Junior Solis thinks big. After announcing in spring 2006 that he wanted to open a sushi restaurant in Sandpoint, he created OISHII, which occupied 300 square feet of space in the former Café Trinity location. In spring 2009, when Café Trinity relocated, Solis saw a 3,600-square-foot opportunity. Less than a month later, Solis and his energetic crew moved across the street into what is fast becoming a destination dining location, where Solis serves up what he calls “fine dining without the attitude.”
Newly painted lime green (wasabi green?), the new Oishii sports full-length, covered outdoor seating and a 1920s motif that reflects the former Pastime building’s hotel history. Inside, Solis has artfully combined mobster memorabilia, bold colors and contemporary furnishings for a sexy, upbeat space that’s welcoming yet classy. The bar, for example, is original and top-shelf, stocked by Wine Spectator-award winner and former Wine Sellers owner Jack Eaves. The sushi bar features sea-life murals and a sushi chef-cam. A cozy lounge area beckons with plush seating, while upfront tables are set with white linens and custom glassware.
The biggest changes are in the kitchen. Joining Solis is Nathan Steinbauer, whose background includes Le Cordon Bleu training. Young and equally passionate about food, Steinbauer has contributed tapas like Nachos Tartare ($12) with tuna ceviche and gouda sauce, seared thin-slice Japanese Kobe beef with caramelized shallots and Port wine reduction ($30), and cider-poached prawns with apple salsa ($13).
The original “sushi” menu has been expanded, offering nearly a dozen nigiri/sashimi selections and twice that number of rolls — such as the Black Widow, with soft-shell crab ($14) — plus poke, tempura and omakase or chef’s choice platters.
Late-night dining is encouraged, with libations that will have you saying m-m-m for martinis, mojitos and margaritas, as well as traditional sake (prices vary).
In his red chef’s jacket and black fedora matching the gangster graphics on the wall, Solis is meticulous, listing enhancements to the menu, décor and service, which he says should only be “tipped” if it is excellent.
Notes the Seattle Art Institute graduate and former food critic: “We’re just trying to set the bar.”
Oishii, 209 N. First Ave., Sandpoint, Idaho, is open Sun-Thu 11:30 am–11 pm, Fri-Sat 11:30 am-2 am. Reservations recommended. Call (208) 263-1406.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Wrap It Healthy
As I wedged my minivan into the last parking spot, I thought the small, overflowing parking lot in front of SAMURAI SAM’S TERIYAKI GRILL didn’t bode well for the new South Hill restaurant. But the narrow storefront is deceiving: The rear of the restaurant has another entrance, accessed by a larger parking lot. Once inside, a reasonable-sized seating area combined with an outside patio shared with neighboring Press coffee bar provide adequate spaces to dine.
Samurai Sam’s aims to provide a tasty, fast, healthy dining option — the Spokane restaurant is the newest of nearly 90 franchisees across the country. The Japanese-inspired theme is carried out in the restaurant’s interior, with a whimsical mural with instructions for making an origami giraffe and tips on chopstick etiquette. The menu highlights the healthy theme with playful slogans like “It is no coincidence that noodles are thin” and “Chopsticks cannot pick up a hamburger for a reason.”
The menu is a “design your own” concept offering rice and noodle bowls, wraps and salads, where you pick the combination of grilled proteins (chicken, steak, salmon or shrimp), veggies and sauces. Or choose one of the “Local Favorites” like the Sweet & Sour or Low-Carb bowls. Owner Marianne Guenther thinks diners will embrace the restaurant’s creed to “walk the healthy path,” as long as the food tastes good.
I ordered the Chicken Teriyaki Wrap with Japanese mixed vegetables ($6.29), which tasted healthy, satisfying and delicious. The vegetables were so crisp and fresh-tasting, they actually tasted like — well, vegetables. (Imagine that.) Wrapped up in a whole-wheat tortilla with grilled chicken, brown rice and spicy sauce, the wrap was definitely a cut above traditional fast food (and for about the same price).
The Chicken Yaki Soba Bowl ($7) was a hit with my son, who proclaimed, “This chicken is yummy” — and sent me back for seconds on the orange-peel sauce. It is indeed a breath of fresh air to find an affordable, healthy option for a quick meal out that the whole family can enjoy. Maybe next time we’ll bring our origami paper.
Samurai Sam’s Teriyaki Grill, 909 S. Grand Blvd., is open daily 10 am-10 pm. Call 624-5444.
