Outdoor Dining in Federal Way

Around May, I start getting antsy if I spend too much time inside, and any time we go out to eat, I require outdoor seating. For a long time, I thought there were only two or three options in Federal Way (which is understandable given that most restaurants in town look out over a parking lot). However, there are quite a few places which have gotten creative with their patios and even more that decided to embrace the parking lot view and set up a few tables to take advantage of the sun and summer breezes.

This post is a little different from my other reviews, but it seems necessary for my sanity in summer. So here it is: the totally incomplete guide to outdoor dining in Federal Way! Unlike my other posts which stick to locally-owned businesses, this is a list of anywhere I know of which has outdoor seating. I have thrown in fast food chains, burger joints, and cafes, as well as my original search for more upscale places where I could enjoy a glass of wine al fresco. If you know of any restaurants which should be added to this list, let me know in the comments and I'll add them!

Verrazanos - Easily the best view of the bunch. Enjoy upscale Italian food and a nice wine list on their water view deck.

The Rock - The view here is of Fatburger's patio but it's tucked in between the buildings so it's a little private. They have tasty wood fired pizza, microbrews, wine, or you can order a cocktail in a bucket. So that's a bonus.

Fatburger - As you probably guessed from above, their patio has a view of The Rock and its patio. You can enjoy a giant burger, fries, and, yes, a cold beer, tucked down in their little patio.

The Ram - This patio faces the parking lot but they have a nice little wall in between you and the cars and it's on the low traffic side of the building so it's a pleasant spot to enjoy a microbrew and a hearty dinner.

Red Robin - The deck faces the Commons Mall so you can get in some good people watching with your bottomless steak fries.

Panera - Their patio has a few umbrella tables next to the building and also faces the Commons. It's more of a pleasant lunch option than a lingering cocktail hour/dinner spot.

Costa Vida - In front of the Commons, this has good sidewalk seating and feels like a festive place to enjoy a burrito.

Five Guys - This is the newest restaurant at the Commons and they are right next to Costa Vida, sharing a sidewalk style patio.

Los Bigotes de Villa - This place and its teeny, comfortable deck feel like a beachfront taco stand that has been airlifted to a little shopping area tucked away along Pacific Highway. It feels private and relaxing despite the proximity to the highway, and the food is outstanding.

Poverty Bay Cafe - The outdoor seating for this coffee shop turned full service restaurant usually consists of a few tables and a water bowl for dogs just outside the front door. It's a great spot to enjoy breakfast in the summer.

Puerto Vallarta - They have a private little patio around the back of the restaurant that just begs you to enjoy a cold margarita on a hot day.

Burger Express - The deck here looks out over Pacific Highway and feels like a lively place to enjoy burgers and one of the best selections of shakes in Federal Way.

Ivar's - This branch of the local seafood chain has a few tables out front to enjoy your fish and chips in the fresh air.

Menchies - On a hot day, this is a recipe for happiness. A place that sells frozen yogurt by weight and has sidewalk seating is my kind of place!

Cold Stone Creamery/Jimmy John's - These restaurants are next to each other and there are a few tables on the sidewalk out in front. Dinner and dessert?

Starbucks (various locations) - I think most Starbucks locations have some sort of outdoor seating options.

Los Bigotes De Villa

30420 Pacific Hwy S #3, Federal Way

One day I woke up and said to my husband, " I really want a giant burrito today." So I went ahead and Googled, "giant burrito Federal Way" and found my new favorite Mexican restaurant in town. This place does not mess around with their burritos--they are indeed giant and more importantly, they are delicious.

They have a great salsa bar which includes lots of different kinds of salsa, plus pickled veggies and radishes. They serve Negra Modelo, Mexican Coke, and all kinds of non-burrito entrees which are good, too.

