Flying Honey Livens Up The Barbecue At Pete's

Pete's BBQ Rib and Steak House, 1602 S. Mildred, Tacoma. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Friday; 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday; 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Nonsmoking section; lounge with full bar; credit cards accepted; 565-7427.

-- TACOMA

A waitress climbs a ladder, dips a wooden spool into a bucket and, with a backward flip of the wrist, sends down a stream of honey into a bowl resting on the table below.

This is Pete's BBQ Rib and Steak House. The ritual is called "Mile High Honey."

You can count on the waitress to hit her spot about as often as you can count on Pete's to hit yours - pretty much every time.

The secret to the waitresses' success is training (they perfect their aim above tarp-covered floors in the restaurant's banquet room). The secret to Pete's is its meat-smoking.

The alderwood-fueled stove is more of a pressure cooker than anything else. Flames never touch the meat, which is heated slowly to make it as tender as possible.

In the case of a recent barbecue chicken sandwich ($5.49), that meant tender to perfection. Drenched in Pete's traditional sauce on a kaiser bun, it was served with a large helping of cole slaw that was crispy and light.

A side order of barbecue beans rounded out an outstanding lunch that also was quick. (A note on the menu informs that the meal is free if not delivered within 10 minutes; this one came in 6 1/2.)

That Pete's should perform so well should come as no surprise to regular Puyallup Fair-goers. Since 1976, Pete's "Log Cabin" has been among the fair's top food outlets.

The original Pete's has been on the corner of East 72nd Street and Portland Avenue in Tacoma for 20 years. Doug Peterson also owns H.D. Hotspurs in Kent.

Pete's uses four sauces: The Puyallup, an excellent traditional mixture that recently took fifth place in an international competition in Kansas City; Blue Ribbon, a sweeter sauce; Spicy Western, which has jalapenos and cayenne; and Smoky Southern, a brown, gravy-like mixture said to be favored by the owner.

The lunch menu also includes the Endless Salad (all you can eat for $4.99), spare ribs ($5.99), soup-salad-sandwich combinations ($4.99) and burgers ($5.99).

Dinners present many more choices. On Fridays and Saturdays, smoked prime rib ($14.95 with either salmon or prawns) is featured. Other beef and seafood combinations range from $12.95 to $16.95.

On weekends, Pete's also serves breakfast, including fresh-baked muffins, pancakes and omelets.

In the lounge, the decor is subtle: dark, natural woods, a saddle near the entrance, an old water pump fixture. It doesn't bonk you over the head with its Western style.

By the way, the slow-dripped honey is for use in consumption of the sweet cornbread, served only with dinner. And the wait staff does miss once in a while; accuracy increases anytime a customer agrees to place the target - the bowl - on his head.

"If I miss, I just tell them it makes a good hair conditioner," said manager Lisa Llewelyn..

Restaurant reviews are a regular Thursday feature of the South County Life section. Reviewers visit restaurants unannounced and pay in full for all their meals. When they interview members of the restaurant management and staff, they do so only after the meals and services have been appraised.