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March 28, 2013 at 8:31am

Tournament of Sandwiches: Last of First Round, yesterday's results

<<< VOTING CLOSED FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 28 2013 >>>

A week ago we began pitting 64 of the South Sound's best sandwiches - voted in by the Weekly Volcano readers - in head-to-head battles. Today marks the end of First Round action. The last eight sandwiches will enter the area bright eyed and fresh. At the end of the day, four sandwiches will join the other winning 28 sandwiches in the Second Round, four will pick up the crumbs and go home. This is a tournament, folks, not a playoff. Each match is do or die - one misstep and you're out of the dance. Leave the bread out on the counter a little too long, forget to add lettuce, and you can pack your sandwich bag and go home.

Yesterday's Results

Game 1: Cuban Fish Sandwich (Asado, 2810 Sixth Ave., Tacoma) vs. Albacore Tuna Po'Boy (Tides Tavern, 2925 Harborview Dr., Gig Harbor)

In a battle over the Narrows Bridge, Asado cruised to victory and securing roughly 60 percent of the vote by the time things were said and done. This one was over early, and the pummeling lasted all day. Luckily for all of us, Tide's Tavern doesn't need the Tournament of Sandwiches to get by ... it has an awesome deck, not to mention a grubbin' Albacore Tuna Po-Boy. The high-powered Asado moves on to Second Round action.

Game 2: Philly Cheesesteak Tempeh (Le Voyeur, 404 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia) vs. Egg Salad Sandwich (Steilacoom Pub & Grill, 1202 Rainier St., Steilacoom)

In a back and forth matchup pitting two fairly evenly matched competitors (at least in the eyes of voters, it seems), Le Voyeur was eventually able to pull ahead of the Egg Salad Sandwich at the Steilacoom Pub thanks to a late run - grabby 52 percent of the votes. The loss has to be especially tough for Steilacoom Pub, as they entered the Tournament of Sandwiches with plenty of hype, mainly coming from, well, the entire town of Steilacoom. That said, Le Voyeur thanks its lucky stars every time it makes a bank deposit for the damaged livers of Evergreen students, and it has its eclectic music scene, so the fact it's moving on to the second round isn't shocking. You can't question Le Voyeur's following, and sometimes a following is just what it takes in the Tournament of Sandwiches.

Game 3: Farmhouse Philly (Dirty Oscar's Annex, 2309 Sixth Ave., Tacoma) vs. Notorious P.I.G. (The Ram, 3001 Ruston Way, Tacoma)

It would have been an upset of monumental proportion had The Ram somehow managed to defeat Dirty Oscar's Annex, but - alas - it was never meant to be. Dirty Oscar's dominated from tip-off to the final seconds yesterday, collecting votes at almost a three to one ratio and securing 73 percent of the votes. Rock stars and moonshine lovers unite - Dirty Oscar's will not be denied!

Game 4: The Chief (Sparks Firehouse Deli, 621 Fifth St., Puyallup) vs. Jan's Mufalletta (Joeseppi's Italian Ristorante, 2207 N. Pearl St., Tacoma)

Everyone loves a good comeback, and this may have been one of the better clutch performances in the (obviously short) history of the Tournament of Sandwiches. Down by a substantial margin by midday, Sparks Firehouse was able to rally the troops at halftime, and by the time the final buzzer sounded the Puyallup deli had walked away with an impressive victory, racking up 57 percent of the vote. Next up for Sparks' Chief sandwich, a Second Round dogfight with Dirty Oscar's Farmhouse Philly. ...

Stick a toothpick in them! The following are advancing to the next round:

  • Asado's Cuban Fish Sandwich
  • Le Voyeur's Philly Cheesesteak Tempeh
  • Dirty Oscar's Farmhouse Philly
  • Sparks Firehouse's The Chief

The daily sandwich battles here on Spew are sponsored by Subway in Orting, Puyallup, Tacoma, Spanaway and Lakewood.

OK, let's check out today's First Round sandwich battles. Vote for one sandwich joint per battle. Voting for today's sandwich battles ends at 11:45 p.m.




Tomorrow's Second Round Sandwich Battles in all four regions

Game 1: Mike's Deluxe (MSM Deli, 2220 Sixth Ave., Tacoma) vs. Cheesy British (Doyle's Public House, 208 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma)

Game 2: Dungeness Crab & Shrimp Melt (Lobster Shop, 4015 Ruston Way, Tacoma) vs. Heart Smart Art (The Swiss, 1904 Jefferson Ave., Tacoma)

Game 3: Monte Cristo (Moon Rise Café, 6020 Main St. SW, Lakewood) vs. Turkey BLT (The Hub, 203 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma)

Game 4: El Cubano (Metropolitan Market, 2420 N. Proctor St., Tacoma) vs. The Cubana (El Zocalo Tortas Y Bakery, 701 S. 38th St., Tacoma)

LINK: Tournament of Sandwiches explanation

LINK: Hot Damn! Yes, I want the Weekly Volcano's Afternoon Delight newsletter!

