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Friday, November 30th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 03:59:50 am
A teriyaki joint closes and Friesenburgers rises. Friesenburgers is the name of the cafe that's opening in the location of the former Yung's Teriyaki in Tacoma's Dome District. Friesenburgers plans to serve breakfast, buffalo burgers and deep-fried hot dogs. Dec. 10 is the targeted opening date. As for the operators of Yung's Teriykai, a sign on Friesenburgers' door says:
As for those deep-fried hot dogs: I'm told they'll be battered, puffy and served with chili. Friesenburgers: 308 E. 26th St., Tacoma. Target opening date: Dec. 10.
Categories: Restaurant openings
• 4 comments
Thursday, November 29th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 01:07:24 pm
 Santa's not real -- but the beer is. So ho, ho hoist one. The Washington Beer Commission's third annual Winter Beer Fest happens Friday and Saturday at Hales Ales in Seattle. More than 30 breweries will pour their bold cold-weather beers. Some will pour Christmas beers past -- so beer-tasters can see how the same beers brewed in different years evolve. Tickets -- on sale online and at select outlets -- are $23 in advance, $25 at the door. Designated driver admissions cost $8. Meanwhile, Doyle's Public House in Tacoma celebrates the 74th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition on Wednesday. Honoring Dec. 5, 1933 – Repeal Day, “presents a wonderful occasion to get together with friends and pay tribute to our constitutional rights,” said Doyle’s publican Russ Heaton. “Unlike St. Patrick's Day or Cinco de Mayo, Repeal Day is a day that all Americans have a part in observing, because it's written in our Constitution. No other holiday celebrates the laws that guarantee our rights, and Repeal Day has everything to do with our personal pleasures.” Doyle’s pleasures will include Jack Daniels whiskey and Miller High Life beer – “two brands that are true examples of American drink,” according to Heaton. “There are no outfits to buy, costumes to rent, rivers to dye green,” Heaton said. “Simply celebrate the day ... Split a bottle of wine with a loved one. Buy a shot for a stranger. Just do it because you can.” Here's the official government language that once told us we couldn't:
Here are the government's glorious words that say we can:
Washington state residents still can't buy liquor at supermarkets like consumers in civilized states are able to do, but that's another battle for another blog. On the subject of Prohibition and Tacoma, here's a story I wrote a couple of years ago about Tacoma's glory days of brewing. Things were never the same after Prohibition.  A piece of Tacoma's pre-Prohibition past. Wednesday, November 28th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 11:52:50 am
After 2½ years and nine remodels, Steilacoom Wine and Brew has outgrown its tiny location, behind the espresso stand on Rainier Street. It will close Dec. 7. On Dec. 15, owner Jake Hathcock will reopen his beer emporium in a new locaiton with a new name and an expanded mission. The new name is Jake’s Bar and Bistro. The new location is 215 Wilkes Street, across from the post office. “It’s a bar where people are going to be pretty damned surprised about what kind of food is served,” Hathcock said. “I’m opening a bar that has good food.” Hathcock said the menu will be “healthy, kinda Northwest, things that pair well with beer, wine and liquor.” He’s planning artisan cheese plates, smoked salmon plates, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, housemade soups and desserts. He’s aiming to keep prices below $14. Jake’s will also continue Steilacoom Wine and Brew’s top-notch beer (and wine) menu, with 42 Northwest micros and European beers on tap. He’ll have more than two dozen wines by the glass. He’s also adding premium liquors. With the spirits comes another change: Hathcock will no longer sell beer to-go, as his new liquor license prohibits to-go sales. Jake’s Bar and Bistro will occupy the top floor of a new building in Steilacoom. In addition to 1,700 square feet of interior space, Jake’s has a 1,200-square-foot deck with a view of Puget Sound. “I’m moving from a garage where I look out two little windows to a place where I can look out over the whole South Sound. It’s incredible,” Hathcock said. Jake’s Bar and Bistro has a stage, where Hathcock plans to book jazz acts and other bands. Jake’s first “beer appreciation night” will be Dec. 19, featuring California’s Stone Brewing. Tuesday, November 27th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 04:12:51 pm
