If you like drinking beer in public places, well you're in luck, my tippling exhibitionist friend, because there are some great opportunities tonight through the weekend in the South Sound.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 8

Nearly 50,000 people could have tossed back 3,500 beers from 726 breweries at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver last weekend. It's the biggest and best sudstravaganza in the world. 99 Bottles in federal Way still has GABF fever, and will offer 18 beers that have won awards at the festival from 1999 through last weekend, including Deschutes Obsidian Stout, New Belgium La Folie, Port Hop 15 Imperial IPA, and AleSmith Old Numbskull, which grabbed gold this year in the Barleywine Style Ale category. You pay just $2 to sample 10. Pouring starts at 5 p.m. and last call check-in happens at 7 p.m.

Feel that nip in the air? That flurry of October snow? You know what that means, right? It's The ParkWay Tavern's annual Jubelpalooza beginning at 5 p.m. Skate on over to the Tacoma tavern, wrap your scarf around a snowman and head inside to warm your hands - and your tummy with Deschutes Brewery's JubelAle: A festive Winter Ale. The Bend, Oregon brewery has been producing the robust and malty but approachable beer for 27 years.

Here is your taplist for Jubelpalooza:

• Jubelale '12 - 7%ABV
  
• Jubelale '13 - 6.7%ABV
  
• Jubelale '14 - 6.7%ABV
  
• Nitro Obsidian Stout - 6.4%ABV
  
• Nitro Cinder Cone Red - 5.3%ABV
  
• Fresh Squeezed IPA - 6.4%ABV
  
• Hop Trip Fresh Hop - 5.9%ABV
  
• Inversion IPA (RANDALL) - 6.8%ABV
  
• River Ale Blonde - 4%ABV
  
• Chain Breaker White IPA - 5.6%ABV
  
• Doppel Dinkel Bock - 10.5%ABV
  
• Not The Stoic Quad -12.1%ABV
  
• 2014 Mirror Mirror Barley Wine - 11.2%ABV
  
• Black Butte 25 - 11.3%ABV
  
• Black Butte 26 - 10.8%ABV
  
• Abyss '12 - 11%ABV
  
• Abyss '13 - 11%ABV

Puyallup River Alehouse welcomes Hop Valley Brewing Co. to the South Sound. The Eugene, Oregon, brewery is growing fast and you'll discover why from 6-9 p.m. Karl from Hop Valley will be at the downtown Puyallup alehouse with glassware giveaways, raffle prizes and beers that would join a jam band if they could.

The Copper Door honors Domestic Violence Action Month by hosting Hops For Hope, a fundraiser for YWCA Pierce County. Two dollars from every pint benefits the YWCA's life-saving domestic violence services.

THURSDAY, OCT. 9

Who's got the best Oktoberfest beer? Six breweries will battle for all the marbles. Ninkasi Brewing, Sam Adams, Pyramid Breweries, Silver City Brewery, Fish Brewing and Full Sail Brewing Company are bringing their best Oktoberfest brews to The Swiss Restaurant and Pub for a Battle of the Brands: Oktoberfest Edition, beginning at 6 p.m. Grab a passport to sample all the beers before casting your vote. Expect giveaways and swag.

As previously mentioned, Pint Defiance hosts Top Rung Brewing Co. from 5-7 p.m. Top Rung's Double IPA will be up for first tastes, along with the Lacey brewery's other beers.

The Copper Door welcomes No-Li Brewhouse for a night of the Spokane brewery's beers, beginning at 5 p.m.

FRIDAY, OCT. 10

Engine House No. 9 will tap 10 Barrel Brewing Co.'s German Sparkle Party Berliner Weisse at 6 p.m. Berliner Weisse is a sour, tart, fruity, effervescent ale, often referred to as the champagne of beers for its light and sparkly texture. The event will mark E9's commitment to a permanent 10 Barrel Berliner Weiss tap.

