Tag Archives: breakfast

Breakfast at Art House Cafe

Breakfast at Art House Cafe

Art House Cafe in Tacoma’s Stadium District has been open since April of this year, and I haven’t been in since my first bite a week after their opening. I was due for a visit for breakfast, and this was the perfect morning to check it out. With the rain coming down, Art House Cafe made a cozy refuge from the weather on this lazy Sunday morning.

All of the new restaurant kinks I experienced when I first visited for dinner were gone. Our server was knowledgeable, helpful and made a mean latte and hot chocolate.

The fresh, airy cafe was bustling with couples sipping espresso, friends meeting for breakfast and my disheveled “I’m not doing my hair and I’m going to wear yoga pants” self. That’s what weekend breakfasts are for, right?

Actually, Art House Cafe serves a daily breakfast, meaning weekdays included, which is different from most Tacoma restaurants. Tacomans are hard-pressed to find a restaurant that serves breakfast on weekdays, and I’m thrilled Art House serves such a great one.

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Happy 40th Birthday to Antique Sandwich Company

Happy 40th Birthday to Antique Sandwich Company

I love a good small business success story, especially if it’s a family business. The Antique Sandwich Company on Tacoma’s North Pearl Street is celebrating its 40th birthday this month. The business, started in 1973 by sisters-in-law Tamie Herridge and Shirley Herridge and their mother Arlene, was later joined by Dick Meyer, owner of Traditions Cafe in Olympia. The community is invited to a celebration of their 40 years of business this Saturday, August 24, from 5 to 9 p.m.

Forty years is a long time for any business to continue on, but especially a restaurant, which faces stiff competition, rising food costs and a whole host of other factors that make keeping the doors open a difficult task. Antique Sandwich Company has not only survived, but flourished, maintaining a customer base that keeps coming back for their homemade pies, giant milkshakes, freshly made cinnamon rolls and sandwiches.
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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.

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 →