Mother’s Day had me thinking about destination restaurants, and I have a bit of a soft spot for Falls Terrace down in Olympia (well, in Tumwater, technically - 106 Deschutes Way SW

Tumwater, WA 98501 - http://www.fallsterrace.com/ ).  Like all view restaurants, you pay a bit of a premium for the location.  But what a location, perched above Tumwater Falls Park, with a great view of them falls.  As a kid, we occasionally met my Grandparents here for a Sunday dinner.  Being the squirmy child I was, I’d make nice and chat with my grandparents until the orders were taken, then my brother and I would scamper away and wander the park until my mom texted me that the food arrived (OK, that part didn’t happen – my digital watch was the pinnacle of personal tech back then.  So you’d have to time it right – too long in the park, and you’d arrive to cranky parents and cold food. But too soon, and you’d be sitting there bored in your seat when you could have been exploring the Deschutes River…).  Food is standard northwest-nice-restaurant-with-a -view fare, with the prices you’d expect.  The sort of place you take Grandma to and hope she foots the bill.  If you’re doing dinner, stick with the classics – like the New York Steak or the Halibut Olympia (topped with crab and shrimp), and you’ll be happy.  The salads are worth it, too.  They have just a couple vegetarian options (not too exciting), and pretty much the whole menu is gluten free.  And you can do worse than just drop in for cocktails after an afternoon walk in the park - maybe go for the Crab and Artichoke dip, recommended, perhaps chased down with fall signature salad and a cup of chowder.  Good livin’ that.  They have sandwiches on the lunch menu, but I’ve never tried them – appetizers is how I roll.  The bar has deck seating, which is lovely when the weather gods are smiling upon you.  Service is pretty solid – I’ve had good service all the way up to excellent.  As the years have gone by, I’ve run out of grandmothers to bring here.  But I’ve brought my kids, and sent them all off to wander while I chatted with their grandparents – nothin’ wrong with a bit of tradition.