It's autumn in the South Sound, which means it's time to warm up with some stick-to-your-ribs good comfort food. So gather around as the Weekly Volcano's food critics break down the best places to conjure up a comfy meal in the South Sound.

Flat-Iron Steak

JW RESTAURANT
Afraid of the dreaded over-cooked steak experience, I'm leery of ordering them at most restaurants. But a steak done the right way served in an effortlessly comfortable setting is something JW Restaurant is earning a name for. Featuring cuts selected for natural flavor and balanced marbling, the quality of steak at JW is something you can count on. Searing the outer layer leaves the inside juicy. The acidity in stone ground mustard reduction excellently complements the earthy juices of the flat-iron steak ($18-$23), grilled exactly as ordered. Style of seasoning, sauce and spice rotate with the seasons, as do the side dishes. -  Jennifer Johnson
[JW Restaurant, 4107 Harborview Dr., Gig Harbor, 253.858.3529]

Chicken Raman

KOTO TERIYAKI
It's health in a bowl - the perfect elixir to drive all your ills away.  Who doesn't know the magic of chicken soup?  But, before you open a can of Campbell's, upgrade your prescription to ramen, and not the freeze-dried stuff on your grocer's shelves.  Koto Teriyaki in Lakewood owns this menu item, almost literally.  The only finely crafted ramen in the South Sound (as far as I know), Koto serves a heaping bowl of chicken, ramen noodles, egg, vegetables and steaming broth that is sure to make you feel all the love of a mother's hug even when mom can't be there to kiss and make it better.  And if that's not enough, Koto also always has a movie playing on its flat screen TV. All that's missing is your bed and blankie. - Ken Swarner
[Koto Teriyaki, 5700 100th St. SW # 500, Lakewood, 253.581.2031]

PHOTO CREDIT: PATRICK SNAPP

Bananas Foster

EL GAUCHO
When it comes to comfort food dishes, what really counts is the taste of those sinful creations - and El Gaucho offers one of the better ones. The downtown Tacoma restaurant is famous for its trademark Bananas Foster flambé, prepared tableside. Floor Captain Santos Sampson describes the flaming temptation, which brings many ladies to the fine-dining steakhouse: Caramelizing brown sugar with butter, the server adds liquor and cognac (the spark in the topping) before sautéing bananas into the mixture and then topping it with vanilla ice cream, brown sugar and cinnamon. Nibbling on this delight in the dark, glowing dining room with the piano lounge filling the air screams comfort (and calls for a nap). - Ron?Swarner
[El Gaucho, 2119 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.1510]

Five-Star Red Curry

BASIL LEAF RESTAURANT
When it comes to Thai food, some like it hot. Others like it hotter. And a very select few like it so hot the food becomes less of an actual meal and more of a religious experience. This is the case with Basil Leaf's red curry. For those brave souls gutsy enough to order the curry with a five-star spiciness rating, it's hard to say if any real physical comfort is ever achieved. But with the delicious coconut milk, hardy bamboo shoots and delightful sprinklings of cumin, this dish is a pleasure for the mind and senses. Regardless of the pain your mouth feels.  - Brett Cihon
[Basil Leaf Restaurant, 237 Division St. NW, Olympia, 360.943.8013]

PHOTO CREDIT: PATRICK SNAPP

Croutes de Fromage

OVER THE MOON CAFE
Those in the know didn't wince when they read the dish title of this blurb, ignoring the fact this is the 234th time I've recommended it. Those in the know have drawn a red ink heart around this blurb. They know these 12 thick chunks of freshly baked sourdough bread, Gruyere cheese and mellow and moist Swiss cheese are soaked in a sweet white wine sauce before grilling. Those in the know dip the squares of goodness in the accompanying sweet apricot marmalade. - RS
[Over the Moon Café, 709 Court C, Tacoma, 253.284.3722]

Canadian Bacon Sandwich

SPUD'S PIZZA PARLOR
If we've learned anything from this issue, it's that comfort and gluttony go hand-in-hand. There's nothing warm or reassuring about carb counting or weight watching, but cover a meal in cheese, throw a stick or two of butter into the recipe, or toss it in the deep-fat fryer and everything changes. There's just something that feels so right about eating without fear of the health repercussions ... at least until you have a  heart attack or can't fit in pants that don't have an elastic waistline. With this in mind, the Canadian Bacon Sandwich at Spud's is gluttonous decadence at its best, a massive mound of Canadian bacon (duh) packed into a roll and topped with cheese, lettuce and coated in so much grease you'll barely be able to open the bag of chips that accompanies it. Sound awesome? It is. - Matt Driscoll
[Spud's Pizza Parlor, 7025 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.475.3366]

