Tag: Washington

Categories
tio wally

Tio Wally Eats America: Red Lion BBQ

Greeting from Spokane, Washington
N 47° 39.5297’ W 117° 24.6509’ Elev. 1903 ft.

It’s been a few months since my last post. So, with your indulgence, I’m going to share the great and wonderful thing that has happened to me in the interim: I went to a movie …and dinner!

I saw The Wrecking Crew, a documentary about the 20-or-so guys (and Carol Kaye) who played backing tracks on virtually every other “hit” recording made during the ’60s. I hoped it would be an intimate look at the making of (if you’re over age 50) the “soundtrack of our lives.” It wasn’t.

The movie played at the Magic Lantern Theatre in Spokane, an “Art-house cinema, opened in 1931, showing documentaries & independent & foreign films on 2 screens.”

The theater itself is a bit of a throwback to the ’60s. The room we sat in, with a total of nine viewers, maxed out at 33 people. Thirty-three! I suspect that was counting the three chairs of orphan theatre seats and the five chairs of various provenance aligned against the back wall. There may’ve been 33 seats; I didn’t count them. It’s lovely, old-soul school venue. I liked that. They still served bottomless (metal) bowls of popcorn for $4! I liked that, too.

Movie-wise The Wrecking Crew was kind of a wreck. It had no timeline, no flow that I could find. While it was fascinating to see a the few odd interviews and a lot of still pictures of many, many great musicians, it was ultimately unfulfilling.

I hoped it would be more of a behind-the-scenes peek at the guys (and Carol Kaye) who played on everything from “The Pink Panther Theme” to “Last Train To Clarksville” to “Bernadette” to “The Beat Goes On” to “God Only Knows”. (I like this version of the last one much better.)

The Wrecking Crew (Carol called it “The Clique”) was a very, very, very busy group of musicians. Unfortunately, the movie consisted mostly of stuff you can find — often in more depth — on YouTube, and comprised little more than a weak compilation of readily available material.

Still, it felt good to cough up $8 to Denny Tedesco for his attempt to compile the material, kind of. And it’s always worthwhile to toss a buck at The Magic Lantern. Money well spent, to be sure.

Equally exciting was the après-movie dinner adventure to another throwback from the ‘60s: the Red Lion BBQ & Pub (Est. 1960).

I first became acquainted with the Red Lion BBQ in the latter-80’s back when it was really funky and dive-y. I was cajoled into playing in a blues band by my friend Carmine. Carmine is the best — my all-time favorite drummer — I’ve ever had the good fortune to work with. But I loathe the blues. Hate ‘em! Passionately!! It’s a genre shamelessly hijacked and played abominably by white-guy hacks ad infinitum, like myself. It’s a really boring genre.

Still, I was lucky. The band wanted a keyboard player and I wanted to work with a former Disneyland balloon boy/salesman. Kismet ensued. I played with them long enough to learn I really, really hate the blues.

(To make ‘60s connections with the movie even weirder: Carmine was formerly a sideman/percussionist for The Beach Boys, albeit that was in the ’70s. Fun, fun, fun.)

Life is a tangled web that can’t be undone, it seems, especially when there’s an asshole like me ever-ready to provide a reminder. I suspect it’s akin to standing on Main Street U.S.A., the lowliest Cast Member on the lot, desperately trying to untangle some hopelessly interwoven string to the blue Mickey Mouse balloon some dimwit from Des Plaines wants, while battling Fresh Gale-level Santa Ana winds. In my dreams I would be there, of course, in my best Nelson Muntz voice, yelling “Haw, Haw.” A tangled web, indeed.

I was married when I played at the Red Lion. Band members got half-priced food. It was the only time my wife ever waited up for me to get home from work — if she knew I was packin’ ribs. That’s quite an endorsement.