You've attended Bayview School of Cooking's "Fridays Uncorked" nights. You've casually sipped five or so wines as you gazed out at beautiful Budd Bay. Feeling good, you moseyed downstairs to the Thriftway grocery store and bought five Tyson Breaded Chicken dinners, telling your kids to cook it and like it. Oct. 10, the wine series goes Oktoberfest as five German beers and German-style beers will be poured for $5. Also expect oom-pah music, pumpkin carving demonstration and customer judging of employee carved pumpkins. Does Tyson make schnitzel? 5-7 p.m., $5, $7 for paired plates, Bayview School of Cooking, 516 W. Fourth Ave., Olympia, 360.754.1448

Steel Creek American Whiskey Co. knows if you listen to country music and fly a rebel flag everywhere you go and your neck gets burnt from exposure to the sun when you're out partying with friends while country rap band THE LACS blares in the background, you might be a redneck. Therefore, the downtown country/western joint hosts Rednecktoberfest from 9-11 p.m. Enjoy $2 cans of PBR, Hamms and Rainier, as you could win a pair of tickets to see THE LACS live at Steel Creek Nov. 16.

SATURDAY, OCT. 11

Don't freak out if you see a bunch of lederhosen-wearing folks gobbling up free cheese samples at Metropolitan Market. These folks are just taking a breather from Proctoberfest, the Proctor Farmers Market's nod to Oktoberfest. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., vendors and breweries will pour beer and cider as well as fire up the brats. The tamale people should probably double their production this week. Despicable Me 2 is screening across the street at The Blue Mouse Theatre.

The Top Rung Brewing Co.'s Hoptober party will consume the taproom, front patio and the large parking lot behind the brewery from 2-9 p.m. Expect barbecue food, games such as cornhole, ladder toss and Jenga. As mentioned previously in the New Beer Column, Top Rung's Trashed Pumpkin Ale will be released at the party. Bluegrass trio The Outlanders will perform three sets beginning at 6 p.m. There isn't a cover charge.

You'll notice a theme in my dining lately - take-out. I know, I know, there is good reason. I am a mother of four - two of which are 1 and 5 years of age, which equates to eating out becoming likened to wrangling a tornado of energy. Food peppers the tables and floor. Toddler sing-song wails shout out for more food or just out of sheer boredom. It is madness. So, besides the rare opportunity I get to slink away to dine in peace solo, take-out it is.

This week's Eat This Now recommendation is Sammy's Pizza, specifically the Southwest Chipotle Chicken. This pizza pie is described as a "fiesta in your mouth," with chipotle sauce laying down the foundations for loads of fun ingredients such as grilled chicken, red onion, roasted corn, black beans, fresh Roma tomatoes and cheddar cheese.

Bang! Pow!

It packs a lot of flavor, just a touch of spice and a bunch of yum.

If chipotle isn't your thing Sammy's Pizza has loads of traditional and gourmet toppings such as roasted garlic, coconut, cashews and basil. Plus you can easily be adventurous with their sauce options including a creamy garlic basil and smoky barbecue.

The good news for those who live in North Tacoma: Sammy's delivers! Check out sammyspizzatacoma.com to see if you're one of the lucky ones.

So while food still peppers the floor underfoot while the children holler and squeal in the background, at least my dogs are here to play maid a bit rather than some poor unsuspecting server who would prefer me to keep my gratuity and just stay home.

SAMMY'S PIZZA, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 1308 N. I St., Tacoma, 253.627.4300

Beer isn't just for drinking, folks.

Eating beer isn't a new or even modern concept. According to Homecooking.com, beer production began nearly 8,000 years ago, and beer consumers of the very early days considered it a food staple. National Public Radio recently reported that ancient Egyptian and Sumerian physicians considered cooking with beer a healthy practice.

Good news for beer and food lovers of modern days, yes?

Beer is a well-established ingredient in a variety of succulent and mouth-watering dishes. The fall and winter seasons, with their bevy of rich and delicious foods, pair perfectly with beer as part of a recipe - and, of course, to pair with the food.

Tacoma-based Harmon Brewing Co.'s Jesse Holder, director of brewery operations, and head brewer Jeff Carlson have spent time in the kitchen tinkering with beer recipes. While most dishes are a hit, there may be a few that don't work out.

"While we drink plenty of beer, we are still only mad scientists in the kitchen, trying things that ninety percent of the time turn out great; there is still that off-dish that we had in a dream, that isn't quite up to our standards," says Holder. "It should be noted that we are in no way trained chefs."

