A TNT Diner reader inquired about local eateries offering gluten-free options.
His comment: "When I walk into a restaurant and ask for gluten-free service I get blank stares, shrugs or comments like 'We don’t add glucose to our food'. "
Gluten is not glucose (a sugar).
Gluten is a protein found in many grains, and it's also used as an additive. People with Celiac disease or other gluten sensitivities must avoid gluten to remain healthy.
How about it? Anyone out there had success finding South Sound restaurants that cater to the gluten sensitive?

Yumi Seo of Nak Won Korean Cuisine in the food court at Paldo World serves lunch to Kimberly Kwon of Lakewood (left) and Amy Lee of Lakewood. Peter Haley / The News Tribune.

Editor's note: Today we launch a new series called 10-in-one. In this series, we'll write quick dining observations of 10 restaurants located in a concentrated area. Today, we take to South Tacoma Way. Future visits include the Pacific/McKinley neighborhood along 38th, Freighthouse Square and Proctor. Have a 10-in-one neighborhood suggestion? E-mail us at tntdiner@thenewstribune.com.

By Sue Kidd and Craig Sailor
sue.kidd@thenewstribune.com
craig.sailor@thenewstribune.com

It started as a mission for a midday meal and wound up a dining project. We took to South Tacoma Way one September afternoon with a simple mission: What’s for lunch?

For this edition, we chose a section of South Tacoma Way between Highway 512 and the B&I shopping center. This part of town offers a variety of eateries from Korean barbecue to pho to sushi. In these restaurants you’re as likely to sit next to an off-duty performer from Déj Vu (it happened to us twice) as a family out for a weekend meal. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

=> Read more!

I checked my 401k (dropping every day), took note of gas prices as I drove by the 7-11 (dropping every day) and then headed to Tempest Lounge last night.

After taking a seat at the bar I saw a small flyer with the header "Recession Relief." The Lounge is offering Tom Cat gin or Hussar vodka and your favorite mixer for $3.50. Add a fresh juice squeeze for $1.

Co-owner Denise Tempest says the reaction to this special has been very positive.

I'm not advocating you drink your troubles away. But take my advice: don't look at your 401k before heading to a bar.

Tempest Lounge is at 913 Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Tacoma. 253-272-4904

I just got off the phone a bit ago with Charlie McManus of Primo Grill and we talked about some of the fall dishes he's been mulling that would work for a Northwest themed Thanksgiving dinner. We talked about pear chutney, made from pears from his yard, and a chanterelle mushroom gravy.

Also, TNT Diner reader Nancy Boyd e-mailed me recommendations for a few dishes for the Northwest themed Thanksgiving section I'm planning:

My husband and I celebrated our anniversary with dinner at Maxwell's Speakeasy + Lounge. We had a wonderful dinner but especially wonderful was the special appetizer, popcorn shrimp with squash, (which would be an excellent starter for Thanksgiving). Also they have a "side dish", a savory gorgonzola cheesecake with a polenta crust that is FABULOUS. Both of those dishes would be a great addition to a fall table.

Thanks Nancy for the tip.

So I ask again.. readers. Have you seen anything on the menus of restaurants this fall that look irresistible for a Thanksgiving dinner? Or anything in general you found really appealing? Tell us about your fall food finds. We want to go scout them out and work them into recipes for you.

This week I am planning our Thanksgiving food section stories and I'd like to fill it with all local content from chefs and readers.

Diners, have you noticed any dishes on the new fall menus that would work for a Thanksgiving meal? At which restaurant did you see the dish? What was it? Post a comment here or email me at tntdiner@thenewstribune.com. I need your help in finding those dishes that sound like they would be a palatable addition to a Thanksgiving table.

Also, I'm curious about tweaking the recipes in a way that gives them a Northwest flavor. If you were planning a Northwest Thanksgiving feast, what would you serve? Have a recipe you want to share? Your comments and recipes welcomed.

Update: I was surfing around looking at fall menus and I found the new menu created by Chef Lamb at Brix 25 in Gig Harbor. I noticed a few of Chef Lamb's dishes would work perfectly for a Northwest Thanksgiving. Here take a look:

Dungeness Crab and Quinoa Salad: Served with a citrus salsa and topped with dry roasted peanuts and a fresh herb salad.

Sweet Corn Flan with Fresh Yearling Oysters: Served with roasted chanterelle mushrooms and a Neuski's bacon vinaigrette.

