TNT Diner readers have asked that I start a new You-Plate Special thread. It’s the place where (almost) anything goes. Scan previous threads to see all kinds of interesting fodder. It’s pretty engaging stuff.

The rules: No smack talk, unless it’s really entertaining (kidding, really). No promoting your restaurant or your kid’s restaurant. Trolls, you know who you are. Stay away. Dining criticism, commentary, questions and observations only, thankyouverymuch.

What’s simmering, people?

Vegas Mike, head chef at Iron Chef Japanese Restaurant in Puyallup, entertains and cooks for customers (from left) Phil Mitchell, Sophie Mitchell, Michael Cassimore, and Egle Kupstyte. Peter Haley/The News Tribune

Iron Chef Japanese Steakhouse
Where: 4301 S. Meridian St., Suite A, Puyallup
Hours: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. for lunch and 5-10 p.m. weekdays for lunch; 2-10 p.m. Saturdays and 2-9 p.m. Sundays.
Phone: 253-848-3759
Online: ironchefsteakhouse.com.
Price Range: $15-$50

Editor’s Note: 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 TNT’s dime, then report what the scene and food was like. Have a suggestion for a drop-in dining feature? E-mail us at tntdiner@thenewstribune.com.

By Craig Hill
craig.hill@thenewstribune.com

The scene: If you lived on South Hill five years ago, you might have shopped for your produce where the Iron Chef is now located. The restaurant is in the corner of what used to be a Safeway. With its high coffee-brown walls and exposed-beam ceilings, not only does the building no longer feel like a grocery store, but inside you barely feel like you’re in Puyallup. The waitresses are dressed in sandals and kimonos and the chefs are also adorned in Japanese garb.

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Your Thanksgiving dinner may be done, or perhaps in progress now. Now what to do with all that turkey? Well, other than sending it home with your freeloading cousin, I have one suggestion: flaky, delicious pot pie. Click “read more” for a recipe I just lifted from our Los Angeles Times wire service.

This leads me to my next pondering … I usually dine out with a friend for lunch the day after Thanksgiving (pot pie for dinner, though). So how will you fuel yourself during your shopping frenzy tomorrow?

Any dining out plans, or just sticking with the fridge leftovers?

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Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. You’ve got the turkey ready to go, right? The sides started? A pie already made?

Then it’s time to reward yourself for your labor. Here, a drink crafted for us by Denise Tempest of Tempest Lounge. Enjoy.

The Tempest Pumpkin Pie Cocktail

1 ounce Crown Royal

1 ounce half and half

Pumpkin syrup, to taste

1/2 cup crushed graham crackers

1 tablespoon raw sugar (or substitute granulated)

Nutmeg, a dash

Cinnamon stick garnish

Combine crushed graham crackers and

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Carol Saynisch, of Steilacoom, wrote to us about her daughter’s web site. It’s an interesting collection of recipes featuring sustainable ingredients.

The website is here. Some thoughts from her mother:

I wanted to share my daughter’s culinary Web site, http://www.brooklynfarmhouse.com, with you. She’s a graduate of the French Culinary Institute – and even though she creates her site from her Brooklyn, N.Y. kitchen, the products she’s using can be found at South Sound natural food and farmers’ markets.

Maybe your Web/blog readers would like to see some of her unusual

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Burkhard Bilger captures the “extreme beer” movement quite exhaustively in a New Yorker article this week (although the article is w-o-r-d-y…. you must read a few pages in to really get it).

Our resident beer geek, John Henrikson, wants to write about extreme beer here in South Sound. We’re looking for high octane supremely crafted beer – something that will really knock your palate. (Confused by the term? Click the read more button to see a definition of extreme beer.)

So worshipers of the frosty mug – extreme beer… where? Bottle stores? On tap? Where do you get it?

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Thanksgiving is Thursday and TNT Diner readers are looking to avoid cooking a bird (you know who you are).

From the TNT Diner reader e-mail bag:

What restaurants in the Tacoma area will be offering a special Thanksgiving menu on Thursday? Which ones are most recommended?

I know of just a few restaurants serving Thanksgiving dinners (click the read more button to see the list).

Your mission:

Readers: Tell us where you’ve eaten out for Thanksgiving. Was it any good?

Restaurant owners/chef types: Post your menus, hours and prices for Thanksgiving dinner. Tell us what you’ll be serving.

For those making turkey at home, don’t forget to get recipes and advice from our Thanksgiving page here.

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Two readers e-mailed today with questions about buying prepared turkeys for Thanksgiving.

Reader 1: Where to find a smoked turkey?

Reader 2: Where to find a deep fried turkey?

I direct readers to this story about where to buy a smoked turkey. The story is a few years old, but can at least steer you in the correct direction.

As for a deep fried turkey, I haven’t heard of any local restaurants or caterers selling those. Have you?

On the matter of fried, I’ve always fried my own. In fact, for the DIY

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