March 27, 2013 at 8:49am

Tournament of Sandwiches Day 7: Eight new sandwiches battle, yesterday's results

ELEVEN ELEVEN: It's Reuben sandwich looks strong.

<<< VOTING CLOSED FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27 >>>

Well whaddaya know! It's still March, and dagnabit if all that "Madness" isn't still in the air! What's one to do with all that pent up "madness?" It can make for quite a dilemma. ...

Unless, of course, you've found something like the Weekly Volcano's Tournament of Sandwiches to help get you through. Throughout the month (and into early April, even) the Volcano's readers will be voting on the South Sound's best sandwiches through daily head-to-head matchups here on Spew. We started with 64 South Sound sandwiches, and only one can be crowned king.

Without further ado, let's get down to business.

Yesterday's Results

GAME ONE: Club House (Old Milwaukee Café, 3102 Sixth Ave., Tacoma) vs. Jake's Sandwich (Dirty Dave's Pizza Parlor, 3939 Martin Way E., Olympia)

For a relatively small town, Olympia has more than its fair share of top-notch sandwiches - which is going to make for some interesting battles down the road. With 5th Ave Sandwich Shop and Darby's grabbing most of the headlines, Dirty Dave's can fly relatively under the radar. Oh, but the eaters of the area know - which is probably why Dirty Dave's Jake's Sandwich took down the beloved Old Milwaukee Café's Club House, nabbing almost 60 percent of the votes.

GAME TWO: Reuben (Peterson Bros. 1111, 1111 S. 11th St., Tacoma) vs. Hammock Sandwich (Schooner Pub and Galley, 5429 100th St. SW, Lakewood)

The Eleven Eleven is a relatively newcomer on the sandwich scene, creating goodness and slinging drinks in a lively, neighborhood joint. The Schooner Pub has been a neighborhood hangout for years, where the game or your daily meeting with your old friends is more the focus than sandwiches. In terms of comparing the two joints, at least in regards to a hangout, it's a dead heat. Comparing the two sandwiches that battled yesterday, it's not even close. Eleven Eleven grabbed 75 percent of the votes, and moves onto the Second Round.

GAME THREE: Steak Torta (Vuelve a la Vida, 5310 Pacific Ave., Tacoma) vs. Ikonos Gyro (Ikonos Real Greek Souvlaki, 4920 Point Fosdick Dr. NW, Gig Harbor)

Vuelve A La Vida started up in 1995. Six months after its inception, the owner sold it to the mysteriously named Senor Douglas, who's owned it ever since. Most people know the joint for its authentic Mexican food, featuring prizes such as tongue and goat and featuring banners boasting no chips & salsa. That said, Tournament of Sandwiches officials were a bit surprised Vuelve's Steak Torta grabbed 71 percent of the votes over Ikonos Gyro, which is one tasty treat. It doesn't matter now, the Steak Torta moves onto the Second Round.

GAME FOUR: Vietnamese Banh Mi (Pacific Grill, 1502 Pacific Ave., Tacoma) vs. Italian Grinder (Shamrock Tavern, 11118 Pacific Ave. S., Tacoma)

Unexpectedly, this was an epic battle ... the kind of thing Tournament of Sandwiches "instant classics" are made of. A surprisingly low scoring affair, with much of the action on defense, the fourth seeded Pacific Grill and the 13th seeded Shamrock Tavern were in a dead heat - literally tied - going into the final hours of the competition. Back at Weekly Volcano World Headquarters, Tournament of Sandwiches officials frantically discussed what to do in the case of a tie? Overtime? Coin flip? See which establishment could deliver a sandwich to our Lakewood office the fastest? Then, our guess is, the drinks kicked in at the Shamrock, phones came out and the Parkland tavern edged out the win, securing exactly 53 percent of the vote. This one will go down in the history books.

Stick a toothpick in them! The following are advancing to the next round:

  • Dirty Dave's Pizza Parlor's Jake's Sandwich
  • Peterson Bros. 1111's Reuben
  • Vuelve a la Vida's Steak Torta
  • Shamrock Tavern's Italian Grinder

The daily sandwich battles here on Spew are sponsored by Subway in Orting, Puyallup, Tacoma, Spanaway and Lakewood.

OK, let's check out today's First Round sandwich battles. Vote for one sandwich per battle. Voting for today's sandwich battles ends at 11:45 p.m.



