Places to drive to
 

I'm a transplant from Iowa (34 years ago) I miss fried breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches, Going out for pizza and onion rings. Just watched Man Verses Food on the Travel channel, all Seattle restruants. The Red Mill was shown as offering quite a few killer burgers and onion rings. I've never been there have no idea where it is exactly. I've located the local Tacoma pizza places and have formed opinions. I like the Pizza Cassa Italian restruant out at Ponders Cornner for Hot Italian Sausage sandwhiches. I'm looking for good fried breaded onion rings, breaded pork tenderloin sandwhiches, and so on.

For pizza you might want to give the Cloverleaf Tavern a try. It's one of my favorite thin crust pizzas.

Michael,
Welcome to the N.W. Could show you a good Italian pizza place in Gig Harbor. Also we like oue ice cream? Hope to see you and your Cobra on a run sometrime.

Andy:3DSMILE::3DSMILE::3DSMILE::3DSMILE:

Michael, what part of Tacoma are you in? I have Family up off of Sixth at the top of the hill, south of Spanaway & a couple others I can't keep track of that live in there somewhere also. I'm usually up there a couple times a year.

Take 6th Ave East towards Wright Park. Where 6th divides into 6th and Division, take 6th and right there at the "Y" on your right is a red restaurant, either "Southern Chicken" or "Southern or Chicken'' something? Anyhow, it's real Southern cooking. Could start there. Welcome to Tacoma where anything other than hamburgers and pizza is considered exotic. It's all I can do to keep myself over 225 pounds, and I believe I should be aplauded for my continued efforts. Just the other day I was at a bar who had hot pastrami on rye for their special and it came with lettuce and tomato. Some folks have been making a big deal out of Mikey Burgers, on Center Street in Fircrest (right before Home Depot). It used to be the folks who owned the old Holland Drivein. Haven't tried it yet.

I live in Manitou neighborhood, near Mount Tahoma high school.
Mikes was torn down to make way for a modern two story building. I have heard about it but never took the opertunity.
My wife has heard about a restruarnt in Sumner called Dixies their menu show a breaded pork tenderloin sandwhich. Problem m-f till 8

Michael

The joint next to Sixth and Division is the Southern Kitchen. It's Greek To Me across the street hammers out a dandy lamb gyro too. I like Duke's on the waterfront for chowder and Indochine on Pearl for SE Asian food. Great sandwiches at Antique Sandwich Co and Don's Ruston Market too.

Michael
I'm from Des Moines (the Iowa one) and would be happy to FedEx you a box of huge, crispy tenderloins from Smitty's on Army Post Road........

Crispy tenderloins?:confused:

Was in Mikey Burger this week just to test them out for your guys, I had planned on having a salid. They do offer a breaded tenderloin sandwich on their menu but I had the Mikey burger. I didn't think it was anything to write home about but everyone else there seemed to like them. I like Frisco Freeze better. I'll keep researching for you guys.

Yep, fried, breaded, crispy pork tenderloins. Never had one? You've missed out.

Sounds like it will have to be a destination for my retirement travels.:)

Doug D
I lived in DesMoines untill 75 , I used to live on East Hull Ave. 2661, fith house, as I remember it, East of the water tower on the hill. I used to have a parts account w/discount at Ankeny Ford
You'll probably guess that I'm guessing at some of the spellings But
I remember Russ & Abbys LaPizza House SE 14th St, good pizza, great onoin rings. A large oval plate piled high, heaped, with the most perfect onion rings. That was the bribe to get me to go to Lamaze classes.
There used to be a bar-restruant on 2nd Ave and University Ave North West corner, Qupies, fantastic Hot Sausage sandwhch. When I was first married my wife usually new that I had one before the door ever opened.
Last time back, I went out on Douglas just West of Beaver Rd. There was a tenderloin joint on the South side of Douglas, Wednesday night car show. That is where I set my mind on the Cobra thing.
On Euclid Ave, a few doors West of SE 14TH St. North side of Eculid Ave, Hellen & Pats Restraunt, Cavitelly, a Baked pasta casaroll. The name has changed and last I was there they had another restauant on Merrl Hay South of Douglas Ave. They used to do a hell of a bussiness from Firestone shift changes.
Mama Laconas had the best Lasagna.
My brother met a cook in Las Vegas at Max Betts Fun Hog Ranch on Twane , who made Fried Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwhich the way she remebered it back at Millies on University Ave near the river. They kept changing things, like cooks, and so on untill my brother just gave up going there. The small restruant -casino was all done up in Iowa college sports pennants and schedules.
The Bravarian House on North East 14th , North of the freeway, used to have the best Ruebin Sandwhiches, That was my lunch splurge at work when I was supposed to be on a diet.
There is no going back in time. Too Bad.

Out on old 99 at Ponders corner in Lakewood, is the Pizza Casa. I go for the Hot Italian Sausage Sandwhich, I ask for extra motzarella chease on mine . They start you up with bread and butter to include those small hard bread sticks and it comes with a salad.
I'm still looking for fresh and plentifull restruant style onion rings. More than the six or eight previously frozen rings at $4 a pop.
My personal Best Pizza I found around here , pricey but really good, is Katie Downs Water Front Restruant on Ruston, at Old Tacoma water front.Take out

Have to agree, Katie Downs has a good pizza.

Try the Claim Jumper in Southcenter for onion rings. One of my favorites. I prefer the original, which are thick cut.

My wife orders a version of their Sicilian w/extra cheese. I drive down and pick it up.

I've gained ten pounds just reading all this!

Ray

Michael

I know the Hull Ave area. Drive through there on the freeway every day on the way to work. Remember the Hill Top restaurant at 29th & Hubbell? There was a semi-riot when the family that has owned it for decades announced they were closing. Fortunately, a couple stepped forward and bought it, and everyone kept their jobs. Still has the same great food.

The LaPizza house is still in business. It probably hasn't changed a bit since you were there last. Still has those excellent onion rings.

The drive-in on Douglas is called Porky's. Unfortunately it is now closed as a developer bought the whole block to build a new grocery store. Porky's relocated, but it's just not the same.

Helen & Pats, Mama Lacolna's, and the Bavarian House are all still in business. Millie's, unfortunately, is long gone.

I know what you mean about not being able to go back in time. I always try to support the "little guys" when going out to eat. You never know how long they'll be around.

Next time you're back here, give Smitty's on Army Post Rd (just east of the airport) a try. The best tenderloin you can buy. Guaranteed.

Doug

Hell I thought this post was going to be ABOUT PLACES TO DRIVE not EATING. Did I miss a page some where.

Fred
SPF158

My wifes cousin lives in the trailer court on the SE corner of ArmyPost Road and SE 14th st.They will be coming out here late June. I'll see if we can get some care packages.