ANNOUNCER: Located in the heart of downtown Tacoma, you'll find the Murano Hotel. Inside, up just one set of stairs, you'll find locally crafted foods for locals and visitors alike. And this week, Dutch and Jackie weave through the busy shopping traffic to get their teeth into what BITE has to offer.

JACKIE: The interior of BITE is much like the lobby of Hotel Murano -- elegant blown glass pieces and art are speckled throughout the space. You'll spy sweeping views of the downtown landscape and can admire the mountain off in the distance. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the menus feature classic, American dishes with a focus on PNW favorite fare, seafood.

DUTCH: I popped in for breakfast and was also impressed with the interior and the Northwest focus on the menu with items such as the Limoncello cured salmon or the warm apple cider quinoa cereal. However, my expectation was a bit higher than what I received. I think of a steak and eggs breakfast as a traditional hearty meal, but instead I was presented with a petite steak that left me hungry. Likewise, the Belgian waffle had a less than impressive strawberries-to-waffle ratio. I was glad there was also syrup available to fill the void.

JACKIE: The Scallop and Prawn Fettuccini was impeccable. The creamy Alfredo sauce was balanced with asparagus, tomato, and of course, scallops and prawn. The noodles had that nice firmness that comes from not over cooking them, and all in all it was rich and satisfying. Each tasty seafood morsel has a nice sear that added a pop of flavor, too.

DUTCH: I'm happy to hear your dinner meal was impressive. BITE was able to redeem themselves with me as well with their lunch selections. One such small plate is the fries and gravy which offers tender potatoes with a crunchy exterior that are drenched in a mushroom zinfandel gravy, and then topped with mushrooms and your choice of cheese curds or gorgonzola -- I went with the cheese curds. On the main dish side of the menu, I grabbed the Kobe Beef burger. This is a huge half-pound burger patty with lots of toppings. Butter lettuce, sweet Roma tomatoes, red onions, pickles, bacon relish, and your choice of cheese all accompanied by a side of garlic fries really hits the spot.

JACKIE: I was obviously in a pasta mood because I also tried the Truffle Mac and Cheese. It was too good to pass up. Orecchiette noodles are tossed in a rich cheese sauce with Tillamook white cheddar, ricotta truffle cream sauce and Parmesan, then finished with shaved truffles. I know they're not for everyone, but the aroma alone gets me salivating. I encourage a trip to BITE even if you're not planning a staycation with the hotel.

DUTCH: With holiday shopping at its peak, I appreciate both the location and the hours offered by BITE as it is a perfect spot to rest, grab a bite to eat and take in the views safe from the weather. And if you're shopping late, hit up the bar here for a Northwest signature cocktail.

BITE at Hotel Murano, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday; 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday-Monday, 1320 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.238.8000, hotelmuranotacoma.com