NEW KID ON THE BLOCK >>>

A new restaurant has arrived on Tacoma Avenue South, in Red Kelly's old spot near the County-City Building. The restaurant is the SideBar Bistro - note the legal theme - with cherry wood furniture, slate floors, fixtures that look as though they came from Restoration Hardware and three meals a day. JoAnna and Tom Irick - who also own Hot Rod Dog, with locations on Pacific Avenue and next door to their new venture - quietly opened the SideBar Bistro Tuesday, which features Northwest-ish dishes, a full bar, an espresso machine and a gorgeous view of the mountains. So far, the clientele has been mostly neighboring attorneys, but the SideBar has plans to ease into their place in Tacoma's restaurant scene. Tom's years watching his father's restaurant businesses in Alaska, his experience selling wine and his experiences owning Hot Rod Dog have taught him patience - and the desire to do things correctly.

Breakfast, served until 11 a.m., features $3.95 steel cut Irish oatmeal, a $4.75 grilled breakfast panini with Black Forest ham, smoked turkey or bacon, $3.95 Belgian waffle with fresh strawberries, $4.25 quiche, as well as a $3.45 granola parfait and $2.45 bagel with cream cheese. Pastries from Essential Baking Co. are available, too.

Lunch, which should be very popular due to the high-traffic in and out of the Country-City Building, consists of nine sandwiches - with a tenth option of building your own - five salads, and soups.

Currently, dinner only has five options: grilled vegetable ravioli ($15.99), chicken Caesar salad ($11.99), SideBar lasagna ($16.99), walnut apple chicken salad ($12.99), French dip sandwich ($10.99) and a chicken pot pie with puff pastry ($12.99). The Iricks intend to add more dishes soon.

Down the long dining room and a dogleg right sits a small bar with two flatscreen televisions. All your favorite booze options sit on the shelves, with three micro brews on tap, eight wine whites, 12 reds, three sparkling wines and two dessert wines.  The 2005 Volker Eisele Cabernet tops the wine list at $85. Most bottles are priced between $21 and $29.

The SideBar happy hour is in its infant stage with a dollar off wells, wine glasses and drafts from 3-6 p.m. Monday-Friday. Happy hour food specials currently don't exist, but half portions of their four appetizer options, which includes the tasty SideBar nachos, are offered.

As my meal concluded, I found myself looking around and trying to imagine where I was sitting in relation to Red Kelly's old jazz joint. I think I was in one of the holes in the old vinyl booth bench.

The SideBar Bistro isn't the dark cave that Kelly's was, but rather a classy, modern space that undoubtly will be the birth spot for many business deals. It'll be interesting to see if people are willing to travel off the beaten path to a slightly dodgy part of town to pay $11-$17 for dinner entrees. I hope so.

SideBar Bistro

7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday
Corner of 11th and Tacoma Avenue South, Tacoma
Phone number not listed