I ordered the Red Lion Super Combo ($31.95/feeds four) for my two friends and me. It’s a choice of three meats: Pork Tenderloin, Beef Tri-Tip, Ribs, Chicken or Salmon, that comes with Fried Bread, Onion Rings and two sides. I got ribs, ribs and chicken for the meats, and BBQ Beans and Potato Salad for the sides; other side offerings are French Fries, Cole Slaw and Corn-on-the-Cob (seasonal).

The plate arrived with four onion rings at the top of the stack. This disappointed me. They may’ve been very good onion rings if they were hot and fresh. But I’ve been ruined by Cheddars.

The Super Combo’s half-dozen fried bread were a cross between a good biscuit and a bad donut. I’ll admit fried bread, or Indian bread, is not easily done. Executed correctly, it’s like a funnel cake, with the airiness of a donut and the texture of a slightly failed-risen roll. Red Lion didn’t do fried bread bad but, well … Where’s the cornbread, Mama? I want my cornbread!

The four onion rings and fried bread were piled atop half of half of a BBQ chicken (I think) and what looked to be a rack-worth’s of pork ribs.

Having experienced RudeRibs (see Cheddars link), I knew I’d been spoiled forever when I took the first bite. It didn’t melt, didn’t succumb to the tooth, didn’t readily give up its God-pork goodness. They required gnawing, followed by unnecessary chewing. I’m not a Gnawer. Chewing hurts my feelings. My internal voice said: “These ribs were better before I’d experienced RudeRibs.” And so it goes.

The chicken, however, was so profoundly perfect that my friends and I thought we’d found the best damn chicken this side of heaven. It was … perfect. Never have I had better barbecued chicken. Ever! Anywhere! Swoon.

Moving on, the potato salad was very good. Tasted homemade. The baked beans much more so. Perfect. But that chicken …the chicken …oh, my, god.

I wouldn’t recommend seeing “The Wrecking Crew” unless you’re completely unfamiliar with the prodigious body of work the guys (and Carol Kaye) accomplished; I would direct you to YouTube.

I would, however, highly recommend slathering your face with obscene amounts of Red Lion BBQ chicken should the opportunity ever arise. You won’t regret it.

Red Lion BBQ & Pub
126 North Division, Spokane, Washington

Categories
tio wally

Tio Wally Eats America: The Gearjammer Restaurant

I’m happy to have Tio Wally (long-time Me So Hungry reader) aboard to send in his eating adventures from across America. Here he is in Union Gap, Washington.

Greetings from Union Gap, Washington
N 46° 34.128’ W 120° 28.390’ Elev. 960 feet

When I was a kid my mom used to say “Go to a truck stop if you want good food.” Her reasoning was that it must be good if all the truckers were eating there. I’ve mentioned this before only to correct the fallacy of that belief.

That the food is “automatically” good at a truck stop isn’t remotely true. Indeed, the reason truckers eat at truck stops is quite simple: There is enough room to park their big-ass rigs! That is not to say there aren’t notable exceptions where the food is really good.

The Gearjammer Restaurant, located in the Gearjammer Travel Plaza at Exit 36 on I-82, is definitely one of those notable exceptions. I’ve eaten here a number of times. It’s reasonably priced and the food is always quite good. Since I ended up stuck here for Thanksgiving, and I knew they’d be open, I took advantage of it.

The Thanksgiving Dinner Special consisted of generous portions of white and dark meat turkey with homemade gravy, dressing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, yams/sweet potatoes, corn, a roll, and a choice of soup or salad for $11.29.

16 UG_plate

I started with the soup du jour, potato. This was possibly the best potato soup I’ve ever eaten. Thick and creamy, with big pieces of potato and celery, and bits of bacon, this soup was incredible. In fact, both the waitress, Patty, and I agreed that it was “To die for!” So good was it that I’ll now be calling them to see when they have it.

The plate of turkey with all the fixin’s was huge — about twice as much as I could eat — and all of it incredibly tasty. I should’ve asked the chef, Michael, when I talked to him but I think that, with the exception of the canned corn and yams, everything was homemade. He told me he’d spent two days putting it together … and it tasted it.