I should mention that it is located in a brightly-painted shack (yes, really) in a little row of other brightly-painted shacks. The inside is cute and kitschy and outside has a teeny little deck which is perfect for those sunny days when you want to sit on a deck and drink cold beer and eat hot burritos. Which for me, is almost every day. Additionally, this restaurant is named after Pancho Villa's mustache. True story.

Verrazanos Italian Restaurant

28835 Pacific Hwy S, Federal Way
www.verrazanos.com

Even without the delicious food, well-rounded wine list, and pleasant service, Verrazanos is the best restaurant in Federal Way. The town has something like 8 miles of waterfront and this is, to my knowledge, the only restaurant which takes advantage of that fact. With large, west-facing windows and a spacious deck, Verrazanos offers a spectacular view of Poverty Bay, Maury Island and the Olympic Mountains. As you can imagine, this is a popular spot in the summer for people who want to dine al fresco. Verrazanos deck is one of my favorite places to be on a summer evening. In the winter, the view is just as great from inside the warm, rustic interior of the restaurant.

But did I mention the delicious food, well-rounded wine list, and pleasant service? Even when they are busy, the servers are courteous and friendly. Their wine selection is great, featuring a lot of Italian wines, as well as some great west coast options.

With all this going for it, the food could be bad and I'd still eat here. But the food is great. It's heavy on seafood, steaks and Italian comfort food like eggplant parmesan, spaghetti, and risotto. They also make fantastic personal sized pizzas and have really nice salads. However, I could not write a review of this restaurant without mentioning their cannoli. It is so good. Really good. Slap your mamma good. Leave the gun, take the cannoli good.

Señor Taco

33120 Pacific Highway South, Federal Way
www.facebook.com/pages/Senor-Taco

You can usually bet that if a restaurant only has a handful of items on their menu, they do them all well. That is definitely the case at Señor Taco, where there is a small but solid selection of tacos and burritos to choose from on a board above the counter. The seasonings, salsas and flavors are all perfect and the portions are huge. One burrito could easily feed two people, unless one of those people is my husband. The tacos are simple and tasty and if you like fish tacos, this is the place to go in town. They also have a selection of Mexican soda and candy if you need a sugar hit.

While the menu is pretty no-frills, the decor is very festive, with each wall painted a different bright color and covered in funky artwork, religious icons, and televisions playing what appears to be the all soccer (or should I say futbol?) channel. On a gray Northwest day, the bright interior and friendly staff make you feel like you are somewhere sunny like Mexico or, at the very least, San Diego.

East India Grill

31845 Gateway Blvd. S, Federal Way
www.eastindiagrillwa.com

As far as I know, this is the only Indian restaurant in Federal Way since the one in the food court at the Commons closed (unless you count the amazing Indian pizza at CanAm). Even if this weren't the only game in town, I would still eat here all the time. The food is great and the restaurant has great ambiance. The walls are painted the warm colors of the spices in the food and the lighting is soft and makes the dining room feel like it is a million miles from the busy intersection of 320th and the freeway.

I have been here many times and have always loved everything I've eaten, from vegetable biryani to mango chicken and a wide variety of stuffed naan. During the day, they have the lunch buffet which is apparently required by law of all Indian restaurants but they also do a Sunday brunch - and what could be more decadent than butter chicken with a mimosa on the side? But wait, there's more! If you love their food and want to make the recipes at home, East India Grill sometimes offers cooking classes. If you're looking for a great dining experience that's close to home, I highly recommend East India Grill.

Tokyo Steak House

1404 S 320th St., Federal Way
tokyojapanesesteakhouse.org

Once again, I find myself posting about a restaurant which turns out to be a chain. I'm ok with this because the Federal Way location of Tokyo Steakhouse was the only one for more than a decade. They opened a second location in Bellevue last year but this still feels like a Federal Way original. Although, if you've been to a Benihana, it's pretty much the same thing. All the same, Tokyo Steak House is a really fun place to have dinner. If you're not familiar with the teppan yaki style of cooking, this is where there is a big grill attached to your table and the chef comes out and cooks right next to you. Like any Japanese steak house, there is a lot of fire and dinner theater involved and the chefs here do a fine job of knife juggling, precision chopping and turning everyday vegetables into flaming volcanoes. The food is tasty and, obviously, cooked to order. I can recommend the steak and calamari dinner and have enjoyed the shrimp and veggies as well. In addition, they have an extensive sushi menu but the regular dinner off the grill includes soup, salad, rice and appetizer in addition to your entree. You will not go hungry here!