Have you seen any dishes like this on local menus? Tell me, please.

I just got off the phone with Ian Lombardi, who with his parents Julia and Kenneth Lombardi, is opening the Italian restaurant Il Trattoria di Merende in downtown Tacoma.

He's hoping to open in two weeks, but sounded sketchy about whether that's firm.

"I wish I could, but I can't," he said when I pressed him for a firm open date. The restaurant was supposed to have opened in late September. "After the hood vents are installed, we have to do our basic training," he said.

Click here for our post last month about the new Italian restaurant that has Jeff Bishop, formerly of Il Fiasco, in the kitchen.

Merende, in the space that once housed Vin Grotto, will be a small bites place with pricing starting at $10-$12 per small plate. Pizza, entrees and a full bar also are planned.

We'll check back next week to see what's happening.

Il Trattoria di Merende
Location: 813 Pacific Ave.
Phone: 253-722-1993
Website: http://merenderestaurant.com/

I'm back this morning from the American Association of Sunday and Features Editors conference in Houston. In case you didn't hear, The News Tribune was named Thursday one of the top 10 features sections in the country, regardless of circulation category. We competed and won in the same category as the LA Times, the New York Times, the Kansas City Star and other major newspapers. It's quite an accomplishment from our features staff, really. Kudos to the hardworking people of SoundLife who won this award.

Many of our readers know we are actively interviewing candidates for our restaurant critic position. I wanted to let you know that while I was in Houston at the conference, I met and spoke with several food writers who want to come work here. The AAFSE conference was held in conjunction with the Association of Food Journalists conference and I met dozens of fantastic food writers from all over the country.

Let me just tell you that we are interviewing phenomenal candidates. I was hugely impressed with their knowledge of food and wine and their interest in Tacoma. I'm sure that working for one of the 10 top features sections in the country will help with our recruiting (Ok, Ok, I'll stop bragging...)

So stay tuned readers, we hope to have a restaurant critic soon. We are all eager to have someone on staff to cover food and dining as a full-time beat, trust me.

One final thought: I have been really impressed and pleased with all the TNT staffers who have assisted in the contributions to this blog the last few months. We all have regular jobs and lots of responsibilities and this is one more thing we've asked our TNT staffers to help with. Thanks to all our staff contributors. And thank you readers for reading us.

Yesterday, I had a business lunch at an Italian restaurant in Parkland. I ordered tortellino (a larger version of tortellini, I was told) in a cream sauce.

The dish arrived and I ate two maybe three of the pasta rings before I had to put down my fork. The only flavor I could pick up was salt.

The server didn't seem concerned that I'd barely touched the plate. I didn't complain as I was deep in conversation. Another diner at my table ordered the same thing and finished hers.

While I enjoyed the food on my recent trips to The Hub there were a couple of dishes that were almost inedible from the salt levels.

Whenever this happens I always ask a dining companion what he or she thinks before I put it in print. I want to make sure it's not just me. Perhaps I'm just sensitive to salt.

I generally don't like to ask for low salt food as I like the chef to prepare the meal as he or she sees fit. But at some salt addicted restaurants I've learned to ask when ordering.

My question to you, diners: Is restaurant food too salty? And my question to chefs: What's up with all the salt? Shouldn't your food be flavorful enough to stand with just a little salt?

And if not, isn't that what the salt shaker is for?

Julie Holt of Bremerton, from left, Cassie Kendall of Fife, and Graham Parsons of Tacoma enjoy food and beverages at The Hub in Tacoma's Stadium District. Peter Haley/The News Tribune

Here is today's Drop-In Dining report about a new or new-to-us restaurant. Reporters drop in unannounced and sample the food, on the TNT’s dime, then report to you what the scene and food was like. Have a suggestion for a drop-in dining feature? E-mail us at tntdiner@thenewstribune.com.

The Hub
Where: 203 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma
Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays,
11 a.m.-1 a.m. Fridays, 9 a.m.-
1 a.m. Saturdays, 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Sundays
Details: All major credit cards except Diners Club
Online: theharmonhub.com
Phone: 253-683-4606
Price Range: $-$$

By Craig Sailor
craig.sailor@thenewstribune.com

The scene: Occupying the space formerly known as the St. Helens Cafe, The Hub’s bicycle theme is carried through in its display of vintage photography and prominently displayed logo of a Belle Epoque nude woman riding a bike in a reckless manner. Though The Hub sits above Doyle’s Pub, the entrance for this eatery is on Tacoma Avenue South. Two dining areas are separated by an open kitchen and bar. Earth tones and art make the whole room warm, inviting and relaxing. The flames from the pizza oven add to the mood. In good weather, garage-style doors roll up to add an outdoor dining area.

