Restaurants

Dine out for life today!

Dine out for life today!

Hungry? It's time to change your lunch plans, because today is Dining Out For Life.

This annual fundraiser pairs diners and restaurants in the fight against AIDS, as participating restaurants donate 25 percent of diners' food and non-alcoholic beverages bill.

In Pierce County, proceeds benefit the Pierce County AIDS Foundation, helping pay for prevention, care and advocacy services right here.

This year, more than 70 South Sound restaurants have signed on to participate. Find yours here.

One word of caution - Pierce County is chock-full of Dining Out For Life supporters, which means restaurant wait times can sometimes be longer than usual. Be prepared to be patient, or make a reservation if your chosen restaurant is accepting them!

You can also donate online at this link.

Ivar’s, Kidd Valley invite local students to celebrate their favorite teacher

Ivar’s, Kidd Valley invite local students to celebrate their favorite teacher

In honor of National Teacher Appreciation month in May, Ivar’s and Kidd Valley restaurants are calling on all kindergarten through eighth grade students to nominate their favorite teacher for a chance to win 2012 Teacher of the Year honors. Here is more info from Ivar's:

A top teacher will be selected as a grand prize winner by both Ivar’s and Kidd Valley. Each grand prize winner will receive a $500 gift card for school supplies and the title of Ivar’s Teacher of the Year or Kidd Valley Teacher of the Year. Plus, the nominating student of the grand prize winner will receive either a classroom chowder party (including a visit by Ivar’s famous Dancing Clam!), or a delicious Kidd Valley burger party.

To nominate a teacher, students 14 years of age or younger may visit any Puget Sound area Ivar’s or Kidd Valley location (excluding stadiums and Eastern Washington stores) to complete an official entry form, or go online to Ivar’s Teacher of the Year or to Kidd Valley Teacher of the Year. All entries must be received by May 20, 2012. The official Teacher of the Year rules can be found on Ivar’s and Kidd Valley websites as well.

Thieves steal thousands of dollars in alcohol from 1022 South

Thieves steal thousands of dollars in alcohol from 1022 South

Thieves broke into beloved Hilltop bar 1022 South overnight, smashing a front window and making off with as much alcohol as they could carry.

"I don't have the number exactly yet," said 1022 South owner Chris Keil, "[but] it's looking like it's thousands of dollars."

Keil's early morning bread delivery and cleaning services were the first to tip him off that something wasn't right at the bar.

He says the thieves took primarily whiskey, rum and gin, and it looked to him like they just grabbed whatever was in arm's reach.

They didn't make off with anything directly applicable to the menu, though, allowing the bruised bar to keep trucking on.

"So we can still roll with that - we will be okay," said Keil.

1022 South will be open for business as usual at 4 p.m. today, and ready for lots of customers.

"Just come have a drink," says Keil. "Come support us - give the bar a big hug."

This is a developing story. More information will be posted as it becomes available.

Happy Pancake Day!

Happy Pancake Day!

Happy Pancake Day/Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday, South Sounders! In honor of this most auspicious occasion (who doesn't love a holiday where you eat pancakes for dinner?), we thought we'd compile a list of all of your favorite spots to eat pancakes around the South Sound, as well as one amazing-sounding pancake recipe for your consideration for dinner this evening. Have a favorite pancake joint that wasn't listed? Let us know and we'll add it in!

Lakewood

Sources tell us the Moon Rise Cafe (back in business after a run-in with a car last month) is the top spot for pancakes in Lakewood.

Twitter pal @Heidi1229 simply recommends "CARRS!!!!!"

Tacoma

Corina Bakery to open Wednesday in new location

Corina Bakery to open Wednesday in new location

A hotly anticipated expansion of Corina Bakery is set to take place this week.

We first broke the news last month that Corina Bakery and owner Molly Ott had taken over the space next to the Grand Cinema that most recently housed Mineola and Mavi Contemporary Art Gallery. Now, Ott says the new space is ready, and will open this Wednesday for business.

The new location, just around the corner from Corina's current home on S. Sixth Ave., will nearly double the bakery's seating capacity and is hoped to double or triple the bakery's ability to fulfill wedding cake orders.

"One of the primary reasons to do the move is we didn't physcially have enough space to do wedding cakes," Ott told us last month, adding that the bakery is currently maxed out at about 10 wedding cakes per weekend.

Ott says she hopes to be able to do more collaboration with new next-door neighbor the Grand Cinema, from staying open until the start of the theater's final showing each evening to potentially offering specials related to the movies currently playing at the Grand Cinema.

Watch: speed empanadas

Some of our favorite ladies shared this YouTube video this week, demonstrating how they make one variety of their empanadas.

Pampeana Empanadas, a mother-daughter empanada-making duo, sells its tasty baked empanadas at locations around Tacoma and Seattle.

Now, they're letting the rest of us in on one of their secrets.

Check it out, and be sure to let us know if you make your own!

If, like us, you're not quite feeling up to the challenge, you can purchase the original from Sixth Avenue's Burning Cupcakes every Wednesday. Yum!