Breakfast at Babblin’ Babs Bistro

Breakfast at Babblin’ Babs Bistro

If you’re looking for a gourmet, one-of-a-kind breakfast or brunch in Tacoma, look no further than Babblin’ Babs Bistro in the Proctor District. Their menu is a pleasure to read through, and gets your appetite going with the detailed descriptions and unique culinary combinations. Owners William and Shannon Mueller bring elevated food to a family dining experience, and breakfast is available all day on weekends.

It was a hard decision for my husband, who loves a sweet breakfast. The “Basse Busting Buttery Banana Butterscotch Bacon Bliss” ($15) caught his eye, with fresh banana waffles, butterscotch, homemade vanilla gelato and crumbles of pancetta. He ended up ordering “The Italian Swine Meets the French Pig Sandwich” ($15), with pancetta, pepper bacon, custard eggs, tomatoes and gouda in fresh baked naan bread. Yes, you read that right — naan. It’s a fun take on a breakfast sandwich, paired with either their nicely spiced home fries or sweet potato hash. It’s quite a hearty portion, and I didn’t think he’d be able to finish it, but in his words, “he couldn’t resist the harmony of flavors”. (I might be rubbing off on him a little too much. Do I sense a food writer in the making?) Continue reading →

Checking in with Rosewood Cafe

Checking in with Rosewood Cafe

I hadn’t been to Rosewood Cafe in a while, so I stopped in for dinner last night with a friend. It’s one of those places that’s hidden away, and if you don’t drive by it every once in a while, you might forget it’s there.

If you’ve never been to Rosewood before, it’s a quaint cafe tucked into the Proctor neighborhood of Tacoma, near the University of Puget Sound. They specialize in sandwiches, salads and soups, and also have beer, wine and local Valhalla coffee. I’ve heard from many people that it’s super kid-friendly, and the casual vibe and sidewalk dining during the warmer months is really inviting.

They’re open for lunch and dinner…though I’ve always wished they were open for breakfast or brunch. It would really be the perfect spot to bike to on weekend mornings for a breakfast sandwich, but I’m going to have to keep dreaming. No breakfast yet.

You can check out their lunch and dinner menu here, as well as beer and wine and kids menu. Favorite sandwiches of mine are the tuna melt ($7.50), Rosewood deluxe ($8) and Rick’s Dip ($8.50), a French dip with horseradish mayonnaise. Continue reading →

May Food Events

May Food Events
  • Opening Day of Broadway Farmers Market
    May 2, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at S. 9th and Broadway, Tacoma.
  • Opening Day of 6th Avenue Farmers Market
    May 7, 3-7 p.m. 6th and Pine, Tacoma.
  • Gig Harbor Beer Festival
    May 11, noon-6 p.m. at Uptown Gig Harbor. 21+. Tickets $20/advance, $25/at the door. Buy tickets here.
  • Primo Grill Cooking Classes
    May 4th, 2-4 p.m. Mole, the Savory Sauces of Mexico. $65 per person, includes recipes and instruction, lunch with a glass of wine, tax and gratuity. Call Jacqueline at 383.7000 to purchase tickets.
    May 18, 2-4 p.m. The Cuisine of Southern France. $65 per person, includes recipes and instruction, lunch with a glass of wine, tax and gratuity. Call Jacqueline at 253-383-7000 to purchase tickets.
  • Bayview School of Cooking Cooking Classes
    May 7, 6-8:30 p.m. Cooking with Chef Amadeus. Learn to make stuffed mushrooms, kale salad, lamb chops, currry-crusted risotto with chard and more. $65 per person. Call 360-754-1448 to reserve.
    May 8, 6-8:30 p.m. From India, With Love. Learn to make vegetable pakoras, parantha, raita, cilantro chutney and more. $45 per person. Call 360-754-1448 to reserve.
    May 14, 6-8:30 p.m. Light Seasonal Italian Pastas. Orchiette with asparagus and vegetables, penne with mussels and clams, fresh fettucine with leeks and pancetta and more. $45 per person. Call 360-754-1448 to reserve.
    May 21, 6-8:30 p.m. German cooking. Learn to cook a variety of authentic German dishes. $45 per person. Call 360-754-1448 to reserve.
    May 23, 6-8:30 p.m. Northwest Vegetarian. Fire-roasted tomato bread pudding, garlicky spring greens and more. $60 per person. Call 360-754-1448 to reserve.
    May 29, 6-8:30 p.m., Cook with Jennifer Nelson of Basilico Ristorante Italiano. Calamari affogati, Pacific wild cod, sauteed fresh spinach and more. $65 per person. Call 360-754-1448 to reserve.
    May 30, 6-8:30 p.m. A Taste of the Tropics. Chipotle bacon guacamole, mango-black bean salsa, Caribbean spiced pork tenderloin, roasted banana and macadamia cheesecake and more. $45 per person. Call 360-754-1448 to reserve.
  • Toscano’s Cooking Class
    May 19, 4:30 p.m. An Italian Spring Cooking Class. The fresh flavors of spring comprise this 4-course exhibition style cooking class and dinner. Recipes, instruction and wine samples also included. $60 per person, includes tax & gratuity. Call 253-864-8600.
  • Morso Wine Bar Six Year Vertical Borgogno Barolo Dinner
    May 11, 6:30 p.m. An opportunity to taste for yourself a vertical of great barolo and explore the differences and nuances when paired with traditional favorite dishes, including antipasta, fonduta, risotta ai funghi porcini, braised beef and more. $100 per person, not including tax and gratuity. Call 253-530-3463 to reserve.