Type of food: As the menu says, “Pizza, Pasta, Pints.” The “pints” are key here as The Hub operates under the umbrella of the Harmon Brewing Co. You’ll find the Harmon’s five flagship brews as well as two seasonals on tap. The menu is Mediterranean-themed but shares some of the Harmon’s popular offerings.

=> Read more!

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse opened Monday at the Tacoma Mall.
The California-based chain is known for its deep-dish pizza, but also has a selection of pastas, specialty salads, soups, sandwiches and creative appetizers like avocado egg rolls.
From BJ’s microbrewery, diners can sample seven standards, including ales and stout, as well as specialty beers. Currently, BJ’s is featuring pumpkin ale on tap.
BJ’s is open 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday.
See more menu items and beer selections at www.bjsrestaurants.com
Look for BJ’s in a freestanding building, near the entry to the mall food court.

I was in Los Angeles last week (they now officially have more Vietnamese restaurants than we do, a change from my last trip there). I did a little trip to Disneyland with the family unit and found out, that, uh huh, just like last year's trip to Disneyland, the food at the park pretty much still sucks. I did eat a pretty good corndog in line for California Screamin', though. But enough about my trip southward.

Here's what I missed, and because I was gone, here's what you missed:

* The sad: Exit 133 reported a few days ago that Shakabrah Java is closing. Read it here. We're going to dig around a bit on the story, as well. Watch for a post later this week on that.

* The good: Brix 25 in Gig Harbor got a new top toque. His name is Bryce Lamb and he most recently was chef at La Fermata in Bremerton. Here are a few excerpts from a press release from Brix 25:

Chef Lamb is bringing almost two decades worth of culinary experience and travel to Gig Harbor. "My approach is to bring seasonal dishes with as many local ingredients as possible at the peak of their freshness," Chef Lamb said.

Chef Lamb's most recent tenure was at La Fermata where he served as the executive Chef for six years. La Fermata is an intimate seasonal Northwest restaurant with an Italian influence located in the Manette area
of Bremerton. "We are very fortunate to find a chef with this kind of talent and experience locally." said General Manager Jason Winniford.

Look for Chef Lamb's new seasonal menu to roll out toward the end of October. You can visit the Brix 25 website www.harborbrix.com for a full biography on Brix's new chef and his current menu when it is released.

So what else did I miss? Freeform, go ahead and post away dear readers.

Here is today's Drop-In Dining report. DID is a dining report about a new or new-to-us restaurant. Reporters drop in unannounced and sample the food, on the TNT’s dime, then report to you what the scene and food was like. Have a suggestion for a drop-in dining feature? E-mail us at tntdiner@thenewstribune.com.

India Mahal
Location: 1905 Bridgeport Way, University Place
Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturdays and noon-10 p.m. Sundays
Phone: 253-564-2039
Price range: $

By Sue Kidd
sue.kidd@thenewstribune.com

The scene: A waft of Indian spices nails you before you can even pull open the front door. Small, cozy, welcoming and fragrant are the best descriptors for this restaurant.

Type of food: Indian food from the northern region of India, which includes traditional Punjabi dishes and specialties from other Northern India states.

Menu highlights: Flavor-punched is a great way to describe Northern-style Indian food. Although commonly described as spicy by some Americans, Northern Indian food is more flavorful than spicy hot. However, those with sensitive palates might find their delicate taste buds confused by the intensity of the flavors. If you’re skeptical, it’s best to start easy with a rice (biryani) dish and some naan.

Tandoori-cooked chicken and lamb ($11.95 to $14.95) also are a sure bet for an Indian food newbie. The Indian style marinated and barbecued meats are accessible to most palates.

Aromatic rice biranyi dishes ($11.95-$12.95) and favorites like Chicken Vindaloo ($11.95) and Butter Chicken ($12.95) will appeal to those who are familiar fans of Northern-style Indian food.

Another thought for those not familiar with the nuance of Indian cuisine: Go for overkill in the form of a feast. The Pride of Punjab Family Style Dinner ($39.95 for two or $19 per person for three or more for the meat version of the dinner; a vegetarian version of the dinner also can be ordered) comes with two appetizers, two main dishes, a vegetarian entrée, rice, naan, two desserts and more. It’s a great introduction to the food.