Tomorrow's First Round Sandwich Battles in the Classics and Imported Regions

Game 1: Rick's Dip (Rosewood Café, 3323 N. 26th St., Tacoma) vs. Beast of Burden (Top of Tacoma Bar & Café, 3529 McKinley Ave. E., Tacoma)

Game 2: Club Sandwich (5th Avenue Sandwich Shop, 117 Fifth Ave. SE, Olympia) vs. French Dip (Ramblin' Jacks, 520 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia)

Game 3: Banh Mi (Pho King, 1020 MLK Way, Tacoma) vs. Banh Mi Dac Biet (Pho V&V Vietnamese Restaurant, 5434 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma)

Game 4: Hot Italian Sub (Meconi's Pub & Eatery, 709 Pacific Ave., Tacoma) vs. Banh Mi (Nammy's Deli & Bakery, 513 Capitol Way S., Olympia)

LINK: Tournament of Sandwiches explanation

LINK: Hot Damn! Yes, I want the Weekly Volcano's Afternoon Delight newsletter!

March 26, 2013 at 9:40am

Words & Photos: Museum of Glass Slider Cook-Off results

BOATHOUSE 19: The Tacoma restaurant won "best slider" and "people's choice" at the Museum of Glass Slider Cook-Off Saturday. Photo credit: Steve Dunkelberger

The Museum of Glass Slider Cook-Off Saturday night, with nine local restaurants competing for titles of best slider and people's choice, yielded big satisfaction for the winner of both awards, Boathouse 19. Their team, headed by chef Charles Dobbins, led the restaurant to victory in both categories with their bright, fresh interpretation of a slider - an intensely flavorful charbroiled house-cured salmon with rhubarb relish, wild arugula and mint yogurt on grilled ciabatta.

The 550 attendees of the sold-out event brought their appetites to the table. While Boathouse 19 swept the awards, each restaurant's slider showed creativity and demonstrated their unique perspectives. From Asado came a nicely spiced braised lamb slider with the flavors of Argentina. BITE Restaurant's chicken and waffle slider with bacon aioli embodied their playful spirit. A "Cubano roulado," a pork lover's dream with mustard and pickle relish from Maxwell's showed skill. Brix 25 demonstrated their ability to execute simple food well with a traditional grilled beef patty with gorgonzola sauce. A play on the banh mi sandwich from Dirty Oscars was light and fresh. Marrow's rich, savory beef cheek bulgogi with crispy tripe was one of the more creative options, and was well balanced with kimchi aioli. From the Social Bar and Grill came a pork belly slider topped with a quail egg and a kick of sambal chili. To finish it all off, Art House Café's dessert slider, an orange creamsicle spice cake concoction, finished things on a sweet note.

Will Boathouse 19's winning slider make it on their menu? We'll have to wait and see. If it does, I'll be the first in line.

Photo Credit: Steve Dunkelberger

March 26, 2013 at 8:38am

Tournament of Sandwiches Day 6: Yesterday's results, eight new sandwiches up for vote

OLIVER'S SANDWICHES: Its huge Lobster Sandwich should take the Milton sandwich shop deep into the tournament.

<<< VOTING CLOSED FOR TUESDAY, MARCH 26 >>>

Favorites or underdogs, fancy restaurants or dive bars, it's all the same. In the end, they all have one chance to put some tasty morsels between two slices of bread that can take the prize. Sixty-four South Sound sandwiches were selected and seeded by readers throughout February for the Tournament of Sandwiches, which is now six days into the competition. Apparently sandwiches were on the minds of South Sounders yesterday as it was the second largest voting day for the Tournament of Sandwiches behind Thursday's opening bell.

Yesterday's Results

GAME ONE: TLT (Quickie Too, 1324 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma) vs. Fishwich (Spar Tavern, 2121 N. 30th St., Tacoma)

Cod filet rolled in crispy panko breading served on a Kaiser roll: The Fishwich at The Spar sound easy enough, but alas, it's not. Coddies - those who live for cod filets - claim The Spar has one of the best fish sandwiches in the South Sound. Yesterday, voters agreed. Tacoma's oldest tavern moves into the Second Round after beating Hilltop's beloved Quickie Too by 20 votes.

GAME TWO: Catfish Sandwich (Fish House Café, Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma) vs. Lobster Sandwich (Oliver's Sandwiches, 900 Meridian Ave. E., Milton)

Oliver's Sandwiches turned out the troops to propel it into the next round of the tournament, despite Fish House Café's exceptional Catfish Sandwich. Although it's what sandwich experts call a "hidden gem," Oliver's Sandwiches treats diners like family, and that had to be a factor against the Hilltop Tacoma cafe. With 93 percent of the vote, Oliver's moves on.