Samurai Sam’s aims to provide a tasty, fast, healthy dining option — the Spokane restaurant is the newest of nearly 90 franchisees across the country. The Japanese-inspired theme is carried out in the restaurant’s interior, with a whimsical mural with instructions for making an origami giraffe and tips on chopstick etiquette. The menu highlights the healthy theme with playful slogans like “It is no coincidence that noodles are thin” and “Chopsticks cannot pick up a hamburger for a reason.”
The menu is a “design your own” concept offering rice and noodle bowls, wraps and salads, where you pick the combination of grilled proteins (chicken, steak, salmon or shrimp), veggies and sauces. Or choose one of the “Local Favorites” like the Sweet & Sour or Low-Carb bowls. Owner Marianne Guenther thinks diners will embrace the restaurant’s creed to “walk the healthy path,” as long as the food tastes good.
I ordered the Chicken Teriyaki Wrap with Japanese mixed vegetables ($6.29), which tasted healthy, satisfying and delicious. The vegetables were so crisp and fresh-tasting, they actually tasted like — well, vegetables. (Imagine that.) Wrapped up in a whole-wheat tortilla with grilled chicken, brown rice and spicy sauce, the wrap was definitely a cut above traditional fast food (and for about the same price).
The Chicken Yaki Soba Bowl ($7) was a hit with my son, who proclaimed, “This chicken is yummy” — and sent me back for seconds on the orange-peel sauce. It is indeed a breath of fresh air to find an affordable, healthy option for a quick meal out that the whole family can enjoy. Maybe next time we’ll bring our origami paper.
Samurai Sam’s Teriyaki Grill, 909 S. Grand Blvd., is open daily 10 am-10 pm. Call 624-5444.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
BBQ Grammar and Culture
“My intent was to break some rules,” says John Fletcher, owner of LAZY BONES BARBECUE on Spokane’s South Hill. That’s why the former co-owner of Picabu restaurant offers gluten-free items, and a selection of vegan choices.
Vegan at a BBQ place?! That just seems…
“Wrong?” Fletcher says, finishing my sentence with a smile.
OK, it does sound a little wrong to those of us for whom Barbecue is both a proper noun and a verb, specifically a transitive verb, and who believe, rather passionately, that Barbecue refers to pork: not beef, chicken, fish or, heaven help us, plants in any form. Yet here they all are on the menu, sounding surprisingly tasty.
The tofu plate ($10) is a half-pound slab of smoked, barbecue-sauce-glazed, locally produced Small Planet Tofu. It’s rubbed with Lazy Bones’ house grilling spices, smoked and then char-grilled on separate equipment so as not to contaminate the plant-based with the flesh-based. (Sounds a bit Levitical to me, but whatever works.) This meat-cheater is surprisingly smoky and comes served with a choice of salad, plus bread.
The slaw, too, is not what one might expect. Green cabbage is finely shredded for a light, crispy, almost airy texture, and the dressing is simple vinaigrette. Pile this on their BBQ chopped pork sandwich ($5) or any of the other eight sandwiches, burgers, wraps or tacos for a bit of Southern flair.
If all of this “alternative barbecue” sounds too heavily eclectic for your taste, rest assured: The half-pound of baby back ribs ($10), served with a choice of 14 sides, is delicious and holds its own. A sweet, light tomato-based house-made sauce — virtually everything is made from scratch — finds its caramelized perfection in smoking and grilling, and the meat is tender-firm and smoky, thanks to Pit Master Chris Luce.
And they do have Southern greens. Collards, to be specific. And they are good. At $2.69 for about a cup, the greens are cooked with vinegar, a hint of sugar, red pepper and bits of smoked pork. Yummy.
Sodas and a selection of wines and beer are available to drink, but for the proper-noun-Barbecue crowd, a huge vat labeled “Sweet Tea” is irresistible — though in keeping with the rule breaking, the tea has a slight hint of orange-spice added.
Heresy? Perhaps.
Lazy Bones Barbecue, 4334 S. Regal St., is open Sun-Thu 11 am-9 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-10 pm. Visit lazybonesbarbecue.com or call 448-RIBS (7427).
Platter of Fun
Sometimes the stars align and the universe delivers an array of opportunities that will leave you breathless with delight. Or perhaps fatigue. In any case, this week is one of those moments of destiny, with events for foodies unrolling every single day.
