The Senior Scene

Downtown Puyallup has become a center for creative family restaurants, and Giorgios Greek Cafe is one of the better ones.

Operating on the corner of South 4^th Street  and South Meridian, this bistro has been serving authentic Greek dishes for about two years, and the bustling kitchen can provide a good meal at a reasonable price.

We went for a late lunch and were seated quickly, although there were plenty of others there. The decor was cozy and warm and the menus were varied.

We ordered a Falafel appetizer with 12 small round chickpea biscuits, warm pita bread and hummus, and tasziki for dipping at $8.95, a Slavaki sampler with six pieces of lamb and six pieces of beef , warm pita bread, dipping sauces, and mixed greens at $9 on special, a 10-inch onion, garlic, artichoke and chicken pizza at $14.95, a Spanakapita appetizer (two triangular spinach pies) from the children’s menu which came with pita bread and dipping sauces at $8.95, a very good Greek salad of large pieces of tomato, cucumber, onion and goat cheese for $3, Tiramisu at $4.95, and Baklava at $2.75. We also had tea at $2.50.

Everything was fragrant, tasty, and the tangy Greek flavors were pleasing. Nothing was too sharp or over-seasoned, although the falafel was a little over cooked. The pizza crust was tender and crusty and set off the white pizza very well. The spinach pies were thick with spinach and cheese, and the filo crusts were delicate and delicious. The desserts were perfect, the baklava dripping with honey, and the addition of tiny chocolate chips on the Tiramisu was nice.

We really enjoyed the food, and our server, Trisha, was friendly and helpful, and handled a problem with my service dog very gracefully, which I appreciated.

IF YOU GO

Giorgions Greek Cafe

328 S. Meridian, Puyallup

253-200-2833

Hours: Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily

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

A dark and rainy night. Only a few minutes to get something to eat before the movie, Oh, boy. Legendz Drive In! Oh, joy!
Family-owned drive-in restaurants are few and far between in our area, and finding one that serves really good food quickly and at fair prices is worth noting.
We found Legendz at 12th and Sprague in Tacoma, where they have been open for decades, and ordered a Single Cheese Burger for $3.39, a Philly Cheese Steak for $5.39, a Fish Sandwich at $4.59, two orders of French fries at $1.99 each, and an order of onion rings at $2.65. This is strictly a drive-in. There is no inside seating, but there were tables set up outside for better weather than this soggy night. The order window was covered by Manuel, who took our orders, and soon we had some really tasty sandwiches.
The burger was on a nice sesame bun and had plenty of lettuce, tomato, pickle, ketchup and mayo on a big, hand-formed ground beef patty that tasted freshly grilled.
The large square-breaded and fried fish patty was crunchy on the outside and tender and full of flavor on the inside. It had lettuce, tomato, pickle and mayo on a sesame seed bun and was delicious.
I never had a really good Philly cheese steak before, but this was one. Chopped tender beef, onions and seasonings grilled together and served with my choice of mozzarella cheese on a big, soft roll. It was drippy and delicious, and I would like to go get another one right now.
The fries were hot and crisp, but the onion rings were chopped and formed and not up to the standards of the rest of this great meal.
Legendz serves comfort food — hot and delicious, quickly and with friendly service.

IF YOU GO
Legendz Drive In
1201 S. Sprague Ave., Tacoma.
253-572-2510
Hours: 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday

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

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The best Fortune Cookies ever, really big portions, and lots of choices make the Jade Pacific restaurant worth a try.
The dining room is bright and welcoming and our server, Taleah was glad to answer any questions.
We decided to start with a warming cup of egg drop soup which came with the “B” lunch of Soup of the Day, pork chow mein, pork fried rice and almond chicken for $7.25. A substitution was made and the pork fried rice became chicken. We also ordered the JP Special Combination Plate at $10.99, which included four fried wonton strips, fouir slices of tender and delicious barbecued pork, four Shrimp Paste appetizers, four crisp and flavorful battered shrimp, four fried egg rolls, and two small dishes of sauces. A big platter of chicken fried rice was a lunch special and was loaded with egg and vegetables. We also ordered orange beef to-go at $11.95, as this is a great favorite of ours. It was beef strips breaded and covered in a tangy orange sauce.
Now about those fortune cookies: At the end of the meal, we each got one and they were not wrapped as usual but loose on the plate. They were the best fortune cookies I have ever had – nice sweet toasty flavor, crisp and with “true” fortunes. I was very pleased that the to- go order included two more cookies, as well as chop sticks. I checked and you can purchase them by the dozen for $2 – a bargain.
Good food, friendly service and those cookies would bring me back. There was plenty of parking,and the bathrooms were large and clean, but I thought the doors to the stalls were a little cramped. A disabled person might need help.

IF YOU GO
Jade Pacific
12154 S. Pacific Ave., Tacoma. Located on the west side of Pacific, one block north of Garfield Street.
253-531-1818
Open Wednesday to Monday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Closed Tuesday.

Carolyn Augustine, who writes the Senior Eats column for Senior Scene,

is a freelance restaurant writer.

I like homestyle Italian food. Sauces without too much heat, lots of pasta, fresh-tasting thin-crust pizza from hot ovens, and sweet tiramisu, the Italian cheesecake-style dessert. Casa Mia Restaurants, a local chain with seven locations in the Puget Sound area, including Puyallup and Lakewood, provide this experience that they call New York Style, at a very reasonable price in bright, clean, friendly restaurants.
We went in for dinner and had a great time, loved the food and did not break the bank. Sunday through Thursday are “All You Can Eat“ spaghetti days, eat-in, for $6.99. The serving was very large and we didn’t order more, although if we hadn’t ordered so many other things, we might have.
We also ordered lasagna – flat noodles, mildly spiced, baked with meat and cheese and tomato sauce ($12.99), Chicken Parmigiana, chicken breast baked with pizziola (pizza-style) sauce and topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheese served with a salad of iceberg lettuce, grated mozzarella cheese, and sliced black olives and Italian dressing ($14.99), and an Eastern Italian-style submarine sandwich served on a soft bun with three meats, two cheeses, tomatoes and lettuce and splashed with Italian dressing, served with Minestrone soup which was loaded with vegetables and herbs ($8.50). This reminded me of my college days when these “Grinders” were a Sunday treat. We also ordered a small fettucini with butter and cream sauce ($8.99), delicate but filling; garlic bread ($2.99); and Tiramisu, flavored with coffee and chocolate ($3.99).
Servings were generous, with lots of sauces and cheese. Warm things were served hot and chilled things were served cold. I have had pizza there in the past and it was always crisp and loaded with toppings.
The restaurant has plenty of seating at tables and at a counter facing the kitchen. The bathroom was clean and bright. We enjoyed ourselves and really liked the food and service. Call ahead for carryout.
IF YOU GO
Casa Mia
7304 Lakewood Dr. SW. in Lakewood (in the shopping mall at the corner of Lakewood Drive and South 72nd Street)
253-473-0400
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily

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