New Sausages at The Red Hot

New Sausages at The Red Hot

The Red Hot is one of my very favorite places in Tacoma. The food is consistently good, the beers local and cold, and the atmosphere easy and comfortable.

I’m normally a creature of habit when ordering at The Red Hot, but this time I was told there’s two new sausages on the menu, and I had to give them a try. Sure, they have their Test Kitchen Thursdays each week, with new and creative combinations, but the two new sausages are on the menu for a couple months. They’ll be rotated out eventually, so get ’em while you can.

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Moses Lake Road Trip Dining

This past weekend, I went on a solo road trip to Moses Lake, WA to visit one of my best friends, Koree, and to meet her new baby boy. I can’t think of a better reason to go over the pass to the east side of the state. Bonus: I ate at some really fantastic places, much to my surprise.

Okay, I know – it’s pretty bad that I had the impression that Eastern Washington is a gastronomic wasteland. Sure, there aren’t many fancy restaurants or big-name chefs, but if you know where to look, the eating’s not at all bad on your journey over I-90.

A trip east of the mountains isn’t complete without stopping at a fruit stand. It might sound a little cliche, but there’s a reason everyone does it – the local produce is fresh, vibrant and priced really reasonably. I stopped in Thorp at the Red Sky Orchards stand. I actually meant to stop at the larger, more touristy Thorp Fruit and Antique Mall, but I was actually glad I stopped an exit or two short at this smaller spot. With gorgeous Yakima apricots, sweet cherries and wine tasting, it was a great place to stretch my legs and pick up some snacks. I also got a bottle of apricot wine that sounded pretty great.

I stopped for breakfast in Ellensburg at the Yellow Church Cafe, at the recommendation of a Twitter friend, Rob. Twitter is my favorite way to get good restaurant advice in areas I’m not familiar with. What I found was a comfortable interior in the converted church built in 1923, and a menu of homemade items that was hard to choose from. I went with the eggs Benedict with curry hollandaise. It was phenomenal, with perfectly poached eggs and fluffy potatoes. The best kind of road food.

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Savor Creperie Grand Opening Celebration

Savor Creperie Grand Opening Celebration

This weekend, Savor Creperie, the relatively newly opened downtown Tacoma crepe shop, is having its grand opening celebration. Come celebrate Friday, June 21 and Saturday, June 22 and get great deals, samples and enter drawings for gift certificates. See the schedule of festivities below.

Friday, June 21: Savor’s Grand Opening CELEBRATION!

  • Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony 12:00 p.m.
  • 1/2 price sweet (dessert) crepes from 3:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
  • Crepe samples throughout the day

Saturday,  June 22: Savor’s Grand Opening CELEBRATION Continues!

  • 15% off all menu items all day
  • Drawings both days for free gift certificates

I wrote about them right after they opened, and have been back since. Each crepe I’ve tried has been fantastic. My personal favorite is the ham, gruyere and asparagus crepe with dijon creme fraiche ($9.50). As for sweet crepes, the banana, coconut and Nutella crepe ($6.50) was pretty delicious.

Savor Creperie also has liege waffles, a Belgian waffle that’s dense and sweet with caramelized sugar on the outside. You can top it with whatever you want, which is pretty fun. I had one with Nutella, strawberries and whipped cream.

The atmosphere is fast casual. You order at the counter and they bring you your order to the table. A tip: If you’re planning on ordering both a savory crepe and a dessert crepe, order the savory one first, sit down and eat it, then order the sweet one for dessert. Then, your dessert crepe or waffle isn’t cold by the time you eat it.

The owners, Tom Vigue and Vickie Black-Vigue are incredibly nice, and are bringing some needed dining variety to Tacoma. Help welcome them with open arms!

Savor Creperie | 1916 Pacific Ave., Tacoma | 253-365-5534 | Open Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Pho 701 Becomes Orange Door + Menu Update

Walking around Downtown Tacoma this weekend, I noticed a change at Pho 701 Bistro and Bar. There were new signs in the window, and a new name, the Orange Door. Immediately, I hoped Pho 701 had not gone out of business. There had been quite a few business changes in that space before, and I’d hate to see it happen again.

I talked with the owner, Toan Pham, and he informed me it was just an update to the business, not a new owner. “The name change was more to fit our demographics of an downtown location,” Pham said. “Ownership and chef did not change. Our clientele are more diversified, and we as restaurant grew with the changes.”

Pham also explained to me there is an updated menu, but the pho is still present. New items include wok stir-fried drunken noodles, Shanghai noodles (wok fried lo mein noodles), chow mein, provincial clay pot pork  and eggs, crab rangoon, wonton soup, as well as more vegan items.

I haven’t eaten there in a few months, but previous visits have included friendly service, clean decor, a relaxed atmosphere, decent prices and tasty food.

Orange Door | 701 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, WA | 253-627-9225 | Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Where to Get Copper River Salmon in Tacoma and Olympia

It’s time for Copper River Salmon in the South Puget Sound area, so get it while you can! Area restaurants have Copper River King Salmon and Copper River Sockeye Salmon on their menus, usually on their daily fresh sheets. You might even want to purchase some uncooked from a local store and make your own creation at home.

These salmon are prized for their richness in Omega-3 oils and seem to incite a frenzy of demand and attention all around the Pacific Northwest.

The below restaurants and markets have reported having Copper River Salmon at some point since the season began. Quantities are limited, so definitely call ahead if you have your heart set on it. And as you can see, it’s not a long list!

Photo credit: El Gaucho Tacoma