From the Guy Who Brought You August Wynn Comes Retro Dogz, a Hot Dog Joint in Downtown Bremerton

We're not in Frosty's anymore, Toto. Retro Dogz opens in the next couple weeks at 701 Pacific Avenue in downtown Bremerton.

“(Customers) can expect the same quality,” says Chris Bortisser, the proprietor of Retro Dogz and former owner of Manette’s August Wynn. But that’s basically the extent of the similarities between his old digs and the hot dog restaurant he and co-owner Michelle Golden have planned for the space formerly inhabited by Frosty’s on Pacific Avenue. They hope to serve their first dogs within the next two weeks.

For this project, Bortisser says he’s all about offering a laid-back hot dog experience with an adventurous array of toppings, weekly specials, and a few other sandwiches — egg salad, tuna salad — that can be served on a hot dog bun. He also plans to bring in black and white cookies and knishes to a menu that will be hardly any longer than that of a street vendor you’d find in Manhattan. “Which is to say, not a whole lot of choices, usually,” Bortisser says.

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Yes, Chico Way Has a “Drive-Thru” Taqueria

Yes, they serve tacos for 99 cents.

Yes, they’re right across the street from the Big Apple Diner.

Yes, we haven’t tried them yet. Yes, Big Apple’s prime rib is really filling for breakfast.

 

From the People Who Brought You Hi-Lo’s 15th Street Cafe Comes The 15th Street Bakery

People who make green eggs and ham like this should be able to bake bread, cakes, and cookies that make you swoon. BTW, Hi-Lo's will be closed from Sept. 7 to 21 to make some repairs.

Over my usual plate (above, 7 seconds in) at Hi-Lo’s 15th Street Cafe this afternoon, my lady and I were let in on what the crew has planned for the space formerly occupied by Luigi’s Bakery, vacant since Luigi’s death in May. Heidi and Lowell Yoxsimer, who own Hi-Lo’s and the Luigi space between them and the neighborhood bodega, are opening The 15th Street Bakery.

“It’s gonna be like artisan bread, kind of similar to what Luigi was doing,” Lowell told me this evening, “but we’re definitely not going to try to mimic that.”

Do look for lots of pies — miniature and full sized — cakes, muffins, and various specialty items.

“We’re looking at doing a lot more special order kind of stuff,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of people asking for gluten free, sugar free…”

Because of the way the bathroom is set up, Lowell says they’ll only be able to sell retail — read: no tables or silverware — but that loitering will be allowed, particularly in the space’s hallway that Heidi has plans to showcase local CDs and art.

Lowell hopes to have the bakery open between October 1 and 15. We’ll keep ya posted.

P.S. Hi-Lo’s will be closed from Sept. 7 to 21 for repairs. I’m sure The Family Pancake House will be open and serving banana splits.

 

Boston’s Pizza Sells Stella Artois, Newcastle, Full Sail, and Every Other Bottle For $2.35. All the Time.

Check out the art in this picture. You can see the pie-flipper waiting to take my order.

Yeah, I was surprised, too. I wandered into Boston’s (206 Burwell, Bremerton), absolutely starving — for food and clear-headed thinking — after Norm Dicks’ town hall meeting at the conference center. And because Fritz was closed — dude, there were hundreds of people streaming out after the town hall — I made my way up to a freshly baked pepperoni pizza, served by the slice at Boston’s, and found a new place to drink beer.

Anyway, I’m not hear to go long on the Boston’s experience, only that they serve cheap, GOOD beer all day every day, and they’re open past 9 p.m. That’s $2.35 for their bottles — Stella, Heineken, etc. — and $2 for draft beer — Sam Adams (woof!). I’ll be stickin’ with Stella.

 

A Quick Note About Callow, Part 2: Cheeseburgers, Gimlets, and Sailors at Hi-Fidelity Lounge

So, there I was, sitting at the bar at Bremerton’s Hi-Fidelity last weekend when a sailor took notice of my beverage. I informed him that it was, indeed, a gimlet: gin, sugar, and lime juice. He was intrigued, and I offered him a chance to get his lips around it. He did, and he loved it. For the next 35 minutes, he an I kept ordering gimlets and we each drank from all the glasses that came our way. A little strange, I admit.

At any rate, gimlets and cheeseburgers are flowing this weekend at Hi-Fidelity. I only order gimlets at the Hi-Fi. I mean, I have the occasional beer, but this is the only place I drink gimlets. It’s also the only place I share gimlets with sailors.

 

Something I Learned at Last Night’s West Sound Brewers Meeting

“If you can die at any moment, you might as well drink beer.”

Check out the results of the club-sponsored 2009 Kitsap County Fair Homebrew Competition.