Thursday, June 18: The fourth annual SANDPOINT SUMMER SAMPLER takes over Farmin Park (5-7:30 pm) as local restaurants, wineries and brewers set up booths and offer samples. Buy a bunch of sampling tickets for $1 each and then graze your way through the park. Samples will cost you between one and seven tickets. Vendors include Chimney Rock Grill, Joe’s Philly Cheesesteak and the newly re-imagined Oishii. (Look for more about Oishii in this space next week.
Friday, June 19: The Spokane AIDS Network hosts the fifth annual STEM & STEIN benefit (6 pm) at Northern Quest Casino (100 N. Hayford Rd., Airway Heights, Wash.), with wine tasting, beer sampling, and cheese and chocolates for pairing. Tickets are $40 in advance, or $45 at the door, and proceeds benefit SAN’s clients with food services, nutritional counseling and case management, plus HIV prevention and education efforts. Call 455-8993.
Saturday, June 20: For the second year in a row, the merchants of Latah Valley are hosting the LATAH CREEK VARIETY MARKET all weekend (Sat-Sun 10 am-4 pm) in the parking lot of the Trading Company Plaza (4241 S. Cheney-Spokane Rd.). Dozens of vendors will be selling food, toys, crafts, antiques, herbs, plants and more. This kid-friendly event will also have music, a cake walk, beading and painting, and admission is free. Call 462-7387 or 624-4182.
Sunday, June 21: The wine-and-dine extravaganza that is TASTE WASHINGTON fills the mezzanine of the Davenport Hotel (5-8:30 pm). Never will you see so many cocktail dresses and teetering heels as in the lines to check out the more than 100 Washington wineries and two-dozen local restaurants. There’s also a silent auction to benefit WSU’s Viticulture and Enology program — training ground for the next generation of Washington winemakers. Tickets are $85; visit www.tastewashington.org.
Monday, June 22: The Kitchen Engine at the Flour Mill hosts the latest CULINARY CLASS (6 pm) in an ongoing series. Chef Landon Dalessi of GW Hunter’s in Post Falls will demonstrate how to make Risotto alla Milanese. Cost is $25. Call 328-3335.
Tuesday, June 23: Communal dining — unrelated guests sitting at one big table — is catching on in big cities from coast to coast, and now Chef Alexa Wilson is kicking off a series of COMMUNITY TABLE dinners at Wild Sage. This month’s dinner will showcase the bounty of local vegetable producers; four courses will be paired with local wines for one fixed price ($85 plus tax and gratuity). Space is limited to 20 people. Call 456-7575.
Wednesday, June 24: If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at making wine from fruit, Jim’s Home Brew offers a WINE MAKING FOR BEGINNERS class (6:30-9 pm). Learn all about the equipment and processes to turn fruit into wine. Cost is $14. Call Spokane Parks and Rec at 625-6200 to register.
Breathe deep — and let the fun begin.
Thursday, June 18: The fourth annual SANDPOINT SUMMER SAMPLER takes over Farmin Park (5-7:30 pm) as local restaurants, wineries and brewers set up booths and offer samples. Buy a bunch of sampling tickets for $1 each and then graze your way through the park. Samples will cost you between one and seven tickets. Vendors include Chimney Rock Grill, Joe’s Philly Cheesesteak and the newly re-imagined Oishii. (Look for more about Oishii in this space next week.
Friday, June 19: The Spokane AIDS Network hosts the fifth annual STEM & STEIN benefit (6 pm) at Northern Quest Casino (100 N. Hayford Rd., Airway Heights, Wash.), with wine tasting, beer sampling, and cheese and chocolates for pairing. Tickets are $40 in advance, or $45 at the door, and proceeds benefit SAN’s clients with food services, nutritional counseling and case management, plus HIV prevention and education efforts. Call 455-8993.
Saturday, June 20: For the second year in a row, the merchants of Latah Valley are hosting the LATAH CREEK VARIETY MARKET all weekend (Sat-Sun 10 am-4 pm) in the parking lot of the Trading Company Plaza (4241 S. Cheney-Spokane Rd.). Dozens of vendors will be selling food, toys, crafts, antiques, herbs, plants and more. This kid-friendly event will also have music, a cake walk, beading and painting, and admission is free. Call 462-7387 or 624-4182.