The turkey was incredibly moist and topped with a great turkey gravy. And it was a lot of meat. The dressing also was really great and, thankfully, not full of sage, a spice I truly abhor. The mashed potatoes tasted homemade and had more of that great gravy on it. Although the yams were missing those crusty little melted marshmallows they were wonderful, too.

What can I say? The whole meal was so good that I had to personally thank Michael for all his hard work. He had definitely made my day by preparing such a tasty and satisfying traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

Because it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without it, I ordered a piece of pumpkin pie ($2.29) — my favorite — to go. And yes, it came with real whipped cream.

The whole meal was so huge that I ended up with an ample portion of what I consider to be the best part of Thanksgiving — leftovers. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any bread to jam it all onto to make a grossly oversized sandwich. Still, it was fantastic all over again.

Apart from a lack of family and/or friends to share it with, the only thing missing from the meal was pitted black olives … and perhaps children’s fingertips to attach them to.

I hope all of you enjoyed Thanksgiving dinners that were equally satisfying and hope that the rest of your holidays are likewise happy, healthy and suitably festive.

And so we roll.

The Gearjammer Restaurant, I-82 Exit 36, 2310 Rudkin Road, Union Gap, Washington

Tio Wally pilots the 75-foot, 40-ton(max) land yacht SS Me So Hungry. He reports on road food from around the country whenever parking and InterTube connections permit.

Categories
tio wally

Tio Wally Eats America: Miner’s Drive-In

I’m happy to have Tio Wally (long-time Me So Hungry reader) aboard to send in his eating adventures from across America. Here he is in Yakima, Washington.

Greetings from Yakima, Washington
N 46° 33.9885′ W 120° 28.9558′ Elev. 988 feet

I first visited Miner’s Drive-In shortly after midnight. I presumed they’d already closed and the lights were just about to be turned off. As it happened the dining room didn’t close until 1:30 a.m. that night; 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

02 Miner's_bldg

I’d never been here before and was charmed by it’s well-kept funkiness. The place as been here in various forms since it opened in 1948, and is still owned and operated by it namesakes, the Miner family.

I was sort of taken aback by the prices at first. It seemed a little pricey for a hamburger even though they’re actually priced about the same as Five Guys. There wasn’t much else open so I figured I’d bite the bullet and see how the burgers were. I ordered a Cheese Burger ($5.85) with everything. Much to my surprise Miners’ burgers are whoppers — bigger than a Whopper®!

It seemed to be a half-pound patty, served on a sesame seed bun with two slices of cheese, lettuce and onion, dressed with mayonnaise and a touch of ketchup. Not only are the burgers weighty, they’re also bigger around than my face. It must be eight inches around. It’s huge.

The first one I got came with three slices of tomato. The last one, however, didn’t; tomatoes can be added for 75¢. Quite frankly I don’t remember if I had them add tomato to the first one or not. Maybe they just screwed up … or liked my visage. I may have ordered them as I was pretty tired, extremely hungry and incapable of caring.

In retrospect I wish I’d added tomatoes to the second one because they really enhanced the homeyness of the burger. Although I put some of their 1000 Island Dressing-ish french fry sauce on the second one, it wasn’t quite as good as the first. Still, it was a hell of a meal for the price.

I went back the next day (after the second one) because I wanted to try their Bar-B-Q Beef. I was hoping it would be in the style of the now-defunct Spike’s Shack of Ritzville, Washington and, hopefully, just as good. Sadly, it wasn’t the nostalgic wet dream of Spike’s I was hoping for.

19 Miner's_BBQ beef 3

By the way, previously unbeknownst to moi Spike’s is still there but it’s now called “Spike’s Deli & Pizza,” and is located inside the Cow Creek Mercantile. I discovered this through the miracle that is the InterTubes. My gut feeling is that it was better before, when it was still in a poorly painted shack at the edge of an unpaved parking lot at the crossroads to There and The Other There (also recognizable as Interstate 80 and US 395). But who’s to know?

