The Senior Scene

Quirky. Lefty’s Burger Shack is quirky. While the surfboards attached to the outside of the little eight-sided building and the sun-faded surfer sign on the street make you think of summer, Lefty’s is  open year-round and is not your usual Northwest-style burger joint.

This location in University Place has been various eateries, including an ice cream stand, a fish and chips place, and since 2011 Lefty’s, which has been serving big helpings of comfort with fresh-off-the-grill flavor and low prices which make a filling meal affordable.

When we arrived, there were a only few people eating on tables outside, enjoying the unseasonal sunshine, but in a few minutes cars started pulling up and a long line formed at the order window.  We ordered a chicken sandwich made with a fried chicken patty, American cheese, lettuce and tomato at $3.75, with a bun that had been left on the grill too long (reminding me of my grandmother’s burned-toast breakfasts, which made me smile); a flavorful Mushroom Onion Burger with two beef patties, sliced mushrooms, Swiss cheese, tomato and pickle at $4.35; a Bleu Cheese Burger with chunks of bleu cheese, tomato, lettuce, mayo and pickles at$4.35; a chili dog made with a Polish-style sausage on a toasted bun at $3.45; Chili Cheese Fries at $3.25; super-crispy handcut onion rings at $2.95; and a blackberry shake and a butterscotch shake (which come in only one size at $3.57 each), both thick and delicious. We decided to order deep-fried pickles, but they had just run out. We’ll have to go back to try them.

Everything came smoking-hot in biodegradable paper containers, which made for a drippy mess eventually but was fine as we dug in. The sandwiches were really good, and the blend of the flavors on the chili dog and the chili cheese fries was great.

The food was good, the view was nice westward toward the Sound, and it was quite relaxing. Eating at Lefty’s was fun and worth a trip back.

Carolyn Augustine is a freelance restaurant writer.

IF YOU GO                        

• Lefty’s Burger Shack
• 8317 27th St. SW. in University Place
• 253-565-0887
• Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Carry-out orders taken until 6:45.
• No inside seating, no public bathrooms.

  

The Korean Palace barbecue restaurant is an interesting place. Entering, you are faced with a ramp going up to a bright dining room with tables and booths, and a walk next to it that leads over to a separate dining room with tables with a large fire pit in each one.

The hostess asked us if we wanted All You Can Eat barbecue, but being new at this we didn’t know. It turns out the barbecue is made at the table with cut-up meat and vegetables skewered and cooked right there while you watch, and is quite a production. We decided to save this for another time and ascended the ramp to a bright room where we were seated and offered big menus with pictures of delicious-looking food, as well as descriptions in Korean and English.

We ordered Chicken Yakicoba (noodles) at $9.99 and Marinated Beef at $9.99. We asked if the meals came with side dishes, and we were assured that they did. We were given water and also asked for tea. There was no charge for either one.

The eight small side dishes arrived and included spicy Kim Chee, spiced jicama, and spiced cucumber.  Marinated bean sprouts, steamed broccoli, American-style potato salad and steamed egg plant were also served.  We also were served one of the best things I’ve had in a restaurant in a long time, and that was a bowl of clear chicken broth with chopped jicama and tofu. Hot and delicious, it was a perfect beginning to our meal.

When the main dishes arrived, we were surprised at the large servings, since we had already had so many things to eat. A mounded plateful of Yakicoba included vegetables and chicken. The Marinated Beef had enough chopped meat for two people and was accompanied by a big mound of rice and a double scoop of coleslaw.

The food was very tasty, serving sizes were very generous, and I was happy to bring more than half home. This lunch was very enjoyable, and we felt like we were trying something new.

The barbecue side of the restaurant was interesting, and the menu is set up for groups to enjoy a big meal with a single price starting at about $40.

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

IF YOU GO

Korean Palace

8718 S. Tacoma Way, Lakewood (just north of the Steilacoom Boulevard intersection)

253-581-0880

Since 1909, the building at 611 N. Pine has been serving Tacoma residents, first as a firehouse, and now -  after nearly crumbling into ruin but being saved by local families – as The Original Engine House Number 9, a big, strapping restaurant having all the charm and trappings of the original horse barn firehouse.

