Dining calendar: Tilted Tree cider release, 2 new restaurants in University Place

Here’s a look at what’s happening in South Sound restaurant and beverage news.

TILTED TREE RELEASE PARTY

Tacoma’s Tilted Tree Cidery is planning a release party at 4 p.m. Saturday at Narrows Brewing Co., 9007 S. 19th St., Tacoma. Tilted Tree ciders will be on tap and for sale (and try a Narrows brew while you’re there). Jared and Sara Fraychineaud opened the Tacoma cidery in 2015. Find more information on the company at tiltedtreecider.com.

NEW MENU AT PRIMO GRILL

Chef-owner Charlie McManus reported a number of new menu items at his Sixth Avenue restaurant, Primo Grill.

He in an email, “We now have paella on the menu as well as beet ravioli with orange poppy seed sauce. Braised lamb shank with creamy parmesan polenta is back, and we have squid ink tagliatelle with Naples style spicy shrimp. Our fried cauliflower appetizer, the cauliflower seasoned with sumac and aleppo pepper, accompanied with harissa, yogurt and grilled house flat bread, has become very popular.”

Not to be outdone, co-owner/wife Jacqueline Plattner is working on a few cocktail projects.

“She made our own pear schnapps for our pear harvest cocktail made with schnapps, Jack Rudy elderflower tonic and prosecco, and just completed making a house orange bitters,” McManus said.

Find the restaurant at 2701 Sixth Ave., Tacoma; 253-383-7000; primogrilltacoma.com.

NEW MENU, CHEF AT SOCIAL BAR AND GRILL

Social Bar and Grill owner Philip Panagos has hired a new chef and added a few new menu items last month. Luke Ortiz, formerly of Dirty Oscar’s Annex, has taken over in the kitchen.

New menu items include Penn Cove mussels with a Pernod cream sauce. Said Panagos, “The licorice flavor complements the mussels surprisingly well.” He also mentioned a pineapple coconut prawn soup, which is gluten and dairy free. Find the restaurant at 1715 Dock St., Tacoma; 253-301-3835; thesocialbarandgrill.com.

TWO UNIVERSITY PLACE RESTAURANTS OPEN

A fast food Chinese restaurant opened last week in University Place. Find Charles and Terry at 1905 Bridgeport Way W., University Place; 253-244-7777. Find the menu at charles-n-terry.com.

Also newly opened in the same strip mall is the Lotus Cafe and Bakery, a small espresso cafe with pastries, cupcakes and a deli menu with Vietnamese sandwiches and salads. Find the cafe and bakery at 1905 Bridgeport Way W., University Place; 253-212-9330 or facebook.com/lotuscafe.up.

This story was originally published January 21, 2016 at 7:58 AM with the headline "Dining calendar: Tilted Tree cider release, 2 new restaurants in University Place."