Great grub

Published 12:01 am Thursday, June 23, 2011

The Away From Keyboard Tavern, or AFK for short, caters to a niche of gamers and geeks in Everett.

But how do I begin this review?

Do I begin with the warning that you do not, I repeat do not, need to be a gamer to enjoy the scrumptious food at AFK Tavern?

Do I start with the se

rvice which was off-the-charts unheard-of excellent?

I ordered green tea, which the server told me they had and it turned out they didn’t, but they sent someone running to Safeway to get me some. Crazy.

Or do I begin with the menu that boasts grass-fed beef and fresh, crisp locally gro

wn produce? Best salad I’ve had in a tavern in a long time.

Maybe I’m the only one who is surprised that gamers and geeks enjoy fresh produce, or anything more than Bugles out of a bag or Cheezwhiz on a cracker.

See, I am stereotyping. And I’m warning you not to. The food, the service, the drinks: All totally worth it. Bring your Yahtzee and cribbage boards. Everyone is welcome.

“We exist for the geek and gamer culture,” owner Kayla Graves told The Herald last year.

AFK caters by allowing customers to play games free of charge while they dine or drink. There’s also a small stage for those into “Rock Band” or “Guitar Hero.” There’s free Wi-Fi for online games and board and card games available to check out.

On two Fridays I was there, the place was packed. And both times I thoroughly enjoyed my meal.

The menu contains lots of dishes “gamely” named.

I ordered the Druid Delight ($10) and the Salad of Simplicity ($5). The sandwich combined a flavorful red pepper hummus, made in house with bits of garlic, and fresh tomatoes, spinach and cucumbers layered in a manageable ciabatta.

My friend ordered the Orc burger ($13) made with an extra large beef patty with ham, bacon and salami. She described the burger as tasty and lean with a “magical mayo mixture that was sweet and delightful.”

She made it through half the burger and reported that it had kept well when she finished it off later.

I didn’t order a drink that first meal but did the second time.

AFK’s drink menu is something to behold. It’s a full page of selections and then some with names like Nerdy Girl FooFoo Drink, Punch the Dwarf and Trollface.

I ordered the Mana Potion ($7.25), described as hpnotiq, Absolut Berry Acai, chateau Monet and Smurf’s Blood. It came in a chemistry beaker and was purple-ish and pretty tasty.

For my second AFK visit, I went with a group of friends and we started with a bunch of appetizers, all far above the quality of normal tavern food.

The starters include tater tots ($8), awesome onion rings ($8) and true gold corn balls ($7), which were addictingly naughty balls of breaded and fried creamed corn.

AFK also offers the unique fried pickle caps, which were really just as advertised with the breading a delicate blend of spicy, crunchy and salty.

For dinner, I ordered the Normal burger ($9), a juicy chunk of perfectly proportioned meat placed in a soft bun.

My dining companions gave their AFK meals mixed reviews. One ordered a chicken sandwich that she declared too dry to eat. Another ordered the turkey club and wound up put off because he didn’t like the “toasted turkey” though enjoyed the “unicorn bacon.”

Both friends, however, said they wanted to come back. And I want to make sure AFK is there to receive us.

My advice then to owner Graves is to stick with catering to her clientele and don’t try to be everything to everyone.

Don’t do Ahi tuna when you do a perfectly good grass-fed beef burger and have an appetizer menu that challenges any other tavern.

I noticed that the new menu on the AFK website no longer included a chicken sandwich. So, yes, pare things back a bit. Stick with what you do well, which is currently healthy burgers, great appetizers, fun drinks and we’re-there-for-you service.

AFK owner Graves said the tavern’s menu will evolve as the owners get feedback from customers. She told the Herald last year that AFK is “trying our best to be the best we can.”

We hope that’s the case as well.

Theresa Goffredo: 425-339-3424; goffredo@heraldnet.com.

AFK Tavern

1510 41st St., Everett. 425-259-0525; www.afktavern.com/index.php

Speciality: Burgers, sandwiches, appetizers, boutique cocktails

Hours: 3 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Alcohol: Full bar

Vegetarian options: Veggie burgers, pasta, salads, appetizers