The Bar-B-Q Beef from Miner’s, while quite good, didn’t have the same humble funk and pizzazz as the ones from the early ‘80s Spike’s. Miner’s Bar-B-Q Beef ($6.70) consisted of a couple of slices of roast beef, warmed on the griddle, served on one of their mammoth sesame seed buns, with lettuce and onion and, in addition to the requisite barbecue sauce, mayonnaise. I’m recognizing a Miner’s pattern here: shredded iceberg lettuce, white onion, mayonnaise ….

They cut the sandwich in half and tuck each portion in what looks like coffee filters. I wondered about this at first. After biting into it, however, it made perfect sense. It was a smart move that saved much laundering.

I haven’t quite figured this place out. They must make something that will set my soul afire. I suspect I’ll find what it is eventually as I’ll be coming here a lot.

A couple of curious things about the place: One is that it was originally called Miner’s In-N-Out Hamburgers. Miner’s was founded the same year as In•N•Out Burgers. I wonder if trademark lawsuits ensued? Miner’s dropped the In-N-Out from its signage for whatever reason.

Another is that Miner’s signage used to tout “On A Sesame Seed Bun.” Being as Miner’s and McDonald’s were also both founded in 1948, I wonder: Did they run afoul of Ray Kroc and his legal-minded minions? Miner’s doesn’t flog sesame seed buns anymore.

These and many other questions remain unanswered. Like, Why the hell is Yakima billed as the Palm Springs of Washington? And, Why is it spelled “Yakima” while the Native American tribe from which it’s name is derived spell it “Yakama”? Inquiring minds want to know.

And so we roll.

Miner’s Drive-In, 2415 S. 1st Street, Yakima, Washington

Tio Wally pilots the 75-foot, 40-ton(max) land yacht SS Me So Hungry. He reports on road food from around the country whenever parking and InterTube connections permit.

Categories
asian

Tio Wally Eats America: Saya ‘gain

I’m happy to have Tio Wally (long-time Me So Hungry reader) aboard to send in his eating adventures from across America. Here he is in Kent, Washington.

Greetings from Kent, Washington
N 47° 24.7214’ W 122° 13.636’ Elev. 30 ft.

I walked into Saya Thai and Japanese Restaurant and she asked, “Where’ve you been? I haven’t seen you for awhile.” I’d only been there once/twice before, but she remembered me. I liked that.

I’d called Saya at 9:30 a.m. — they don’t to open ’til 11 or so — but they graciously obliged me … if it was take-out. I like that.

When I picked up the food I reminded Denise how much I’d wanted to try their “signature dish for 23 years.” I couldn’t remember what it was called so she kindly wrote the name on a business card.

The dish is called, well, let’s let Denise ‘splain it:

“Don’t put this on FaceBook,” she demanded. Ever the credit to my gender, I lied and said, “I won’t.”

09 Saya_bite

Gai Yang is crazy good. It has the tang and bite of yellow curry but it’s “smoothed,” I guess, by the coconut milk. Although the chicken is baked, it retains that unmistakable, exquisite Thai char, not unlike satay. It’s accompanied by some sort of hopped-up soy sauce that’s delightfully hot. I wish I could say more but I’m too busy eating.

It’s served with a small iceberg lettuce salad and a yogurt-based(?) dressing. I don’t know what it is. It’s pink and it’s yogurt, I think. I’d investigate it but, again, I’m too busy eating.

I hate to resort to teen saws but … this Bai Yung ROCKS! If only I weren’t too busy eating. I’d tell you about it but, sorry, I’m too busy eating.

And so we roll.

Saya Japanese and Thai Restaurant, 8455 S. 212th St., Kent, Washington

Tio Wally pilots the 75-foot, 40-ton(max) land yacht SS Me So Hungry. He reports on road food from around the country whenever parking and InterTube connections permit.

Categories
Uncategorized

Tio Wally Eats America: Ramblin Jack’s Ribeye

I’m happy to have Tio Wally (long-time Me So Hungry reader) aboard to send in his eating adventures from across America. Here he is in Napavine, Washington.