Peking Wok

32921 1st Ave S, Federal Way
www.pekingwoksungs.com

Federal Way has no shortage of Chinese restaurants, so it can be hard to pick one when you’re in the mood for some Mongolian beef and wonton soup. There are a few reasons I like Peking Wok. Most importantly, the food is good. It’s your basic American-style Chinese food done nicely and they have a really big menu to choose from. They’ll even do Peking duck if you give them 24-hour notice. The portions are big and the prices are reasonable. The restaurant itself is very cozy. It’s located in the Quad Shopping Center and of course it’s in a strip mall, but the interior is nice with red walls, intimate tables, and the ceiling is covered in a very ornate pattern. 

The other great thing about Peking Wok is that they deliver. One warning on that though - there’s a $20 minimum order for delivery and a dinner for one is around $13 and can easily feed two people. So if you, a.) live alone or, b.) don’t live alone but your husband is at his brother’s house watching football and you’re home with wicked PMS and all you want in the world is for someone to drive Chinese food to your face while you sit on your couch watching A League of Their Own, you might be out of luck. Or you could just order some extra appetizers and have a lot of leftovers.

Serious Soul Cafe

35501 21st Avenue SW, Federal Way
www.serioussoulcafe.com

Ok, forget the Seattle Girl today – this post is dedicated to my southern girls. I actually waited to try Serious Soul Café until my friend from North Carolina was in town. I had been noticing it every time I went to buy cat food at Simply Paws and I was intrigued. I figured if it passed muster with my friend who has southern roots, it would get a gold star from me. Not only did it get her stamp of approval, she actually said that their hushpuppies are some of the best she’s had. I absolutely have to agree. They are so soft and fluffy on the inside and were served with a honey dipping sauce. The fried chicken was perfect – crispy and juicy but not at all greasy. They make amazing macaroni and cheese and the collard greens were delightful. My husband had their ribs and a slice of pecan pie and enjoyed that very much too. I would guess that everything on the menu is as delicious, based on the food we tried. The café itself is tiny, with only about six tables, but the owners are so friendly and the close quarters made for some cozy time with another couple with whom we wound up playing trivia from the Coffee News. My only caveat is this, plan to do laundry and wash your hair right after you eat here – the smell of the fryer really lingers. You can also get takeout from them and avoid the issue altogether but either way, the food is totally worth it.

New York Vinny's Pizza

2132 SW 336th St. Federal Way
newyorkvinnyspizzas.com

New York Vinny's has a few things going for it - it's conveniently located in Twin Lakes Village at the corner of 336th and 21st, they have large pizzas that are ready for pick up all day, every day for only $5.00, and their pizza is really tasty. The "Grab-N-Go" concept is what really sets them apart from a lot of the other pizza places around. I think Little Caesar's does the same sort of thing but Vinny's pizza is better. I was a bit skeptical at first - it seems like you might be getting pizza that has been sitting around for hours, getting rubbery and sad. Happily, that has not been my experience. We've tried both the cheese and pepperoni, the two flavors available for Grab-N-Go, and they are both great.  The sauce is flavorful and the crust is chewy and kind of buttery. I haven't spent much time eating pizza in NYC, but I will say that for $5.00, these are some pretty delicious pizzas. In addition, they have other toppings and sauces available which you can order in advance, including a garlic ranch chicken pizza, if you're into that sort of thing. This is the sort of place that is perfect for grabbing lunch for a birthday party or dinner after a long day of work/sports practice/ballet lessons, etc. This is also the sort of place I would like to have stick around in Federal Way so stop in and see for yourself - I think you'll like it too.

