Northern Fish Company at 2201 Ruston Way in Tacoma has a wonderful setting with Commencement Bay out its back door (if it had a back door!). There are two Northern Fish Co. locations in Tacoma with the other one being at 3911 South 56th. The Ruston Way location not only offers seafood to prepare at home, but also seafood chowders and baskets to either eat there or at home. Their website is here http://www.northernfish.com/
Easter dinner was Pasta Primavera which we enjoyed with our dear vegetarian daughter, but earlier in the day dear husband and I wanted a little something for lunch. I was trying to think of a place that would be open, but not packed and not too expensive and then I remembered Pick-Quick Drive at 4306 Pacific Hwy E, Fife, WA 98424. Unfortunately for us, it was closed. But I did have a great opportunity to snap a couple of photos of this Fife institution. Pick-Quick was built in 1949 and is famous for its burgers and many flavored shakes. Seating is either in one’s car or at one of the many picnic tables. There are two Pick-Quick locations, this one and a much newer one in Auburn.
During this extended winter I’ve had more then my fair share of coffee. Today I went out for a walk, but it started to hail! So, I ducked into the Northern Pacific Coffee Company at 401 Garfield Street South, in the Parkland area of unincorporated Pierce County. The coffee shop features lunch, sweets, wine, beer, coffee drinks and frappes. I had a delicious Americano and a chai cupcake.
Northern Pacific Coffee Company’s facebook page can be found here http://www.facebook.com/pages/Northern-Pacific-Coffee-Company-NPCC/167740459948412
Update: Northern Pacific Coffee Company closed as of January 2017.
Today I had parental obligations and found myself near the University of Washington Tacoma campus. I took the first parking spot I came to and found myself in front of the recently opened Bubble Tea Shop at 1712 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma. It was great to see a new business along the strip. We enjoyed our bubble teas and thought the shop had the coolest black tables.
Five Guys at 5605 Lakewood Towne Center Blvd., Lakewood, WA 98499 has an amazing soda machine. You push on your choice of Coke Product and there are 22 choices. I picked diet, caffeine free Coke. Then a second screen appears with seven more choices: cherry, vanilla, lime, orange, raspberry, cherry vanilla or plain. I tried cherry and orange (not together) and really they were pretty good.
Five Guys is a hamburger chain that originated out of Washington D.C. and currently has 900 stores. There are two locations in Pierce Co., this one and one in Puyallup. Their website (http://www.fiveguys.com/) says there are over 250,000 ways to order a burger here! The restaurant was packed when I got there at around 4. There must have been 30 people ahead of me in line. But the line moved quickly and my order came up in no time. Or maybe the time just passed quickly since I was fascinated with the soda machine 🙂 The interior was a cheerful red and white and free peanuts were available
After work my friends and I went to Stonegate Pizza and Rum Bar at 5421 South Tacoma Way Tacoma, WA 98409. It had a comfortable feel, good food, friendly service and was reasonably priced. I didn’t haven rum, but apparently there are over 100 types. While we were enjoying our meal, a magician came to our table. How cool is that?! And he was great. Even up close, I couldn’t figure out how the magic was done.
The building was constructed in 1908 and renovated for its current use in 2007. Their 
Facebook Page is located here http://www.facebook.com/pages/STONEGATE-RESTAURANT-BAR/252566649502
Medi’s at 2710 6th Avenue was a great choice for a Valentine’s meal. We somehow missed lunch, so went at the early time of 4. We ordered their special, a large multi-cheese pizza for $13 and a cheesesteak. It was way more food then we could eat, so we brought some pizza home to dear daughter and there is still enough for lunch tomorrow. Medi’s opened in September based on how busy it was, they are doing well. I was glad to see it was a family restaurant because I plan to take my dear daughter to lunch here sometime.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Medis-Tacoma/237527906295290
This parcel of land was originally the site of a cottage built in 1889. In 1925 the current building was constructed and occupied by C.S. Enger Hardware Co. Sluggo Music opened on Valentine’s day 1979 and was there until 2011. Medi’s Pizza has the Sluggo Music sign hanging up in tribute.
Art in the women’s restroom.
At the corner of Sprague and Division ( 2006 Sixth Avenue, Tacoma WA 98403) there is a A&W.KFC Co-Branded fast food restaurant. The A&W part is one of three A&W locations in Tacoma. All are co-branded with KFC. In fact we now have to drive 20 miles to Port Orchard to find a stand alone A&W. I wonder if it is the drive up kind.here are six KFCs with a Tacoma address, which includes the three just mentioned.
Per Wikipedia, both KFC and A&W had been owned by Yum! until recently and that “Most A&W stores that opened in the U.S. in recent years were co-branded with another of Yum!’s chains— Long John Silver’s, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell or Kentucky Fried Chicken. On December 19, 2011, A&W and Long John Silver were sold to A Great American Brand LLC.
I’ve been wanting to go to 1022 South in the Hilltop neighborhood of Tacoma for ages and today was the day. They have happy hour from 4 to 8 everyday and their prices were very reasonable for the quality. I treated myself to a hot mulled cider with brandy and it was very wonderful. We also had some small plates that were delicious. We made an agreement to go back soon because they had many other delicious looking drinks and it is a great place to unwind after a long work week. My one small complaint was it was such a small space and pretty much packed.
Their website is here 1022south.com/
They tell me there is a big old snow storm coming, though when I snapped this photo the skies were mostly blue. I needed some provisions (cookies, chips, milk, cheese) and stopped at Trader Joe’s and then for a cup of drip coffee at Green Fir’s Starbucks. It was packed and there was no inconspicuous way to take a photo, so I took one of the outside and it was truly awful! I mean really, really bad. So, here is a photo that I do like of one of the trees in the Green Firs Center. Now let’s see if we actually get this huge storm!