The stall area is the bar, the sleeping quarters upstairs hold private dining rooms, and the brick walls and wood floors add warmth and charm. It is easy to look around and see the long-ago firefighters racing into their clothes and jumping onto the equipment as it roared out the doors.

Lately, the Engine Company has become a leader in the growing microbrewery movement, and you can have a mini-tasting at your table while you wait for your meal.

We had such a tasting, for $5.94.  Six 6-ounce glasses of beers, with varietal names, ranging from a tangy raspberry to a couple of dark varieties, as well as some lighter brews. Our server, Maggie, was happy to answer questions and was very helpful. It was interesting, and if I hadn’t been driving, I would have enjoyed drinking them instead of just having a tiny sip of each. I liked the darker varieties best.

We ordered from the pub grub-type menu, finding several favorites. We ordered a glass of strawberry lemonade at $2.75, the E 9 Sampler platter which was six Battalion chicken wings without sauce , eight onion rings, eight mac-and-cheese  triangles, eight mozzarella sticks, and over 100 tater tots with dipping sauces at $13.99.

We also ordered a Big Jimmy Greek Salad with grilled chicken, romaine,onion, cucumber, tomatoes, kalamata  olives, feta cheese and balsamic vinaigrette.  Tzatziki sauce drizzle and fried pita chips completed the plate at $13.25. Half a Bombero Taco Salad, served in a huge deep-fried flour tortilla, included lettuce, pico de gallo, green onions, cheddar-jack cheese, black beans, and sour cream, salsa, and enchilada ranch dressing or cilantro lime vinaigrette at $6.25. I had enchilada ranch.

The food was very tasty, bright, and the fresh salads had nice-sized vegetable pieces. Portions were huge, and we had plenty left over to take home.

Engine Company Number 9 is historical and welcoming.  Family-friendly, it is a great place to relax and have a good meal while being surrounded by reminders of first-responders of yesteryear.

IF YOU GO

The Original Engine House Number 9

611 N. Pine St., Tacoma

253-272-3435

Open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily

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

Trop’s Chocolates has been around for over 30 years in various locations on the West Coast.  They came to Gig Harbor about two years ago and were warmly welcomed.

They make chocolate specialties such as chocolate boxes, truffles and chocolate-dipped sweets from Belgian Callebaut chocolate. This is a couverture chocolate (French for cover, extra smooth dipping chocolate), known for its workability and for its high cocoa butter content and flavor.  We found a tempting and beautifully displayed selection of individual chocolates – both dark and milk – and sampled several.

The cost per piece is $1.75, and no matter what we tried, they were delicious. The chocolate is creamy and melts just perfectly in your mouth.

I thought Mocha was a perfect balance of coffee and chocolate, and the salted caramels were excellent, although I thought  the salt crystals were a little large and numerous for the size of the candy. If you love a lot of salt on your caramel, they would be perfect. Nougats were creamy and fruit flavors were intense.

A confection that was totally over the top was the Chocolate Covered Brownie.  Made on-site, as are all the sweets, the brownies are loaded with chocolate flavor on their own, and when drenched in a thick coat of chocolate, the two-inch square is divine and worth the $3.50 price.

Trop’s is involved in the community, and their special events such as Trivia Tuesdays and Blue Fridays (celebrating the Seahawks) are fun. Trivia Tuesday quiz parties include snacks and a chocolate fountain, all at one price. Call for information on when the next one will be scheduled.

They have a nice little coffee shop with cozy seating where you can enjoy hot chocolate, seasonal drinks like cider and pumpkin spice latte, freshly baked scones, and chocolate-covered graham crackers. Relax surrounded by heavenly candy and enjoy a drink and a sweet to go with it.

Special holidays call for special treats. My favorites are sweet and beautiful, and Trop’s Chocolates are just that.

IF YOU GO

Trop’s Chocolate Factory

3303 Jahn Ave. NW, Gig Harbor (From east side of the Narrows Bridge, get off the highway at the first exit (24th Street). Cross over the highway to find Jahn Avenue and turn right. Keep on Jahn until you come to the little strip mall where Trop’s is located.

253-313-5804

Open daily Monday-Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Sunday.

Carolyn Augustine, a freelance restaurant writer, writes the Senior Eats column for Senior Scene.