Yakisoba

I-SUSHI
Noodles represent the epitome of comfort food.  After all, they are one of the key ingredients in mac and cheese.  But beyond the American classic, nations are  dolling out the noodle comfort 24/7.  Yakisoba is no exception, and our Japanese allies (though it originated in China) know a thing or two about adversity and the need for a hot, steaming plate of calm, cool and collected.  Translated as "fried noodles," this soba noodle, onion, cabbage (mostly chicken) and carrot dish sweetened with a variant of worcestershire sauce hits the spot, and one of my favorite yaki kitchens is I Sushi in DuPont.  This strip mall site knows Asian cuisine.  Serving both Chinese and Japanese dishes, it's the yakisoba that keeps me coming back. - KS
[I-sushi, 1225 Center Dr. # 110, DuPont, 253.964.8266.]

Pork Carnitas Burrito

CALIFORNIA TACOS
I remember when the California Tacos truck first parked on Harrison Avenue. There was trepidation. "I don't know, man. Buying food from a truck?" Oh, how quickly the trepidation left. Now there's a line most of the day. The "What are you doing for dinner?" question is answered in two simple words: taco truck. Whether it's the deliciously seasoned Pork Carnitas Burrito or a plethora of chicken tacos, you really can't go wrong. Only one fear remains: What if one day the engine starts up and the taco truck leaves town? - BC
[California Tacos, Harrison Ave. NW, Olympia, 360.789.9305]

Moo Cluck Oink

WARTHOG BARBEQUE PIT
During particularly trying days, I want to shout, "Just give me the meat." The Moo, Cluck, Oink from Warthog Barbeque Pit is the answer. Pork ribs are cooked until they're so tender the meat falls off the bone with little encouragement. Nicely smoked, the beef brisket is some of the very best in the area. Plump chicken breast meat yields to a fork. Jerk sauce and J.D. sauce heighten deliciousness. Once my caveman leanings are satisfied I move on to fluffy cornbread, fries seasoned with salt and sugar blend, and beans made thick with big chunks of ham and onions. - JJ
[Warthog Barbeque Pit, 4921 E. 20th St., Fife, 253.896.5091]

Burger & Spuds

BEST BURGERS
For some reason, grease makes us feel better, especially if there is caramelized beef fat in the equation.  When I need a comfort fix that only fast food can deliver, I hit Best Burgers in Lakewood for a Deluxe Burger and Spuds.  Best Burgers creates the smell and taste of an outside barbecue in the meat they grill, and then they throw the patty on a wide bun with fresh lettuce and tomato creating all of the sensations of burgers at home in the back yard.  Instead of fries, I recommend Spuds - bite-sized potato pillows in a crispy shell fried to perfection and oozing grease in their paper bag.  Now if that doesn't put you into a delightful comatose state, I don't know what will. - KS
[Best Burgers, 7714 Custer Road W., Lakewood, 253.472.0736]

Hungry Bear's "The Grizz" Breakfast

BLACK BEAR DINER
It's no secret that an epic hangover requires an epic breakfast. The greasier and bigger the better. Luckily, Olympia has just the place. The Black Bear Diner specializes in breakfast. Lots and lots of breakfast. But with so many options to choose from, the Hungry Bear's "The Grizz" breakfast might be the biggest breakfast of them all. The Grizz mercilessly offers three eggs, two humongous pancakes, two pieces of bacon, two sausage links, a ham steak and a mound of hash browns. Enough food to cure a month's worth of hangovers. Well ... maybe. - BC       
[Black Bear Diner, 955 Black Lake Blvd., Olympia, 360.352.1219]

