SAD DAY >>>

The Weekly Volcano just received this bit of sad news:

It is with great sadness we announce the closure of Sip. at the wine bar & restaurant in Gig Harbor.  Monday, May 24, 2010 was the last day of operation.

We would like to thank the Sip. Gig Harbor team for their endless devotion and countless hours of hard work. We are pleased that many of our employees will find new homes at our other Sip. and Melting Pot locations.

For guests looking to enjoy the same outstanding service, dining experience and ambiance, we invite you to visit us at the Seattle and Issaquah Sip. locations.

Sincerely,

Lane Scelzi, owner of Washington Restaurant Group

WINE WITH A VIEW >>>

"Wine bar" has always seemed like a contradiction in terms to me. Don't get me wrong, I love wine and drink it avidly - perhaps with more avidity than discernment. It's just that putting the word "wine" before "bar," threatens to undermine the whole vivid set of expectations we have for bars. If I may quote from It's a Wonderful Life, when Nick the bartender verbally slaps George Bailey in his alternate universe: "We serve hard drinks in here for men who want to get drunk fast, and we don't need any characters like you hanging around." THAT's a bar.

Morso, which opened Friday, May 21, at the head of Gig Harbor's bay next to Water to Wine retail shop, doesn't label itself a "wine bar" as part of its name or paste it in its printed materials, yet it feels like a wine bar. First, it serves wine cocktails such as Chambosa, Morso Fresh, Belly of the Bay and Bay Breeze - all ringing in at $5 a pop. The last two taste similar to a vodka peach and vodka cranberry, respectively, yet are wine based. Second, its bar resembles a bar as it installed an Enomatic on the back bar, which dispenses wine directly from the bottle in one-ounce pours while keeping the freshness intact with inert argon gas. The bottles could have been uncorked for weeks yet maintains that freshly opened taste.

And that's where the "bar" references stop. Morso, which roughly means small plates in Italian, is a handsomely decorated restaurant with a knowledgeable friendly staff, innovative gourmet cuisine with a spectacular view of Gig Harbor, especially when they open their huge patio. Owned by business partners Steven Lynn (Water to Wine owner) and Stephanie Huddleston, Morso is a casual drop-in wine bar that serves wine discoveries paired with flavors of the season. Locally acclaimed chef Jeff Bishop (Il Fiasco, Brix 25, Merende) leads the kitchen that serves beautiful crostini, cheese, salads, flatbreads and meat dishes. The small plates are priced between $5 (crostinis) and $14 (fish dish), but the preparations will change regularly. A "kitchen notes" sheet arrives with a menu, which diners select what they desire with checkmarks. For example, if you check the $13 duck, you'll currently receive "slow braised duck leg, creamy French lentils, sweet marsala-crimini pan reduction." That preparation could change at any moment according to seasonal choices, what arrives "fresh" or Bishop's mood. I'm hoping the $12 steak salad option - "Tender flat-iron steak cooked to perfection, peppery baby argula, friend quail egg, Worcestershire vinaigrette" remains on the menu until my next visit.

I give props to Morso bartender Ben Hollander, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America just outside Napa, Calif. All the owners, managers and Chef Bishop were on site the night I visited, yet they sat back and let Hollander explain the wine, food and business, which he did magnificently. Hollander knows his wine, and can talk food and wine pairing with ease, in a professional, yet relaxed manner.

Morso

5-10 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 5 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, 5-9 p.m. Sunday
9014 Peacock Hill Ave., Gig Harbor, 253.530.3463

LINK: More on Morso and Water to Wine in our Restaurant section

ONE BIG PARTY TODAY >>>

Greece Is The Word: Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church's annual Greek Taverna, which is a smaller sibling to its annual fall shindig, will be held today from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. St. Nicholas will serve gyros, manestra and keftedes, tsureki bread, salata, spanakopita, baklava, beer, wine and other beverages not as fun. There will also be Greek music and dancers. The church is at 1523 S. Yakima Ave. in Tacoma.

Wine To Beer: Water to Wine hosts a beer tasting today from 2-5 p.m. at 9014 Peacock Hill Ave. in Gig Harbor.