Greetings from Napavine, Washington
N 46° 36.418’ W 122° 54.302’ Elev. 206 feet

I used to stop here at the Ribeye regularly way back when, usually ordering soup and salad. They had really great homemade soups and a decent salad bar. But the big attraction was that they had either prune or date bread — I can’t remember which — on the salad bar. It was unusual to find and unusually good.

03 ribeye_outside

Sadly, the owner retired and sold it to some muff-it(s) who promptly ran the place into the ground. It was amazing how a heretofore thriving restaurant could be turned it into a ghost town so quickly. It was shuttered toot sweet and remained that way for a few years.

The restaurant has been reopened by another outfit for four years or so. (The same company has three other restaurants.) But the salad bar is gone, along with the prune or date bread. Did I mention the bread was incredibly good? I still miss it.

The new incarnation of the Ribeye offers some interesting appetizers, like Deep Fried Dill Pickles, Deep Fried Green Beans and House-smoked & Fried Jack Cheese ($7.99 ea.). I didn’t try any of them because, well, I can’t eat that much.

They also offer daily specials. My waitress, Hannah, told me about the Monday Night Special: Country Fried Pork Chops. She said the chops — two 6 oz. pork chops soaked overnight in a brown sugar, maple brine — were breaded and fried and smothered in country gravy. If the way she all-but drooled as she described them is any indication, they are very good. Hell, I thought they sounded great and I hate maple-flavored crap.

As per my usual habit, I ordered the day’s special: Spaghetti and Meatballs with soup or salad ($10.99). I ordered it for a couple of reasons: I wanted pasta and one of the other restaurants under the company’s umbrella is a pizza joint. I hoped that might be a good omen sauce-wise. It turned out to be a good call.

22 riibeye_plate

I started with Cheesy Cream of Asparagus w/Ham soup. Asparagus is the King of Vegetables In my book. I’m of the mind that when Marie Antoinette said “Let them eat brioche” (that’s what she actually said; no mention of cake.) she could’ve been truly pitiless and suggested the starving peasants eat asparagus, so noble and delicious are those heavenly shoots.

I prefer my spears steamed, almost wilted, with butter and salt. Although I’ll eat asparagus whenever it’s offered, the cheese in the soup kind of threw me. Why would anyone do that to asparagus? It’s not like it’s a semi-industrial vegetable like broccoli, for chris’sake. Nevertheless, I asked to sample it and … great googly-moogly, it was awesome.

The delicate flavor of the asparagus wasn’t over-powered by the cheddar cheese and the soup had a nice thick and creamy texture. There were plenty of 3/4” pieces of asparagus. It was very filling. I never detected any ham, however. I think it may’ve been minced and then minced again before it found its way into the pot; I saw some unidentifiable red flakes.

The spaghetti was perfect, al dente and still a little wet. The marinara tasted both incredibly fresh and delightfully refreshing. It wasn’t highly seasoned and let the tomato stand on its own merit. Delicious. The (beef and pork?) meatballs were likewise superb. The reasonably hefty orbs were moist, with an almost creamy texture inside. Good gawd, y’all. And the Ribeye served reall Parmesan cheese, too! While the toast was marginal — I want my garlic toast garlicky, damn it! —the meal was quite satisfying overall.

I stopped back again about a week later and ordered Meatloaf ($14.55 w/tax) to go. I really wanted to try the pork chops but, being afraid they might taste of maple and being a bit under the weather, I passed. I figure I’ll try them when I dine in and I can send them back if need be.

The meatloaf was sort of meh. The baked potato was served with a butter mixture that contained both chives and sour cream. It was also served with a roll and a vegetable medley of broccoli, cauliflower and those so-called baby carrots. The veggies were perfectly cooked and delicious.

