A new restaurant has arrived on Tacoma Avenue South, in Red Kelly's old spot near the County-City Building. The restaurant is the SideBar Bistro - note the legal theme - with cherry wood furniture, slate floors, fixtures that look as though they came from Restoration Hardware and three meals a day. JoAnna and Tom Irick - who also own Hot Rod Dog, with locations on Pacific Avenue and next door to their new venture - quietly opened the SideBar Bistro a couple weeks ago, which features Northwest-ish dishes, a full bar, an espresso machine and a gorgeous view of the mountains.

Breakfast, served until 11 a.m., features $3.95 steel cut Irish oatmeal, a $4.75 grilled breakfast panini with Black Forest ham, smoked turkey or bacon, $3.95 Belgian waffle with fresh strawberries, $4.25 quiche, as well as a $3.45 granola parfait and $2.45 bagel with cream cheese. Pastries from Essential Baking Co. are available, too.

Lunch, which should be very popular due to the high-traffic in and out of the County-City Building, consists of nine sandwiches - with a tenth option of building your own - five salads, and soups.

Currently, dinner only has five options: grilled vegetable ravioli ($15.99), chicken Caesar salad ($11.99), SideBar lasagna ($16.99), walnut apple chicken salad ($12.99), French dip sandwich ($10.99) and a chicken pot pie with puff pastry ($12.99). The Iricks intend to add more dishes soon.

Down the long dining room and a dogleg right sits a small bar. All your favorite booze options sit on the shelves, with three micro brews on tap, eight wine whites, 12 reds, three sparkling wines and two dessert wines.  The 2005 Volker Eisele Cabernet tops the wine list at $85. Most bottles are priced between $21 and $29.

Hours: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday, 3-6 p.m. daily happy hour, corner of 11th and Tacoma Avenue South, Tacoma