 

A Quick Note About Callow, Part 1: La Poblanita’s Tamales Are Amazing

This photo does not do the tamales justice. I blame the photographer.

Yes, La Poblanita is the taqueria next to the Hot Iron Bar & Grill, that thing that used to be The Ponderay. The tamales are only $1.25, and come in chicken or pork. I suggest the pork, but if you’re having more than a couple, I’d mix it up.

Yes, have more than a couple. They have tacos, too. Seriously, for $5, you can get a pair of tamales and a pair of tacos. Best. Deal. In. Bremerton. Seriously, if you don’t believe me, ask Angela.

Yes, the tamales are handmade. Daily. Which is why they’re delicious. I think. Though if I found out tomorrow that they were actually from the frozen food section at Costco, I wouldn’t be let down.

Yes, you can also buy paper-think carne asada in the back.

 

Our Little Caesars is Hot ‘N’ Ready For Business

The $5 large pepperoni or cheese pizzas are ready to be picked up at the new Little Caesars on the corner of 11th and Callow, across the street from Safeway. I see stacks of pizza boxes in my basement’s future.

 

Eggs, Issues, The Cloverleaf, and Five Mayoral Candidates

Wishful thinking.

The Bremerton Area Chamber of Commerce’s Egg’s and Issues series kicks off Tuesday morning at 7:30 a.m., which means that those of you with a free morning and a few extra dollars (there’s a no-host breakfast) in your pocket are free to attend at The Cloverleaf. First up is the marquee race in this year’s election season. Five mayoral candidates: Daryl Daugs, Carlos Jara, Patty Lent, Will Maupin and Mike Shepherd will be on hand, presumably putting down eggs, talking about how their fountain parks would have been different, and pointing out the under-represented folks around town not benefiting from downtown’s development. We’re gonna do our damndest to get out of bed in time. Depending on how much wine is left in that box at home, it may not be so easy.

The entire series (ht/Kitsap Caucus):

July 7 – Bremerton Mayor: Daryl Daugs, Carlos Jara, Patty Lent, Will Maupin and Mike Shepherd

July 14 – Bremerton City Council District #7: Carol Arends and Gentry Lange

July 21 – Port of Bremerton Commissioner, District #1: Gene Hart, Lynn Horton and Roger Zabinski

July 28 – Bremerton School District, Position #1: Cynthia Large, Christianne Martin, Scott Rahm and J. David Rubie

August 4 – Bremerton School District, Position #4: David Boynton, Cynthia Galloway and Bruce Woolnough

August 11 – Bremerton School District, Position #5: Ruben Garcia, Carolynn Perkins and Kent Watkins

 

Anthony’s Has a Happy Hour (And Its Fair Share of Assholes)

Anthony's Happy Hour runs from 3 to 6:30 p.m. daily.

Anthony’s is the Starbucks of seafood. That is to say that it’s predictable, generic, you can get it in any town, and in its genre it’s the best this town has to offer (I’m still waiting for Bremerton’s great coffee shop, but that’s another story that I’ll get to when I’m up to it. Why is it so difficult to serve good coffee in a comfortable setting? Do I really have to listen to the radio commercials over burnt drip?)

While I was entertaining out-of-town guests this week, we took in an outdoor lunch on the Anthony’s deck when I noticed two things: a killer happy hour and a complete asshole. First, the former.

Bear in mind that I haven’t experienced the hh situation first hand yet (I’m on my way right now. Please tell me if I should unpack), but I have had the oyster shooters ($.50 each) and regional microbrews ($3) that are enough to make this well-timed (3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily) happy hour worth a second look, and three hours of your time. Like I said, I’m on my way, as long as I don’t have to sit by the same guy I did last week.

This is why cell phones shouldn’t be allowed in any restaurant, and certain people should not be allowed out of their home without a permission slip. Consider the following:

A family of three are on the deck. I assume they’re tourists because their paper shopping bag says “Westin” on it. (Kids, if this is the hip new grip a la Gap and Banana Republic shopping bags for lunches were in the ’90s, please let me know.) At one point the couple’s daughter had a conversation with her father about a phone call she was about to make. And before the waitress had taken their lunch order — they already had drinks — she struck up a cellular conversation. Upon the waitresses return, the father informed her that they were not ready to oder because “She’s on the phone. Give us five more minutes.”  Then he took his turn on the phone. Seriously. These people exist. What happened? Missed the boat to Bainbridge?

Several minutes later we learned that it was convenient for the family of three to order because the older woman at the table announced “OK, we’re ready!” as the waitress attended to diners not too busy to be bothered by fresh drinks and salmon patties. Damn.