This week ...

Thing: Meat

Place: Blue Max Sausage Co.

Person: Evan Greco

Who is: One of my favorite butchers

And works in: An everything meat shop

In which: Protein reigns

In the form of: Dead animal

I'm OK with this: As long as I don't know the cow's name

And: It is grilled perfectly

Served with: An ice-cold Bud Light

By: A partially tattooed Italian boy

Wearing: No shirt

Can I get an: Amen

To read this week's full column click here.

GRUB ON WHEELS >>>

Nothing gets a curmudgeonly writer out of his comfy computer chair faster than the promise of some grub. And with the opening of a new mobile food court in Olympia, this writer is out the door right at the lunch bell. 

The new mobile food court at the corner of State Avenue and Adams Street in downtown Olympia officially opened yesterday, consisting of four mobile food trucks representing four different businesses: Kell's Kitchen, Barb's BBQ, Ricardo's Wood Fire Pizza Express and The Firehouse Grill's Extreme Burgers. Working under the joint venture Oly Foods, the four businesses came together after a change in Olympia's regulations made it easier for mobile food trucks to maintain a permit. 

Each food truck stationed on the vacant lot offers a different style of food. Serving everything from clam chowder to personal pizzas, variety is not a problem. Even Barb's BBQ, which specializes in juicy ribs, features a vegan sandwich option. All meals are reasonably priced, running around $5-$7. The food court is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

A sucker for BBQ, I order a brisket sandwich with a side of coleslaw and a drink from Barb's. A friendly cashier informs me that over the two days Barb's has been open, business has been busy. So busy that Barb's already plans to stay open year-round in the spot.

After grabbing my sandwich and slaw, I have trouble finding an open seat at a bench. The court is too crowded with people merrily munching on their meals. Relegated to a seat on a curb, I snap a picture of my prize before devouring the succulent sandwich. Afterward only one dilemma remains:

Soup tomorrow? Or should I try Ricardo's Polish dog?

[Oly Foods - food cart court, State Avenue & Adams Street, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Monday-Friday, Olympia]

ONLINE CHATTER >>>

Today's comment comes from Mike Harper in response to yesterday's blog post from Volcano theater critic Christian Carvajal, in which he wonders why folks will come from miles away to see live theater in Ashland, Ore., but locally it can be such a struggle to get butts in theater seats.

Harper writes,

Guys....take this post lightly as I am an Ashland kid...although the kid part was a few years ago....Ashland is simply the best place on earth! Not only is our festival "World" famous for the obvious reasons....actors, musicians, directors, set designers, costumes and COMMUNITY.....Yes, Community! We have a population who lives and breathe's Ashland....Fantastic public schools, a wonderful university, and a diverse, educated population (63% college educated) that even has a few republicans....yes they have regrettably slithered into town and managed to keep from being burned at the stake...:) I have heard, that republicans have to show their passports to get into town....just a rumor. So stop wasting ur time trying to figure out how to do what we do or what makes us the best theater town in America....want theater head to Ashland.

The new 1230 Room in Olympia (former Otto's Bakery space) definitely warrants a full-size Meat Market article, but if we wait another week or two, you might miss out on all the action. By action we mean lounge chairs, mood lighting and a hip-hop soundtrack. We mean security guards with monogrammed uniforms and girls in frilly dresses. We mean high-priced cocktails and high-priced suits. By action we mean action that is rarely seen in the capitol of crusty dive bars.

A new Olympia lounge?

We couldn't make you wait too long for that sweet action.

[1230 Room, $3 cover weekends, 111 Washington St. NE, Olympia]

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 3, 2011 >>>

1. Mighty High will lay down some reggae at Jazzbones tonight. Mid-week jam band action is so your style.

2.  The Steilacoom Summer Concert Series continues this evening at Pioneer Park, featuring Danny Vernon's "Illusions of Elvis." The fun is free, all ages and starts at 6:30 p.m.

3. Thanks to the Washington State History Museum kids have the chance to learn about the Oregon Trail this morning at Garfield Book Company. It's just one of many cool events at Garfield Book Company this summer.

4. Sometimes a little goofiness is just what the doctor ordered. Chalet Bowl in Tacoma's famed Proctor District has you covered with Wacky Wednesday - featuring all-you-can-bowl for two hours, lots of clean fun, and a mighty-fine mid-week cheap date opportunity.

5. The sun is out and it's time once again in Gig Harbor for the appropriately named Gig Harbor Green Farmers Market. Find info here.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight!

FROM A MOVEMENT TO A MUSEUM PIECE >>>

Remember when grunge was just everyday life? Flannel, long hair, not washing too often.

