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Sue Kidd is the Lifestyle Editor at The News Tribune and the ringleader for the Food and Home&Garden sections. She has worked as a food journalist at Northwest newspapers since 1993, most recently as a food writer, editor and restaurant reviewer in King County before joining The News Tribune in 2004. Her food obsessions at the moment are honey, cheese and oysters.
Craig Sailor is the Arts&Entertainment editor at The News Tribune. He grew up on a garlic farm near Gilroy, Calif. and now farms oysters in his spare time at Willapa Bay. He’s traveled the world from Kyoto/Kuala Lumpur/Hong Kong to Zanzibar in search of great food.
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In case you missed it, TNT business columnist Dan Voelpel reported in today's paper that Sonic Drive-In will open its South Hill Puyallup location in April. Read the story here.
Disclosure: I've never been to a Sonic and I don't understand (yet) its burger-slash-soda lure. I do, however, get fast food burger enthusiasm as a general culinary obsession. Don't get me started on Friesenburgers by the Tacoma Dome. I am an official "fan" of Burgerville on my Facebook page. I routinely trek to Seattle's Crown Hill neighborhood for a Dick's Deluxe (followed by a trip to the toy store Archie McPhee). I know why people line up at In-n-Out (and I have been among them). While I'll have to wait until April to explore Sonic's appeal, I do know a LOT of people love Sonic.
Case in point on cult fanaticism: TNT diner reader Eric Thompson, a self described foodist, sent me a detailed list of why the good people of South Sound should be culinarily curious about the coming of the burger chain. His list of Sonic favorites: pellet ice, four kinds of diet soda, crunchy onion rings, stellar snack items and, oh, about 20 other reasons. Click "read more" to see Thompson's ode to Sonic (and, no, he does not work for Sonic, just a diehard fan).
Now your turn: Your thoughts on Sonic please. What's the big deal about the food there? And if you have a dissenting Sonic opinion, I'd like to hear it.
Michele Simone, left, and wife Azusa Hirasawa are co-owners of ll Lucano. They're pictured here with a plate of scaloppine gorgonzola at their Gig Harbor restaurant. Lui Kit Wong/The News Tribune
EDITOR’S NOTE: Drop-In Dining is a restaurant dining report where reporters drop in unannounced and sample the food, on TNT’s dime, then report what the scene and the food were like. Have a suggestion for a Drop-In Dining feature? E-mail us at tntdiner@thenewstribune.com.
Il Lucano Italian Restaurant
Where: 3119 Judson Street, Gig Harbor; 253-514-8945; www.illucanoristorante.comcq
Hours: Lunch served 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Dinner served 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 4 p.m.-9 p.m. Sunday
Price range: $-$$ (Entrees under $30)
By Sue Kidd
sue.kidd@thenewstribune.com
Il Lucano in Gig Harbor is just a few months old, but the story of the restaurant started about five years ago when chef-owner Massimo Terracciano hired Michele Simone to help run the kitchen at Terracciano.
Flash forward five years: Terracciano was bustling and outgrowing its 50-seat space. At the same time, Simone was looking for his own restaurant to open.
Terracciano made Simone an offer: How about you open your restaurant here when I find my bigger place?
How could Simone refuse?