=> Read more!

I have to admit: I've never tried lutefisk. But those who do eat it love it. One of those folks is Jonathan Nesvig, an editor here at the TNT.

Nesvig told me that The Sons of Norway is putting on its annual Lutefisk Dinner Sunday, Oct. 12 from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. at Normanna Hall.

The dinner will include lutefisk, meatballs, lefse "and all the trimmings," according to a flyer he handed me.

Lefse is a traditional Norweigian soft flatbread made from potatoes and other ingredients. Yes, I had to look it up in Wikipedia.

Normanna Hall is located at 1106 S. 15th Street in Tacoma. Adults are $16, ages 7-12 are $8 and six and under are free.

There will also be a bazaar with Scandanavian gifts, a bake sale and demonstrations.

I've received a query that I can't answer, so I'm throwing it out to all of you.

A TNT reader grew up in the Midwest. At Mexican restaurants there, white queso sauce was everywhere. (It does make a tasty complement to chips.) Out here, she can't find it.

Any ideas?

Yes, I do realize that I am overboard with the bacon love. Today's food story about bacon desserts proves that, doesn't it?

But TNT Diner readers being food people, I assume you all share my bacon love, right?

So share with other TNT blog readers. If you could add bacon to any dessert on the menu of South Sound restaurants, which ones would you? Post here, let us know.

One pizza joint opens, another closes.

Last week, I mentioned a new Godfather's set to open in University Place. Now for the bad news:

The Purdy building that once held the popular Pearl's by the Sea restaurant – and then the Beach House and then the Beach House/Margarita Beach – has lost yet another tenant: Wings, Pizza N Things. WPT is a national chain headquartered in Texas. The local franchise sat just this side of the Purdy bridge and was owned by Patrick Ward of Bremerton and James and Natasha Jones of Purdy.

We posted about the place back in May, three weeks after the restaurant opened. At that time it was mostly just "Wings N Things." Ward told us county regulations demanded a bigger ventilation hood for the pizza oven, so he purchased an upgrade only to find it was too tall for the kitchen. He said it was going to take a about a month to work out the kinks and get the pizza oven fired up.

According to an item at the Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal's site, the business shut down in late August/early September. A short handwritten note on the door announcing the closure calls to mind the way Margarita Beach closed up shop.

I made some calls to the owners last week, but they were not immediately returned.

I swear I could see the sign from Highway 512. It called to me, like a beacon through a dense fog.

Biergarten.

Welcome to Oktoberfest at the Puyallup Fair.

I didn’t imbibe – hey, I’m on company time – but managed to dig into a bratwurst ($7) from Mount Angel Sausage Company. My first impression was that it just seemed heavy for such a food. And it was mighty tasty. It had spices but didn’t knock you over the head with them.

And I needed something to wash it down with, so I went to the Root Beer Garden. (Cute name, eh?) For $3.50, I got a souvenir stein full of the tasty stuff.

Speaking of stuff, I’m stuffed after all of this.

Let’s be honest: Most people come for the beer. After 7 p.m., Oktoberfest at the Puyallup Fair becomes a 21-and-over event. Even in mid-afternoon, the liquid ambrosia flowed freely.

That’s what attracted Mike Budd. He just got off work in Sumner and made a beeline for the fairgrounds.

“Hey, I like beer,” he said. “And this is a pretty cool place to have a few.”

Indeed it was. German music filled the room, prompting several people to dance. A woman swayed on a swing attached to the rafters. And food booths served up sizzling sausages.

“There’s something about an Oktoberfest celebration,” Tacoma’s Keith Henderson, “that makes me just want to come and have a good time.”

Really, is there any doubt what drew these two to Scandinavian Days at the Puyallup Fair?

One’s name is Skjaldvor Guo. The other is from Sigrid Straatveit. They’re both from Olympia.

“We’re Scandinavian, so we just had to come!” Guo said.

The two, both from Finnish and Norwegian heritage, spent about three hours at the celebration. Inside the hall at the fairgrounds, hundreds of people lined up for Swedish meatballs and lingonberry sauce. They roamed through booths that offered T-shirts, hats, arts and crafts and clocks for sale. Exhibits described the Scandinavian history of the region.

Jamie Shilley brought her 11-month-old daughter, Violet, to the celebration. The 33-year-old Tacoma woman is part of a mothers’ group that organizes day trips.