Sunday, June 21: The wine-and-dine extravaganza that is TASTE WASHINGTON fills the mezzanine of the Davenport Hotel (5-8:30 pm). Never will you see so many cocktail dresses and teetering heels as in the lines to check out the more than 100 Washington wineries and two-dozen local restaurants. There’s also a silent auction to benefit WSU’s Viticulture and Enology program — training ground for the next generation of Washington winemakers. Tickets are $85; visit www.tastewashington.org.
Monday, June 22: The Kitchen Engine at the Flour Mill hosts the latest CULINARY CLASS (6 pm) in an ongoing series. Chef Landon Dalessi of GW Hunter’s in Post Falls will demonstrate how to make Risotto alla Milanese. Cost is $25. Call 328-3335.
Tuesday, June 23: Communal dining — unrelated guests sitting at one big table — is catching on in big cities from coast to coast, and now Chef Alexa Wilson is kicking off a series of COMMUNITY TABLE dinners at Wild Sage. This month’s dinner will showcase the bounty of local vegetable producers; four courses will be paired with local wines for one fixed price ($85 plus tax and gratuity). Space is limited to 20 people. Call 456-7575.
Wednesday, June 24: If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at making wine from fruit, Jim’s Home Brew offers a WINE MAKING FOR BEGINNERS class (6:30-9 pm). Learn all about the equipment and processes to turn fruit into wine. Cost is $14. Call Spokane Parks and Rec at 625-6200 to register.
Breathe deep — and let the fun begin.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Still buzzing
“I feel emotional about being here for 25 years, and wanted to do something fun,” says Merrilee Lindaman. After a seven-year hiatus, she has decided to open LINDAMAN’S for morning coffee.
After swearing she’d never do breakfast again, Lindaman has learned never to say never. She was swayed by feedback from customers, including a Facebook group started by regular customer Ben Tobin and friend David Blaine, chef at Latah Bistro, along with encouragement from her baristas.
“It’s a whole different animal this time,” Lindaman says, with breakfast items that are “quick and dirty, high-protein,” including smoothies, granola and daily breads. With Doma coffee on tap and baristas who’ve been behind the bar at Lindaman’s for 10 to 20 years, the morning focus is on coffee.
When they first opened in 1984, Spokane had two espresso machines, Lindaman’s being one. “It’s been fun and educational to watch the business grow,” Lindaman says. “We’re thinking about adding a brew bar, so customers can try different varieties of coffee.”
On a recent sunny morning, the outdoor patio was the perfect spot for people watching with a slice of apple-walnut bread ($2) and a cup of Doma organic Mexican. If you want something stronger, try Napoleon’s Last Request — a double espresso with triple sec ($4). With free wi-fi, you can play hooky from the office and not even feel guilty.
While coffee lovers are rejoicing at the new morning hours, don’t forget about the tempting gourmet fare. Pot pies, King Ranch chicken, and Nanaimo bars have been staples over the years. “I’ve tried to change the menu, but customers won’t let me,” says Lindaman of the long-time favorite dishes.
Lindaman’s serves cocktails also. You might just want to order a basil-lime gimlet (with Dry Fly vodka) to savor with your wild salmon cakes.
Like an old friend I’d lost touch with, Lindaman’s had fallen off my radar. Early morning coffee, curried chicken salad for lunch and a mojito on the patio are calling me back. — KIRSTEN HARRINGTON
Lindaman’s, 1235 S. Grand Blvd., is open Mon-Fri 7 am-9 pm and Sat 11 am-9 pm. Call 838-3000.
After swearing she’d never do breakfast again, Lindaman has learned never to say never. She was swayed by feedback from customers, including a Facebook group started by regular customer Ben Tobin and friend David Blaine, chef at Latah Bistro, along with encouragement from her baristas.
“It’s a whole different animal this time,” Lindaman says, with breakfast items that are “quick and dirty, high-protein,” including smoothies, granola and daily breads. With Doma coffee on tap and baristas who’ve been behind the bar at Lindaman’s for 10 to 20 years, the morning focus is on coffee.
When they first opened in 1984, Spokane had two espresso machines, Lindaman’s being one. “It’s been fun and educational to watch the business grow,” Lindaman says. “We’re thinking about adding a brew bar, so customers can try different varieties of coffee.”
On a recent sunny morning, the outdoor patio was the perfect spot for people watching with a slice of apple-walnut bread ($2) and a cup of Doma organic Mexican. If you want something stronger, try Napoleon’s Last Request — a double espresso with triple sec ($4). With free wi-fi, you can play hooky from the office and not even feel guilty.