Woody's Wharf has a new chef, a new general manager, a new menu and a new last name. The restaurant, which opened in August, celebrates its grand opening Thursday, with free appetizers and $1 drinks from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Chris Bangert, previously of The Cliff House, is the new chef. Thomas Johnson, formerly of Sea Grill, now runs the front. Johnson told me today that Woody's has new last name –- on the Water. Woody's on the Water, Johnson said, better fits Woody's upscale, loungey decor, a hold-over from the days when the restaurant and bar was Blue Olive, the ill-fated "ultra lounge" and martini bar. (The Woody part derives from owner Coy Wood's name.) Along with the more upscale-sounding name comes a new menu that resembles other Tacoma waterfront restaurants, from The Cliff House to C.I. Shenanigans: Alaskan salmon and halibut, Hawaiian ono, panko-crusted fish and chips, prime rib, steaks, chops, shellfish and more. Woody's on the Water (nee Woody's Wharf): 1517 Dock St., Tacoma; 253-272-1433. Lunch and dinner daily from 11 a.m. Monday, November 26th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 05:17:44 pm
Inspired by a Seattle restaurant that teaches culinary skills to disadvantaged people, The Public House Cafe is preparing to open in Tacoma. Charlotte Lute and Tina Kalinowski are the women behind The Public House Cafe, 1601 6th Ave. As FareStart does, they hope to train at-risk youths and disadvantaged and homeless adults food-preparation and barista-service skills. The students, in turn, will staff the cafe, which Lute and Kalinowski hope will become, as the name implies, a neighborhood gathering spot. Both Lute and Kalinowski bring certain skills to the cafe and its mission. Lute is the chaplain at Pierce County's Remann Hall juvenile detention center. She previously taught in the culinary department at Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood. Kalinowski is on the board of Tacoma Urban Network, a watchdog for the city's social and human services for children and families. "It's not just culinary. We're teaching life skills, too," said Lute. "We want to go farther than entry level." Like FareStart, The Public House Cafe plans "guest chef nights." Kalinowski said C.I. Shenanigans chef Joel Mertens and Stadium Bistro chef-owner Peter Weikel have expressed interest in guest cheffing. Lute and Kalinowski are aiming for a two-phase opening, starting, they hope, sometime in January. Initially, the cafe will serve coffee, pastries, sandwiches, pizza, soups and salads. As more kitchen equipment is acquired (or donated), they'll expand the menu. Lute and Kalinowski promise The Public House Cafe will be open by Valentine's Day. "No matter what," Kalinowski said, "that's our drop-dead date." That's the night Tacoma singer-songwriter Aaron Spiro and his wife, Stephanie, will perform their new album live. They'll repeat the performance Feb. 15. Dinner and copies of the Spiros' CD –- every song is about love –- will be served, too. Kalinowski said she plans to book local musicians. "Low-key stuff," she said. "Not Hell's Kitchen." The Public House Cafe, 1601 6th Ave. Opening date: Not yet determined.
Categories: Restaurant openings
• 4 comments
Friday, November 23rd, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 10:05:31 am
 The churro bandito! Once salsa surpassed ketchup, you knew this would happen: Churros are everywhere, or at least at a shopping mall near you. Cinnabon is the latest to serve churros, the elongated Mexican donuts covered in cinnamon and sugar. Cinnabon's churros were the most expensive and second-least enjoyable churros I tasted during my eating tour of South Sound malls. Pictures don't lie. Cinnabon's churros cost $1.99. Each. The two churros I purchased, at different malls, were both tough and chewy. Did I mention they were horribly expensive, too? The fanciest – and least enjoyable – churros were served at Mojito Bay, a sit-down Latin fusion restaurant/bar/lounge in Olympia's Capital Mall. Talk about fusion: These churros weren't soft cakey logs of fried batter; they were bread sticks twisted into knots. No cinnamon. No sugar. And desperately in need of salt. The best churros are at Moctezuma's food-court taqueria in Tacoma Mall. They're 99 cents. They're filled with pastry cream (vanilla, chocolate or strawberry). Mine was made to order. I washed it down with a tart and slushy virgin margarita. El-yumo. The second-best churros are pretzels. Aunt Annie's (various malls) dusts buttery pretzel sticks with cinnamon sugar. Choose the caramel dipping sauce. Dee-lish. Wednesday, November 21st, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 11:47:23 am
Would you like to help make the News Tribune's GO section even better? We're looking for focus group participants. Do you live in Pierce County? Do you read GO? Are you between the ages of 18 and 35? Even better, but all ages are welcome to participate. We'll ask you questions about what you like and want from GO. One question I'm itching to ask is, "Do star ratings in restaurant reviews mean anything to you?" Contact entertainment editor Craig Sailor. And while I've got the call out for help, please share any info you come across about restaurants that are open Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's day. Some of you already have sent your info. I'll publish a list in the GO section in early December, to give diners time to make reservations. Thanks.