However, trained chefs or not, these guys love to experiment and have a lot of fun talking about it. We had a little Q & A session with Holder and Carlson.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: What kinds of foods best lend themselves to being prepared with beer as an ingredient? 

JEFF CARLSON: Any food can be prepared well with beer, depending on the style of the dish and beer. In most cases, beer pairs better than wine.  An example of this would be porters and stouts, some of Jesse's favorites, when cooking a chili. Any medium to full-bodied porter, such as our Puget Sound Porter, or stouts, such as our Stryker Stout, with plenty of chocolate and coffee notes, really help to add another level of flavor similar to a molé.  Another approach would be to mirror flavors found in both the dish and the beer, such as a malty amber with sweet barbeque.

JESSE HOLDER: Jeff likes to braise his ribs with our Expedition Amber or add a little in the sauce for pork chops; really, any meaty dishes work well with the amber. Honestly though, there is no single rule for pairing and cooking with beer, as with wine.  As in most cases, regarding trial and error, it can be hard, but once you create a hit, the rewards are fantastic.

VOLCANO: What style of beer is the best to work? 

CARLSON: Any beer can be used, but first you need to decide if you'll be complementing or contrasting the flavors in the beer or in the dish.  Malty beers for sweet foods is a great complementing element - sweet flavors versus sweet flavor - while hoppy beers complement sharp cheeses and spicy flavors - bold flavor versus bold flavor. 

VOLCANO: What are the most important tips for at-home cooks to know about using beer? 

HOLDER: In our experience, don't drink too much of the beer; you definitely want to save some for your dish and some for your guests.  Having to replace a vintage beer, with one that has less age or flavor, can really put a damper on the evening.

Beer is more complex than wine due to the vast variety and flavors currently on the market.  Stick to complementing flavors rather than contrasting the flavors when cooking with it.  Remember that when you cook with beer, the flavors become more intense and stronger.  The hops tend to concentrate quicker than malty sweetness - a brief simmering is essentially fool proof - but a reduction can change the flavors completely.  Use beer in brazing and sauces; don't just throw the beer in the recipe. And be careful to make sure the dish calls for it.

South Sound Seafood Skillet

18 oz. Harmon Mt. Takhoma Blonde

9 cloves garlic, crushed, divided

1 1/4 onion, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 lb. of Penn Cove Mussels, remove beards and clean

1 lb. steamer clams rinsed and cleaned

6 large Dungeness crab claws

1 1/2 lbs. salted butter

1 lemon, sliced

Add your favorite hot pepper sauce and Old Bay seasoning to taste

4 sauce dishes

2 skillets

1-4 empty bellies

Place large skillet over hot grill. Add Mt. Takhoma Blonde, half of the garlic, the onions and bay leaves. Bring to simmer and add shellfish.

In a spare skillet, melt butter. Divide melted butters across three side dishes. Add remaining garlic to one of the dishes and stir.  Squeeze juice from 1/3 of the lemon wedges into second dish of melted butter and stir. Add hot sauce and Old Bay to remaining dish and stir.

Remove shellfish from skillet, saving one cup of Mt. Takhoma Blonde liquid, and place the shellfish on a serving plate.  Strain reserved blonde into fourth sauce dish.

Serve shellfish immediately with assorted sauces.

SEE ALSO

Words and Photos from Harmon's 2014 Brewmaster's Dinner

During October, BITE restaurant at Hotel Murano is supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month by serving up special Pretty in Pink cocktails to raise money for Keep A Breast Foundation.

"Richard Tibbot, our restaurant manager at Hotel Murano, came up with the recipe," says Tess Burick, the marketing coordinator for Provenance Hotels, owners of the hotel in downtown Tacoma.

The restaurant is donating $1 from the sale of each Pretty in Pink cocktail, made with Fris vodka, Pama Pomegranate Liqueur, a splash of pineapple juice and a raspberry resting at the bottom of the martini glass, a combination that results in a cocktail that's the same color as the famous breast cancer awareness ribbon.

Last night, I handed over $7 for one of these beauties. It's a perfectly balanced cocktail that's wonderfully tart and sweet.