What was really incredible, however, was one of the soups they had that day: Turkey Curry Rice. This stuff was incredible, with nice little chunks of home-baked turkey in a mild creamy curry base. In retrospect, I should’ve just gotten a bowl of that and called it good. Although I quickly ate all the veggies, I barely touched the rest of the meal. Being sick sucks.

In addition to the disappearance of the prune (or was it date?) bread was the absence of a truly wonderful photo. Way back when there was a giant color photo hung just inside the foyer. It was an extraordinarily spectacular photo of the Ribeye sign with Mount St. Helens erupting in the background. I always liked the photo because it took me back.

I was one of the lucky schmucks with the dubious distinction of experiencing the mountain’s largesse firsthand. I lived in the “footprint” of the ash fall from the initial blast. Three days of pea-soup fog the consistency of talcum powder. Magnified it revealed its true architecture: shards of glass. You quickly discovered that you can’t seal your house. It’s impossible. So the ash came in, uninvited.

A helpful Science professor on TV, a volcanologist, noted that ash clouds travel much like nuclear radiation. Thanks for sharing, Doc. Did you know that when Chernobyl blew the highest radiation levels recorded in the US were in Spokane, Washington? It had circled the globe before it came to rest in there.

While I don’t miss the Mount St. Helens Experience too much, I do miss the photo. Almost as much as the bread.

And so we roll.

Ramblin Jack’s Ribeye, 1336 Rush Rd., I-5 Exit 72, Napavine, Washington

Tio Wally pilots the 75-foot, 40-ton(max) land yacht SS Me So Hungry. He reports on road food from around the country whenever parking and InterTube connections permit.

Categories
tio wally

Tio Wally Eats America: Saya Restaurant

I’m happy to have Tio Wally (long-time Me So Hungry reader) aboard to send in his eating adventures from across America. Here he is in Kent, Washington.

Greetings from Kent, Washington
N 47° 24.7214’ W 122° 13.636’ Elev. 30 ft.

I came here often years ago. Kent is notorious for being a heavy shipping area with virtually no parking for anything larger than a Checker Special, and even it can’t be parked on a street. As a result, it’s nearly impossible to get anything to eat.

Long ago I had a favorite teriyaki place here. It was a favorite because there was street parking and the food was pretty good. Then Kent nixed the street parking … just as a new “For Lease” warehouse was completed directly across the street. But alas, that parking became verboten once occupants moved in. And so it goes with life aboard a land yacht.

On this trip, however, I really scored. I delivered to a place that not only had parking but is located in a complex with multiple warehouses. That means I could park there without getting run off because nobody knows what business I’m going to. Oh, the ecstasy!

After checking in, the lady in the receiving office said I would have time to go eat if I wanted. So off I hoofed … and found Saya, an amazing Japanese/Thai restaurant about a half-block away.

Saya has a very diverse menu. Although it’s mainly Japanese and Thai, it also features a sampling of other Asian cuisines, from Phở to Mongolian Beef. It’s as if the owner left Thailand, made his way up the east coast of Asia and hopped over to Japan before heading to Seattle, picking up recipes all along the way.

The first time I went into Saya I asked the guy at the counter what was more fun, the Spicy Katsu (“Katsu pork or chicken cooked in Supreme sauce, onions, mushroom”; $9.95) or the Pad See Ewe (“Stir-fried fresh wide noodles with choice of meat, broccoli, carrots, sprouts, cabbage and sweet soy sauce”)?

“It depends on what you’re in the mood for,” he said. Umm, okay then …. l’ll have the Pad See Ewe with pork ($7.95).

08 Saya_Pad sSee Ewe

This dish is fantastic! Thin, tender slices of pork and rice noodles about the size of lasagna noodles, along with the aforementioned vegetables. The sauce has a flavor similar to the taste of Pad Thai. I ordered it Two Stars (on a 1-5 scale). At first I didn’t it was spicy at all … then my nose started running; always a good sign. And it was a lot of food.