She was waiting for the Viking meal – a plate crammed with meatballs, potatoes and vegetables. She also spent some time at Oktoberfest, just across the street.

“I’m really looking forward to the food,” she said. “And I’ve already looked at some of the booths. There’s just a lot of neat stuff here.”

OK, I’ll admit I’ve never been to the Nordic countries. A trip to Amsterdam – a mere 387 miles from Copenhagen – is as close as I’ve received. But I got the feel of Scandinavia: Words were written with with plenty of Js and Vs and Os with lines through them, and bunch of similarly designed but differently colored flags surrounded me. (Didn’t see any guys sporting a golden helmet with horns, though.)

And if this is how they eat in northern Europe, then they’ve got it good.

I started with the Swedish meatball plate with lingonberry preserves ($5). Some folks put sauce on meatballs that’s so thick it’s like glue, but this stuff was just right.

I finished with some Scandinavian pancakes ($4) – two crepe-style pancakes filled with strawberry preserves and whipped cream and topped with powdered sugar. As Southern belles like to exclaim, “Good Lawd.” This was pure deliciousness on a plate (even if they could’ve used a bit more strawberry).

And because they’re just called Scandinavian pancakes, you can use your imagination about what country they’re from. I pretended I was eating Icelandic dessert.

Zelma Zalit has been driving from Federal Way the past eight years to attend the Greek Festival at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Tacoma.

“I’m here for the cheeses, the pastries, all of it,” the retiree said. “It’s just all so good.”

She also enjoys the celebration of other cultures, she said as she ate a gyro and listened to Greek music.

“It’s the ambiance of a different culture,” she said. “That’s what keeps e coming back.”

Meanwhile, patrolling the booths of the tent like a seasoned beat cop was none other than Pierce County Sheriff Paul Pastor.

“The gyros were very good, the souvlakis was wonderfully marinated and had just the right amount of oregano, and the calamari was excellent,” he said. “And that doesn’t begin to talk about the pastries.”

Give him credit: Dude knows his Greek food.

There are two places to grab a bite at Tacoma’s Greek Festival: Inside the church itself, where you can purchase by the plate, or outside under a large tent, where the food comes a la carte.

I opted for outside.

First stop was the table selling gyros ($5). I got mine without tomatoes (just don’t like them that much). The meat was tender but not overly greasy. The sauce was tangy but not salty. And the whole thing was gone in about three minutes.

The Greek fries were tasty and a good deal for $3. They’re Greek instead of French fries because, as the guy serving them told me, “they’ve got Greek seasoning on ‘em.” Oregano? I dunno; I ain’t the food critic. But one topping I did recognize was feta cheese. I never thought it would go well with French, err, Greek fries, but I was pleasantly surprised.

And I finished things off with baklava ($2). My biggest complaint about the stuff is that usually it falls apart into about a thousand crumbs after the first bite. This stuff, though, kept together but still managed to be flaky. I was tempted to purchase an entire tray of 12 pieces for $12, but my editors wouldn’t be to happy if I tried to expense my gym membership.

Editor's note: Here is today's dining report. Drop-In Dining is a report about a new or new-to-us restaurant published in the TNT's Friday GO section. Reporters drop in unannounced and sample the food, on the TNT’s dime, then report to you what the scene and food was like. Have a suggestion for a drop-in dining feature? E-mail us at tntdiner@thenewstribune.com.

Thai Mekong
Where: 10224 196th St. Court E., No. 307, Graham; 253-847-3853; Thaimekong.com
Hours: 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays
Price range: $-$$ (entrees under $3o)

By Craig Hill
craig.hill@thenewstribune.com

The scene: While the décor in some Thai restaurants can be gaudy, Mekong Thai’s style is subtle but still feels authentic. Most of the accoutrements are carved from wood, including several small elephants. The bamboo blinds on the windows keep with the theme.

A large plasma television hanging above the counter at the east end of the restaurant displays pictures from Thailand. The only thing that didn’t seem to fit the Thai décor was the quiet saxophone music playing in the background. The restaurant is kid-friendly with paper covers over the white tablecloths.

Type of food: As its name implies, Mekong Thai serves a wide variety of Thai food. In other words if you like noodles, rice, curries, coconut milk and spicy food you’ll be in heaven. And if you have peanut allergies, stay in the parking lot. Mekong Thai’s selections range from pan-fried rice noodle dishes, to curries to barbecued chicken, pork, short ribs and salmon.