Pac Island Grill

2012 South 320th Street, Suite H, Federal Way
www.hawaiianstylebbq.net

The first time I ate their food, it was at a luau-themed, company picnic in Bellevue which Pac Island Grill catered.  I had no idea they were located in Federal Way until well after I had moved here.  It’s in the huge collection of businesses along 320^th, but it’s tucked all the way in the back of its little mall and so you probably wouldn’t find yourself driving past it.  I think we found it because we were lost.

I love the food at Pac Island Grill.  I’ve taken friends here and they’ve loved it too.  It’s just a loveable place.  Everything I’ve tried from their menu is delicious.  Plus, if you’re lucky, you’ll go in on a night when they have live Hawaiian music.  If you’re even luckier, as we were the first time we went in, all of the waitresses will spontaneously take off their shoes and start hula dancing in the middle of the restaurant.  In addition to having dancing skills, the staff here is really friendly – one time while having dinner there,  we had forgotten a sippy cup for our little girl and our server brought us one that belonged to her toddler who was hanging out in the back. 

While I’ve only lived in Federal Way for a few years and I’ve only been to Hawaii three times, I can tell you, one thing the two places have in common is the sense of family you feel when hanging out with the locals.  Pac Island Grill blends the two cultures seamlessly. 

Can-Am Pizza

32510 Pacific Highway South, Federal Way
http://www.canampizza.com/

I originally told myself that I wouldn’t write about chain restaurants on this blog but here I am, breaking that rule. Can-Am Pizza is an itty bitty chain which currently has just four restaurants in the greater Seattle area (but not actually in Seattle). I was introduced to the business in Bellevue and was so happy when I discovered there was one in Federal Way.

They have your traditional pizza with red sauce and the typical toppings but I’ve never had that here. What makes this place amazing are their non-traditional pies - specifically, Indian pizza. I first had this with an Indian friend and when she told me we were getting Indian pizza, I assumed she was talking about a traditional dish that was similar to pizza. But no, this is good old American-style pizza with Indian toppings. Imagine going to an Indian restaurant, ordering butter chicken or paneer and then going to Papa John’s and slathering them on top of a pizza. How brilliant is that? In addition, they do other interesting themes like a gyro pizza, Mexican pizza and even a bacon double cheeseburger pizza.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably stopped reading this and are already in your car driving towards Can-Am. I should warn you though, this is great for take out or delivery but there isn’t a lot of space for dining in the restaurant. It’s for the best anyway - once you’ve had one bite, you’ll want to be alone with this pizza.

Gino's Bistro

4624 SW 320th Street, Federal Way

http://www.ginosrestaurants.com/

Photo from Gino's website

Strangely, two of my favorite Italian restaurants are run by non-Italians (and no, I’m not talking about the Olive Garden and the Old Spaghetti Factory, presumably also not Italian-owned). One is a place in Seattle run by a Chinese couple and the other, Gino’s Bistro, is owned by a guy from Peru.

Gino’s is a really perfect little restaurant that makes such great food. It’s casual enough that we can bring our toddler here for dinner or get take-out pizza but it’s also fancy enough that we choose it for date night when we do have a babysitter and can order things like pear ravioli in Marsala cream sauce.

It goes without saying that it’s located in a strip mall, albeit a very small one in a wooded area near a golf course at the end of 320th. However, once you walk through the gas station parking lot to get inside, you would definitely describe the interior as charming and romantic. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed everything I’ve eaten here, from pizza to gnocchi to halibut. The service has always been friendly, as is often the case in family-owned restaurants where your server might also be related to the owner.

This was the first real restaurant we went to when we moved to Federal Way, the first place we went on a date after our daughter was born, one of the first places we took her when she was a baby and the place we go when my parents are in town. Gino’s is my gold standard for Federal Way dining.