PHOTO CREDIT: PATRICK SNAPP

Guinness Stew

DOYLE'S PUBLIC HOUSE
I don't know about you, but beer is always a pleasure, and a sure-fire way to settle the nerves.  So, when I can have stew and brew in the same bowl, damn, I'm there.  While there are some fine stews in the South Sound, I like to go native - old country style.  UK blood runs deep in many of us in the States, and Doyle's in Tacoma is the genealogical station for me.  A great pub, Doyle's serves its Guinness Stew all year long, always keeping the comfort on the stove.  Doyle's stew is a bowl full of diced beef, potatoes, baby carrots, pearl onions, salt, pepper and garlic cooked slowly in Guinness beer.   Throw in a little soda bread, and soccer on the tube, and you have a home away from home. - KS
[Doyle's Public House, 208 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma. 253.272.7468]

Egg Foo Yung

SHANGHAI HOUSE
The Egg Foo Yung ($8.95) at Shanghai House in downtown Tacoma is essentially a Chinese omelet with gravy, whipped up from whisked egg thickened with flour resulting in a mountain of stacked fluffy egg. Packed with chopped green scallions, red bell peppers, broccoli, carrot, celery, white mushroom and baby corn, a pale white gravy made of chicken broth, seasoning, and oyster sauce blankets the massive pile of breakfast for dinner. Every bite has tender, savory chicken.  Three-quarters-of-a-foot tall, this plate of crispy-golden-outside, spongy-moist-inside omelet is impossible to eat in one sitting. Knowing you got bang for your buck and a full to-go box to boot is comforting indeed. - JJ
[Shanghai House, 1126 Commerce St., Tacoma 253.627.1859]

Chili

MET MARKET
Those who need comfort and fast should consider a pit stop at Metropolitan Market in Tacoma's Proctor District. There, you can saddle up to the self-serve soup station and pour a heaping cup of chili into a to-go cup, grab a handful of Saltines and exit with a shot of salvation.  A thick broth of tomato and chili spices, the concoction has a balanced mix of kidney beans and pellets of ground beef.  Always steaming hot, the chili is neither too spicy nor is it dull.  Somehow Met Market found the right mix to please the average American palette, especially those that want to feel relaxed and comforted, but don't need a sweat rag to wick their forehead. - KS
[Metropolitan Market, 2420 N. Proctor St., Tacoma, 253.761.3663]

PHOTO CREDIT: PATRICK SNAPP

Macadamia Sole

JOHNNY'S DOCK
On a chilly autumn night in Tacoma one can certainly find warmth in the worn leather chairs at Johnny's Dock, one of Tacoma's premier seafood restaurants. Executive Chef Steve Ng, a fisherman, serves comfort food from the sea. His macadamia-encrusted Alaskan petrale sole not only pushes the sweet, buttery mac nut's satiety to the forefront, but the petrale melts in your mouth. Fresh, fresh, fresh. Add the warm lighting and a marvelous view of the Thea Foss Waterway and Tacoma skyline, and you can't resist a nightcap. - RS
[Johnny's Dock, 1900 E. D St., Tacoma, 253.627.3186]

Pho

VIEN DONG RESTAURANT
Forget one-dimensional chicken noodle soup; pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) can feature shrimp, chicken, round eye steak, meatballs or brisket. Meat, noodles, cilantro, green onions, fried garlic and broth arrive in a trough-like bowl delivered by a no-nonsense wait staff with a platter of aromatic, fresh Thai basil, mung bean sprouts, sliced jalapeno and lime wedges. Spicy sriracha and salty soy, sweet hoisin sauce and chili pepper paste let you personalize the soup. A belly full of pho is the best insulation against the cold and feels like a big hug. A visit to Vien Dong, an authentic Vietnamese food gold mine, is a must.  - JJ
[Vien Dong Restaurant, 3801 Yakima Ave., Tacoma, 253.472.6668]

Bodacious Biscuits

BABBLIN' BABS BISTRO
A year later Babs Bodacious Biscuits still grace Babblin' Babs' menu. If you look up gourmet comfort breakfast in the dictionary, you'll see a photo of this dish. But I included the biscuits in last year's 50 Favorite Dishes issue, so I guess I'll highlight another comforting Babs morning treat - the Fiesta Waffle. The cornmeal waffle with green chillies grilled with homemade chorizo and pico de gallo is the equivalent of lighting your grandma's afghan on fire. A delightful, crisp ... nope. I can't do it. The Bodacious Biscuits are just too damn good. The biscuits are baked until crisp on the outside yet soft as a pillow on the inside, then loaded with creamy, cheesy ham and roasted chili pepper sauce. To finish things off it's topped with a custard egg and garden fresh green tomato salsa. Amazing! - RS
[Babblin Babs Bistro, 2724 N. Proctor St., Tacoma, 253.761.9099]