After delivering I went to the next port o’ call to learn they hadn’t yet unpacked the shipping containers (those big metal trailer-size boxes that are occasionally lost off the decks of ships, often washing ashore vast riches of consumer goods to delight John Frum cargo cults the world over) that were fresh off a boat from China. Because of the delay, and I could drop my box (trailer), I decided to hit Saya again.

This time I went in and told the young lady at the counter that I wanted Swimming Rama (“Spinach or steam broccoli with choice of meat or tofu. Top with peanut sauce”; $8.95). My thinking was that it would be similar to the Param Chicken from Thai Classic in San Luis Obispo that I love so much.

Before she could put my order in I heard a woman say “Hello. So nice to see you again.” I wasn’t sure where the voice was coming from at first, but I could tell it was directed at me. I looked around to see an Asian woman of indeterminate nationality smiling at me from the kitchen. She turned out to be the owner’s wife, Denise, who is also the cook. She remembered me from my earlier visit, telling me that she had cooked my Pad See Ewe.

I told her how much I loved it, and that I wanted something with peanut sauce this time, the Swimming Rama. “Okay,” she said, “but I don’t have any spinach. I don’t carry it in the summer because it just doesn’t keep well. It gets soggy, wilt-y, you know?”

As we discussed what other peanut-sauce dish I might have she put this great looking bowl of food up in the window. What’s that? I asked. “That’s Katsu Don.” Ooh, I said, I want that!

Sayeth the menu: “Katsu Don (pork) Oyaku Don (chicken) served on rice. Deep fried pork or chicken cutlet cooked in sauce with egg, and white onions.” ($7.50 lunch; $8.25 dinner.).

Denise explained it was a Japanese dish. I ordered the Katsu Don so she took a deep-fried pork cutlet and chopped it into strips. She then sautéed the cutlet with white onion, adding some sort of sauce to it. After the onions were wilted she added beaten egg, covering it with a lid. “Like an omelet,” she said.

After the egg was cooked she slid the contents of the pan over a bed of rice she had previously dressed with a bit of sauce and pepper flakes, adding a generous garnish of chopped green onion atop.

The Katsu Don was quite good. The pork cutlet was tender yet retained the integrity of the crust. I’m not sure how this was accomplished; all logic says the crust should fall off during the sautée. I also couldn’t really determine what the overall flavor was. I guess it was probably too subtle for my slum kid palette. I do know that it didn’t set the boat a-rockin’ like the Pad See Ewe.

As I was leaving with my second bag of booty, Denise said something that really bummed me out. I’d told her about the food blogging — she didn’t know what a food blog was so the young lady at the counter ‘splained it — and how I’d found a new secret parking spot nearby, and she said:

“Oh. Well the next time you come you have to have the …”. I can’t remember what she called it. I do know it involved marinated chicken, curry and coconut milk, though. “It’s been our signature dish for 22 years!” she crowed. “You’ll love it!”

So now she tells me.

Denise is very engaging, very much (as the young lady at the counter described her) “a people person.” She even had the young lady throw in a side of peanut sauce; “Don’t charge him,” she instructed. I guess I warranted it.

Denise was such a delight that I again forgot to ask a question I’d meant to ask the first time I was in: What the hell is Bubble Tea?

I’ve since Googled the Bubble Tea and, as long as it doesn’t taste remotely like Thai iced tea, which I find abominably gross, it doesn’t sound too bad. The Bubble Tea sign and poster looked great anyway.

Honestly, I find anything flavored with hazelnut, like Thai iced tea, so sickening that I truly believe that flavor would gag a maggot! Indeed, I suspect even a desperate, starving congress of vultures would turn up their fetid-flesh-shredding beaks at any carrion that had consumed hazelnuts; even buzzards have standards, you know.

That said, I can’t wait to try Saya’s signature dish and, perhaps, some Bubble Tea. Next time.

And so we roll.

Saya Restaurant, 8455 S. 212th St., Kent, Washington

Tio Wally pilots the 75-foot, 40-ton(max) land yacht SS Me So Hungry. He reports on road food from around the country whenever parking and InterTube connections permit.