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Eight-foot high-definition TV, special seating for fans, great snacks, and a great big Seahawks logo on the front windows. Sounds like a sports bar, doesn’t it? It is not. Celebrating their 20th anniversary in a large, sparkling clean, modern building is the Country Rose Cafe in Spanaway. It has plenty of seating in the large bright dining room, and you can watch the game from anywhere or just visit for a nice meal.
We stopped for breakfast, something rare for us, and really enjoyed ourselves. Our server, Dana, was helpful getting our group seated, and good coffee and menus came quickly. Deciding what to have was fun, since they have a full menu (available all day) and there were a lot of good-looking choices.
We decided to try the senior menu, which was limited, but we wanted eggs and it had a good list of egg dishes. I am also looking for a really good sausage in this area and decided to try the German sausage, from the side order list, with the senior omelet at $8.75. The sausage added $1.50 to the price of the omelet. We also had a Senior 1 Egg with Sausage at $8.75. I was amused that an omelet had an egg as an addition, which my companion ordered “hard.” When the egg came, over easy and cooked all the way through with no moisture left, she was pleased. Each omelet was made with three eggs, breakfast sausage came with the Senior 1 Egg (very good), and the German sausage was chopped into the senior omelet and was excellent with lots of seasoning without any spiciness.
We had toast on the side, since we wanted to check on the quality of the basics of breakfast, and we were satisfied. The omelets were big, fluffy and done perfectly to our taste and were stuffed with onions, peppers, shredded potatoes and mild seasoning.
IF YOU GO
The County Rose Café is an a strip mall across the street from the golf course at Sprinker Park. Lots of parking.

Carolyn Augustine writes the Senior Eats column for Senior Scene.

srmedia by — October 1, 2014 in Food, People

Snuggled up against the side of Mount Rainier, Cooper Creek Inn is one of the most famous mountain establishments in Washington. Operating at this location for nearly a hundred years, it started as a gas station. Since the entrance to Mount Rainier Park is about 5 miles further north, it was probably the “last gas.”
Remodeled years ago, many of the bare bones of that old building are still visible in the dining room. The dining room was crowded when we went, but the service was friendly and the room was cozy. There is a charming gift shop as you enter the restaurant, and a bar at the back. The walls are covered with art and hand-crafted items, and the whole effect is welcoming and relaxing.
We found the menu had medium rates with pie at $5.99 and blue cheese steak at $24.95. We ordered the Deli Sandwich and Fries and the Cod and Chips at $8.99. I ordered cod, but the check said Halibut and Chips priced at $11.99. I wish I had noticed this before we were on the road. We also ordered the blackberry pie at $5.99.
The sandwich and fish were very good. The three pieces of halibut were very tender, breaded with Japanese panko bread crumbs, and had a very crisp coating seasoned delicately with a little salt and pepper. The fries were skinny, crisp, and a big serving came on the plate. The sandwich came on thickly sliced bread. We ordered wheat, with a generous filling of turkey and Swiss, cheddar and American cheeses. Pickles and tomato added tang. Another big serving of fries rounded out the plate. A very nice sandwich for lunch.
We had a good lunch in a nice place, but the problem with the check is troubling. It is possible they would have taken care of everything, but I will never know. Moral here: Always pay attention to what the check says, before you leave the premises.

IF YOU GO

Copper Creek Inn
35707 State Route 706 E. in Ashford
360 569-2326
Open year-round. Summer hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Carolyn Augustine, who writes the Senior Eats column for Senior Scene, is a freelance food writer.