GAME THREE: The All Star Grilled Frenchy Cheese and Ham (Babblin' Babs Bistro, 2724 N. Proctor St., Tacoma) vs. Nutty Chicken Sandwich (Varsity Grill, 1114 Broadway, Tacoma)

Babblin' Babs Bistro doesn't have a mini theater in the middle of its restaurant. It doesn't have a huge happy hour menu. And kids don't eat free. Those are the attributes of the Varsity Grill sports bar in downtown Tacoma. What Babs does have are gourmet sandwiches and an ownership that can squeeze ever bit of goodness out of a Chardonnay seed. Babblin' Babs and its famous All Star Grilled Frenchy Cheese and Ham moves into the Second Round after grabbing 64 percent of the votes over the Varsity Grill.

GAME FOUR: Stinker (STINK - Cheese & Meat, 628 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma) vs. Papa Bair (Bair Bistro, 1617 Lafayette St., Steilacoom)

STINK owner Kris Blondin has found the perfect formula. Create gourmet comfort food recipes, teach hip kids how to recreate them, play kick ass music and serve big beers and soft wines to movers and shakers in Tacoma. Yesterday, this formula paid off when STINK's famous Stinker sandwich beat Bair Bistro's delicious Papa Bair - and all the history the town of Steilacoom could muster up - by 70 votes.

Stick a toothpick in them! The following are advancing to the next round:

  • The Spar's Fishwich
  • Oliver's Sandwiches' Lobster Sandwich
  • Babblin' Babs Bistro's All Star Grilled Frenchy Cheese and Ham
  • STINK Cheese & Meat's Stinker

The daily sandwich battles here on Spew are sponsored by Subway in Orting, Puyallup, Tacoma, Spanaway and Lakewood.

OK, let's check out today's First Round sandwich battles. Vote for one sandwich per battle. Voting for today's sandwich battles ends at 11:45 p.m.




Tomorrow's First Round Sandwich Battles in the Meatless/Seafood and Specialty Regions

Game 1: Cuban Fish Sandwich (Asado, 2810 Sixth Ave., Tacoma) vs. Albacore Tune Po'Boy (Tides Tavern, 2925 Harborview Dr., Gig Harbor)

Game 2: Philly Cheesesteak Tempeh (Le Voyeur, 404 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia) vs. Egg Salad Sandwich (Steilacoom Pub & Grill, 1202 Rainier St., Steilacoom)

Game 3: Farmhouse Philly (Dirty Oscar's Annex, 2309 Sixth Ave., Tacoma) vs. Notorious P.I.G. (The Ram, 3001 Ruston Way, Tacoma)

Game 4: The Chief (Sparks Firehouse Deli, 621 Fifth St., Puyallup) vs. Jan's Mufalletta (Joeseppi's Italian Ristorante, 2207 N. Pearl St., Tacoma)

LINK: Tournament of Sandwiches explanation

LINK: Hot Damn! Yes, I want the Weekly Volcano's Afternoon Delight newsletter!

March 25, 2013 at 8:38am

Tournament of Sandwiches: Day 5 battles and yesterday's results

ENGINE HOUSE NO. 9'S BAKED ITALIAN: Knocked out, but not forgotten.

<<< VOTING CLOSED FOR MONDAY, MARCH 25 2013 >>>

Sixty-four South Sound sandwiches were selected and seeded by readers throughout February for the Tournament of Sandwiches, which is now five days into the competition. Brackets don refrigerators, break rooms, restaurant hallways and birdcages. Birthday parties have been moved to delis. Everyone is discussing tempeh and bread thickness. It's crazy fun.

Yesterday's Results

GAME ONE: Ricky J's Philly Cheesesteak and Farrelli's Pizza's 3 Sauce Italian Meatball Sandwich battled back and forth all day, changing leads several times. It's our guess that Ricky J's Sunday night "Spin The Wheel Drink Specials" made the difference as the Puyallup restaurant ended up edging out the local pizza chain's tasty meatball sandwich with 54 percent of the votes.

GAME TWO: The blowout of the day happened in the matchup between Pacific Coffee House's Big Tacoma and The Office Bar & Grill's California Club, each anchoring the current Pacific Avenue Streetscape Project construction. The new coffee joint on the ground floor of the Wells Fargo Building grabbed the most votes of the day, smoking the sports bar that is The Office with 91 percent of the votes. The Big Tacoma sandwich moves on to the Second Round to face Ricky J's Cheesesteak March 30.

GAME THREE: "If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you." That famous quote comes from the beloved Winnie the Pooh. That quote could have easily comes from a regular at Legendz on Spraque Avenue speaking on his or her love for the drive-thru joint on the edge of Hilltop Tacoma. It doesn't matter that Engine House No. 9 is historically famous, and its Baked Italian sandwich has an amazing garlic pesto spread. Legendz's Lamb Beef Gyro looked in great shape as its edged out the Baked Italian with 53 percent of the votes.

GAME FOUR: The other blowout really wasn't a surprise. Meconi's Italian Subs in Lacey was born to make great sandwiches. Its Italian Sub put the hurt on Little Da Nang's Prok Banh Mi beating it by 60 votes, and moves on to face Legendz's Lamb Beef Gyro in Second Round action March 30.