The pink cocktail promotion is also happening at other Provenance hotels' restaurants:

Miller's Guild at Hotel Max (Seattle): Calling Dr. Cosmo ($10) is made with Wodka Vodka, cranberry orange shrub and Scrappy's Lime Bitters;

Jackknife at Sentinel (Portland): The Left Handed Gun ($12) is made with Vida Mezcal, Dolin Genepy, grenadine, and lime;

Imperial at Hotel Lucia (Portland): The Harlequin ($10) is made with gin, aperol and lemon juice;

Driftwood Room at Hotel deluxe (Portland): The Rose Colored Glasses ($10) is made with gin, rose syrup, fresh lemon juice and champagne.

The Pretty in Pink cocktail is available through the month at BITE located on the fourth floor at Hotel Murano and in the hotel's lobby bar.

BITE AT HOTEL MURANO, 1320 Broadway Plaza, Tacoma, 253.591.4151

One of the best things about this time of year is all of the Oktoberfest-centric dinners. Last night, the Harmon Brewery & Eatery held just such a dinner. It was a fun night; the jig Harmon brewer/production manager Bill Lundeen performed next to co-owner Pat Nagle (above) confirms the statement.

I sat next to Harmon co-owner Carole Ford and Harmon Brewing Director of Brewery Operations Jesse Holder most of the night. Discussion of beer, future releases, European adventures and best Chinese food locales filled the gaps when utensils and glassware didn't hide our mouths. Harmon's 5 Mile Drive IPA will eventually replace the flagship Point Defiance IPA, adding citrus Zythos hops to the original formula as well as a full percentage point increase in alcohol by volume to 7.2. It has a big hoppy flavor. Harmon is also on the verge of releasing several sours - including a sour saison, sour IPA - a strong ale paying homage to former Parkway Tavern manager John O'Gara who passed this spring, a barleywine, barrel-aged saison and a pumpkin spice blonde, which released today.

For the first course, we received a pretzel basket with beer cheese and mustard. It was paired with Harmon Brewing recently released Fall Ball Red, an Imperial Red Ale with an extra helping of Munich malt to give it a rich body. The night began at 7.8 percent ABV thank you very much.

For the salad course, the kitchen served an outstanding celery, radish and pear with Gorgonzola. Incredibly refreshing, the salad paired well with Harmon's session Creamsicle Pale Ale. The Madagascar Vanilla Beans flavor pops.

I'll be dreaming about the wild mushroom crostini for the next few days. The richly flavored mushrooms tempt me to grab the paired 5 Mile Drive IPA and head toward the Five Mile Drive at Point Defiance Park in search for the little buggers.

The main course came in three acts - bratwurst, beer-braised red cabbage and an absolutely delicious German potato salad created by Hilde Ford. Harmon's six malt, four hops Black Tartan CDA sat at the end of the long plate. This brew looks like a stout but drinks like a hoppy IPA.

And for dessert: a scoop of vanilla ice cream floated in a sea of Super Samurai Barleywine Ale to make an ice cream float. Harmon's single Sorachi Ace hop barleywine overpowered the ice cream. I spooned the 11 percent ABV beer as if it was going to evaporate.

Harmon's Oktoberfest celebrations continue tonight at the Harmon Brewery & Eatery and Harmon Tap Room. It's "Bring Your Own Mug Night" at the downtown Tacoma Harmon. Have your stein filled for the same price as a 16-ounce pint. Harmon caps it at 24-ounces. In Tacoma's Stadium District, the Tap Room will have Jagermeister drink specials, a cooking with beer class and 99 biodegradable balloons released into the sky at 7 p.m. while "99 Luftballoons" by Nena screams from speakers. Seriously.

HARMON BREWERY & EATERY, 1938 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.383.2739

HARMON TAP ROOM, 204 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.212.2725

Pacific Luthern University announced one of its MBA students, Jason Sipe - a line cook at PLU's Anderson University Center - has been invited to the first-ever nationwide ment'or Young Chef Competition. The day before Halloween, Sipe will step into Chef Thomas Keller's acclaimed Bouchon Beverly Hills and compete for $10,000 - or $15,000 and "the stagiaire (internship) of a lifetime" at some of the nation's most well-respected restaurants - at the first-ever nationwide ment'or Young Chef Competition.

