Grav's Alaskan Adventure: Day 2

     Today was a day of preparation for our departure. That being said, I did manage to see and eat a few cool things. I suppose I could write this in a long narration about the day and all it's strangeness. (It is always strange when I travel with family.) However, to make life easier on myself and the rest of you, I am going to split this entry into several mini articles covering the highlights of my day. Enjoy!

The Buttered Biscuit

      The Buttered Biscuit is a delightful little cafe in downtown Sumner. It is in a bit of a secluded location. However if you get lost, no worries. Just ask a local. Everyone knows where the Buttered Biscuit is located. The staff is quite friendly and laid back. Tattoos and tie dye t-shirt were both present and accounted for amongst the staff. They also have an extensive selection of different hot sauces on various walls and shelves. I think I even saw a bottle of Dave's Insanity in one cluster. Needless to say, I felt right at home.

      If you go to the Buttered Biscuit for breakfast, it will not be the cheapest breakfast, but they use quality ingredients and don't scrimp on the serving size. My aunt and mother both ordered berry filled crepes. I got to try a bite of one of the raspberry crepes. Now, I am not the biggest fan of raspberries in food. Often they are prepared in a way that is cloying and overly sweet. However, the filling in the crepes was fresh, with a perfect balance of sweet and tart. The crepes were were cooked to perfection: thin and dense; lightly spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon.

      My dad ordered a vegi omelet called “The Paris Hilton.” It was huge, made with 3-4 eggs, (by my guess) stuffed to the brim with artichoke, avocado, tomato, zucchini, mushroom, cheddar, feta, and mozzarella. I did not get a chance to try this one, but from the way my dad demolished it, it must have been good. The dish comes with a side of potato slices which were cooked to somewhere between a potato chip and a country fry. The same side came with my entree as well.

      Before I move on to my breakfast, we MUST talk about the corn bread. My aunt suggested we order a hunk of corn bread, and I am so glad she did. This is one of the best cornbreads my taste buds has ever encountered. It was moist and sweet like a cake, subtly spiced with sweet spices. The top was encrusted with over size sugar crystals and covered with honey butter balls. When they brought out the 4+ inch thick slab of corn bread goodness, melt honey butter had soaked a half an inch up into the bed. The flavor can be summed up in one word: Num!

I ordered something completely different from anything I had ever had for breakfast before. It was called the Aristotle. It was comprised of a mile high biscuit covered with feta cheese, onions, tomatoes, Swiss cheese, gyro meat, tzatziki sauce, two poached eggs, and covered with hollandaise sauce. It was incredible. I found that tzatziki and hollandaise sauces work exquisitely together. It was like Eggs Benedict and Mr. Gyro had a love child, and I was consuming it for breakfast. If you find yourself near Sumner, WA and have the morning munchies, give Buttered Biscuit a try.

The Chihuly Bridge

      Tacoma boasted and unusual architectural point of interest. In the heart of downtown there is a walking bridge which crosses the highway and terminates at the Tacoma's Museum of Glass. If you are fond of Chihuly's work or blown glass in general, the walk is well worth you time. I myself am very fond of Chilhuly's work, though I must say quite a few up his pieces looked like he might have sculpted them to sell at a head shop in Beverly Hills. Quite beautiful, but... Well you get the idea.

Highway 167

      If you find yourself driving along Highway 167 in Washington, do yourself a favor and stop by one of the many local produce markets. The food is fresh and the prices are very affordable.

However, be careful driving along Highway 167 during the month of August. The salmon are plentiful at this time of year, and hundreds flock to the river that runs parallel to highway. Sometimes these fisherman are so focused on fishing that they forget the importance of parking and pedestrian safety. An extra measure of caution when driving down Highway 167 is highly recommended.

Dukes

      Dukes is a regional chain in the Seattle specializing in wild caught fish and free range, cruelty free meats. While the rest of my family tried seafood items, I opted for an American classic: a bacon cheeseburger. Let me first say, this really was a very good burger. It was a smashy, cooked to order. I was impressed that the chef was not afraid to give me the medium rare burger I ordered. The quality of the eight ounce patty of meat was quite high, though not the best by five. It was well seasoned, and was topped with bacon, blue cheese, and blue cheese dressing. They used a higher grade of bleu cheese that I was expecting. The bun was even well done.

However, this burger simply is not worth $14.20 plus tax. Eight, maybe nine dollars would be far closer to the burger's true value. With this burger, you are paying approximately a 75% markup for the privilege of feeling good because some cow MAY have lived and died a little easier to provide you with your burger needs guild free. If you can afford that, it really is a good burger. Call me cruel, but I think I will find a better bargain.