Categories: Help Wanted
• 10 comments
Monday, November 19th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 08:00:59 am
I hadn't planned on doing so, but I'm glad I was told I didn't have to, because I now feel it's officially on the record: "You don't have to tip. It's just take-out." That's what the guy at a pizza place in Kent told me Sunday when I signed the credit card receipt for my take-out pie. Good to know. As for the brewpub bartender who accommodated my special request and got me out the door in time to pick up my pie while it was still hot from the oven, she got a $3 tip on a $2.99 tab. To the manager of the Federal Way fish restaurant where a customer allegedly got frisky with a waitress Sunday night (Sitting in the adjacent booth, I saw an awkward hug and later heard "sexual harassment" and "touched a button" in the follow-up discussion): Dude, you are one cool cucumber. I would have had the dishwashers knee-cap the (alleged) creep. Customer-service kudos to you, Joe, for the diplomacy (and restraint) you demonstrated. Now, let's talk about that rock that landed in my steamer clams. Not a pebble, but a rock bigger than the clams themselves. Whom do you tip for a rock? Charlie Brown? Good food, but good grief. Friday, November 16th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 06:46:11 am
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE As I pondered this over several sips of brewed-in-Las Vegas beers, envy turned to pity: Las Vegas may have better casinos than we have in Washington, but their lagers and ales pale in comparison to those brewed in the Pacific Northwest. Then I realized that sipping microbrews at 5 a.m. was something I’d have a hard time doing legally in Puget Sound pubs. Even the mediocre beers tasted pretty good at this hour. All the town’s microbreweries are open 24 hours.
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 06:41:13 am
As promised in today's GO cover story in which this critic gives thanks, here are eateries, drinkeries and their contact info:
Categories: Extra! Extra!
• 3 comments
Thursday, November 15th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 09:55:48 am
 An Olympia restaurant and an Olympia coffee roaster have paired up on what they're promoting as the latest "terra-driven" culinary trend that's ripe for picking: coffee and dessert pairings. Wait. Don't we already order coffee and dessert together? Yep. But are diners being served the right coffees with the right desserts? One should never drink Pouilly-Fuissé with pot roast, much as one should never drink Rainier with ratatouille. One desires food and beverage flavors to complement and harmonize. Bitter chocolate torte is great. But it's not so great if you're drinking bitter coffee with your dessert. See? A trend waiting to be poured. Rather than pour whatever's in the urn, Water Street Cafe is pouring different coffees with different desserts for different effects. Batdorf & Bronson does the roasting. I tasted some coffee-and-dessert pairings last week at the Seattle Coffee Fest. I tasted something in the "terra-driven" creations that attempted to match the flavors of the ingredients and their origins. Pumpkin poundcake with roasted jalapenos and chocolate-hazelnut-espresso syrup was a bold and spicy bite. A cup of Sumatra Lake Tawar was equally bold and complex, with an earthy lusciousness that respected the cake. Intensely rich and graceful Guatemalan Antigua Finca El Valle withstood the bold bite of flourless chocolate pecan torte topped with candied orange. "It's not just a fad," Water Street chef John Sloan said. "It's a terra-driven thing. There's this whole thing (in culinary trends) that 'my fruit came from this meadow and my guy was wearing this when he brought it.' "Looking at coffee in the same style that wine has blown up with food pairings, this is a vein that hasn’t been tapped into yet." Tuesday, November 13th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 05:39:14 pm
The menu made me an offer I couldn't refuse: French onion soup on a cool windy day. When the cup arrived, I experienced another "Godfather" moment. This one was the one in the third installment in which Michael kvetches about his lot in life: "Just when I think I'm out, they pull me back in." Faster than you can say "scenery chewer," I said to myself: "Just when I think I'm having lunch, they make me work." Today I ate lunch at a bistro I've reviewed favorably. It was meant to be a recreational lunch with a co-worker. And it was recreational for most of my soup. I didn't notice that something was missing until the waiter delivered a plate containing two slices of baguette topped with melted cheese. Seems the kitchen forgot to include them in my soup, as French onion soup is supposed to be served. Then I kicked into critic mode: The broth was mild, almost under-salted, and the onions were under-cooked, still crunchy. The crab cakes looked dry. Up until then, I was just having lunch with a friend. Food was the least of my interests. I wound up working. What the heck. Beats sleeping with the fishes.