Let's read PLU's news release. ...

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Two years ago, Tacoma resident Catherine Masucci brought together two of her creative friends. Turns out, they had a mutual admiration for each other.

"It was on a visit to 7 Seas in early 2012 when I discovered a 253 Heart sticker on one of the brewery's windows. I took a photo and texted it to my friend Steve Naccarato," Masucci explains. "I've always been a fan of the 253 Heart because I feel that it encompasses the love and pride the people of this area have for our great community," says Masucci.

"I thought, why not bring two local favorites together?"

Masucci contacted 7 Seas Brewing co-owner Mike Runion and suggested he meet her friend Steve, torchbearer of the 253 Heart.

The two men met.

The 253 Pilsner is on the street today.

"Even before there was talk of beer, we loved the design of 253 Heart and what it means," says Runion, who owns the Gig Harbor brewery with head brewer Travis Guterson. "It strikes a cord with us. It stands for pride of where you live - a love of place. And beyond the 253, the message is still there: No matter where you are from, it's about caring and having pride where you live."

The day the two men met there was indeed talk of a collaborative beer, but there was also talk of compassion, heart and give back to the community. Craft brewing companies such as 7 Seas Brewing have put the 253 on the map as the place to experience and purchase quality beer as well as support local causes. Now the Gig Harbor brewery will join forces with an even bigger Heart to support the community year-round.

The Heart

Before touring the world with his band, Motopony, artist/poet/musician Daniel Blue lived and breathed Tacoma. On Christmas Day, 2007, Blue doodled 253, turned the paper 90 degrees and saw that it had formed a heart. Over the next three years, the 253 Heart appeared on windshields, laptops, backpacks and anything owned by someone who held the area code close to his or her heart. Blue said the 253 Heart is about love of place. With music consuming his life, Blue passed the emblem to fellow Tacoma artist and friend, Steve Naccarato -  son of Stan, brother of Gordon -  a longtime Tacoman who had put his heart into baseball, acting, consulting on a primetime television show, opening restaurants including Shake Shake Shake, producing records, producing concerts, letterpress artistry, photography and the torch bearer of the 253 Heart. Naccarato has taken his second heart to heart commissioning artists to design products that showcase the creative energy and spirit of Pierce County, with a portion of the sales benefitting local charities.

Naccarato's Heart and heart beat harder after meeting Runion. Runion, a big presence with a heart to match, agreed their collaboration should have a strong charitable presence. A second meeting inked a mission to contribute $5,000 of 253 Pilsner sales to a revolving door of 501(c)(3) status nonprofits. The inaugural nonprofits were chosen based on current relationships. Naccarato believes strongly in Ben Warner and his Alchemy Indoor Skatepark and Education Center, the Tacoma-based organization striving to improving the relationship between skateboarders and the greater community - "to provide a free, dry, and safe place for local skaters to practice and develop their athletic, social, and educational skills," according to Warner.

"Ben is helping reshape the skateboard community here," says Naccarato. "He has such a passion for skateboarding. But, he has a big mountain to climb, with laws and perception. Resources are critical, and that's were we hope to help."

7 Seas Brewing chose Peninsula Hands On Art, an organization they believe in and have donated to in the past. Founded in 2003 by parents and local artists, the organization serves approximately 2,700 students in grades K-5 across six schools.

"Peninsula Hands On Art provides elementary schools with hands-on art projects taught by local artists around a particular curriculum. The money we raise will go toward purchasing materials," explains Runion.

Runion says the Peninsula art program is in place, but resources are crucial. He can see the program branching out from the peninsula and spreading across the 253.

"We wanted to find nonprofits where the money was really going to be used," Runion continues. "We wanted to work with nonprofits where five thousand dollars can make a huge change. If you want to make change happen, sometimes it just needs to happen from within. People who live in this community and want to make our community better can't expect others to come in and do it for us. The change has to come from within. That's why we want to give back, and work with nonprofits that are just getting off the ground."

"Money is so tight out there right now, and you can do only so many auctions and car washes," says Naccarato. "It's incumbent for the private sector to partner with the community and make it a better place to live."