While coffee lovers are rejoicing at the new morning hours, don’t forget about the tempting gourmet fare. Pot pies, King Ranch chicken, and Nanaimo bars have been staples over the years. “I’ve tried to change the menu, but customers won’t let me,” says Lindaman of the long-time favorite dishes.
Lindaman’s serves cocktails also. You might just want to order a basil-lime gimlet (with Dry Fly vodka) to savor with your wild salmon cakes.
Like an old friend I’d lost touch with, Lindaman’s had fallen off my radar. Early morning coffee, curried chicken salad for lunch and a mojito on the patio are calling me back. — KIRSTEN HARRINGTON
Lindaman’s, 1235 S. Grand Blvd., is open Mon-Fri 7 am-9 pm and Sat 11 am-9 pm. Call 838-3000.
Phat happy
There is a new burger in town… or, more accurately, just west of town, inside the recent expansion of the Northern Quest Casino and Resort. This particular burger has a cult following and if you want to join the cult, you just may need to order yours with a fried egg on top.
The burger’s name is in-your-face, politically incorrect in our age of Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, and Jenny Craig. And I guarantee you won’t forget it: FATBURGER.
Ironically, each Fatburger is made with fresh, never-frozen beef that is actually leaner that the meat you get at your typical burger palace. It is also cooked to order, and well worth a trip out to Northern Quest just for the experience.
For a meal at Fatburger actually is an experience. Don’t be shocked to hear the staff member waiting on you yell out each item aloud as you order it and the rest of the crew working the grill yell back the order in unison. Ask for onion rings and the call out and response will be “Homemade!” since the Fatburger crew slices and batters each onion ring daily onsite. A similar amount of effort is put into each shake. They too are made to order from hand-dipped hard ice cream and milk.
Yet great shakes, hot fries, and “homemade” onion rings are only supporting actors at the first Inland Northwest outpost of “the last great hamburger stand.”
This place is all about the signature burger: a burger you can order in small, medium, large, XL, XXL and… “weight” for it… XXXL. The medium ($4.25) is the standard one-third-pounder comparable to other high-end burgers in town. Yet at Fatburger you decide which of the seven standard ingredients (mustard, relish, onions, tomato, lettuce, and mayo) and four premium add-ons (cheese, bacon, chili, and… yes… that egg) you want. Unless you are ravenous on your first visit, start with a medium and customize to your heart’s content.
But at some point you might need to throw down and order the protein-coma-on-a-bun they call the XXXL. For only $9.50, it is epic or obscene, depending on your point of view, with two full pounds of beef on a massive bun that literally stands as tall as a full-sized milkshake.
I’m not sure the XXXL was on the menu 57 years ago when Lovie Yancy first started serving Fatburgers out of her Los Angeles home in the middle of the night, but it tops the menu now. And if you manage to eat a XXXL by yourself, they will take your picture and put it up on the wall — next to that of your cardiologist. — KEVIN FINCH
Fatburger at Northern Quest Casino, 100 N. Hayford Rd., Airway Heights, Wash., is open Mon-Thu 9 am-5 am,
then around the clock from Fri 9 am to Mon 5 am. Visit fatburger.com or call 242-7000.
The burger’s name is in-your-face, politically incorrect in our age of Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, and Jenny Craig. And I guarantee you won’t forget it: FATBURGER.
Ironically, each Fatburger is made with fresh, never-frozen beef that is actually leaner that the meat you get at your typical burger palace. It is also cooked to order, and well worth a trip out to Northern Quest just for the experience.
For a meal at Fatburger actually is an experience. Don’t be shocked to hear the staff member waiting on you yell out each item aloud as you order it and the rest of the crew working the grill yell back the order in unison. Ask for onion rings and the call out and response will be “Homemade!” since the Fatburger crew slices and batters each onion ring daily onsite. A similar amount of effort is put into each shake. They too are made to order from hand-dipped hard ice cream and milk.
Yet great shakes, hot fries, and “homemade” onion rings are only supporting actors at the first Inland Northwest outpost of “the last great hamburger stand.”
This place is all about the signature burger: a burger you can order in small, medium, large, XL, XXL and… “weight” for it… XXXL. The medium ($4.25) is the standard one-third-pounder comparable to other high-end burgers in town. Yet at Fatburger you decide which of the seven standard ingredients (mustard, relish, onions, tomato, lettuce, and mayo) and four premium add-ons (cheese, bacon, chili, and… yes… that egg) you want. Unless you are ravenous on your first visit, start with a medium and customize to your heart’s content.
