of certain cultivars, Moore said, they may be propagated for further testing -- even if their fruit production does not stand out. “Historically, it has been growers who have participated in the process to determine which cultivars go into commerical production,” Rowley said. “Flavor might not be the overriding selection criteria for a grower but may be the primary consideration for chefs and consumers.” Following next Monday's strawberry field tour and tasting, Anthony's executive chef, Pat Donahue, will prepare strawberry shortcakes from WSU’s strawberries. Others on the invite list include: Peter Birk of Ray's Boathouse; Eric Hellner of Union Square Gril; Chris Curtis, representing Seattle farmers markets; Danielle Custer, Seattle Art Museum; Kevin Davis, Stealhead Diner; Ed Lasker, Metropolitan Market produce specialist; Ethan Stowell, Union Restaurant; and Aaron Wright, Canlis. Mabye some Tacoma chefs will be invited to the raspberry tasting that Rowley hopes to organize in early July. Friday, June 8th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 12:36:06 pm
 Mark Lindquist, Tacoma drug prosecutor and author. “The King of Methlehem,” a novel by Tacoma drug prosecutor Mark Lindquist, is set in and around Tacoma. While the book’s tweeker antagonist doesn’t have much need for food, Lindquist’s detective hero knows his dining and drinking spots. I scanned the book at tweeker speed. Here are references to local restaurants, including one whole chapter set in Le-Le, where a News Tribune reporter sips bubble tea in the corner. Since the book’s main tweeker goes by the name Howard Schultz, it’s fitting that Starbucks references litter the book.
Starbucks pp. 2, 47, 96, 195, 199, 217 Sizzler in Puyallup, p. 7 Syren, p. 22 Fujiya, p. 22 Sea Grill, p. 22 Cutter’s Point Coffee, p. 29 The Swiss, pp. 88, 176 Johnny’s Dock, p. 126 Blue Olive, p. 126 Shakebrah, p. 164 The Parkway Tavern, p. 164 West End Pub and Grill, p. 164 The Spar, p. 165 Bertolino's Coffee Bar, p. 169 21 Commerc e, p. 176 Kickstand Café, p. 200 Le-Le, pp. 211-217 (“Everybody Comes to Le-Le’s” chapter) Here are a couple of almost-Tacoma references: On page 31, a character pulls a chocolate and almond candy from her purse. But it’s Almond Joy, not Tacoma’s Almond Roca. On page 101, Lindquist references MSM – but it’s the dietary supplement for horses that’s used to cut methamphetamine, not the Sixth Avenue deli.
Categories: Reading Room
• 3 comments
Wednesday, June 6th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 10:29:36 am
 Lupe Cervantes confirms that he's sold La Costa Mexican Restaurant, the home of downtown Tacoma's finest drag revue. Starting Monday, a new owner takes over. Cervantes said he'll stick around for about a month to help the new owner transition. He said the new owner is not interested in continuing the drag shows. Cervantes said he'll take a break from the business before looking for a new location away from downtown. UPDATED: FRIDAY Flynn said she'll rename the restaurant Cheshire and serve American comfort food.
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 06:16:46 am
Did you do the quiz in the newspaper? Want the answers? Click on the link below.
Categories: Extra! Extra!
• 6 comments
Monday, June 4th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 04:37:16 pm
In addition to being a hot dog blogger, Miller is part-owner of the family owned One Ten Lounge in Port Orchard. “Me and my family built it, own it, run it, etc.,” he said of the “swank cocktail lounge.” “I had a new idea, and we decided to open a bar over here in Tacoma.” The latter of which, I assume, is what Miller means when he refers to “a shrine of some sort” in honor of Dockyard Derby Dames, Tacoma’s premier female roller derby league. Miller’s got yet another other gig: coach of the Hellbound Homewreckers derby team. Miller said he hopes to open The Red Hot in August, in the space that Pairings outgrew, 2914 6th Ave. It’s next to Dad’s Bakery & Deli, which remains vacant. Speaking of vacancies, Djembe Soul has vacated its location on Commerce Street in downtown Tacoma. The soul-food restaurant was always out of one thing or another, whether it was catfish or bologna sandwiches. I will miss those hushpuppies.
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 11:15:18 am
Um, different, maybe even good. The TNT's Reader Representative sent me a note:
I'm at a loss, but I'm on the look out for it now.
Categories: Help Wanted
• 3 comments
Friday, June 1st, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 10:33:44 am
 Tortas, from today's GOEAT review. Click on the link below for sandwich notes from my eating archive.
Categories: Extra! Extra!
• 7 comments
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Looking for a place to eat? Don't know where to go? Don't know what you're hungry for? Search our restaurant guide. Search by the restaurant's name. Search by keyword (eg: korean fried chicken, wood-fired pizza). Search by proximity. You'll find links to maps, menus and more. Listen to Ed's song "My Lady of Tamales," in MP3.  Send comments, gossip or complaints to: ed.murrieta@thenewstribune.com. Or call: 253-597-8678. Got something to say? Here's the place to comment on and discuss what's on your plate and on your mind. Don't wait for me to post something to respond to. Keep up with the conversation Check out the latest comments on Ed's Diner. Category
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