It seems like that was only a few weeks ago. (Right now, it's too warm for the flannel.)

The musical movement has now been relegated to history by the Experience Music Project, which is currently celebrating the gurus of grunge in an exhibit called Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses. The exhibit includes artifacts and videos, including this one with the band's former drummer Chad Channing.

Along with the EMP exhibit comes a visual history book, Taking Punk to the Masses: From Nowhere to Nevermind.

Jacob McMurray, EMP's senior curator, will be at the Olympia Timberland Library Friday, Aug. 5, at 7:30 p.m. to talk about and sign the book, which includes images and stories by such musical icons as Henry Rollins, Mark Mothersbaugh and Olympia's own Calvin Johnson.

[Olympia Timberland Library, 313 Eighth Ave. S.E., Olympia, 360.352.0595 or www.trl.org]

SOCIAL BAR & GRILL ARRIVES ON THE SCENE >>>

Little touches go a long way. So do first impressions.

Heavy silverware wrapped in cloth napkins conveys quality. A fire pit on the patio creates instant outdoor ambiance. A complimentary dish of two savory cassava doughnuts greets each guest. Plenty of staff exceeds service needs.

Hoping for a third-time's-a-charm scenario, The Social Bar and Grill opened on Thea Foss Waterway Tuesday, July 26. Former occupants Woody's on the Water and Blue Olive Bistro are a faint memory due to extensive interior remodeling.

Melanie Manista-Rushforth of Rushforth Wheels said of the ahi poke ($9) she sampled, "It was tangy, tender and delightful to look at. The ‘shareable' plate ended up with me eating it all." 

Sushi-grade ahi tuna with seaweed, sake and soy sauce sounds like something I'd scarf down, too. Manista-Rushforth refers to appetizers dubbed shareable due to portion sizes - they can double as meals for one. The dining menu appears to feature dishes crafted by Chef Rodel Borromeo, inspired by Latin American, Pacific Island and Mediterranean cuisine; the creative cocktail list will certainly complement.

Crisscrossed on the plate, two stainless steel skewers spear chunks of mild swordfish, mushroom and onion. Sprinkled garnish of fried parsley and green onion is meant to be eaten, not just looked at. Spicy caper chimichurri fills the flavor gap swordfish cannot cover alone ($14).

Chicken wing adobo is Social's version of chicken wings. Carrot, daikon radish and celery are very lightly pickled (in-house) and arranged atop a mound of slaw tossed with black and tan sesame seeds and an almost non-existent dressing with a subtle vinegar hint. The real flavor - soy, garlic, chile - comes from the non-breaded chicken ($7).

Spices and miniscule bits of red pepper and onion keep settling to the bottom in the sautéed mushroom dish ($7). I have to stir the garlic brandy sauce repeatedly to get it to stick to the mushrooms. More than one piece of grilled bread would be appropriate for this "shareable" dish.

Intensely chocolate ice cream is made in-house with bits of bacon adding a subtle and delightful flavor alongside topping of coffee grounds and tiny rock salt ($6).

The heat index on the habañero-orange salsa served with pork and pineapple tacos (two to an order, $8) should be brought down to a normal human consumption range. The bacon-in-a-glass appetizer execution will be tweaked, and I receive double-scoop dish of very creamy toasted coconut ice cream ($5) to replace a dry almond tart ($6). Kinks are still being worked out, as is to be expected.

Plate presentation is not overdone at Social; there are no pointless garnishes. An open kitchen is viewed through the back bar. Windows as walls take advantage of the marina view and natural light, though after dusk the stark lighting from kitchen kills the vibe. Gigantic showpiece walls currently remain bare. "We have ideas for them, we want it to be right," The Social Bar and Grill partner Philip Panagos said last Tuesday afternoon. He's interested in featuring local art that works with the sparse, industrial feel.

Service at Social has been professional, helpful, attentive and unobtrusive on the two visits I've made so far. Much like a neutral canvas in need of colorful paint, it's the people, food and cocktails that bring Social to life. And I'm guessing that's the whole point.

Social is now open for dinner daily. Lunch and regular hours are anticipated by Saturday, Aug 6. Bar and dining are separate; under 21 allowed.

[The Social Bar and Grill, 1715 Dock St., Tacoma, 253.301.3835]

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL COVERAGE AS DRUNK AS YOU >>>

Yesterday's Tacoma Rainiers (55-56) game was a staunch reminder of how hard it is to predict the outcome of a baseball game. 

As if I needed a staunch reminder.

I caught the first five innings of yesterday's game against the Las Vegas 51s on the radio.  After five innings, the Rainiers were up 1-0.