Birthday Party: Russ Heaton, co-owner of Doyle's Public House, celebrates his 40^th birthday at 8 p.m. inside his joint. Celtic rockers Ockham’s Razorwill be in the house, too.

Happy Hour: GoodFella's Italian Steakhouse in Lakewood hosts a Saturday happy hour from 4-7 p.m. They offer half-off all drinks as well as $5 appetizers. More happy hours can be found here.

Future Things Are Coming: The Varsity Grill has brought back its monthly Martini Club, which will be held Thursday, May 27 from 5-7 p.m. Your $5 allows you free appetizers and $5 martinis.

Food Matters: Do you really have to replace your cumin and sage every six months? Salon asks the experts.

LINK: Restaurant coupons

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

LINK: Send us your restaurant and lounge news

TODAY IN DRINKS >>>

Red Hot Lunch: Tomme Arthur of Lost Abbey and Port Brewing will drop by The Red Hot during lunchtime between noon and 2 p.m. today.  Meet the man; drink his beers. 

Half Price Wine: Ramblin Jacks and I.Talia Pizzeria of Olympia, Sip and Brix 25 of Gig Harbor, and Primo grill and Woody's On the Water of Tacoma all discount their bottles of wine by 50 percent tonight. More details here.

Two Of 99: Sample two beers for $1 from 4-9 p.m. today at 99 Bottles in Federal Way.

Future Things Are Coming: Star Chefs on Broadway 2010 will consume the Pantages Theater Sunday, May 23 with live music, silent and live auctions and incredible cabaret performances under the direction of Kevin Joyce of Teatro Zinzanni. The event, which starts at 5 p.m., features dishes from Pacific Grill, Brix 25, El Gaucho, Affairs and several other South Sound restaurants. The charity event raises money for Broadway Center's arts education programs. The cost is $175 per person. To reserve your spot, call 253.591.5894.

Food Matters: Burgerville chain prints personalized calories counts on customers' receipts.

LINK: Restaurant coupons

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

LINK: Send us your restaurant and lounge news

TUESDAY IS A GOOD FOOD DAY >>>

Leader Of The Stack: For the morning sweet toothed-diner, the Hotel Murano serves an amazing gourmet gingerbread French toast. Six gooey cinnamon and ginger swirled slices arrive on a long plate topped with crème fraiche and powdered sugar. They're so soft you could sleep on them. Whipped butter and maple syrup standby if needed - although they are not necessary. It rings in at $11.

Tuesdays With Merlot: Harbor Greens Wine Bar in Gig Harbor is now open on Tuesdays.

Love Fondue: The Love Tacoma group will love Tacoma and fondue tonight from 5:30-7:30 p.m. inside The Melting Pot in downtown Tacoma. Cheese and chocolate fondue pots will be available to dip in while proclaiming your love for Tacoma with fellow Tacoma lovers. The Melting Pot promises an explosive signature cocktail, just for Love Tacoma. Love it.

Wad Of Cheap Goodness: Tightwad Tuesday - $2 beer, $2 wells, $2 tacos - goes down today from 4 p.m. to close at Hell's Kitchen.

Future Things Are Coming: Tacoma Food Co-op presents a free screening of Fresh Saturday, May 22 at 6 p.m. inside Carwein Auditorium on the University of Washington Tacoma campus.

Food Matters: What your sandwich says about you.

LINK: Restaurant coupons

LINK: Wine and beer tastings, dinners and events

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

LINK: Send us your restaurant and lounge news

TODAY'S SPECIALS >>>

It's Back: Salty's at Redondo Beach will be serving Copper River salmon beginning today.

Wine Tasting: Water to Wine in Gig Harbor will be pouring tastes of Cantele Winery from 3-6 p.m.

Punch It: When you have lunch at Primo Grill five times the sixth lunch is on them. Get a DO YOU DO LUNCH? card the next time you do lunch at Primo and start saving money.

Beer And Nails Night: Donny Vomit - master of the strange, bizarre, odd and macabre nature - including hammering spikes into his skull, continues his tour of the Puget Sound with a stop at 99 Bottles in Federal Way. The beer store will be pouring his namesake, Coney Island Human Blockhead Ale, plus two other beers from Shmaltz Brewing from 5 to 5:45 p.m.

