PERSON, PLACE OR THINGS WITH STEPH DEROSA >>>

Thing: Russian Piroshky
Located in: Milton
Or: Seattle
You chose: Whichever location is closer
They're both: Delicious
If you buy more than: One
I don't: Blame you
Plural form of piroshki: Still called piroshky
Don't add: An ‘S'
Trust me: I looked it up

Craig Adamowski of 99 Bottles - dude has a digestive repertoire built on three things: chicken teriyaki, cookies and beer.

So what the hell does Adamowski know about Russian meat-stuffed pastries known as piroshky? Nothing, I would presume. Nothing at all.

But a couple years ago this beer-store-owning libations buff recommended I try out a piroshky at a local restaurant in Milton. Again, I had a hard time believing Mr. Adamowski due to his history with menu limitations, plus the fact Milton houses nothing but tanning franchises, grocery stores and a historically rad place known as Dave's.

But I'll be damned if Adamowski didn't call it right.

To find out what the hell I'm talking about, click here.

The Staircase Café is open in Tacoma

A couple of week's ago Sue Kidd of the Trib's TNT Diner announced Gig Harbor resident Sal'An Weyer bought The Old House in Proctor, and would soon re-open it as The Staircase Café.

The Staircase is now open ... for lunch. Dinner service will begin next week.

Today's lunch specials are roast beef with mashed potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and glazed carrots, shrimp salad, spinach quiche and more.

[The Staircase Cafe, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. lunch, 2717 N. Proctor St., Tacoma, 253.759.7336]

SPECIAL TEAMS >>>

It's time to start planning the biggest event of the year, your Super Bowl party. I don't get as riled up about the game as I used to - I think it's because players now change teams as often as they change their jockstraps - but I do still love a good party.

So does Pat Nagle of the Harmon restaurants group. The owner of the Harmon Tap Room will add a takeout option to the Stadium District brew pub, allowing folks to load up on food and Harmon brews for Super Bowl parties - and any other party for that matter.

"If you are in the market for a keg for a party, reception, whatever - The Tap Room is the place to go," says Nagle.

The Tap Room's complete menu will be available for takeout. Beginning Super Bowl weekend, Nagle will erect "Tap Room Takeout Parking Only" signs allowing for fast, convenient five-minute parking for takeout customers.

Nagle says he will offer special pricing when food is paired with a Harmon brew, such as pizza and a growler; Cuban, fries and a bottle of beer; Brewer's chicken salad and a growler; Party platter with 10 pizzas and a pony keg.

Nagle also says the Tap Room's back space will be slightly remodeled to host more live music.

[Harmon Tap Room, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, 204 St. Helens, Tacoma, 253.212.2725]

SO. MUCH. FOOD. >>>

On Thursday, Jan. 12, 25 dedicated foodies and Weekly Volcano peeps gathered at Café Banana in Lakewood to sample an eye-opening variety of curry dishes and colorful cocktails. From a Massaman lamb curry to roasted chicken Kulumar to classic Penang, green and red curries, the choices were diverse, ample and delicious. It was an enormous amount of food. Many Nosh Leaguers took home piles of curry.

Proprietor Tony Wen provided a curry history lesson, noting trade routes and spice variations.

Accompany the five curry dishes and curry puffs, Wen poured very strong mango vodka slushies and blue rum drinks.

As the gathering wound up, attendees signed up for their Nosh League newsletter, gathered their raffle prizes and slowly moved toward the door. We're talking a lot a food.

Keep your eye out for future Nosh League events organized by the Weekly Volcano. Also, please rate the restaurants in our South Sound Restaurant Guide.

[Cafe Banana, 10115 S. Tacoma way, Lakewood, 253.589.4678]

LINK: More photos from Café Banana Nosh League event

LINK: Learn about Nosh League

HOLIDAY HELPINGS >>>

Still reeling from New Year's Eve? Don't pack up the party just yet: The Year of the Dragon is on, kicking off 15 days of Chinese New Year festivities around the world. But it's not just an excuse to get drunk and make resolutions; this is also the most important Chinese holiday of the year, a period of purging, bonding and ritual tied to the lunar and solar cycles of the earth.