Now, 1-0 isn't a definitive score. 1-0 signifies a close game. But if after those five innings someone asked me to place a bet on who would win the game, I would have shelled a large stack of cash and placed my bet on a Rainiers win. More, even. The game, with a 1-0 score after five innings, seemed that lopsided.

Though the Rainiers had only scored one run, the players were hitting. New guy and designated hitter Wily Mo Pena, outfielder Carlos Peguero and catcher Jose Yepez all hit the ball hard. Even the ground outs were promising. It only seemed like a matter of time before the team had a breakout inning. Starting pitcher Nate Robertson was on fire. In the early innings, the 51s couldn't touch him. A couple of times I tuned the radio to a different station during a commercial break, only to come back to Mike Curto saying something like, "Robertson with an eight pitch inning." Robertson cruised through five innings, seemingly on his way to a complete game.  My hypothetical bet was a lock.

After five innings, I turned off the radio and went to work. Later in the day I checked the score. 6-2, Las Vegas 51s. What? Huh? I checked the score again. I made sure I had the date right. Everything was correct, 6-2 Las Vegas 51's.

In the top of the sixth inning, Robertson gave up a walk, two base hits and a homerun to put the 51s up 4-1. Robertson, who for five innings had seemed untouchable, gave up four runs in the top of the sixth, right after I turned off the radio.

I don't know why this surprised me. I've been a fan of baseball long enough to know how quickly a game, a week, a season can change course. Yesterday's game changed quickly. It happens all the time.

But, damn. I would have bet a large amount of money the Rainiers were going to win that game. And I would have lost my shirt.

Notes ...

-Kyle Seager had an epically poor day at the plate yesterday.  Seager went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts against the Las Vegas 51s. After the game, Seager was called up to the Seattle Mariners as third baseman Chone Figgins was placed on the 15-day disabled list. Seager hustled his butt up to Seattle, was called in to pinch hit for a bruised Justin Smoak, and struck out in front of 22,000 fans at Safeco. Yesterday Seager ended the day 0-for-6 on with three strike outs. 

There is a bright patch, though. Seager did get the call up to Major Leagues, so... he has that going for him, which is nice.

-Big hitter, new Rainiers' Designated Hitter Wily Mo Pena. 

-The PCL Pacific North leaders, the Reno Aces, have lost five games in a row, meaning the Rainiers have slowly gained some ground on their division rivals. The Rainiers sit 8.5 games behind the Aces with thirty three games left to play in the season. 8.5 games is still a lot of ground to cover, but if the Aces continue their slide, the end of the season suddenly gets interesting. 

The Rainiers head down to Albuquerque today to begin a four game series with the Isotopes. I'm a fan of the Isotopes for a couple of reasons. One, I used to live in Albuquerque. It's a cool town. Two, The Simpsons' fictional baseball team is the Springfield Isotopes. I can't hate on Springfield. Finally, the Isotopes' nickname is the ‘Topes. How can you hate a team nicknamed the ‘Topes?

You just can't. It's not possible.

LINK: The "Rainiers Minute" collection

ONLINE CHATTER >>>

Today's comment comes from Katie in response to our recent article on Amy Ryken's new book about gender - Are You a Boy or a Girl?: Conversations about Gender in Elementary Classrooms.

Katie writes,

This sounds like a great book. One thought though. The fundamental way our brain works is to categorize things into same/different or bucket things alike together. My son is 4.5 yrs old and does this all the time. "Those cars are all red", "All those people over there are girls". He is just trying to understand his world better and I don't think being asked if you are a girl is bad or discriminatory. People are just trying to understand the situation better. It's the judgments and assumptions made based on those categorizations that are discriminatory and unfair. Those are the issues we need to address with our children. So when my son says "All my friends have pink skin" or "brown hair" I say "Yes, they do, that's a great observation. Does that mean they are different from you?" And the answer I am teaching him, is "no, we are all people, it's just another variation."

THURSDAY, AUG. 4, 2011 >>>

1. Get down with Jazz Under the Stars tonight, featuring David Deacon-Joyner and Anton Schwartz at the Mary Baker Russell Music Center.

2. If you haven't jumped on the Varsity Grill comedy train yet, tonight might be perfect for it. Comedian Nate Jackson performs every Thursday at the Varsity Grill.

3. The Oly Mountain Boys drop into the Spar in Olympia tonight at 8 p.m. Best of all: there's no cover charge.

4. It's a Three Dollar Thursday at Hell's Kitchen, with bands Offtrack, Phaser on Kill, the Last Internationale, Cardiac Kidz and BND.

5. Its "SpecOps" Ladies Night at Vanity in Tacoma. Check here to see what that means. (Hint: it involves ladies and cheap booze).

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight!