Closures, Price Hikes, Old Favorites
Reviews and photos by Ted Broussard
First the sad news. Vostok Dumpling House has closed at their Commerce Street location. My initial thought was maybe it was because of the location, but then I learned that their online profile now shows “Permanently Closed” for both the Tacoma and the Seattle stores. I don’t have any dirt as to what’s going on but it’s always sad to me when a restaurant doesn’t make it as planned.
Pacific Grill
Now the sadder news. My personal favorite downtown restaurant, Pacific Grill, has drastically changed their Happy Hour menu, eliminating the half-off promotion on the majority of their previous happy hour offerings. They have now identified “PG Favorites” from the former happy hour menu and put them back at full price, and kept just a couple pages of more appetizer kinds of dishes, promoting them as “50% Off, All Day, Everyday.” Pacific Grill was my Go To spot for consistently high quality, excellent food in a gorgeous space with friendly staff. The half-off deal was the icing on the cake, but it earned my loyalty forever.
Still reeling from the shock, we chatted up Greg, one of our favorite waiters in all of Tacoma, and got his take on what happened. His version is that the prices actually didn’t go up that much because the price listed before they gave the half off discount was higher than the prices they’re asking for the same items now. He gave an example of the cheeseburger sliders that are now priced at $12.95 but were closer to $18 before. I don’t remember them being that high but even if they were, that’s still a $4 increase on that dish alone. Multiply that by about ten other “PG favorites” at new prices and it looks like they raking in the cash. I can understand that restaurants occasionally need to raise prices to support expenses but it feels a little “gougey” to me. Even the split plate charges have gone up to $7 for a main dish and $3 for an appetizer. And while I’m whining, let me tell you about the wine. Happy Hour house red and white are now $6.50 a glass when they used to be $5. Maybe they should change the name to “Used To Be Happy Hour.”
Corina Bakery
Don’t worry, no closure here to report, or even a steep price hike. My update is more about a whole new way to look at the wonderful Corina Bakery. I’ve long been a fan of all their baked goods with a couple of outstanding favorites -- Pink Champagne Cake, Pecan Pie, and any of the cookies/cupcakes/muffins du jour, but now I’ve fallen for their savory items.
I recently made a breakfast visit and had the best Lorraine Frittata ($4) -- a savory, delicious quiche-wannabe with all the right cheese and bacon flavors blended in a very light and fluffy pie. I washed it down with a delicious cup of coffee and had a Chocolate Chip Orange Cupcake as a chaser. All were excellent. Other choices for breakfast include a croissant with bacon, egg and cheese and a turkey sausage, egg and cheese biscuit all in the same price range as the frittata.
I made a second trip back that same day just to see what savory delights were available for lunch. On that visit, I was dazzled by the Spicy Vegan Quinoa Pot Pie and the Pot Roast Pot Pie but settled on the good ole’ Chicken Pot Pie ($5.25). And am I glad I did. It was outstanding. One comforting bite after another of delicately seasoned creamy sauce, chunky chicken and savory vegetables in the most mouth-watering crust I’ve ever had. Thought I died and went to heaven.
Corina is always great for a treat but now I’m thinking of them as a place for a light breakfast or lunch as well. It’s a fun place to hang out and visit with a friend or use the free Wi-Fi to play on your phone or tablet. As an extra bonus, they give a 10% discount if you show them your Grand Cinema ticket stub. Tasty treats, savory pies, and a discount -- what’s not to love?
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