Monster Burgers

1703 S 324th Street, Federal Way

Have you ever been ordering a cheeseburger and wished that the person behind the counter would ask, “Would you like gyoza with that?" Yeah, me too. Good news: Monster Burgers can make that dream come true. My first question was whether it was possible for a place to do burgers and their ilk well and also have good Japanese food. Well my friends, here in Federal Way that sort of thing is not only possible, but likely.

The burgers are really great and made with grass-fed, locally raised beef. Their fries are perfect, with a crunchy, crispy outside and served with fry sauce. I’m not sure why the combination of ketchup and mayonnaise makes me so happy but most burger restaurants that serve fry sauce tend to be above average in my book. I would be happy enough with this place if that were the end of it. I’m pleased to tell you that it’s not. The gyoza was really outstanding. If I hadn’t also been working on a burger and a basket of fries, I probably would have gotten a second order of these puppies. Crispy around the edges, soft and chewy in the middle and delicious all over, they are some of the best potstickers I’ve had, burger joint or no.

Next time you’re on the prowl for fast food and can't decide if you want burgers or teriyaki, go to Monster Burgers and take advantage of their widely varied and equally fantastic menu. You won’t be sorry.

Los Amigos Taqueria

31847 Pacific Highway South, Federal Way

253.529.2999

At the crossroads of 320^th and Pacific Highway, aka downtown Federal Way, is a little taqueria where really good things happen to some very lucky tortillas.  When you walk in the door of Los Amigos Taqueria, you’ll notice two things: the large sign on the window advertizing 5 tacos for $5.99, and the fantastic smell that makes you feel all warm and tingly and a little drooly.  While on the outside, it is your typical strip mall design, the interior has been dressed up a little with red Spanish roof tiles and colorful ceramic tiles covering the counter.  Another bonus are the two TVs which broadcast the only Spanish-language channel in the area, meaning there is a good chance you will be treated to some pretty snappy telenovela programming while you eat. 

The servings are large and include sides of rice and beans.  I had a burrito which was covered in a really delicious sauce.  My husband, predictably, had the arroz con pollo which was also very good.  We went in on a very cold day after going on a hike and this food just hit the spot.  I also loved that I could sit there eating great Mexican food while looking out the window at the McChipotle next door.  If you don’t want the view though, good news: they have a drive-through window.

Shorty's Grub House

34417 Pacific Highway South, Federal Way

www.shortysgrubhouse.com

Update: Shorty's has moved from the Federal Way location to Black Diamond.

I love barbecue.  When I was in college, my girlfriends and I one time drove for more than three hours to get to our favorite barbecue restaurant in a town 180 miles away.  The trip wound up involving crazy shenanigans and became much more complex, as these things often do, and the three of us girls wound up spending the night in a dive motel with no heat and had to huddle together in one bed with our coats on and a fifth of Old Crow to keep warm.  Classy, I know.  The point is that these girls and I are devoted to our barbecue and in fact, one of them went so far as to have her wedding catered by a barbecue restaurant.


Meatloaf Sandwich

You can imagine my joy when we discovered Shorty’s Grub House here in Federal Way.  This is the sort of place you walk into and know they will have good food.  It’s in a pretty barebones building on Pac Highway with a big pink pig fashioned out of a steel drum in front.  The front door sticks and for a moment, I thought it was locked until I heard the owner of the restaurant calling to me to pull harder.  When I made it in, he said, “You really have to manhandle that thing.”  Yes.  I looked around the restaurant and surveyed the trappings.  Rolls of paper towels on the tables: check, menu written on a giant chalk board over the counter: check, table devoted solely to holding the condiments, including three different degrees of hot sauce: check.  In addition, there was a Tonka truck just waiting for little hands to play with, much to my daughter’s delight. 

