Good things come in threes
- Share:
Three small treats worth a stop.
by Jake and Jason de Paul
Mar 27, 2008
ANNOUNCER: If you go through life in a rush you’re going to miss out on a lot of good things. Of course, the smell of roses is the classic example, but if you’re always in a hurry you’re also going to miss letting a piece of maple sugar candy dissolve slowly on your tongue, or the sight of the sun when it melts all the way into the ocean at sunset, or the great outtakes at the end of a Jackie Chan movie.
No, the boys haven’t gone all maudlin and reflective like a movie on Lifetime. They just want to point out that if you’re rushing around town, speeding up and down the main thoroughfares, you’re missing out on some great little spots that deserve your attention.
The Great Cuisine of India, for example.
JAKE: The Taj Mahal it ain’t. The fluorescent-lit dining room has all the warmth and cozy charm of a check cashing joint. But you don’t go there for atmosphere. You go there for some of the tastiest Hindi vittles this side of New Delhi at, well, New Delhi prices. The lamb royal korma — which feeds two and can be had for the princely sum of $8.95 — is comprised of gamy chunks of lamb floating in a rust-colored goulash of curry and other mystical spices, poured over a bed of basmati rice. The chef would probably frown on this, but I always fold in the yogurt sauce they give you to dress the Aloo Papri Chaat bread. I also like to spark up a sandalwood Gonesh and cue up Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” before digging in.
Or take some time out for Goodfellas Steakhouse at Grand Central Casino.
JASON: I had a New York cut that cut like butter for $29. The seasoning on the steak, as well as the accompanying vegetables, was sensational. I started the meal with the unique grilled Caesar salad, which I discovered had a great smoky flavor and crispness thanks to the oils seared inside. The dressing was equally smooth with nice hints of anchovy.
The crème brûlée was divine with the right mix of vanilla and sugar topping. The perfect ending.
Another rose worth stopping in to smell — and taste — is Southern Kitchen.
JAKE: When it comes to guilty pleasures, there are few foodstuffs as guilt-ridden as fried chicken. Luckily, good fried chicken is hard to come by. There are only two places I eat fried chicken. One is a restaurant in New York City called Lola. Lola’s 100 Spice Fried Chicken will funk up your life for good. The only other place I find fried chicken worthwhile is at the Southern Kitchen Restaurant in Tacoma. It’s the chicken of the gods. If The King were still around, he’d have sold Graceland and moved to Tacoma to be closer to that fried chicken. It’s that good — moist tender meat protected by crisp breading and a bit of fire. And while we’re talking fried food, let us not forget the fried catfish at the Southern Kitchen. With a side of hush puppies laced with jalapeños (one of the funkier foods in this galaxy), the Southern Kitchen’s catfish is hard to beat.
[Great Cuisine of India, 9518 Gravelly Lake Dr. S.W., Lakewood, 253.581.1333]
[Goodfellas Steakhouse, Grand Central Casino, 10117 S. Tacoma Way, Lakewood, 253.396.1700]
[Southern Kitchen Restaurant, 1716 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.4282]