In honor of the holiday, let's eat Chinese today.

Happy Dragon Chinese Food

5104 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.759.0800
One of the oldest Chinese restaurants in Tacoma with some of the oldest Chinese servers in Tacoma - who happen to be very nice. The mango chicken, Mongolian beef and tangy eggplant are our go-to dishes. - Jake and Jason de Paul

Happy Teriyaki #4

2223 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.1544
The small franchise location specializes in fast, tasty and affordable Asian cuisine; Chinese teriyaki dishes dominate the menu with a smattering of Mongolian, Szechwan, Korean, Cantonese and Japanese dishes thrown in - sushi, sushi rolls, sashimi, bento box, tempura, chow mien, kimchi, soups, spring rolls, barbeque pork, yakisoba, katsu, almond chicken, fried rice, beef short ribs and stir-fry. The portions are generous and affordable. What stands out is the friendly attitude of the staff. On each visit, service has not only been efficient and swift but pleasantly provided. - Jennifer Johnson

K&C Burkie

12926 Bridgeport Way SW. Lakewood, 253.582.9250
Friendly faces serve standard American food alongside Korean, Chinese and Japanese dishes at K & C Burkie Burgers just outside McChord gates. The small, clean and casual eatery does a good job with both East and West offerings - corn dog or gyoza, California wrap or spicy tuna roll, chili cheese dog or chicken teriyaki, curly fries or scallop roll. - JJ

Lobster House

711 S. 38th St., Tacoma, 253.471.8982
At the Lobster House in Tacoma's International District a range of Chinese dishes can be had; radish cakes, congee (rice porridge), chicken feet, salt and pepper squid, chow mein, walnut prawns, hum bao, chow fun and the hot ticket item of the moment: dim sum. Think of dim sum as small meat and vegetable filled pouches, or even simpler as Chinese dumplings. - JJ

Macau Casino Restaurant

9811 South Tacoma Way, Lakewood, 253.983.1777
Chef King Heun Wai, who has won local and national awards, and who has repeatedly been distinguished as one of America's top 100 Chinese Chefs, and who has earned House of Hong in Seattle's Chinatown a place on King 5's Best of Western Washington list of the top five Chinese restaurants, now brings his talent and more than 30 years of experience to Lakewood's Macau Casino as executive chef. The Chinese menu has 87 different items. - JJ

The Green Coconut Tree

8813 Edgewater Dr. SW, Lakewood, 253.473.4444.\
The tiny joint serves Chinese, Vietnamese and ... yes a full complement of Jamaican cuisine. Green Coconut Tree is a casual restaurant with simple furnishings and minimal décor. Two flat screen televisions on either wall had me mesmerized like staring into a fire. The place was clean, and we were given cloth napkins - a nice, unexpected touch.  - JJ

Shanghai House

1126 Commerce St., Tacoma 253.627.1859
Shanghai House opened in April 2009. We give Shanghai big props on portion sizes, for sure. The food is average. Read our review here. - Jake and Jason de Pauls

Three Sisters Tacoma Szechuan

9601 South Tacoma Way, Lakewood, 253.581.0102
Folks, this is as real as it gets around here. Chinese (Sichuan) with a huge menu, well over a hundred options, and the portions are big and the flavors fresh. Their idea of a starter soup is more trough-like than cup. Crispy pork & tofu with hot tomato sauce, hot pepper fried shredded potato, eggplant in hot garlic sauce - they excel in hot and spicy. Thin, marinated lamb strips had a bit of fat, giving the dish a bump in richness. Quite tender meat gave easily at tooth touch. White onion and green and red bell peppers made up half the dish. Plentiful dried chili pepper pods were carefully avoided after a first blind forkful nearly made my head explode. - Ron Swarner

LINK: Eating in the Year of the Dragon

HELLO BEST OF TACOMA 2012! >>>

Tirami sù ("pick me up"), far from being an Italian dessert of ancient vintage, was actually invented at El Toula restaurant in Treviso, just north of Venice, in the '60s. It spread across the ocean like the Beatles, with such startling rapidity that by the '80s, it was de rigueur in every Italian restaurant in the South Sound.

