Spew

Morning Spew

NEWS TEAM: GOOD MORNING SOUTH SOUND >>>

Walk The Puyallup: Puyallup officials want you to walk their city.

Fife Likes To Read, Too: Fife City Council voted unanimously last week to put a proposal to join the Pierce County Library System on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Call Us Mr. Goodwrench: Apparently we own General Motors now.

Now Look What You Did: Susan Boyle seeks mental help after loss.

Not Cool When Planes Go Down: Air France flight 447 with 228 people on board went missing after taking off from Brazil.

They’re Going With This Test Thing: North Korea reportedly preparing another missile test.

Uh Oh, Amazon: Google's in the e-book business.

Tossing Salad: Sapporo

STEPH DEROSA: IT'S BASICALLY RAW FISH >>>

Sapporo Japanese & Sushi Restaurant
Poki Salad
Price: $16.99
Rating: Four out of four croutons
 

Is it a good thing or a bad thing when you can walk into a restaurant and they know you by name? As I place my to-go orders, pick up my meals, or simply sit belly up to the sushi bar, they remember me and treat me as family. I feel like a star! But just as my head begins to expand, and my ego creates its own zip code, I realize the gritty truth: They know everyone’s name, not just mine. Dammit. I think in the case of Sapporo Japanese & Sushi Restaurant on Pacific Highway in Fife, this treatment given to all guests reflects their strong family values, one of the many reasons they are still thriving after being open more than a decade.

Morning Spew

NEW STEAM: GOOD MORNING SOUTH SOUND >>>

Dead test walking

Looking Fife, and feeling Minnesota

Yo, ho, ho, a pirates life could be more difficult.

RAM: Microsoft to push IE8 through Automatic Update.

Fears of a GM bankruptcy send its stocks tumbling down.

Could we be smokin’ Cubans soon?

The Kevin Calabros of car chases

South Frontage and Alexander, Fife, April 7

Not Cool

NEWS TEAM: WANKERS OF THE DAY >>>

Fake Assassination Game Dork

Seriously: booze and guns don’t mix.

Lazy ass celebs who use Twitter ghostwriters.

Mouthful: chili burgers

JAKE DE PAUL: SPRING SCHMRING — I STILL NEED COMFORT FOOD >>>

Red Robin
3901 S. Steele St., Tacoma, 253.473.7447

Hamburgers can be reduced to two schools of thought: “high and dry” or “hot and juicy.”  You can find the latter type at Red Robin, if the Chili Chili Cheeseburger is any indication. It starts with a lean plump patty that seems as big around as a small Frisbee. Gobs of chunky Red’s homemade chili chili, shredded cheddar, chipotle mayo and diced red onions piled on top, and the whole mess is open faced on what eventually becomes an extremely soggy sesame bun. Forget about picking this one up in one piece — it ain’t gonna happen.  A change of clothing, or at the very least a lobster bib, is highly recommended. This slightly spicy treat is yours for $9.79.

Pick Quick Drive-In
4306 Pacific Hwy., Fife, 253.922.5599

Eastern Pierce County, it goes without saying, is the world capital of stuff with chili on it: oozing chili dogs, stinking chili burgers and chili fries hot enough to melt a plastic spoon. The odiferous tidal wave of chili reigns king at the Puyallup Fair during the late summer, but my favorite is the Pick Quick Drive-In hangover-healing speedball consisting of two thin beef patties, mild creamy chili, cheese, raw onions and a sweet bun ($4.25). Their chili double meat cheeseburger is an ugly mess — adjusting to it is like changing a diaper. And there’s no way to devour it with dignity; I’m strictly an extra in a George A. Romero flick when I chow down at this famous drive-in erected in the’40s.

Happy Hour Guide

CHUCK DULA: CHEERS >>>

The term “Happy Hour” was coined in the 1920s by the Navy as slang for the scheduled period of entertainment on-ship. Not surprisingly, the Irish took this hour so seriously that it was made illegal in the Republic of Ireland in 2003 under the Intoxicating Liquor Act. More recently, the Canadian province of Alberta created restrictions to happy hours that took effect in August, 2008. Within these restrictions, all happy hour-like promotions must end at 8 p.m., and drink prices must conform to the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission's minimum price regulations at all times.

Luckily, we live in the South Sound where the drinking never, ever, ever stops. Ever. For any reason. Unless you die.

Remembering who serves what, how cheap it is, and when takes a lot of work. With our quick-reference happy-hour organizer on our Web site, you can spend less time planning and more time getting sloshed.

Is it happy hour yet? Find out here.

Pick-Quick reopens

STEPH DEROSA: HELL YEAH! >>>

As I mentioned several weeks ago, Pick-Quick Drive In would reopen Feb. 1 after its annual winter cleaning.

It happened, bay-bee! 

I can smell the waft of fresh grilled burgers and homemade fries from right here at my Weekly Volcano World Headquarters makeshift desk.  The fact that they moved my desk outside on the patio, instead of in the office with everyone else, makes smelling this sweet re-opening all the more succulent.  Now if only Pappi and Driscoll would return my car, I might sneak up Pacific Highway to Fife for a late lunch. 

Does anyone else think it’s odd that they only borrow my car when they plan on having drinks at lunch? 

Jerks.

[Pick-Quick Drive In, 4306 Pacific Highway E., Fife, 253.922.5599]

LINK: Previously on Spew

Pick-Quick closed

STEPH DEROSA: PICK-QUICK WILL REOPEN FEB. 1 >>>

More than 20 years ago Greg Burgie’s dad, Joe Burgess, bought Pick-Quick Drive In on Pacific Highway East in Fife. He had purchased it with his sister, who later sold her half to Greg Burgess, his sister and her husband, Dan and Cindy Nelson. This was after it was “almost for sale for ten years,” Greg told me. Presently, Greg and Cindy’s families each own a quarter.

Every year, my favorite drive-in EVER, closes for a few months come wintertime. This happens so that the owners can tear down, take apart, and clean this family-owned burger joint.

“Why not the winter months? One-third of our business depends on the weather. People don’t want to come when it’s cold and rainy,” Greg Burgess told me.

I quickly disagreed, stating that many times the DeRosas have visited and just eaten in our cars. He gave me a sigh of relief and thanked me profusely for being “one of those customers who are loyal like that.”

Get your Goulet on

STEPH DEROSA: BAR EXAM >>>

I freakin’ LOVE Johnny’s at Fife’s lounge. It reminds me of a bigger, nicer Diamond Jim’s. It's a throwback to the ’70s with no marks of wear and tear.

Is it a dive? See what grade I give it on the Weekly Volcano Web site.