The Senior Scene

Taking advantage of some nice weather, we took a ride up to the new Point Ruston development on Ruston Way on Tacoma’s waterfront. I had been seeing news about how beautiful it was and decided to take a look.  I was not disappointed. If you are in the mood for a pizza or a pub, or seafood, it is worth driving to. Gorgeous views, several levels to explore.

The main restaurant district seems to be in the 5000 block of Grand Loop Drive, and I counted five places to eat within a few steps of one another. There also is a water park right there, and we got to watch kids jumping in and out of the spouts that shot out of big rocks and out of the beautiful mural on the floor of the area. 

We first stopped in at the Wildfin American Grill — beautiful, huge dining room, lovely views, but prices a little high for lunch. Fish and chips was $14.95, including jicama salad. Also, the music was rock, loud, and not what we wanted.

We wandered out to the Daily Catch, the walkup window in the same building, and had a great lunch. Keanu was running the shop, doing the cooking and also doing stocking and keeping the chalkboard menu up to date. We ordered two pieces of cod and chips at $8.99, added on seafood chowder at $2.99, and also ordered a small Jicama salad at $2.99 and Blackberry Basil Iced Tea at $3.99. Jicama is a sweet, white root vegetable common in raw dishes. We also ordered Calamari and Chips at $9.99.

The food came in cardboard quart produce baskets, the kind you get in grocery stores with peaches in them — biodegradable, and attractive. The seafood portions were big. Two pieces of cod were the size of hotdog buns, dipped in beer batter and crunchy outside and tender and sweet on the inside.  The chips were big and crunchy, and there was a big serving filling up half of the basket. The beer-battered calamari came in two-inch strips, crunchy on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth on the inside. Delicious. The food was still sizzling from the fryer, and smelled divine.

The chowder was amazing. It was a cup of tender seafood chunks, salmon, clams and whitefish, surrounded by a smooth cream base with bacon, celery and onions. A meal on its own, and this was the small size!

The jicama salad was a nice change from regular coleslaw, with jicama, onions, and a light coating of slaw dressing.

We sat on a bench outside in the sun and ate and talked until we were stuffed, and then rode home, sightseeing through this new area in our town.

Carolyn Augustine, who wrote this article, is a freelance restaurant writer.

Daily Catch

5115 Grand Loop

Ruston, WA 98407

2534482145

Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

If you  go: Pick a time that isn’t busy, because it was not designed for heavy traffic. Drive through and decide where you want to visit. We were lucky, no traffic, plenty of space. Check your restaurant to see if they take reservations, and if they have parking.

As I visit the restaurants serving interesting food in Pierce County, I look for my favorites: Macaroni and cheese, burgers and fried chicken. I have  been pretty lucky with some, but not so lucky with fried chicken. Then I mentioned it to the nice gal who was doing my hair, and she said people from all over the county drove to the Tacoma Mall area to the Circle K convenience store for Krispy Krunchy.

Krispy Krunchy Fried Chicken is one of the fastest-growing convenience store-based quick service restaurant concepts in the nation. Founded in 1989, the KK idea has grown into a worldwide organization with over 2,500 locations, including the Circle K at the corner of South Oakes and South 47th.

Very friendly and knowledgeable counter help will take your order. No seating. No wait staff. No frills.  Just fried chicken, sent by a supplier, cooked as you order it. And this chicken is very, very good.

Light, toasty brown breading. A very light taste of Louisiana-style spice throughout keeps the pieces from being too bland, and I was really impressed with how juicy every single piece was.

We ordered two breasts at $3.59 each, four wings at $1.89 each, four thighs at $2.19 each, and  fouir strips at $1.49 each. We also ordered six biscuits at $3.89, six jojo potato sticks at $2.19, and a big order of onion rings at $5.39.

This was a totally carryout establishment, with candy and  toys competing for space within the chicken counter. Our chicken came in big boxes of recyclable containers with napkins. Every piece was delicious and didn’t seem frozen or microwaved.

The biscuits were totally different from the usual fluffy white ones that come with chicken. They were smallish but drenched in honey butter and very tasty.

The onion rings were hand-cut, breaded and freshly fried. Delicious.

Next time I’m having the carrot cake and the mac and cheese. They were out this time.

We will be back. Great chicken can be had in Tacoma, at the Circle K convenience store. Don’t be put off by the gas pumps, traffic and crowded parking lot.

IF YOU GO

Circle K and Krispy Krunchy Fried Chicken

4704 S. Oakes, Tacoma

253-474-7284

Chicken is available from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Carolyn Augustine, who authors the Senior Eats column for Senior Scene, is a freelance restaurant writer from Lakewood.