Menu highlights: The menu is stocked with more than 50 traditional Thai food favorites, not including the daily specials. The dozen appetizers on the menu include such choices as calamari ($7.95), fried prawns ($7.95) and spring rolls ($6.95). The drink menu is an exotic adventure, including Thai ice tea ($2.95), a selection of bubble teas and coconut juice ($3.95) served in a coconut. The dessert menu has only four options, none of which you’ll find at Denny’s: Mango with sweet rice ($5.95), fried yams ($4.95), a coconut pastry called Khanom Krok ($6.95) and friend bananas ($5.95).

People in the kitchen: Somsack and Santisouk Vannalath opened Mekong Thai in July 2007.
“We just recognized the need for a Thai restaurant in the area,” said Santisouk, who goes by Vicki.
Santisouk, from Laos, and Somsack, from Thailand, have made the restaurant a family affair. Santisouk’s aunt, Somphone, is one of the cooks and Santisouk’s sister and nephew also help at the restaurant.

Dishes sampled: Our group of four took a wide sample from the menu. We started with a strawberry bubble tea, coconut juice, a Thai iced tea and appetizers. Our appetizer sampler plate ($9.95) included skewered chicken marinated in coconut milk, fried calamari rings and spring rolls. The plate came with chili-garlic, peanut and pineapple dipping sauces.
For entrees, we ordered Duck Curry ($12.99) and Avocados Prawns ($11.99) from the daily specials menu. The bowl of curry was so large we took enough home for a second meal. We also tried the All Village Combo ($15.95) and Mango Delight ($8.95) from the regular menu.

The combo was a sample from each of the barbecued meats with pineapple and chili-garlic sauces and sides of rice and steamed vegetables. The Mango Delight was tagged with “A must try!” notation on the menu and the sautéed mango, vegetables and chicken topped with basil did not disappoint. While we ordered the Delight with chicken, it’s also available with tofu ($7.95), shrimp ($9.95) or salmon ($10.95).

At this point, we were all stuffed, but we splurged on dessert anyway, sharing orders of fried bananas with coconut ice cream and Khanom Krok. The bananas were wrapped in coconut batter and the Khanom Krok tasted like mini-coconut pancakes with a creamy filling.
Service: Our waitress was relaxed despite a full house that seemed to keep her quite busy. We took quite awhile to peruse the menu, and she gave us plenty of time and didn’t rush us.

Most unexpected moment: Our 2½ hours at Mekong Thai felt like a mini tropical vacation thanks in part to my drink being served in a hollowed-out coconut. The only thing missing was the little umbrella.

Wild card: My wife, who once spent a week on a luxury cruise and ordered the same thing for dinner every night, actually stepped out of her comfort zone. She tried the Khanom Krok and offered this insight: “It’s good. It tastes just like I’d expect my suntan lotion to taste.” For the record, that’s supposed to be a compliment.

Pictured here: Vicki Vannalath (left), owner of Thai Mekong Restaurant in Graham, with her cooks Somphone Thammavongsa and Pensri Lucas (right) who prepared Sea of Basil. Peter Haley / The News Tribune

Here is my fourth and final dispatch from the land of sandwiches. I've been exploring new sandwich shops in Tacoma and Bonney Lake. And no, I'm not sick of sandwiches. I could eat them every day. In fact, if you've got a suggestion for a new sandwich shop I should check out, e-mail me at tntdiner@thenewstribune.com

The sched:
Sept. 25: Jimmy John's in Tacoma
Sept. 29: Jersey Mike's in Bonney Lake
Sept. 30: Puccini's Venetian Subs in Bonney Lake
Today: Midtown Deli & Espresso in Tacoma

Now for today's offering: Midtown Deli & Espresso

The scene: Is this a sports bar? I don't think I've ever seen a deli with a plasma television and a killer selection of bottled beers. I thought I stumbled into a dude sanctuary for a moment. But nope, it's a deli. But it is a deli with a television tuned to a football game, a beer cooler in the corner (with some great microwbrew choices) and comfortable seats and tables. Kick back and spend your Sunday here.

Bread choices: White, whole wheat, sourdough, marble rye, multi grain, Italian roll

We ate: A Meatball Sub ($7.25) was loaded with hand-rolled meatballs, slathered in marinara and covered with a nice pile of mozzarella cheese, all tucked into a grilled French roll. The sauce was a nice, rich, concentrated marinara, deeply flavored. The meatballs were meaty and not too dense, and a nice size for manly eating. Don't think you'll look ladylike eating this one. You'll need a couple extra napkins. Or a bib.

