With spring has come a slew of new menus for Green.House Restaurant. New lunch, dinner and "bites" menus grace the tables at the Uptown Gig Harbor restaurant, highlighting seasonal ingredients and bold flavors.

Their "bites" menu was created to provide a quick bite before a flick, which is perfect since the restaurant is next door to the Galaxy Uptown movie theater. The lower prices of these small plates allow diners with a range of price points to enjoy the upscale dining experience at Green.House. Look for the salmon sliders ($8), hand-cut sweet potato fries ($4) and grilled prosciutto and cheese panini ($8).

On a recent dinner visit, my friends and I had a hard time deciding what to order - so many of the options sounded irresistible. Appetizers like the Dungeness crab cakes ($15) and ahi tuna stack ($14) stood out from the pack. Salads, including a roasted beet salad ($14 for large, $10 for small), and Northwest tuna salad ($15) also caught our eyes. For entrees, the Dungeness crab mac n' cheese ($22) and Draper Valley chicken picatta ($18) called our names.

After much contemplation, I ordered the short rib sliders ($8) from the "bites" menu, and the Green.House steak salad ($15). I was not disappointed. The short rib sliders will haunt my dreams with their sweet Asian barbeque sauce, tangy slaw and melt-in-your-mouth texture. The steak salad was filled with rich chunks of smoky bleu cheese, tender marinated strips of steak and the most incredible "magic" mushrooms I've ever tasted. I'm not making this up. They were called "magic" mushrooms. Who am I to argue with that?

My husband's choice was the special that night, an almond-crusted-trout and spinach salad. The trout was mild and light, despite the large portion. The bacon vinaigrette atop the spinach salad was tangy, yet unctuous. For my brother, the peppercorn steak, with a rich green peppercorn sauce, was perfectly cooked, yet he expected there to be a more "peppery" taste. For my girlfriend, the short rib entrée hit the spot, falling apart in its braising jus.

Until my next visit, I'll be dreaming of those short rib sliders. Don't mind my drool.

[Green.House Restaurant, 4793 Point Fosdick Dr. NW, Suite #400, Gig Harbor. 253.514.6482]