Chicken and Waffles

DIRTY OSCAR'S
Waffles and chicken, oh yes. Dirty Oscar's soft, latticed, gold cakes that are bigger than your head combine with juicy Southern fried chicken - the perfect way to start the day, end it, or punctuate a particularly dull stretch of life. Any excuse is a good excuse when it comes to waffles and chicken. I'm not just talking sugary treats here; Chef Aaron Grissom's waffles are wheaty and buttery and stuffed with bacon. And sitting on top are four pieces of fried chicken with the moist meat encased in a hard shell seasoned with turmeric, ground ginger and garlic, white pepper, salt, chili pepper and paprika. Amazing! Grissom has accomplished what most have never even tried: He's outed the waffle from its breakfast closet, exposing it to the wonderful world of dinner. - RS
[Dirty Oscar's, 2309 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.572.0588]

Big Tom with Onion Rings

EASTSIDE BIG TOM
Ahh, the double cheeseburger. A culinary feat so comfortably American it should go down in the history books. Right next to Ty Cobb and Cadillac Escalades. And if you're looking for a tasty double cheeseburger in typical Americana fashion, you'll find it with the Big Tom Burger at Big Tom's in Olympia. The Big Tom is double meat, double cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions and a fantastic concoction called Goop. Order some onion rings, wash it down with a big coke and you've got yourself one hell of an American meal. Gut-bomb nothing. Castro wishes they had a burger this sweet in communist Cuba. - BC
[Eastside Big Tom, 2023 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia, 360.357.4852]

Spaghetti

PIZZA CASA
I'm not going to lie, last year when we published the 50 best dishes in the South Sound, Pizza Casa's spaghetti was on my list.  And it's worth repeating this year.  Located at the Gravelly Lake Exit off Interstate 5, this Lakewood tradition closely guards its spaghetti sauce recipe, and for good reason - it's a gold mine.  Musty, rich, and meaty, the sauce thickly coats a perfect plate of noodles. There's nothing watery about this dish, nor is it overly acidic or particularly light.  This spaghetti is deep and dark, heavy, old world and robust - the Italian equivalent of beef bourguignon.  If this dish doesn't make you feel better, then see your doctor.  - KS
[Pizza Casa, 12924 Pacific Hwy. SW, Lakewood, 253.588.8135]

PHOTO CREDIT: JENNIFER DRISCOLL

Still-Warm Glazed Doughnut

PAO'S DONUTS & COFFEE SHOP
To be honest, I'm not sure what the exact definition of "comfort food" is. I assume it only means that the sustenance in question is comforting on some level, in which case the still-warm raised glazed doughnuts available from Pao's Donuts & Coffee Shop (if you're lucky) definitely fit the bill for me. Sure, I was raised by relative breakfast heathens, not exposed to the finer morning delicacies, but that doesn't mean my affinity for the simple glazed goodness at Pao's is only a result of poor taste. No, rather, I think there's something undeniably satisfying about sinking into a doughnut that's still warm and gooey - and that's just what Pao's offers on busy weekend mornings, when it's not unusual for the line to stretch out the door, and for Pao and his family to be busily running the operation behind the counter. Bring cash (no debit/credit cards accepted). - MD
[Pao's Donuts & Coffee Shop, 6919 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.565.4692]

PHOTO CREDIT: JENNIFER JOHNSON

Fish Cakes

ORIENTAL NOODLE & GRILL
Normally when referring to fish its bad to say you'll smell it before you see it. But the fish cakes at Oriental Noodle & Grill  ($8.95) are wonderfully fragrant due to lemongrass and ginger. This makes it a good thing. Hand-patted and very non-uniform, cakes are served with a bowl of sweet vinegary chunked cucumber, red bell pepper and red onion. The deep reddish cakes are fragrant with a refreshingly different spice and herb blend that makes my mouth holla. Five to an order, the dish is easily shared or hoarded for a light meal with accompanying salad of rough cut cabbage and carrots shaped like flowers.  - JJ
[Oriental Noodle & Grill, 1620 S. Mildred St., Tacoma, 253.565.1921]