A near fight broke out over my leftover half of the Grilled Blue Baron ($6.95). Roast beef, cheddar, mayo, horseradish, blue cheese sprinkles grilled between sourdough. Can you say rich, hearty and hellooooooo decadence? This is good sandwich eating. I liked that the grilled bread was big and sturdy enough to support the layers of meat and cheese. I really enjoyed the bite of the horseradish with the stink of the blue cheese. Just a really nice flavor combination. I'd order this again, for sure.

A turkey cheese on white ($5.95) was a nice solid deli sandwich. The ratio of bread to cheese in this deli also is exactly right. The sandwiches, because they are meaty, are a really good value, too.

The verdict: Eat there. Often. Order a Grilled Blue Baron. A little out of the way, but worth a stop by if you're near Midland.

Menu highlights: Midtown Club ($6.75) comes with turkey, ham, roast beef, bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo, provolone and cheddar on white. The Chicken Wrap ($6.50) comes with grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, avocado, roasted tomato garlic spread and mayo wrapped in a flour tortilla. Also, salads include Cobb ($6.75) and Greek ($6.75). Check the board for daily soup selection. If you're up early, check out the coffee and breakfast menu.

Next time: French Dip ($6.95) or the Grilled Blue Baron again, for sure.

Nice touch: I was running super late and on the hook for picking up the family dinner (yikes!). I rolled up at least 5 minutes after closing time (maybe even 10), just as the "Closed" sign was being flipped. I stopped dead in my tracks on my way to the front door, about to turn and return to my car. They could easily have said, "Sorry closed," but instead I got a, "Come on in! It's ok. What do you want?" That is great service.

Midtown Deli & Espresso
Where: 9621 Golden Given Road E., Tacoma; 253-535-0175
Hours: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday; 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday

The neighborhood around the intersection of 27th Street West and Bridgeport Way in University Place is about to become Pizza Central.

With both a Pizza Hut and a Roundtable a few blocks from the intersection and a Domino's on nearby 19th Street, the area is already pretty pizzafied. But recent renovations at one of the corner shops in the row of stores next to Walgreens indicate a Godfather's Pizza is going in.

Remember Godfather's? At one time they were much more ubiquitous in the South Sound than they are now. I can't even remember the last time I saw a TV spot featuring their mobster spokesman in his pinstriped suit. When we were kids, my buddies and I would frequent the all-you-can-eat pizza buffet at the Godfather's near South 56th Street and Pacific Avenue. That place died out years ago, and the (also now defunct) one in Lakewood became our go-to joint. I owe much of my girth to their irresistible Jumbo pies.

According to www.godfathers.com, the only Godfather's restaurants in Pierce County are in Spanaway and Bonney Lake and on Fort Lewis. I called to see that, yes, they're all still open. I remember there was a Godfather's near Sixth and Orchard in Tacoma and one on Point Fosdick Drive in Gig Harbor. I'm almost certain there were at least two Godfather's... es in the North End.

I stopped by the U.P. location the other day and saw that the place had been permitted for electrical work and some signage. It's obvious something is going on inside the former coffeehouse space, but there was nothing to indicate when the new pizza parlor might open its doors. There is a drive-through window on the side of the building, a coffeehouse remnant. Perhaps this new Godfather's will mimic the quickie pizza approach of Little Caesars.

A few blocks west of Bridgeport on 27th, the sign for the popular Pine Cone Cafe indicates the establishment is the "official" restaurant of the 2015 U.S. Open golf tournament. Dan Voelpel wrote a column about it a few months back, and owner Steve Warp recently told me a little bit about the sign.

"There's an official shoe, an official deodorant, official everything," said Warp, a golf fan who has attended a U.S. Open. "It's such a big event. I don't think people realize how big it's going to be. It'll be the biggest sporting event in the world for about a week." Even so, he's not planning to keep the sign up for seven years until the tournament takes over the Chambers Bay course a few miles away.

Given the neighborhood's ongoing pizzafication, one has to wonder if an "official" pizza parlor of the Open will emerge. With his column, Voelpel said it's "open season" for making such unofficial official declarations and even offered a list of suggested tie-ins for other local businesses. To which I'll add: the "wicked slice."