But at some point you might need to throw down and order the protein-coma-on-a-bun they call the XXXL. For only $9.50, it is epic or obscene, depending on your point of view, with two full pounds of beef on a massive bun that literally stands as tall as a full-sized milkshake.
I’m not sure the XXXL was on the menu 57 years ago when Lovie Yancy first started serving Fatburgers out of her Los Angeles home in the middle of the night, but it tops the menu now. And if you manage to eat a XXXL by yourself, they will take your picture and put it up on the wall — next to that of your cardiologist. — KEVIN FINCH
Fatburger at Northern Quest Casino, 100 N. Hayford Rd., Airway Heights, Wash., is open Mon-Thu 9 am-5 am,
then around the clock from Fri 9 am to Mon 5 am. Visit fatburger.com or call 242-7000.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Don't worry, be happy
Don’t let the name fool you: GRUMPY’S will put a smile on your face for numerous reasons. First, it’s the joint venture of Coeur d’Alene restaurant veteran Joe Chapman and Dana Musick, former owner of Kellogg’s Veranda B&B. Chapman’s claim to fame (besides being a noted architectural force in downtown Coeur d’Alene) was being at the helm of Henry’s, a dearly missed eclectic eatery on Sherman Avenue that served the best cioppino this side of San Francisco.
Second, Grumpy’s brings you big-city style via Chef Garad Crawford, originally from Kellogg, whose pedigree includes the Coeur d’Alene Resort and 16 years in the City By the Bay. Making his rounds, Crawford stopped to chat and greet diners, many of whom he seemed to know by name. It’s that kind of good word-of-mouth place.
That’s good news, since the former eatery in this midtown Fourth Street locale, Bambino’s, went bada-bing, bada-bust. Located across from Capone’s Sports Bar, Grumpy’s fills the local bistro niche well with its small, yet well-appointed menu and interior of warm colors, semi-open kitchen view and nice corner fireplace (from Henry’s). Seasonal outdoor dining is also available.
For dinner, appetizers might be baked artichokes in mushroom-wine sauce or coconut prawns with apricot-horseradish sauce (both $8). Pair that with a glass of J. Lohr Reisling ($5.75, glass; $19, bottle) or bottle of Drop Top Amber ($3.50). Follow with the hot spinach salad ($9) or dive into their halibut and chips ($10).
The sautéed prawns with linguine ($17) had ample shrimp, mushrooms, onion, tomato, white wine and cream tossed into linguine. The broiled salmon, brown rice and veggies ($17) also looked good, as did the 11-ounce sirloin with baked potato, rice or fries, and veggies ($16).
The lunch and to-go menu is a bevy of broiled burgers, salads and sandwiches like the grilled cheese with cheddar, pepper jack, bacon and fresh tomato ($7). Save room for dessert since Musick makes all the gelato fresh ($2.75/$4), and fresh pie is always available. — CARRIE SCOZZARO
Grumpy’s, 726 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene, is open Mon-Sat 11 am–9 pm. Dinner reservations recommended. Call (208) 667-1717.
Second, Grumpy’s brings you big-city style via Chef Garad Crawford, originally from Kellogg, whose pedigree includes the Coeur d’Alene Resort and 16 years in the City By the Bay. Making his rounds, Crawford stopped to chat and greet diners, many of whom he seemed to know by name. It’s that kind of good word-of-mouth place.
That’s good news, since the former eatery in this midtown Fourth Street locale, Bambino’s, went bada-bing, bada-bust. Located across from Capone’s Sports Bar, Grumpy’s fills the local bistro niche well with its small, yet well-appointed menu and interior of warm colors, semi-open kitchen view and nice corner fireplace (from Henry’s). Seasonal outdoor dining is also available.
For dinner, appetizers might be baked artichokes in mushroom-wine sauce or coconut prawns with apricot-horseradish sauce (both $8). Pair that with a glass of J. Lohr Reisling ($5.75, glass; $19, bottle) or bottle of Drop Top Amber ($3.50). Follow with the hot spinach salad ($9) or dive into their halibut and chips ($10).
The sautéed prawns with linguine ($17) had ample shrimp, mushrooms, onion, tomato, white wine and cream tossed into linguine. The broiled salmon, brown rice and veggies ($17) also looked good, as did the 11-ounce sirloin with baked potato, rice or fries, and veggies ($16).
