A couple of weeks ago I told you about my recent “addiction” – to the Sea Bass at Fujiya, just steps from our front door. One of our esteemed guests returned with a picture of this lovely dish. Fujiya has such a warm and friendly staff, and the food is fresh, delicious and unpretentious. Try it once – and you’ll feel what it’s like to be “in the know.”

–Dale

After they’ve been there a while, some restaurants become part of the furniture. And then there’s the danger that they can become forgotten. And then we can lose them to out-of-town chain eateries. Those were our thoughts recently when we lunched at 29-year-old Grassi’s Garden Café here in Downtown Tacoma. The service was phenomenal and though we passed on the amazing fresh-baked pie, the Country Cobb salad (see above) was huge and scrumptious. (Now, there’s a word we don’t see enough!) And the fresh-cut rose that came on the bread plate was a wonderful touch. Here’s to the next 30 years!

–Dale

When you hear the term “Pan-Asian,” all too often it refers to cuisine that is nominally Asian, but which panders to American tastes. (Kind of like old school Chinese food, much of which you’ll be hard-pressed to actually find in China.) Thankfully, there’s Indochine, at 1924 Pacific Avenue. After a couple of years serving up specialties from Thailand, China, India, Japan, and Vietnam, Indochine continues to knock our socks off by staying true to the roots that are their namesake. When out-of-towners ask me for dining suggestions, Indochine is always in my rotation of recommendations. And when guests return to the hotel with beaming smiles and tell-tale cardboard takeout boxes laden with leftovers, I know that, once again, I’ve hit my mark.

–James

Yours truly celebrated (OFTEN!) this past Friday starting the adventure at Sea Grill with Mike and Whitney and the Hotel posse (along with black martinis and the salmon plate) and culminating with family at Fujiya’s Japanese restaurant, our neighbors on Broadway. All I can say is oh wow! The sea bass rocks – as does the plum wine nite cap. This is why we LOVE Fujiya’s !

–Dale

Hello Cupcake came thru the lobby the other day with some treats. With Pacific Avenue between 17th and 25th streets being torn up, they’re sure to feel the pain of the loss of traffic. So do yourself –and Hello Cupcake – a favor. Those cups of yummy goodness are a MUST for any hungry person riding the LINK and stepping off at Museum stop.

–Dale

Chambers Bay Golf Course will be hosting the 2015 U.S. Open, but you can be sure that people will be lining up to visit long before that happens. And for good reason. The Scottish-style links and beautiful scenery are a real gem. And, after a round on this walk-only course, you’ll likely want to stop in to the Chambers Bay Grill for a bite. You can go for the Chipotle Turkey or Bourbon Chicken if you’d like. But for my money, there are few ordinary burgers that will beat this one. Hot off the broiler and cooked to order, why is such simple pleasure otherwise so hard to come by? Best part is, lunch or dinner just won’t set you back a whole lot of money. Now THAT’s a Scotch value!

–Dale

Let’s say your bumper crop of tomatoes is now in season. By the bucketfull. What to do? I suggest that you contact the Fish Food Bank to make a donation and then head down to Pacific Grill for it’s take on that amazing delicacy known as the heirloom tomato. And to think that, once upon a time, these were simply known as “garden variety.”

–James

As the economy tightens, it may be tempting to think about cutting costs. But slashing expenses willy-nilly can cripple your business. There are often less painful ways to stay afloat. The operative word is balance. This superb article from the Microsoft Small Business Center offers eight sensible budgeting tips. Here’s the first:“

Accept the learning curve. Living with a budget is an education. Trimming your expenses, knowing how long a paycheck is going to last or how much of a cash reserve to keep around… working these skillfully will take some time. But you can learn to adjust a budget as you go, and what was once a shot in the dark gradually will become a more predictable and useful practice.”

Being reasonable yet disciplined can even open up paths to success that you may not have discerned before. Go to the full article to read seven more tips on balanced budgeting.

–Dale

If you’re the type of person who tends to beat the contestants to the buzzer on “Wheel of Fortune” or who, while watching “Jeopardy!”, says, “Pshhh, I could do that,” well here’s your chance. Three pubs around town offer Trivia Night on Wednesdays, with a chance to win cash and prizes. No word, though, on whether they offer a home version of their games.

Ale House Pub @ University Place. Trivia Night with a “Wheel of Goodness” + cash prizes 7 pm.

Doyle’s Public House Tacoma. Knowledge Night Team Trivia 7 pm.

Engine House No. 9 Tacoma. Win “Doggie Dollars,” starting at 7 pm.

–James

Don’t get me wrong, this place lowers the, er, bar when it comes to dive bars. Sticky carpeting, lawn furniture in the dining room and all. But you have to give them props for coming up with the best happy hour name in the city: Lush Rush. During said Rush, all wells are two bucks. I guess people ain’t going there for the fancy wallpaper.  Check out this article on Weekly Volcano to find out more.

–James