The Naccarato restaurant formerly known as The Beach House is up and running in its new incarnation, Margarita Beach Cafe. The made-over restaurant is a casual, colorful shell of its former self; it’s just getting its feet wet as a less expensive “vacation” dining spot.

Gone are five-star tablecloths and 15 percent service fees, replaced with a Baja-by-the-Sound vibe that’s reinforced by concrete floors and a sign that says the men’s room is for “longboarders.” (Thankfully, I heard nary a Sammy Hagar tune on the house speakers.)

I’ve only stopped in for chips and

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The blog goes on vacation next week so I’m soliciting your tips now. If you dined out at a restaurant last Thanksgiving or Christmas, where did you eat and what did you enjoy? Log in and comment, or send e-mail my way: ed.murrieta@thenewstribune.com

The Hob Nob, a neighborhood restaurant across from Wright Park on Sixth Avenue, has been closed since Sunday after fire broke out in a crawl space over the women’s restroom. The restaurant will remain closed until repairs are finished, probably later this week, manager Melissa Burnham said today.

About 6:30 p.m. Sunday, workers smelled something burning and discovered thick black smoke coming from the women’s restroom, Burnham said.

"It set the ladies room on fire," Burnham said.

Diners who were in the restaurant at the time were evacuated and were not charged for their

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Fire pits are signature of The Matador, opening in Tacoma next week.

TNT photo by Peter Haley

After some construction delays, word from The Matador is that the sexy Tex-Mexy restaurant and tequila bar will open in Tacoma on Nov. 9. There’ll be a "Sneak Peak" grand opening party for friends, vendors and media on Nov. 8. Look for it at the corner of Pacific Avenue and South Seventh Street in downtown.

Here’s what emerged from my notes after checking out Matadors in Ballard and West Seattle:

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Fatburger is spreading closer to Tacoma. The Southern California chain with outlets in Bellevue, Lynnwood, Redmond and Issaquah opened in the South Sound on Friday (at the Federal Way Crossing shopping center, Enchanted Parkway at 348th Street, 253-835-0582).

But that’s not today’s exciting news. Today’s exciting news is that you can soon order beer with your Fatburgers. For now, the neon beer signs in the windows of the new Fatburger are dark but

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Ever feel like slapping the cuffs on a dirty restaurant? Photo: Dallas Morning News.

A TNT reader’s letter arrived in my inbox. He described his experience at one local outlet of a national pizza chain thusly:

"It was by far the dirtiest restaurant I have ever been in. The management was rude and the employees had very bad mouths on them.

"I would like information on how to contact the authorities

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Three South Sound residents will be among the home cooks demonstrating their recipes in a live broadcast of KCTS Cooks Favorites—10 Delicious Years, at 11 a.m. Saturday (repeats at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday).

Phyllis Tellari of Tacoma will make Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie. Janis Orton of DuPont will make Chicken and Goat Cheese Tamales. Kelley Davidson of Federal Way will make Sage and Caramelized Onion Chicken Roulade with Marsala Sauce.

The companion cookbook

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Sandwiches: They’re what’s for dinner, according to a survey called Eating Patterns in America. TNT photo by Russ Carmack

I have this thing about heroes. I don’t mean sandwiches, but I’ll get to those in about a hundred words.

My heroes are word guys — songwriters and literary types. One of them was Warren Zevon. Shortly before Zevon died from lung cancer three years ago, David Letterman asked the songwriter if there was anything he understood in the face of his mortality.

“Just how much you’re supposed to enjoy every sandwich,” Zevon said.

If I had a tattoo, it would say Enjoy Every Sandwich. Like ham on rye and “Keep Me in Your Heart,” the last song on Zevon’s last album, “enjoy every sandwich” is such a simple thought, so purely constructed that there’s nothing you can add to it, except maybe mustard. Smelling roses I can take or leave. Prosciutto di Parma with fresh mozzarella di bufala and pesto on ciabatta –- now that’s life-affirming.

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