While I tried to decide what to eat, I was assured by the owner that everything is delicious.  I have no doubt.  I eventually ordered the meatloaf sandwich which is smothered in grilled onions and their grubbin’ sauce – the same barbecue sauce that all of the barbecued meat wears.  It’s served on grilled sourdough bread.  I also had a side of their three-cheese macaroni and cheese and I couldn’t resist trying the sweet potato hash as well, which features sweet potatoes, russets, garlic and onions garnished with cinnamon.  The sandwich was delightful – warm and soft and literally dripping with sauce.  I set to work on it and didn’t come up for air until it was gone.  Meanwhile, my two-year-old was enjoying the macaroni and cheese, which was exactly what you want the macaroni and cheese at a barbeque restaurant to be.  It has fat noodles, a light crumb topping and a blend of cheeses to make it just zippy enough but still pass as comfort food.  The sweet potato hash was a happy surprise and was a great blend of sweet and savory.  I should also mention that they do breakfast as well and after peeking at that menu, I’m sure that I will find something to love at Shorty’s any time of day. 

Rest assured, the next time my college pals are in town, I will take them straight to Shorty’s Grub House, a convenient 4-mile drive from my home.

Koharu Japanese Restaurant

31840 Pacific Highway South

 

www.koharusushi.com

I always find that my favorite cure for a hangover involves teriyaki and a Coke.  After a particularly rowdy night, the hubby and I packed up the tot to check out a new teriyaki place.  While there are scads of good fast-food teriyaki joints in town, we decided to try Koharu, a little Japanese restaurant hiding in a strip mall full of mostly empty stores along Pac Highway.  I don’t know if it was partly because I knew there was teriyaki in my future, but I felt very soothed just walking in the door of Koharu.  The lighting is soft, the music is soft, the pink napkins are soft - the whole atmosphere was a tonic for my frazzled soul.  The servers are very friendly and all wear kimonos.  When we sat down I looked at my menu and suddenly, teriyaki alone wouldn’t cut it – I needed sushi too.  I’m really glad that I ordered both because the sushi was great.  I have to admit that I also ordered gyoza – I am an eating machine.  The dinner comes with miso soup, an iceberg salad, kobachi and a gelatin dessert.  You definitely won’t go hungry here.  It was all very good, the teriyaki chicken hit the spot but the sushi was definitely the star of my dinner show.  The salmon skin roll was so right – crispy inside and a little warm.  My only complaint is that it took a really long time for our food to come but I think it was worth the wait.  Bottom line: come for the teriyaki, stay for the sushi.


Make sure you wear your eating pants...

Poverty Bay Café & Deli

1108A S. 322^nd Place, Federal Way

http://www.povertybay.com/

I should start by mentioning that I do not drink coffee.  That’s right, I am the one person in the Seattle area who does not drink coffee.  It’s not that I don’t like the taste or the act of spending hours in a cozy coffee shop on one of our endless rainy days.  I just can’t handle the caffeine.  It makes me feel like I’ve smoked a pack of Marlboro Reds while wearing seven nicotine patches.  No one likes me after I have a strong cup of coffee.  Fortunately, my husband makes up for me by having a hardcore caffeine addiction.  The yang to my yin, this man can drink a triple grande mocha right before bed and promptly sleep like a rock. 

Poverty Bay Café & Deli, which takes its rather off-putting name from a nearby body of water here in Federal Way, is the kind of place that makes a non-coffee drinker happy to accompany her caffeine-addict honey for a fix.  It’s tucked away behind the Safeway on 320^th – skip the in-store Starbucks and drive the extra 200 feet to Poverty Bay.  Its hard-to-miss exterior is covered in colorful murals.  Inside, they have a collection of mismatched tables and some funky old armchairs to lounge in, plus a small patio in the summer. 