Wine Dinner: Chambers Bay Golf Course hosts its first wine dinner tonight at 7 p.m. Chandler Reach Winery wines will be paired with Executive Chef Dustin Joseph's menu. The cost is $65 per person plus tax and gratuity. Call 253.460.4653 to reserve your seat.

Food Matters: A Japanese company has developed a rice paddy bra. Now that's eating local.

LINK: Restaurant coupons

LINK: Wine and beer tastings, dinners and events

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

LINK: Send us your restaurant and lounge news

SUNDAY, MAY 9, 2010 >>>

1. This month's installment of the Tacoma Cult Movie Club centers around "stop (the presses) motion animation" featuring films by Ray Harryhausen - including his last film, Clash of the Titans (1981) - beginning at 7 p.m. inside the Acme Grub Cage at 13th and Tacoma Avenue South.  As always, the club will also screen its usual array of trailers, shorts, the ongoing Batman serial, and the always-random raffle.

2. Glass artist Gabe Feenan, who has been a gaffer and designer with the Museum of Glass Hot Shop team since 2002, will nestle up to the microphone for a 2 p.m. "Conversation With The Artist" event inside the museum. Meet Feenan and learn more about his work including slides of his artwork. Rumor has it that he will also share his original poetry.

3. Paradise Theatre will close its production of The Importance of Being Earnest with a final 3 p.m. show today.

4. Mandolin Café's all-ages open mic, hosted by Billy Farmer, has rapidly become one of the best in the South Sound. See why when it kicks off at 6 p.m.

5. Athens, Ga., band The Winter Sounds are beyond slick, as recorded. Layers and layers of churchly harmonies, chiming guitars and driving rhythms, dominate the band's songs, which can be heard, along with Parachute Musical and Ron Hexagon, at 10 p.m. inside Le Voyeur in Olympia.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

Doesn't it seem as if there are a hundred music festivals coming our way this summer?

Here's another one:

The South Sound Blues Association will embed its Back to Beale Street Blues 2011 competition into Gig Harbor's annual Maritime Gig Festival, which will be held June 5 in downtown Gig Harbor. We posted the press release after the break:

Read more...

NOSH PIT >>>

Burrito Eating Contest: Masa hosts a bit of fun tonight.

Special Menu: Maxwell's is going Mexican tonight.

Tasty Taco: Moctezuma's seems to have a decent taco.

Casino Rojo Del Viento: Chili Colorado, Spanish rice, Mexicna ribs, al fresco, carne asada, El Diablo shrimp and more from 4-10 p.m. for $15.

>>>>> Where are you eating tonight? <<<<<<<

The World's Most Interesting Man: Like him.

Spring Menu Launch: Pour at Four unleashes its new spring menu today, which features more than 65 new wines.

Future Things Are Coming: Brix 25 presents its second dinner in its Specialty Dinner Series featuring wines from Rotie Cellars. Chef Thad will create a four-course menu matched with Rotie's Rhone-styled wines set in an intimate atmosphere - only 18 seats - Thursday, May 13 at 6 p.m. The cost is $85 per person. Reserve your spot at the Gig Harbor restaurant at 253.858.6626.

Food Matters: The full list of James Beard Award winners for 2010.

LINK: Wine and beer tastings, dinners and events

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

LINK: Send us your restaurant and lounge news

NOSH PIT >>>

Doughnuts Do Good: Local law enforcement officers won't be inside the Krispy Kreme doughnut shop next to the Tacoma Mall but instead on the roof in order to raise money for Special Olympics Washington.

Spring Menu: Brix 25 in Gig Harbor revamped its menu and rolls it out today.

Wine Tastings: Water to Wine in Gig Harbor will pour complimentary tastes of Croation wines today from 2-5 p.m. The Wine Bank in University Place will pour wines from Walla Walla today from 2-4:30 p.m.

Food Matters: New research on what defines a "foodie" puts gender, race, and socioeconomics on the table.

LINK: Wine and beer tastings, dinners and events

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

LINK: Send us your restaurant and lounge news