Three new cafes have opened in as many months.Today, I take a first bite out of Devoted Kiss in Gig Harbor, Choripan by Asado, the new cafe at Tacoma’s Museum of Glass, and Staircase Cafe, a restaurant that has replaced The Old House Cafe in Proctor. Read more »

Today I return to two restaurants for second bites: Maxwell’s Speakeasy + Lounge, a St. Helens neighborhood restaurant with a new owner, chef and menu, and Zara Mediterranean Cuisine, a downtown Tacoma restaurant newly opened in August. Read more »

Depending upon your dining preferences or the bar you frequent, breakfast at a watering hole can be a cultural odyssey or a gritty journey. I maintain that both can be equally delightful if you have a curiosity for interesting bar food that comes with a funky atmosphere and clientele. To my surprise, I had no trouble finding bars and restaurants widely known for their late-night shenanigans that also produce quality eats from the weekend morning griddle – in copious, delicious quantities. Here are five “bars” with breakfasts worth a try. I didn’t even graze the surface of what’s available for bar breakfast dining. You’re welcome to comment and let other readers know about your favorite bar for breakfast. Read more »

I’ve given the obligatory test run of Five Guys Burgers and Fries – the first South Sound stores of the national chain opened in Lakewood last week and in Puyallup in November. I realized as I was eating at Five Guys that I had not collectively written much about our home-grown burger stands since my burger-stand manifesto in 2009. So I hit the pavement and revisited some of my favorites, along with two new burger stands you may not yet know. Click “read more” to see my top five South Sound burger stand picks. Read more »

When Sidebar Bistro closed in the fall, I heard from government employees and lawyers who work around 11th and Tacoma Avenue. They called, emailed, Tweeted and Facebooked me.

What they wanted to know was this: When will we have more lunch options on Tacoma Avenue? The departure of Sidebar Bistro followed by the temporary closure of Thrill of the Grill left a dearth of eateries in a neighborhood full of police officers, jurors, lawyers, bail bondsmen and other time-pressed people in search of a decent lunch.

In December, the news got better. Read more »

Parkland is an unlikely neighborhood for bayou eating. Nevertheless, for close to a decade, it was our version of the best Louisiana parish for etouffee, gumbo and po’ boy sandwiches. Read more »

A warning to any parents who forbid sweets and treats: This story is not for you. Stop reading now. I mean it.

For the rest of us: Any parent who has spent winter break for two whole weeks cooped up with a gaggle of kids knows that it sometimes takes bribery to get the wee ones to cooperate. Sometimes a sweet incentive dangled before a cute little face might actually get junior to Stop. Hitting. His. Sister.

Need your little one to finish that worksheet or tackle that reading assignment? Promise a sweet escape to a locally owned (or operated) candy, ice cream or cookie store that offers interesting and unusual treats. I call it “Project Parent Bribe.” You might be inclined to call it Operation Keep My Sanity.

Here are five bribes, err places, to visit with the kids this week during the final week of winter break. Read on. Read more »

Deck the halls, trim the trees, blah blah blah. Oh, and hopefully you’ll find an extra five hours to bake that cake today.

Ugh.

We’re all right there with you. Blasting the oven for a baking marathon isn’t exactly at the top of a list that includes 627 holiday dance recitals, 4,897 gifts to wrap and 11,878 parties to attend in the next 48 hours, right? Oh, and don’t forget that your mother-in-law is on her way to visit for the holidays!

Lucky us, we have our pick of international bakeries to backfill our busy lives. The bakeries featured in this story are unusual finds and quite possibly places you’ve never even considered for party cakes, pastries or cookies, even last-minute gift baskets. Diners here can tour the globe in international baked goods without ever leaving the South Sound. From Mexico to Russia to Germany and Korea, far-flung cultures are well represented in pastry form. Read on. Read more »