The 253 Pilsner will have a dedicated section on the 253 Heart website explaining why the two businesses joined forces, why they love the area and detailed information about the beer.

"It's where you can find out about projects related to the beer, follow the progress of the nonprofits, what happened to the funds, who will be the next nonprofits and a chance to nominate other nonprofits," says Runion. "And it's not just Tacoma, but Gig Harbor, University Place, Lakewood, Puyallup - It's the whole 253 area zone."

The Beer

A proponent of cans, due to the evils of sunlight and recycling costs of glass, 7 Seas Brewing will release the 253 Pilsner in gold cans.

"The 253 Pilsner can was produced by notable craft brew design leader Blindtiger - and it's striking," says Naccarato.  "We wanted to pay homage to the Tacoma brewers from a hundred years ago. Therefore, the can is old-school gold. 

"Not a lot of local brewers make Pilsners, but they did in the 1800s," continues Naccarato. "This Pilsner best represents the 253, its history - and 7 Seas has brewed a pale lager Pilsner better than the beer brewed back in the day."

"It took a while to put the whole project together due to the cans, but we strongly believe this is the way to do it," adds Runion. "We really wanted to bring back the old-school style, the gold can. We studied the old cans - the fonts, the colors, the styles. But, luckily, it won't taste like old tin cans."

Modern cans are coated in a water-based coating specially made to protect the beer.

7 Seas was the first microbrewery in Washington to can their beers. In 2008, weeks away from production, a fire destroyed their operation. They re-opened in a new Gig Harbor location and produced their first 7 Seas label key in July 2009. In 2012, the year they began producing canned beer, 7 Seas moved into an 11,000 square foot space in downtown Gig Harbor, which included a large taproom with 24 taps - with one tap devoted to a guest beer from a Washington brewery. Runion is a huge proponent of supporting the Washington beer industry.

Why a collaborative Pilsner?

"It's a nod to Tacoma's brewing history. Those breweries of yesteryear - the Hiedelbergs, the Columbias, the Olympias - produced old school light lagers," says Runion. "Lager take a lot longer to brew than ales. That's why craft brewers brew the ales. In two weeks, an ale is done. For a lager, it's more like six to twelve weeks. Sure, the financials are better to do ales. You can turn two to three times as many ales than lagers. But we have the space to brew lagers right now. And we always wanted to make a lager."

7 Seas Brewing co-owner and head brewer, Travis Guterson, brewed more than five test batches, with different hops and different malts, to try find the recipe they liked.

"Travis settled on Sterling and Cascade hops. It's a Northwest interpretation of a Pilsner," says Runion.

Hand-crafted with Northwest Pale and Pilsner malt, the 12-ounce gold can will go down easy at 5.2 percent alcohol by volume.

"We're super happy with the result," says Runion with a smile.

The 253 Pilsner will be delivered to distributors Tuesday and in stores beginning Wednesday. It will be available at bottle shops and independent grocery stores. In the spring, after the resets, the beer will find its way to the grocery store chains. The 253 Pilsner will be distributed up and down western Washington through 7 Seas' distributors.

A release party for the 253 Pilsner will be held at Shake Shake Shake in Tacoma's Stadium District, which is owned by Naccarato and his business partner, Robert Stocker. A date hasn't been nailed down, but expect nonprofits to be on-site to discuss their missions, and plenty of good beer to drink.

According to these two men, the whole idea is a charity first, and a beer second. They believe true fulfillment never comes from financial or material success. Happiness and deep sense of connection is their goal. Runion and Naccarato, and their cohorts, sit on the same mountaintop. Money comprises the base, but idealism, balance and good vibes more than tops the peak.

It just so happens the beer is delicious.

I don't know who Tom is, but I can tell you why his drumsticks are "famous."

I discovered Tom's famous doing during Pacific Grill's ninth anniversary celebration Sept. 22. It happen to be happy hour, too.

