TNT Diner

Cheers West restaurant closes June 1 – but expect a reopening

Sue Kidd — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:29:56 +0000

A city short on dining options looks to be losing one, although it’s expected to reopen. A sign has gone up announcing the closure of Cheers West, a bar and grill in University Place.

A manager who answered the phone said the restaurant would close June 1 and would reopen July 1 – in the same location – with new ownership. She said more details would be available Friday, but here’s sign of the new ownership.

A liquor permit has just been placed for a restaurant called Cheers West U.P. The permit lists Ali Akbar Mehdizadehkashi as the applicant.

The world of lumpia – from trucks to take-out

Sue Kidd — Fri, 17 May 2013 07:00:27 +0000

Call it the Filipino cousin of the Chinese egg roll. Lumpia is a whole lot of flavor rolled up inside a wrapper so crispy, it practically shatters on impact. Read this report on food trucks and stationary restaurants serving lumpia and other Filipino favorites.

On the move: Jay Dogs now serving at Tacoma Farmers Market

Sue Kidd — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:00:03 +0000

The fledgling hot dog cart from Center Street is on the move. Jay Dogs now is serving every Thursday at the Broadway Tacoma Farmers Market.

Owner Jay Gallinatti said traffic has been too low at his perch near South Union and Center Streets in Tacoma, so he’s been traveling to where the crowds convene. April found him serving at Wingman Brewers taproom in the Dome District. In May, Gallinatti packed up his hot dog cart – which he tows with his 1962 VW truck – and headed for the farmers market. He found success. He’ll be back every Thursday.

In …

Cheap lunch: Melon Seed Deli and Frozen Yogurt in Tacoma

Sue Kidd — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:00:33 +0000

I’ve given up hope keeping up with all the frozen yogurt openings, but I do know that Black Bear has spawned two more stores in Tacoma and Puyallup in recent weeks. And I’m pretty sure Menchie’s opened a froyo shop in my basement when I wasn’t looking.

While I won’t be writing again about the deluge of froyo, what is worth noting is the new Melon Seed Deli and Frozen Yogurt shop on Center Street, near Union, that opened April 6. I like them not for froyo, but for their sandwiches. I want to call them cheap, but …

Restaurant closure: Out with barbecued ribs, in with Philly sandwiches

Sue Kidd — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:52:49 +0000

I hate to be the bearer of terrible rib news, but three Tacoma barbecue restaurants are no more. However, good news is on the horizon for sandwich lovers – Philly cheesesteaks are on the way. Read on.

The closures: Thrill of the Grill, Papa Jones and Porter’s Place
The opening: Go Philly

Thrill of the Grill, a tiny barbecue joint, opened in November 2011 by business partners Sarah Slaughter and Gregory Brock at 1402 Tacoma Ave., near the County-City Building. They served a homestyle menu of Texas barbecue with Louisiana twists. Several months ago, their storefront …

Going veg: Tasty burgers, minus the meat

Sue Kidd — Fri, 10 May 2013 07:03:30 +0000

A few decades ago, ordering a veggie burger garnered a skeptical look from a cashier and bitter disappointment from a grill cook. What inevitably would arrive was a disappointment squished into a bun: lettuce, tomatoes, onions and maybe pickles, if you were lucky.
Then along came commercially prepared veggie patties that skipped the meat and included ingredients such as grains, rice, cheese and vegetables. Some were good; some tasted like spackle and mushrooms.

It took a good decade of demand for better-tasting patties to arrive. With even fast-food restaurants embracing veggie patties, it made sense that vegetarian burgers eventually …

Last minute edible gifts for Mother’s Day (all under $20)

Sue Kidd — Fri, 10 May 2013 07:02:01 +0000

So you waited until the last minute to buy a Mother’s Day gift. How novel!

Don’t worry – I’m here to help. Here are five local and edible gifts for mom – that she’ll actually like. No gas station flowers, ok? You hear me? Read on.

Gift 1: Johnson truffles

Johnson Candy Company
Where: 924 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, 253-272-8504
Rows and rows of hand-made truffles usually are featured at the Hilltop candy shop, but they may be low by now. Ten bucks will buy you a nice box for mom (backup plan: Johnson dark …

First bite: The newly reopened Harbor Lights

Sue Kidd — Fri, 10 May 2013 07:00:14 +0000

Three weeks ago, the nearly 54-year-old Harbor Lights reopened after a six-week remodel by its corporate owners, Anthony’s Restaurants.

First the good: The stiff drinks, the this-is-why-we-live-here views of Commencement Bay, and the doting staff are all the same.

Now for the not so good: Regulars might not recognize their beloved haunt on Tacoma’s Ruston Way waterfront.

The new decor? Bland. The restaurant is outfitted in muted shades of gray and blue with walls void of much visual interest. Gone is the sense of place – the red banquettes, funky fish wall art, newspaper clippings in the front entry …

Tap list: Brewers share what they’re serving at Gig Harbor Beer Festival

Sue Kidd — Wed, 08 May 2013 21:21:00 +0000

Planning an outdoor beer festival in May can be a soggy endeavor in the Pacific Northwest.

When the inaugural Gig Harbor Beer Festival last year collided with one of the first really sunny and hot weekends of 2012, the festival found itself in trouble when droves of people showed up to take advantage of two rare things: hot weather before July 4 and one of only a few craft beer festivals held in the South Sound. Tragedy struck – well, as tragic as it can get at a beer festival. The kegs ran dry before the event was over.

Will …

Mod Pizza opening in Puyallup and Tacoma

Sue Kidd — Mon, 06 May 2013 13:00:38 +0000

A Seattle-based pizza chain is opening its first South Sound outposts in Puyallup and Tacoma. Expect a late June opening for Mod Super Fast Pizza in Puyallup’s Sunrise Village. A Tacoma Mall Mod is expected to open sometime in September.

Mod, which stands for “Made On Demand,” has eight stores – four in Seattle, three in Seattle’s Eastside and one in Lynnwood.

The fast-casual restaurant serves individually sized pizzas – with every pizza priced $6.88, whether or not diners order a specialty pie or build their own from a menu of 25 toppings. The pizzas are stone-baked and the …