Pepperoni Pizza

OLDSCHOOL PIZZERIA
I'm a simple person, comforted by the simple things. And it doesn't get much simpler and delicious than a slice of New York-style (foldable) pepperoni pizza from iconic Oldschool Pizzeria in Olympia. Affordable on a public-transportation budget, the grease/cheese ratio is perfection, the crust delivers on all counts, and the pepperoni is, well, pepperoni-y. What more do you want? Served on a paper plate from behind one of the coolest counters in town, it's not just the Hulk Hogan poster and old-time Sonics pennants that make Oldschool so damn inviting - it's the pie. The best of the best, bar none. - MD
[Oldschool Pizzeria, 108 Franklin St., Olympia, 360. 786.9640]

PHOTO CREDIT: PATRICK SNAPP

Tuscan Ravioli

PRIMO GRILL
The menu at Primo Grill is an addiction, a splendid obsession, an intriguing intoxicant, a magic carpet ride of thrillery that takes anyone willing on a whirlwind culinary expedition through the Mediterranean. I find the most comfort when the tour stops at a plateful of Primo's Tuscan ravioli. Primo Grill stuffs sweet ricotta, spinach and shallots into al dente-edged pillows, paints them with a tomato basil sauce then decorates the dish with leaves of basil and Parmesan. The ravioli isn't drowned in sauce, leaving enough for three swipes with bread. That one dish alone may be all that Primo Grill ever needs. - RS
[Primo Grill, 601 S. Pine, Tacoma, 253.383.7000]

S'mores

HG BISTRO
The sweet smell of marshmellow being held above the flame of a campfire acts as a time machine transporting me back to family camping trips.  Served on a cedar plank that's lit on fire tableside, the Bistro S'more ($8) is a three-part one-act play. Lindor chocolate truffle and marshmellow fill a buttery puff pastry next to a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on a bed of crushed graham cracker and thick Ghirardelli chocolate drizzle. The smell of the scorched wood sharply triggers nostalgia and my mind plays back the giggles of my cousins as they feigned fear at our uncle's ghost stories.  - JJ
[HG Bistro, 1618 E. Main, Puyallup, 253.845.5747]

PHOTO CREDIT: PAPPI SWARNER

French Toast

OLD MILWAUKEE CAFÉ & DESSERT CO.
I normally welcome dawn's early light by throwing the covers over my head and begging it to go away. But the breakfast fare at Old Milwaukee Café & Dessert Co. is worth getting up for. The tiny Sixth Avenue spot serves the same basic a.m. fare as most breakfast joints in town. The only difference is the food is better. The thick-sliced French toast, made from homemade cinnamon bread from Seasonal Delights Café at the Freighthouse Square, is perhaps Tacoma's premier tourist attraction. Pat and Chad Kerth bake, slice, dip and grill the bread to a perfect, airy consistency that exudes the enticing aroma of cinnamon rolls.  For an extra $3 you can "baconize" the dish. - Jake de Paul
[Old Milwaukee Café & Dessert Co., 3102 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.761.2602]

Breakfast Pizza

THE HUB
The Hub could have taken the Manwich route with its breakfast pizza, loaded it up with tons of toppings, tagged it with a ridiculous name and treated it as a novelty or challenge. Instead, The Hub made the breakfast pizza delicious. The thin, foldable crust supports the perfect amount of scrambled eggs, hash browns, a three-cheese blend and sausage gravy. There aren't gobs of toppings, which I salute. The breakfast pizza is topped with a drizzle of Hollandaise that adds some welcome comfort but isn't too rich. The Hub serves breakfast 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. Scrambles, omelets and classic dishes grace the menu, as well as three dishes for kids. - JDP
[The Hub, 203 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma, 253.683.4606]

PHOTO CREDIT: JENNIFER JOHNSON

Garlic Turnover

AMICI ITALIAN EATERY
Basically a pizza rolled into a three-inch diameter log, garlic turnovers from Amici Italian Eatery ($7.95) own real estate in my comfort zone by allowing me to eat pizza without actually touching it. Olive oil brushed pizza dough made in-house envelopes a few simple ingredients - freshly chopped chunks of garlic, salty Kalamata olives, sweet sundried tomatoes, zesty marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Baked in a wood-fired oven, the golden log gets sliced into rounds with a visually appealing spiral cross section. Served with creamy, hot alfredo sauce for dipping, the great flavor combination sings a sweet song to this garlic lover's heart. - JJ
[Amici Italian Eatery, 9807 224th St. East, Graham, 253.847.1500]