Johnny’s Seafood Market & Bistro

Johnny’s Seafood Co. has reopened as Johnny’s Seafood Market & Bistro after a top to bottom remodel that now features a cafe in addition to their longstanding seafood counter. Diners can sit at the bar, inside near the seafood counter or on the outdoor patio on the Thea Foss Waterway. There’s even a great view of Mt. Rainier.

Tacoma has needed another casual waterfront seafood restaurant, and I was eager to check it out. There’s Steamers Seafood Cafe on Titlow Beach, but I’ve never found the quality or portion size to be good for the price.

We stopped at Johnny’s for dinner tonight, and I wasn’t really planning on blogging about it, so I didn’t take any photos of our food…and I’m not seeing the menu anywhere online at the moment, but the food was generally really good, so I thought I’d share our experience.

It’s a little awkward walking into Johnny’s because the seafood counter is to your right, and the tables are to the left — which isn’t really the problem. I know they just reopened, but while watching numerous people come in and try to purchase seafood at the counter, there was a lot of confusion with the process, and there wasn’t always a staff person to help people at the seafood counter. Once they get the hang of it, hopefully it’ll go more smoothly. The staff was very friendly and the food was served very quickly after ordering, but the seating and general entrance was a little odd.

We ordered the bay shrimp cocktail ($5.95), and though the shrimp were fresh and sweet, the plating (in a little cup, topped with sauce atop a salad of lettuce and celery), was a little different than I’m used to.

The Caesar salad ($8.95) has lightly grilled romaine with options such as adding crab, shrimp or blackened salmon or chicken for an additional reasonable fee. The blackened salmon was high-quality, well cooked and flavored with a nice kick from the blackening spice, and the crab was fresh and pJohnny's Seafood Tacomalentiful atop the salad.

We’ll definitely be back for either a quick lunch or easy dinner. The menu features favorites like clam chowder, fish and chips (including gluten free fish and chips!), Copper River salmon, prime ribeye steak, lots of sandwiches, cioppino, salads, fish tacos, crab and shrimp cocktail, beer and wine.

I also glanced at the seafood counter and noticed they had fresh whole trout, which I haven’t seen anywhere else in Tacoma. In addition to seafood, they also sell beef and pork from Snake River Farms.

The prices were generally reasonable and it seemed like it would be family-friendly. It’s definitely worth checking out.

Johnny’s Seafood Market & Bistro | 1199 Dock Street, Tacoma | 253.627.2158
Open 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. daily

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.

Continue reading →

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.
Continue reading →

Hilltop Kitchen Food and Drink Menus

I visited the newly opened Hilltop Kitchen for a little weeknight cocktails and dinner. What I found was a fantastic Latin-inspired menu that is mostly vegetarian…and has a good amount of vegan options, or items that can easily be made vegan.

Craft cocktails are all priced $10, and are divided between Goes Down Easy and Boozy and Odd. Everything we ate and drank was excellent, as was the service.

The photos of the menus are below — they’re not great, but they give you an idea of what Hilltop Kitchen has going on (click to enlarge).

Co-owner Chris Keil says they will soon offer lunch, and now have a happy hour with $6 drinks from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. daily.

Look for my full feature on Hilltop Kitchen in the Weekly Volcano/Ranger/Airlifter next week.

Their address is a bit hard to find online, so I have it for you below, as well as their current hours. Happy drinking!

Hilltop Kitchen | 913 Martin Luther King Way, Tacoma | Open Monday-Wednesday 3 p.m.- last call at 12 a.m., Thursday-Saturday 3 p.m.- last call at 1:15 a.m. Closed Sunday. Happy hour is 3 p.m.-7 p.m. daily.

Anniversary Dinner at Asado

Our second anniversary was this past Tuesday, and it called for a special dinner out. We were originally thinking of heading to Seattle, but decided to stay in Tacoma since it was a work night. You don’t need to go to Seattle for great food, right?! Duh, that’s why you’re reading this right now!

We decided on Asado Cucina Argentina since we never end up making it there. Why? I’m not exactly sure. It’s a little pricey for an every day dinner, and for some reason I never think of it for a special occasion. I’m glad I remembered it this time because we had an excellent meal.

First off, Asado happens to have half off bottles of wine on Tuesdays. Score. Didn’t plan that, but it worked out nicely. You can try a bottle you might not normally order because of its price, or you can just get a killer deal. Either way it’s a win.

I like the look and feel of the restaurant. When you walk in, you can smell the mesquite wood they use in their grill. The whole front of the restaurant opens up garage door-style to an outdoor bar, and it’s an awesome place to sit on a sunny day. The only thing I don’t love about Asado is that it gets a little loud in there, so having a conversation can be tough. You end up yelling, so that’s not great.

Go to Asado for what they do best: their grilled seafood and meats. It’s unlike any other restaurant in Tacoma in its flavor profiles. Big, bold flavors of chimichurri, salsas, herbs and spices are integrated seamlessly into steak and seafood dishes that are cooked to perfection.

Continue reading →