Stick a toothpick in them! The following are advancing to the next round:

  • Ricky J's Philly Cheesesteak
  • Pacific Coffee House's Big Tacoma
  • Legendz's Lamb Beef Gyro
  • Meconi's Italian Subs' Italian Sub

The daily sandwich battles here on Spew are sponsored by Subway in Orting, Puyallup, Tacoma, Spanaway and Lakewood.

OK, let's check out today's First Round sandwich battles. Vote for one sandwich per battle. Voting for today's sandwich battles ends at 11:45 p.m.




Tomorrow's First Round Sandwich Battles in the Classics and Imported Regions

Game 1: Club House (Old Milwaukee Café, 3102 Sixth Ave., Tacoma) vs. Jake's Sandwich (Dirty Dave's Pizza Parlor, 3939 Martin Way E., Olympia)

Game 2: Reuben (Peterson Bros. 1111, 1111 S. 11th St., Tacoma) vs. Hammock Sandwich (Schooner Pub and Galley, 5429 100th St. SW, Lakewood)

Game 3: Steak Torta (Vuelve a la Vida, 5310 Pacific Ave., Tacoma) vs. Ikonos Gyro (Ikonos Real Greek Souvlaki, 4920 Point Fosdick Dr. NW, Gig Harbor)

Game 4: Vietnamese Banh Mi (Pacific Grill, 1502 Pacific Ave., Tacoma) vs. Italian Grinder (Shamrock Tavern, 11118 Pacific Ave. S., Tacoma)

LINK: Tournament of Sandwiches explanation

LINK: Hot Damn! Yes, I want the Weekly Volcano's Afternoon Delight newsletter!

March 23, 2013 at 9:40am

Tournament of Sandwiches: Yesterday's results and Day 3 battles

MOON RISE CAFE: It's Monte Cristo moves into the Second Round.

<<< VOTING CLOSED FOR SATURDAY, MARCH 23 >>>

For the past four months the Weekly Volcano has been hanging out in delis gathering intel for our Tournament of Sandwiches. Besides smelling like meat and cheese, we have learned a couple things. You don't hear fake orgasms followed by the phrase, "I'll have what she had" much in the South Sound delis. What you do hear is, "With the economy being in the dumps this past year and my having even less free time than normal, I found myself eating more sandwiches than usual." That's a statement that makes sense. What the Weekly Volcano has learned most through all the prep work involved with hosting a Tournament of Sandwiches is - you don't have to sacrifice flavor to save a little money and get portable eats.

Yesterday's Results

GAME ONE: Lobster Shop's Dungeness Crab & Rock Shrimp Melt vs. Enoteca's Quattro Fromaggio Panini

If there's one thing we've learned over the years, it's don't mess with the Tacoma's waterfront. Back in the day the Ruston Way area, which us to be called Front Street, was lined with industry - boatyards, warehouses and mills. Today, it's home to joggers, scuba divers, restaurants and a delicious Crab Melt. The Lobster Shop's Dungeness Crab & Rock Shrimp Melt - loaded with artichoke hearts, onion, tomato, cheddar cheese and served on a toasted croissant - edged out Enoteca's delicious cheese sandwich with 52.5 percent of the votes. Congrats to The Lobster Shop as it advances to the Second Round.

GAME TWO: The Swiss' Heart Smart Art vs. The French Hen Bistro's Veggie Sandwich

Jump on The Swiss' website, and the first message that jumps out is, "You're A Stranger Here But Once." How do you compete against that? You don't, if you are a Veggie Sandwich from The French Hen Bistro. The Heart Smart Art sandwich reached deep into its heart - and sliced artichoke hearts and sundried tomato pesto - and squeaked out a victory by 30 votes over the Lakewood powerhouse. The Heart Smart Art will need every bit of its grilled whole grain ciabatta to beat that Melt at The Lobster Shop in Second Round action.

GAME THREE: Nordstrom Café's Braised Short Ribs Sandwich vs. Moon Rise Café's Monte Cristo

The Monte Cristo at Lakewood's Moon Rise Cafe beat the Braised Short Ribs Sandwich at Nordstrom Cafe with 74.2 percent of the votes. Who's fancy now?

GAME FOUR: Fish Tale Brew Pub's Ham and Brie vs. The Hub's BLT

Finally, in yesterday's closest battle, The Hub's BLT edged out The Fish Tale Brew Pub's Ham and Brie by half a percentage vote. Loaded with deli ham, smothered in nutty melted Brie and nestled between two slices of grilled sourdough with sliced granny smith apples and mellow horseradish, the Ham and Brie had the making to go all the way ... if The Hub's BLT with turkey on grilled sourdough wasn't in the way. That's the power of bicycle-themed neighborhood gathering spots. The Hub's BLT will head into the Second Round to take on Moon Rise Café's Monte Cristo March 29.