Copper Creek Inn and Restaurant in Ashford has been a landmark on the road to Mount Rainier National Park for almost 100 years.
Copper Creek Inn and Restaurant in Ashford has been a landmark on the road to Mount Rainier National Park for almost 100 years.
srmedia by — August 26, 2014 in Food, People

A taste of Nepal on Mount Rainier? Knitted Nepal hats for sale in a restaurant? Yak? What could be more appropriate than to have food of the Himalayas here in the Cascades. All great mountains and great food.
For the past five years, a Nepalese family has run The Wildberry Restaurant one mile south of the entrance to Mount Rainier National Park. They bring traditional Nepalese foods, gifts and souvenirs and excellent American selections to the big, bright dining room.
The menu is extensive and includes Red Potato Chowder, Flat Iron Steak, Sherpa Stew, and Yak. A selection of berry pies rounds out the menu.
We ordered the Yak Burger and fries, $13.99, which came with onions, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayo; the Pappadum, which is very thin lentil flour chips, at $4.99; a cup of Sherpa Stew ($4.99); a cup of spiced yellow lentil Dal soup ($4.99); Sherpa tea, warm and spiced ($2.50); and huckleberry pie at $6.99. We loved everything.
The stew was beefy and rich and had potatoes, celery, radishes, small dumplings and tender beef.
The Dal soup was bright yellow, had ground lentils and was gently spiced. Delicious.
The four Pappadum chips were the size of folded dinner plates, slightly salty and dotted with cumin seed. Almost too tender to touch, they came with a dip of sweet and delicate tamarind sauce.
The yak burger was big and thick and served on a hot but not toasted bun. I researched yak meat, and it is leaner, has less cholesterol, and is easier to digest than beef. It was very good.
I have a friend who is fascinated with huckleberries, so I ordered the pie, and it was excellent. It had tender, flaky crust, was crammed with berries and was warmed and fragrant.
It is well worth the ride to try this food. We had a great time. Plenty of parking, roomy bathroom.
IF YOU GO
The WildBerry Restaurant
37718 State Route 706 E. in Ashford.
360-569-2277
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day

 

Carolyn Augustine is a freelance restaurant writer.

Carolyn Augustine by — August 5, 2014 in Food, People

Really good Pho (Vietnamese soup) delicious teriyaki, and egg rolls that have a wonderful unusual wrapper are all available at Chop Stix, a small but wonderful restaurant in Eatonville.
Family-run and open at the same spot for about five years, the dining room is in a small house with six tables which are available for dining in, and there is also a complete carry-out menu. We went on a Saturday, and there was constant foot traffic and a full dining room. The service was good, and we got our order in about 15 minutes, which was fast.
We ordered the Well Done Beef Rice Noodle soup, at $7.50, Beef Teriyaki at $9.50, two egg rolls at $4, and 10 pot stickers at $6.95. We also ordered barbecued pork with fried rice at $8.50. Soft drinks are available, but we just ordered water.
The soup was terrific, with vegetables and meat all thinly sliced at the bottom of a large bowl. The very hot and gently seasoned broth is then poured over all the ingredients, and everything gets cooked together. There was easily enough for four people sharing. Delicious.
For those who like their food with a kick, extra sauces are available with various levels of heat. The teriyaki was also very good, with tender beef covered in a very sweet and tangy sauce, which we had with steamed rice. Lots of pieces of beef made enough for two.
There was also a small but very good side salad, served with a sweet and tangy dressing that complimented the teriyaki perfectly. The barbecued pork was very tender, and we just ate it with our fingers like an appetizer. The pork pot stickers were ordinary, but the egg rolls had wrappers that resembled French pastry rather than the usual wrappers. Very interesting and good with the gently seasoned fillings. Asian seasonings can be heavy on the ginger or garlic, but all the food we had at Chop Stix was lightly seasoned and delicious.

IF YOU GOChop Stix
311 Center St. E. in Eatonville
360 320-6261
Hours: Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; closed Sunday

 

Carolyn Augustine, who writes the Senior Eats column for Senior Scene, is a freelance food and restaurant writer.

Asian food at Chop Stix is served fast and delicious.
Asian food at Chop Stix is served fast and delicious.
Carolyn Augustine by — July 10, 2014 in Food, People