Dixie’s Home Cookin’, which has been doing business in Sumner for at least 13 years, is named after the proprietor’s father, a firefighter from Indiana who loved good food in generous portions. It is open for breakfast and lunch, serving everything from a build-your-own omelette at $7.99 to “Dad’s Big Breakfast,” which includes four eggs, four meats, pancakes, and sides for $17.99.

This friendly spot has a cozy atmosphere and a selection for everyone.  The menu had 34 types of breakfasts, including loaded potato pancakes at $6.99, 17 kinds of burgers, 23 sandwiches, 17 salads, and meals ranging from meatloaf to fish and fries. Selections came with soup, salad, fries, or tater tots.

Stopping in for a meal, we  decided to try the Pot Roast Dip at $12.99, a hoagie roll loaded with  big chunks of boneless beef short rib, Swiss cheese and grilled onions, served with au jus, and we had a bowl of wild rice vegetable soup which came loaded with carrots and other garden vegetables. We also had the Cuban sandwich ($12.99), a combination of pulled pork, ham and swiss cheese, pickles and dark ale mustard on a whole grain ciabatta roll. A side salad came with this.

We also ordered Fried Chicken Salad ($11.99), crisp sliced fried chicken, iceberg lettuce, (my favorite green,)  sliced eggs, chopped tomato and ranch dressing. 

The portions at Dixie’s are very large. As an example, I ordered my ranch dressing on the side and it came in a soup bowl!

Everyone really enjoyed their food, and we had plenty to take home for another meal. Our lunch was enjoyable, and we are looking forward to a return visit.

The next time I go, I will order the carrot cake, which looked delicious.

Dixies is located in a strip mall near the center of Summer. Parking is limited by the number of businesses in the mall, but there is plenty of seating at tables and booths. Service is friendly and prompt. The prices are in keeping with the size of the meals. No reservations necessary.

Carolyn Augustine is a freelance restaurant writer from Lakewood.

IF YOU GO

Dixie’s Home Cookin’

15717 Main St. E., Sumner. From State Route 410, drive to the East Main exit and drive east back through town until you see the big windmill at Windmill Garden Center. Look on the left side for the restaurant. No reservations necessary.

Open Monday throuigh Saturday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

253-863-0111

When I see an interesting Tacoma restaurant advertised on television, such as The RedHot Hot Dog Joint,  I try to track it down and see what it is really like.

The RedHot Hot Dog Joint excited me because I love a hot dog. Summer, winter, any time. I am happy with a dog on a bun, and this place sounded quirky and fun.

The RedHot is an over-21 restaurant specializing in locally brewed beer. The restaurant has a large, airy dining room with comfortable seating  with plenty of room for walkers or wheelchairs, and there is a nice, varied menu specializing in sausage and hot dogs that are blended and cooked on-site. We found them to be very good and very different from what is commercially available in the grocery store.

We ordered The Red Hot, a nice six-inch dog on a poppy seed bun for $4.50, topped with spicy brown mustard, onions and sweet relish, with extra Pepper Jack cheese at 50 cents;  a Big Kahuna, locally made linquica sausage with oriental-style sauce, cole slaw, onions and grilled pineapple rings at $6.50, a juicy, spicy, crunchy mouthful of goodness; a Sausage Smitty Burger, $6.50, made with a six-ounce house ground sausage patty, served on a buttered  and toasted ciabatta bun with house secret sauce, American cheese, onions, pickles, lettuce and tomatoes, mildly spicy and delicious. We also ordered Frito Pie at $4.50 which was Fritos corn chips with chili and nacho cheese sauce – very good and fun to eat, and we craved a bigger serving; barbecue baked beans ($2.75) and a side of macaroni and cheese at $4.25.

The sandwiches were good, but I wish they had a choice of bread instead of all the buns being poppy seed. Also, I ordered a side of the delicious macaroni and cheese to take home, and for $4.75, with an extra 50-cent charge for carryout, I got one tiny ice cream scoop-size serving. Stingy.

We ordered Snoqualmie Falls Root Beer, $3.75, locally brewed, full of flavor and very creamy. Homemade root beer is nothing like what you get in a plastic bottle, and is worth trying.

The RedHot is an interesting place to visit. If you like hot dogs and sausages, and if you want to sample some new flavors of these standards, give it a try. Might be crowded at happy  hour times, but service was quick and helpful when we were there.

IF YOU GO

The RedHot Hot Dog

2914 Sixth Ave., Tacoma

253 770-0229

Open Sunday 9 a.m.-11 p.m., Monday through Thursday 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Friday 11 a.m.-midnight, Saturday 9 a.m.-midnight.