Let's lift the top bread slice and reveal the goods. The following are advancing to the next round:

  • Lobster Shop's Dungeness Crab & Rock Shrimp Melt
  • The Swiss' Heart Smart Art
  • Moon Rise Café's Monte Cristo
  • The Hub's BLT

The daily sandwich battles here on Spew are sponsored by Subway in Orting, Puyallup, Tacoma, Spanaway and Lakewood.

OK, let's check out today's First Round sandwich battles. Vote for one sandwich per battle. Voting for today's sandwich battles ends at 11:45 p.m.




Tomorrow's First Round Sandwich Battles in the Classics and Imported Regions

Game 1: Philly Cheesesteak (Ricky J's Restaurant, 6805 176th St. E., Puyallup) vs. 3 Sauce Italian Meatball Sandwich (Farrelli's Wood Fire Pizza, 3518 Sixth Ave., Tacoma)

Game 2: Big Tacoma (Pacific Coffee House & Deli, 1201 Pacific Ave., Tacoma) vs. California Club (The Office Bar & Grill, 813 Pacific Ave., Tacoma)

Game 3: Lamb Beef Gyro (Legendz, 1201 S. Sprague Ave., Tacoma) vs. Baked Italian Sandwich (Engine House No. 9, 611 N. Pine St., Tacoma)

Game 4: Italian Sub (Meconi's Italian Subs, 5225 Lacey Blvd., Lacey) vs. Pork Banh Mi (Little Da Nang, 301 Fourth Ave. W., Olympia)

LINK: Tournament of Sandwiches explanation

LINK: Hot Damn! Yes, I want the Weekly Volcano's Afternoon Delight newsletter!

March 23, 2013 at 7:08am

5 Things To Do Today: Iceage, Judy Cullen, Slider Cook-Off, Photographer Joel Sartore, "Ich Hunger" vs. Red Hex and more ...

ICEAGE: The Danish band mixes the black atmosphere of goth, the wild-limbed whoosh of hardcore, and the clangor of post-punk.

SATURDAY, MARCH 23 2013 >>>

1. Copenhagen's young punkers Iceage will bring its Polaroid-picture-fuzzy punk - that draws from Fugazi's neo-classicism and Gang of Four's bounce - to Olympia's Capitol Theater at 9 p.m. If you want to know what the next round of American punk bands will sound like, attend this show.

2. Judy Cullen rocked the Tacoma theater community when she stepped down from her role at artistic director of Tacoma Little Theatre in 2006, an organization she served in many capacities since 1993. Thankfully, she didn't leave the area. In fact, you can see, and hear, her today at 2 p.m. She'll be reading from the recently released A Trio of Irish Tales, as well as from the about-to-be-released Reflections from The Golden Wheel, inside the Mason United Methodist Church in Tacoma.

3. The 2nd Annual Museum of Glass Slider Cook-Off will consume the Museum of Glass tonight beginning at 6:30 p.m. With nine local restaurants bringing creativity to the table to compete for the title of best slider, attendees will taste their way through the competition, dance to Daryl & the Diptones, and enjoy games and live glassblowing by artist John Miller, who is also creating the trophies. Newcomers Marrow Kitchen and Bar, Boathouse 19, Art House Café and Brix 25 will be competing against returning restaurants Asado, BITE Restaurant and Bar, Dirty Oscar's Annex, The Social Bar and Grill and Maxwell's Restaurant and Lounge. Read Adrienne Kuehl's full feature on the event in the Weekly Volcano's Restaurants section.

4. Joel Sartore travels the world photographing rare and endangered animals in some of the planet’s most wild and pristine places. His images are stunning; his stories mesmerizing; his job awesome. He’s an acclaimed National Geographic photographer who captivates his audiences with the same enthusiasm and excitement with which he captures his subjects. Sartore will pack his lifetime of photography experience and passion for animals into a special appearance at Puyallup High School from 7 to 9 p.m., thanks to the folks at Northwest Trek.

5. Ich Hunger is a German expressionist freakout concerning a "creature boy" who lives in the forests of Germany and eats people. At 9 p.m., as if Ich Hunger wasn't visually and aurally stimulating enough, the film will be screened along with musical accompaniment by the onslaught of local garage-rockers Red Hex (featuring Isaac's brother, Sam Olsen), as well as original electronic music. Afterward, the melted brains of the audience will be invited to disco dance. It all goes down at The New Frontier Lounge.

PLUS: The UPS Flea Market, Olympia Youth Chorus, Edgar Martinez, hypnotist Ron Stubbs and Jobe Himself in our Weekend Hustle

LINK: Saturday, March 23 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

March 22, 2013 at 10:48am

Checking in with Star Chefs' online auction

STAR CHEFS' ONLINE AUCTION: Bid on a chance to stay and golf at Eagle Crest Resort in Oregon.

