The Hub Restaurant Review

For Valentine’s Day Peg and I ordered take out from the Harmon on Pacific Avenue in Tacoma. The results were less than stunning (changes are happening there now). I wanted to make sure that The Hub (a Harmon property in the Stadium District) was maintaining their service and food standards. My wife Peg went with friend Vickie on Sunday after watching Tacoma Little Theatre’s latest hit, A Little Night Music. Both loved the play and the food afterward. They visited The Hub for dinner. They shared the seared Ahi and each ate half a sandwich. Peg enjoys a fish sandwich, and really enjoyed the The Hub version. I was encouraged.

Parking is sometimes a problem, but I beat the lunch rush. I parked directly across the street under a cherry tree. The tree was not in full blossom, but nearly. The deciduous trees in Tacoma are a sight to see in early spring. With Wright Park just a few hundred feet away from the Hub, it makes a great place to walk to create an appetite, as well as paths to walk off calories afterwards.

I ordered the crispy calamari for an appetizer and my favorite menu item, the seared Ahi. They were delivered together as I requested. I asked for more lemon wedges and lime wedges. Within a minute or two my request was fulfilled.

The calamari rings looked over-cooked to make them “crispy,” so I attacked my seared Ahi first. There was a small pile of thin fried noodles, so I tasted them before the Ahi. I could have eaten a whole bowl of them. They were both delicate and fragile . . . and too soon gone.

Next, I squeezed lime juice over the tuna and the calamari and then sampled my first slice of Ahi. The consistency and weave was perfect. Seeds covering the roll added snap and taste at the same time as the pale pink meat delivered a nice cool flavor. In no time the Ahi was gone. I was extremely happy. It remains my favorite item at The Hub.

Next came my main appetizer, the calamari. I was disappointed. I had expected to take at least half of the rings home to Peggy. The disappointment was that they were so good I returned home empty handed. The sauces for the Ahi and the calamari had enough bite to make me happy. Four halved cherry tomatoes added a combination of sweetness and tartness with the sauce.

Manager Pat Nagle sat down with me and chatted. He wants to see The Hub more out into the community. He has rejoined the Rotary Club of Tacoma. With the weather warming up The Hub will soon be a haven for people who like to dine on their deck. The Hub rolls up the pull-down door and lets the fresh air in. On this visit it was enough just to sit and look out the panes at nature’s beauty. – harmonbrewingco.com/