The downtown Tacoma fine-dining restaurant always has flawless service, well educated on the menu selections and attentive. Our bartender recommended Tom's Famous Drumsticks ($12 regularly priced, half off for happy hour). I suggest you always take the staff's recommendations. Two meaty drumsticks cooked to perfection; the meat so tender it fell off the bone. These drummies are flavorful having been marinated with garlic, mustard, soy and Tabasco then grilled with rosemary branches. One branch was smoldering atop the duo when the dish landed on the table. The zesty marinade and lovely cilantro cream that dress the bowl are perfect for dipping the drumsticks and whatever else your heart desires.

With all day happy hour in the lounge sampling the menu is a must.

Someone needs to introduce me to this Tom guy so I can thank him in person for my new favorite chicken fix.

PACIFIC GRILL, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, 5-11 p.m. Saturday, 5-10 p.m. Sunday, 1502 Pacific Ave., 253.627.3535

Every week we swap out the Served banner art above, introducing you to the people who serve food and drinks in the South Sound. This week, meet BriAnn Hein.

Server Banner Girl, Sept. 29-Oct. 5, 2014

BriAnn Hein

BriAnn Hein genuinely cares about making peoples' dining experience an enjoyable one. She understands cooking at home is cheaper ... but not as fun. Hein creates an entertaining environment with a bubbly personality, willingness to accommodate, ability to act as a food tour guide and her real desire to make sure guests enjoy themselves overall. Her service industry career began at Mick's Ale House in Medford, Oregon. From there I have worked all over Oregon and the South Sound of Washington. She's currently serving at Shake, Shake, Shake in Tacoma's Stadium District and North China Garden on Sixth Avenue. Occasionally, she'll help out with the bustling weekend breakfast at Dirty Oscar's.

Why do you serve?

"This might sound weird but serving is part of something I need in my everyday life. I LOVE talking to people and meeting new people. I crave being social with random strangers. You meet some of the most incredible people. I got to serve the English Beat band."

Who's your favorite server in the South Sound?

"It's really hard to choose one favorite. But I have to choose Zach Gettel at Duke's Chowder House. Cool, calm and collected and super funny. Can I mention his muscles? LOL."

What are you most proud to serve?

"I am most proud to serve fresh, local and inspiring foods. I love watching people try something new for the first time and find themselves speechless. Maybe because their mouth is full, but you can see it on their face."

What's your favorite drink?

"Well, my current drink is sparkling Organic Blood Orange Soda. Alcohol and I broke up three years ago."

"What's your favorite movie?

"Don't laugh, OK? Dances with Wolves. I don't know why but I love it. Years ago McDonald's had three-dollar movies you could add to your meal. I got Dances with Wolves and I was hooked." 

What don't you serve?

"What I don't like to serve is a bad attitude. I love laughing and seeing customers happy. The happier the customers are the happier I am."

What's on your radar at Shake Shake Shake?

"Well ... we have a really cool projector and TVs so how about I radar all you folks down to have some beer, burgers and boozy shakes and cheer on our Hawks together?! Ya, sounds good to me too."

LINK: Meet other South Sound servers

Nestled in North Tacoma's charming Three Bridge District, Café Brosseau welcomes those who want to cozy up to flavors, reads and screens. Among their assortment of Madrona Coffee Co. concoctions, Mad Hat Tea options and Corina Bakery pastries you'll spy a menu of sandwiches and dogs perfect for lunch time munching while typing away on the laptop or nibbling between friendly bits of conversation.

The item you must try in my humble opinion is the Sriracha Dog ($6.25). This quarter pound, all-beef frank stretches across the coffee shop in a grilled bun, split down the center and piled high with bacon, gratuitous amounts of cream cheese, sliced sweet Lynnae's Gourmet Pickles, and then drizzled with sriracha. The sweet and spice combo pack a one-two punch for your taste buds - the pickles serve to adorn your dog better than any relish you've experienced to date while the cream cheese cools it all down. I don't dare pretend to be all hoity-toity about my dogs but the textures are well balanced while the flavors are fun and compelling without being too adventurous.

If you're one who learned how to order food a la When Harry Met Sally and feel like mixing it up, the Café Brosseau crew is happy to make substitutions with cheddar or Havarti cheese on hand or even Lynnae's other pickled choices - dill or spicy. But really in this gals eyes no substitutions are necessary.

CAFÉ BROSSEAU, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, 2716 N. 21^st St., Tacoma, 253.327.1306