FUNDRAISER GALA >>>

Get out your wallets, big spenders. The Star Chefs on Broadway 2013 will consume the Pantages Theater Sunday, April 14 bringing along with it an evening of incredible cabaret performances, a delicious dinner and auctions to help the event raise funds for Broadway Center's groundbreaking arts education programs. This year, an online auction serves up some supplementary action - an auction in three parts, all titled after the 2013 Star Chef's theme of The Wizard of Oz.

Monday, March 25, the last of the three online auctions is opening up an entirely new lineup of awesomeness. Get ready to get your bid on!

"Our goal is to raise over $10,000 on the online auction and that we are well on our way having raised $7,412 thus far," says Broadway Center development manager, Jane Bell. "We could realistically reach our goal in phase 2. We have had 103 bidders, a total of 219 bids and 3,558 visitors to the site. Many auction bidders swoop in at the last hour to win their items - we call them auction snipers!"

So far, there are 46 items up for bid and more may be listed. Some of the raddest and baddest items on the list include:

Glassbaby Class in Seattle for Two - How can you call yourself a true Northwesterner if you've never stood in front of a raging fire hole and forged hot glass into a creation? You can't! Fix that. Fix it now. Bid on the Glassbaby Class for two and work one-on-one with a glass artist at Glassbaby, blow and shape your own piece of glass, and take your creation home two days later. Classes take place every day from 5 to 8 p.m.

Total Wine Tasting for 20 - It's not every day you get to go wine tasting, much less with 19 of your BFFs. Win this auction and you can take your pick from a seated, class-style event or a stand-up mingle. Guests will get to sample and learn about wines from California, Italy, France or Australia as well as light appetizers at Total Wine in Bellevue.

Harbor Fibers Studio Hat Felting Class - Like to crochet or knit? Those are just the gateway crafts. Learn to create felted creations just over the bridge at Harbor Fibers Studio. Win the auction and win a class valid between April 14 and May 30, 2013.

"I am excited about all the great getaways especially to Silver Reef Casino which includes lodging, dinner plus spa experiences for two!" says Bell. There are several getaways up for bid. Others include the Weinhard Hotel in Dayton, Wash., Oregon Garden Resort in the Willamette Valley, and the Eagle Crest Resort with some golf included in Redmond, Ore.

Bidding remains open until April 14.

PANTAGES THEATER, STAR CHEFS "OVER THE RAINBOW," SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 4 P.M., $200, $700 VIP, 901 BROADWAY, TACOMA, 253.591.5894

LINK: Weekly Volcano has crashed Star Chefs

Filed under: Benefits, Contest, Food & Drink, Tacoma,

March 22, 2013 at 8:57am

Tournament of Sandwiches: First Round results, today's battles

EL ZOCALO'S THE CUBANA: The massive, tasty sandwiches advances to the Second Round.

<<< VOTED CLOSED FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 22 >>>

The Weekly Volcano loves sandwiches. Let us say that again: We LOVE sandwiches. We still get giddy over a food item designed almost specifically for children. And we're not really all that picky. A good P, B and J is perfectly awesome. We probably would even dive back into a bologna and Miracle Whip on Wonder Bread if it were served with some Hawaiian Punch.

The South Sound also loves sandwiches. And voting. Yesterday's vote total was the largest Weekly Volcano food tournament opening day tally, surpassing our tacos, pizza and breakfast tournaments' opening bell numbers. Yes, the South Sound turned out in force to vote in yesterday's kickoff of the Tournament of Sandwiches competition. Phone trees were instigated. Neighbors were harassed. Computer labs were invaded. Our poor little blog had to work overtime as droves voted in First Round action.

Yesterday's Results

GAME ONE: MSM Deli's Mike's Deluxe vs. Embers Restaurant's Clubhouse

When a sandwich beats another sandwich by 94.5 percent of the votes, it's called being "clubbed" in the sandwich world. No truly, look it up. MSM's Mike's Deluxe clubbed the Embers Restaurant's Clubhouse sandwich. Will that stop folks from playing a round of golf at Indian Summers Golf & Country Club - where Embers is embedded - while we all work? Nope.

GAME TWO: Doyle's Public House's Cheesy British vs. The Harmon's Tacoma Dome Dip

If you erect a 4,000 square foot tent complete with a 20-foot TV screen to celebrate a holiday, say St. Patrick's Day, then you're labeled as a serious player. That's exactly what happened March 17 at Doyle's. The U.K.-style pub is also serious about its signature Cheesy British sandwich, which grabbed 60 percent of the votes yesterday over The Harmon's Tacoma Dome Dip. The Cheesy British will face off with Mike's Deluxe March 29. Expect skirmishes up and down Division Avenue.