The lunch and to-go menu is a bevy of broiled burgers, salads and sandwiches like the grilled cheese with cheddar, pepper jack, bacon and fresh tomato ($7). Save room for dessert since Musick makes all the gelato fresh ($2.75/$4), and fresh pie is always available. — CARRIE SCOZZARO
Grumpy’s, 726 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene, is open Mon-Sat 11 am–9 pm. Dinner reservations recommended. Call (208) 667-1717.
Breathe the salt air
The aroma of sweet, oaky wood smoke on a warm sunny afternoon welcomes visitors to Spokane’s new RED LOBSTER across from NorthTown Mall. The smoke is just the greeting of the restaurant’s wood-fire grill.
Along with traditional favorites, wood-fire grilled items include lobster, shrimp and scallops, peach-bourbon BBQ shrimp and scallops, as well as maple-glazed chicken and nearly a dozen other entrée choices in the $15 to $30 range.
Diane Lasswell, the restaurant’s director of operations, expects to serve 900 “guests” on any given day. She credits the chain’s success to “consistency.” All dishes, including the Admiral’s Feast — a heaping platter of breaded and deep-fried shrimp, bay scallops, clam strips and sole ($17) — are created by Red Lobster chefs in Orlando so that they will taste the same in every one of the nearly 700 restaurants, a fact some regulars find comforting.
“We’re very excited to be here,” says general manager Robin Bernhart. “We hired 170-plus people in two and a half days … We tapped into the heart and soul of this community. The response has been just amazing.” She estimates that at least 10 birthdays were celebrated on opening day.
The excitement is shared by a nearby guest who stopped in to eat and take dinner to her husband, who is recovering from a heart attack. “I know he’s tired of hospital food, and I want to bring him something good,” she says. “It’ll cheer him up.” Her favorite is the Chef’s Signature Lobster and Shrimp Pasta — Maine lobster, shrimp, fresh asparagus and tomatoes in a white wine and lobster butter sauce served over linguini ($17.50/half or $22.50 full) — because “it’s just good.”
In addition to soft drinks, wine and beer, signature drinks include the unusual Lobsterita — an extra-large margarita made with Sauza Gold tequila — and the Malibu Hurricane, made with coconut rum and tropical fruit juices and topped with a splash of Southern Comfort.
Of course since it’s East Coast lobster, a pint of Samuel Adams ($4.50) from the tap is the perfect beverage choice. — M.C. PAUL
Red Lobster, 4703 N. Division, is open daily 11 am-10 pm. Visit www.redlobster.com or call 489-2777.
Along with traditional favorites, wood-fire grilled items include lobster, shrimp and scallops, peach-bourbon BBQ shrimp and scallops, as well as maple-glazed chicken and nearly a dozen other entrée choices in the $15 to $30 range.
Diane Lasswell, the restaurant’s director of operations, expects to serve 900 “guests” on any given day. She credits the chain’s success to “consistency.” All dishes, including the Admiral’s Feast — a heaping platter of breaded and deep-fried shrimp, bay scallops, clam strips and sole ($17) — are created by Red Lobster chefs in Orlando so that they will taste the same in every one of the nearly 700 restaurants, a fact some regulars find comforting.
“We’re very excited to be here,” says general manager Robin Bernhart. “We hired 170-plus people in two and a half days … We tapped into the heart and soul of this community. The response has been just amazing.” She estimates that at least 10 birthdays were celebrated on opening day.
The excitement is shared by a nearby guest who stopped in to eat and take dinner to her husband, who is recovering from a heart attack. “I know he’s tired of hospital food, and I want to bring him something good,” she says. “It’ll cheer him up.” Her favorite is the Chef’s Signature Lobster and Shrimp Pasta — Maine lobster, shrimp, fresh asparagus and tomatoes in a white wine and lobster butter sauce served over linguini ($17.50/half or $22.50 full) — because “it’s just good.”
In addition to soft drinks, wine and beer, signature drinks include the unusual Lobsterita — an extra-large margarita made with Sauza Gold tequila — and the Malibu Hurricane, made with coconut rum and tropical fruit juices and topped with a splash of Southern Comfort.
Of course since it’s East Coast lobster, a pint of Samuel Adams ($4.50) from the tap is the perfect beverage choice. — M.C. PAUL
Red Lobster, 4703 N. Division, is open daily 11 am-10 pm. Visit www.redlobster.com or call 489-2777.
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