Ginkgo Forest Winery Grand Opening Saturday

Did you know a new wine tasting room opened in Old Town? I’ve driven past a few times, making mental notes to check it out. Tomorrow is the perfect time to do so. Ginkgo Forest Winery, from Mattawa, WA (just outside Vantage in Eastern Washington) is having its grand opening tomorrow, September 28 starting at 11 a.m.

There will be food and wine pairings and live music from guitarist George Turner and art from Bill Colby. You can also enter to win a gift basket, and there will be specials on wine.

Even if you’re not able to make it to the grand opening, stop by Ginkgo Forest in Old Town and give them a nice welcome to Tacoma.

Here’s a handy-dandy video to learn more about Ginkgo Forest Winery.

Ginkgo Forest Winery | 2221 N 30th Street, Tacoma | (253) 301-4372 | Open Wednesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m.-6 p.m.

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.

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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.