Catch a slammin' version at Marrow Kitchen and Bar.

Last night Marrow bartender Greg Rodriguez (harp man with the Fucking Eagles) served me enough tiramisu to choke Augustus Gloop. Chef Kyle Wnuk's version ($6) is probably the best version of this Italian classic I have ever had. It had not the slightest hint of heaviness, although due to my huge intake during the evening I could only manage a few bites. His whipped-cream-consistency tiramisu is made of savoiardi (lady finger biscuits) dipped in strong coffee and rum, layered with a whipped mixture of that includes mascarpone and chocolate.

Sadly, it's not inked on the menu, but rather written with chalk on the specials board.

Keep an eye on the board.

[Marrow Kitchen and Bar, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesday-Saturday,  2717 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.267.5299]

SERIOUSLY ... A FREE DINNER >>>

A fiery mix of minds should banish the chill and slush tonight.

Members of the Saint Martin's University community will unleash hopes and thoughts on the life of Martin Luther King Jr. tonight.

But this isn't the typical four-days-after MLK Day event.

The free and open to the public event features a Southern-style dinner with remarks by Jonathan Hew Len, the University's student body president, and University President Roy F. Heynderickx, Ph.D.

Yes, the events includes a free dinner.

A powerful performance by the Mayhem Poets will round out the evening. According to hype, "The Mayhem Poets blend spoken word, hip-hop, theater, improv and standup comedy to expose audiences to fresh perspectives on both historical and contemporary issues. Their unique approach to spoken word has landed them feature spots on The Today Show and Eyewitness News."

The event is presented by Saint Martin's Campus Life PROS, SMU Black Student Union, and Office of Intercultural Initiatives.

[Norman Worthington Conference Center, Friday, Jan. 20, 6-7:30 p.m., free, 5300 Pacific Ave. S.E., Lacey, 360.491,4700]

SLUSH DAY SPECIALS TOO >>>

Whether you like to shoot a game of pool in a boisterous tavern or want to bring the kids along, there are tons of places with pool tables in the area. Many restaurants and bars have a pool table. Farrelli's Pizza joints always have a table or two, as does The Spar in Old Town Tacoma, Harmon Tap Room, Top of Tacoma, Meconi's, Brotherhood Lounge and many more.

The places we've chosen to feature have more than one table, as well as an undeniable perk or two to go with your game of pool.

Also listed below are specials for today.

The Swiss

1904 S. Jefferson Ave., Tacoma, 253.572.2821
The Swiss is quintessentially Tacoma is so many ways-local artwork on the walls, industrial-chic local, and awesome food. There are four pool tables at The Swiss along with shuffleboard, foosball and other games. Better yet, stop in Monday through Thursday and enjoy free pool. Friday and Saturday nights often include live music.
Slush Day Specials: Pasta primavera, egg salad sandwich and clam chowder

Malarkey's Pool and Brew

445 Tacoma Ave. S, Tacoma, 253.383.3301
With about 16 pool tables, Malarkey's is hard to beat if you're looking for a serious pool hall. Wednesday evenings feature 9-ball tournaments, and all evenings offer cheap food, beer and games.
Slush Day Specials: Clam chowder, plus $5 "summer-ish" drinks and hot cocoa

Tower Lanes

6323 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.564.8853
Tower Lanes is a good place to go if you want your pool with a side of mini golf, arcade games, pull tabs and bowling. There are three pool tables available at $6 per hour. If you go on a Friday or Saturday evening, you might have to wait to play, but there is enough to do at Tower Lanes that it's not likely to be a problem. Tower is also one of the rare places where adults can play pool and tip back a beer, but still bring the kids along.
Slush Day Specials: None. Still $2.50 a game to bowl

Eastside Club Tavern

410 E Fourth Ave., Olympia, 360.357.9985
If you live closer to Olympia, check out the Eastside Club Tavern for all your pool hall needs. Located downtown (close to several other bars and taverns if you want to make a bar crawl out of the night), the Eastside has a great selection of microbrews at very reasonable prices and an array of other table games.
Slush Day Special: $3.25 pints from 4-7 p.m.