GAME THREE: Sorci's Italian Café's Italian Grinder vs. Metropolitan Market's El Cubano

We know what you're thinking. Italian Grinder vs. El Cubano. This was a grudge match after Italy posted a 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, and 27-25) victory over Cuba at the 2011 FIVB World League of men's volleyball. At first, that motivation seemed obvious. However, Metropolitan Market's doors see a lot of action compared to the doors of the quaint Sorci's Italian Café in Sumner. Or, it could be the fact that Met Market's El Cubano is one tasty sandwich. Whatever the reason, the El Cubano racked up 62.4 percent of the votes and moves on to Second Round.

GAME FOUR: El Zocalo's The Cubana vs. Vinum's Cuban

On New Years' Day of 1959, Fidel Castro, whom the civilian population supported, overthrew Cuban president Fulgencio Batista. On Thursday, March 21, 2013, El Zocalo's The Cubana edged out Vinum's Cuban sandwich with 57.5 percent of the votes. The results of this battle will not change the relationship Cuba has with the United States. Cubans will still not legally be allowed to enter the United States unless they have an overpowering fastball. The next Cuban vs. Cuban face off happens when Met Market and El Zocalo's meets March 29 in Round Two.

Let's weed through the gobs of mayo. The following are advancing to the next round:

  • MSM Deli's Mike's Deluxe
  • Doyle's Public House's Cheesy British
  • Metropolitan Market's El Cubano
  • El Zocalo's The Cubana

The daily sandwich battles here on Spew are sponsored by Subway in Orting, Puyallup, Tacoma, Spanaway and Lakewood.

OK, let's check out today's First Round sandwich battles. Vote for one sandwich per battle. Voting for today's sandwich battles ends at 11:45 p.m.




Tomorrow's First Round Sandwich Battles in the Meatless/Seafood and Specialty Regions

Game 1: Tempeh Reuben (Darby's Café, 211 Fifth Ave. SE, Olympia) vs. Mushroom Panini (Toscanos Café and Wine Bar, 437 29th St. NE, Puyallup)

Game 2: Beet & Blue (1022 South, 1022 S. J St., Tacoma) vs. Vegan Reuben (Wally's Sandwich Bar, 2106 Harrison Ave. NW, Olympia)

Game 3: The Comanche (Rock The Dock Pub & Grill, 535 Dock St., Tacoma) vs. Southwest Chicken Sandwich (Loose Wheel Bar & Grill, 6108 Sixth Ave., Tacoma)

Game 4: Mom's Sloppy Joe (Crockett's Public House, 118 E. Stewart Ave., Puyallup) vs. Ancho BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich (Masa, 2811 Sixth Ave., Tacoma)

LINK: Tournament of Sandwiches explanation

LINK: Hot Damn! Yes, I want the Weekly Volcano's Afternoon Delight newsletter!

March 15, 2013 at 3:57pm

Tacoma City Ballet Scavenger Hunt Bonus: Mouse of the Month

CONTEST BASED ON HIDDEN NUTS AND ART CARDS >>>

Tacoma City Ballet is in the midst of a yearlong scavenger hunt for Golden Krakatuk Nuts. You heard right. Nuts. The nuts tie into the company's highly anticipated Dec. 7, 2013 performance, Prequel to The Nutcracker.

The contest in a nutshell: TCB hides hand-painted Golden Krakatuk Nuts inside jewel boxes around Tacoma; inside the boxes is a scroll with prize details, such as gift certificates, merchandise or tickets to Tacoma City Ballet's World Premier of said Nutcracker in December. Each month through the year, Golden Krakatuk Nuts will be hidden at businesses throughout Tacoma. To find the nuts, decipher the poetic clues, which will be posted at Tacoma City Ballet's website, Facebook page, as well as this blog. You find the Golden Krakatuk Nuts and great riches will be heaped upon you! For complete on the contest and Nutcracker performance, click here.

All the Golden Krakatuk Nuts hidden this month were claimed at the secret location, which was The Hub.

But, all is not lost. Fifty art postcards featuring Mouse Prince I from Tacoma City Ballet's world premiere The Nutcracker can be found at local businesses throughout Tacoma beginning today.  The first person to find the Mouse of the Month and bring him to the TCB Office will be rewarded with tickets to the production in December. In addition, a grand prize package will be awarded in late November to a lucky contestant who collects all nine mice - one hidden per month. For more details, go to the Mouse of the Month Facebook Event.

Tacoma City Ballet is encouraging mouse hunters to spread the word about where they find their mice using #MouseoftheMonth on twitter.

Filed under: Arts, Contest, Tacoma,

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News and entertainment from Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s most awesome weekly newspapers - The Ranger, Northwest Airlifter and Weekly Volcano.

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