Categories: Reviewing
• 8 comments
Monday, November 12th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 12:00:45 pm
X Group Restaurants has filled a gap in its management ranks following Troy Christian’s departure. Jeff Paradise, general manager of CI Shenanigan’s, will join X Group, operator of Asada and Masa, as director of operations on Nov. 19. Paradise, 39, has worked for Shenanigan’s parent, Ram International, for 14 years, the last eight as a regional manager. He’s a Tacoma native who’s known X Group principal John Xicto since sophomore year at Bellarmine high. Meantime, Christian continues work Thursday, November 8th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 10:34:05 am
There's something to cluck about in the deep-fried saga that was Ezell's Famous Chicken on Sixth Avenue in Tacoma: A new neighborhood cafe serving an all-day-menu is moving into the abandoned chicken shack. Steve and Gretchen Nogler, former owners of Sumner's Garden Cafe, plan to open Pinwheel Catering's Herban Cafe next month. Steve Nogler, a veteran of high-end dining at El Gaucho and Sea Grill, says Herban Cafe will serve soups, sandwiches and hot entrees all day, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (11 on Fridays and Saturdays). Sundays will be brunch-only. He cited Rosewood Cafe as an inspiration. He's even promising steaks. For now, Nogler's busy removing the deep-fried chicken grease that's been sitting in the kitchen since Ezell's abruptly shut down more than a year ago in a dispute with the building's former owner. Nogler said he's shooting for a Dec. 16 opening. Pinwheel Catering's Herban Cafe: 2602 6th Ave., Tacoma; 253-572-0170 Meanwhile, 12th Street Diner has new owners and a new menu. In addition to burgers and fries, there are cold sandwiches, and salads. 12th Street Diner: 4008 S. 12th St., Tacoma; 253-752-8100 Wednesday, November 7th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 12:32:29 pm
What's tall, dark and malty and arrives before the holidays? If you answered "winter beers," then pour yourself a glass and settle in for the season. I poured my first 2007 winter beer a couple of weeks ago. Roasty dark crystal malts (and 6 percent alcohol by volume) warmed me like a pair of luscious longjohns. Speaking of winter warmers, the Washington Beer Commission's third annual Winter Beer Fest happens Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. More than 30 breweries will pour their bold cold-weather beers. Some will pour Christmas beers past -- so beer-tasters can see how the same beers brewed in different years evolve. Tickets -- on sale online and at select outlets -- are $23 in advance, $25 at the door. Designated driver admissions cost $8. Additional beer tokens will be available at $1.50 each. But don't spend all your money on beer. Save some for ear plugs and deodorant. The festival's being held at Hale's Palladium in Seattle. The joint's noisy and cramped. Which winter warmers have crossed your lips this year?
Categories: Beverages
• 3 comments
Tuesday, November 6th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 11:47:25 am
 Citrus served right. New York Times photo "A server touched a lemon." That's what a Tacoma chef said in October 2006 when his restaurant was slapped for a bare-hands-and-food violation by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. “A male worker observed having bare-hand contact with one slice of ready-to-eat lime while placing on top of beer bottle for patron in bar,” reads a New York City Health Department citation, dated Oct. 9, 2007, as reported in the New York Times today. After waiting five years for the cupcake trend to hit Tacoma, it's nice to be on the leading edge, Tacoma.
Categories: Ewww!
• 11 comments
Monday, November 5th, 2007
Posted by Ed Murrieta @ 11:35:08 am
 Mmmmm, lamb. Travel broadens the mind. I learned something returning from Canada: Don’t try to bring lamb across the border. Or keep your mouth shut at Customs. I’m not exactly sure which. Anyway, I surrendered a lamb roast I purchased in the Gulf Islands, the Canadian San Juans, where even the Queen of England requests the local lamb. “Did you purchase any meat or vegetables or seeds in Canada?” the U.S. Customs guy asked as I approached the ferry bound for Anacortes in Sidney, B.C. “I’ve got a lamb roast in the back,” I said. The Customs guy walked into the Customs hut. He returned with a piece of paper that listed all contraband. Lamb, like other ruminants, is banned. Faster than you can say “Mad Cow,” I hiked the hatchback and dug into the cooler. “Give it a good home,” I said, handing the frozen lamb roast to the Customs guy. “We’ll incinerate it,” said a Customs lady. “Can’t you at least give it to a dog?” Nothing doing. Luckily, I’d cooked and enjoyed two lamb meals before leaving the Gulf Islands. Rack of lamb put a song in my head at dinner. You know how it goes: “…and little lambs eat ivy.” For that is what this rack tasted like -- grassy, fresh, slightly musky, slightly sweet and full-on juicy. For breakfast, ground lamb was the perfect bed for a hillock of Greek-style lima beans (with tomatoes, carrots, celery, garlic and onions) toasted under the broiler. I chew with my mouth shut. I wish I’d crossed the border the same way. That was a $30 lamb roast – before the looney exchange rate. Ouch, eh?
Categories: All-Purpose Stuff
• 6 comments
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Ed's Diner
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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