I am assured that they have great coffee – not to mention sustainable, shade grown, song bird-friendly, direct-trade, and all that happy hippy goodness so you can feel good about buying it.  They also have an extensive and tasty breakfast menu with things like waffles, omelets, pastries and a huge selection of biscotti, plus they have really great sandwiches.  In fact, one of my favorite sandwiches of the world is their Chicken Panini which has chicken, spinach, Provolone, red onions and Dijon mustard happily nestled between two fat pieces of rosemary olive bread.  I eat this nearly every time I go to Poverty Bay and sometimes even in my dreams.  In fact, we went there while I was in labor prior to heading to the hospital so that I could eat this sandwich – the one and only time I didn’t clean my plate at this joint.  If that isn’t a testament to the deliciousness, I don’t know what is.

Pimienta Bistro & Bar

34029 Hoyt Rd SW, Federal Way

www.pimientabistro.com 

Photo from Peppercorn's Facebook Page

UPDATE: The restaurant has changed ownership and is now called Pimienta (Spanish for pepper), but still has the same chef and similar menu and decor.
Peppercorn is fairly new – it’s less than six months old, but what a beautiful baby it is!  Although we found it accidentally, I realized that I had been looking for this place since we moved to Federal Way.  It’s tucked away at the corner of Hoyt and 340th and is actually pretty easy to miss from the street.  Once you walk through the door though, you know this isn’t your average F Dub watering hole.  The interior is painted in warm earth tones and the walls are covered with wood salvaged from an old barn.  The pendant light fixtures are made from funky chicken wire and local artists’ work hangs on the walls.

The staff is incredibly friendly – not in a works-for-tips-so-we-have-to-be kind of way, and I’ve worked in a restaurant so I know from faking it – but in a genuinely-happy-to-be-a-part-of-this-cool-little-business way.  The servers are adorable and charming. The executive chef and co-owner, Blanca used to be the chef at Cactus, a small, three-restaurant chain in the Seattle area that serves really fun southwestern-style food.  The last time we were at Peppercorn, she came out to say hi and flirt with our (in my humble opinion) adorable little daughter.  I read that the other owner, Hector used to work for the now defunct Dash Point Metropolitan Market.  It was the closest market to my house, with the best cheese, produce and wine selections in town and I actually cried when it closed.  Now I think there is something to the theory that when God closes a door, he opens a really chic bistro – er, something…

The food here is really lovely.  We’ve tried several things on their menu and have enjoyed them all.  Many of the dishes have a Latin flair, which turns some stand-by dishes into really interesting meals. Their calamari fritti appetizer is great, with a melt-in-your-mouth coating and a perfect bite on the inside.  It was served with a tangerine-lemon aioli that really lets the flavor of the calamari shine.  The peppercorn steak is really nicely prepared and is served with fried parmesan polenta that is hands-down the best polenta I have ever eaten.  It’s buttery and crispy on the outside and so creamy on the inside.  The first time we ate there, my husband ordered this and I couldn’t keep my fork off of his plate.  That night, I had the mariscada which has scallops, mussels, shrimp and Portuguese sausage in it and is served in a tomato broth.  It was also great, although the tomato flavor slightly overwhelmed the shellfish.  We’ve also tried the pepper crusted ahi which was very nice and a halibut special that I have thought about many times since.  They have two regular desserts and sometimes do a special dessert as well.  Always on the menu are crème brulee, which is good and a flourless chocolate torte that is one of the best chocolate desserts I’ve ever eaten.  I don’t usually prefer chocolate when given the choice of other sweets but this has definitely changed my mind.  It’s dense and moist but not too rich and it is flavored with orange, which is such a nice touch.  The wine list is nicely varied and has clearly been thoughtfully chosen.

Pepper Crusted Ahi, from Peppercorn's Facebook Page

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
While there are several places in the Federal Way area that I really do like, there can’t be more than a few that are the total package of innovative food, terrific atmosphere and great service that you will find at Peppercorn Bistro & Bar.  This restaurant fuels my optimism that fine dining really can exist anywhere if there are enough people that demand it.  Thank you to my fellow Federal Way foodies – our demand has been heard!