4th Ave Ale House & Eatery

201 E. Fourth Ave., Olympia, 360.786.1444
The 4th Ave has a fantastic jukebox, a huge room of pool tables, a predictable selection of domestic-micros on tap, sandwiches, pull tabs, and of course - the infamous "back room."
Slush Day Specials: Ring ... ring ... ring ...

Where do you like to shoot pool?

FRIDAY, JAN. 20, 2012 >>>

1. At 7:30 p.m. inside the Theatre on the Square, the magic of theater and a little suspended disbelief can take you to Catholic school. In Late Night Catechism: "Til Death Do Us Part, the character known as Sister goes from being a kindly instructor who rewards the audience for correct answers (prizes include glow-in-the-dark rosaries and laminated saint cards) to being more of a disciplinarian. Weekly Volcano editor Matt Driscoll chimes in on this show here.

2. Update: This has been canceled due to the weather. Tacoma's Anthem Coffee & Tea will officially celebrate its grand opening today with an all-day celebration that includes musical contributions from Puyallup's own Roman Holiday along with drink specials, a champagne toast, and the warm-and-fuzzy feeling that comes with supporting hyper-local goodness.The festivities begin at 3 p.m. with Roman Holiday rockin' at 9 p.m.

3. UPDATE: This event has been canceled. Lynn Di Nino's Tripod Slide Shows are worth falling on your ass to see. Selected photographers slide through their talents, explaining techniques and circumstances to viewers. At 7 p.m. inside Madera Architectural Elements (stone's throw from The Melting Pot) showroom, Francesca Siena, Diane Hansen and Candy Anderson take you on a journey to Peru, Ethiopa and the Galapagos Islands, respectively. It's fun.

4. Weekly Volcano theater critic Christian Carvajal loved and despised Almost, Maine at Olympia Little Theatre, which will be staged at 7:55 p.m. To read Christian Carvajal's full review, click here.

5. Seattle Songwriter Trevor Ras will bring some Blue Sky (his first solo album in five years) to Olympia's Spar Café beginning at 8 p.m. If you dig James Taylor and Crosby, Stills & Nash, you'll dig this show.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight

LINK: This week's freebies

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 18, 2012 >>>

1. The stinkin' snow won't keep STINK Cheese & Meat down. The downtown Tacoma uber deli will offer $3 beers and wines all day to go along with its pesto mac-n-cheese with fresh mozzarella and tomatoes or grilled cheese sandwich with Beecher's bacon and caramelized onions. STINK will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

2. At 6 p.m., about the time the congressional staff gossip really begins to flow around the bar inside Swing Wine Bar, which can be found just down the street from the Capitol Campus, guitarist Vince Brown will change the conversation with his swing jazz.

3. Hardcore Olympia punk band Hysterics join Dogjaw, Grudge Thought and Shoppers for a 6:30 p.m. all-ages show at Le Voyeur in downtown Olympia.

4. Many things go well with beer: Pretzels. Football. Your mother-in-law away on an extended cruise. You know what else goes great with beer? Tacos and tunes. Every Wednesday night Tacoma's Lucky Silver Tavern has $1 tacos and $1 plates of tater tots, not to mention a full docket of karaoke songs. Chugging beer, pounding beef tacos and belting out some Fleetwood Mac - now that's a Wednesday night.

5. When the snow falls in downtown Tacoma, the bands stumble out of the practice pads, karaoke singers pop out of Puget Sound Pizza and The Mix and those 12 condo residents open the big doors - then all gather at the top of the street to slide down the hills like maniacs. Someone always gest hurt. Someone always throws a snowball at Rev. Colin. Someone always yells "cops." Good times.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight

LINK: This week's freebies