Fresh & Tasty

More booze for some

2010-02-17T11:34:00.001-08:00

A Facebook status update on Saturday from the goodly state Senator Chris Marr says it all — giving proper credit for the bill (to himself) and name-checking the bill’s primary area stakeholder, completely doing our job for us:

“Chris Marr SB 6485, my bill to allow craft distilleries to triple their capacity to 60,000 gallons, just passed the Senate on a 43-3 vote. Let’s hoist a shot of Dry Fly Washington Wheat Whiskey to celebrate! (After I get off the Senate floor, of course.)” — LUKE BAUMGARTEN

Small Planet Goes West

2010-02-17T11:32:00.002-08:00

Small Planet Tofu’s final day of production at its Newport, Wash., location was Monday. “Tofu Phil” Spiegel has packed up his belongings and left his home of 28 years, moving his 17-year-old company to the greener soy-based pastures of Vashon Island.

Why? “Survival,” Phil says. “Small businesses are struggling and I’m one of them … And plus, it’s tofu.” Small Planet is well loved here, but Seattle is a much friendlier place for soy. But it’s more than that. He has a new partner over there to help shoulder the burden. Small Planet, which will retain its brand name, will now share production facilities with another small organic tofu concern, Island Spring Organics. In addition to splitting rent, he’s looking forward to put more effort into growing the business. “I’ll be able to focus on promotion, sales and marketing — become that tofu celebrity I’ve been striving for years to be,” he says.

Because Small Planet will continue to use all the same distributors (Spokane Produce, Charlies, FSA, etc.), which all have presences in both Spokane and Seattle, Phil says the move shouldn’t translate into a price difference once the product hits shelves.

Spiegel left town on Wednesday and is probably settling in his new digs as we speak, “so we can go into production next week.” Take some solace, then, that while they’ll be coming from 300 miles and a large body of water away, your tofu supply chain remains unbroken. — LUKE BAUMGARTEN

Well, I eat a little chicken

2010-02-17T11:32:00.001-08:00

Pilgrim’s Natural Market in Coeur d’Alene is nothing if not egalitarian. This Sunday, at 5:30 pm, they’re hosting an informational seminar on “the benefits of a plant food diet.” The following week, they’d like to make us all a little better at “cooking with whole chickens.” The place already has a vegetarian club and it seems like an eating-every-damn-bit-of-meat-on-that-bone club might be on the horizon. Details about all seminars and classes can be found at pilgrimsmarket.com or by calling (208) 676-9730. — LUKE BAUMGARTEN

Keep those beans a-roastin'

2010-02-16T18:57:00.000-08:00

“We wanted to go in the direction of relationships,” says Deborah DiBernardo, owner of ROAST HOUSE COFFEE. With the expertise of roast master Dave Rier, this new north Spokane roasting company is focused on helping people make the connection from farm to cup. If you visit Roast House, you’ll see pictures of the farmers who grew the coffee and learn about their families.
Roast House specializes in high-quality “socially conscious” coffee, meaning it’s Fair Trade, shade grown, organic or relationship coffee, which is produced by family farms or small co-ops.
DiBernardo, active in the Slow Food movement, encourages people to apply Slow Food ethics to coffee: Do you know where it comes from? Is it good for you?

Roast House supplies private-label coffee to coffee houses and retail grocery stores. The Main Market carries a unique Roast House Colombian coffee. After visiting the farm in Colombia, Rier liked the coffee so much he bought the entire crop for the Market. Look for Roast House coffee education classes in the future, possibly at the Main Market.

Latah Valley’s newly established TOM SAWYER COUNTRY COFFEE is part coffee roasting facility, part museum: Along its walls are coffee pots, tins and grinders dating back to the early 1800s.

Gary Thomas Sawyer — yes, he goes by “Tom” — encourages his customers to be involved in blending coffees to suit their needs. Although he focuses on coffee service to businesses and restaurants, you might just leave with a special coffee blend for your next dinner party and dessert recipes in hand if you visit. Keeping his business small and roasting 10-pound batches allows Sawyer to be creative. “I can’t do what the big guys do — and they can’t do what I do,” he says.

Sawyer also offers home coffee roasters, green beans and the training to get you started on making your own “legal, very addicting drink.” He’s so excited to share his passion about coffee that he might even deliver it all to your house. But only if you invite him in for a cup of coffee. — KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

Visit www.roasthouse.net and www.tomsawyercountrycoffee.com.

Pasta for Judy

2010-02-10T10:05:00.000-08:00

Judy Garland’s favorite food is kidney pie. “It’s amazing what you can find on the Internet,” says Tina-Marie Schultz, chuckling.

Schultz owns ROSA’S ITALIAN MARKET AND DELI, located in Post Falls just a short walk (if they had a brick road it’d be yellow, right?) from the Jacklin Arts and Cultural Center. When Schultz heard JACC was doing a Valentine’s concert in honor of Judy Garland, she cooked up the idea of offering a pre-concert dinner at Rosa’s.

Figuring there wouldn’t be too many fans of kidney pie (a British meat pastry that makes us think of Sweeney Todd), Schultz went with Garland’s favorite drink — vodka — for penne pasta sauce (a much better choice, we concur). The soup is a fire-roasted tomato ancho (red to match you-know-whose ruby slippers), while dessert is red velvet cupcakes, which Garland supposedly ate at the Waldorf Hotel (which is not in Kansas).

JACC has also snared musicians Ruth Pratt (of the Eclectics), Tom Shager, Bruce Pennell, Steven King and Dick Hubbard for the evening.

Although JACC has done concerts in the past — including a similar tribute to Rosemary Clooney last year — this is the first time they’ve teamed up with a restaurant. The music and food will be so good, they might send you somewhere over the rainbow. — CARRIE SCOZZARO

Pre-concert Valentine’s Day seating Sunday, Feb. 14, at 5 pm. Rosa’s Italian Market and Deli, 120 E. Fourth St., Post Falls, Idaho. Cost: $24.95, reservations required by Feb. 11. Rosa’s is open Mon-Fri 7 am–6 pm, Sat 8 am-5 pm. Call (208) 777-7400.

“A Tribute to Judy Garland,” Sunday, Feb. 14, 6:30 pm, at Jacklin Arts and Cultural Center, 405 N. Williams St., Post Falls, Idaho. Tickets: $20. Limited seating. Call (208) 457-8950 or visit www.jacklincenter.org.
Valentine’s Day Events

A Celebration of Love
Feb. 13
Join Bank Left Bistro in Palouse, Wash., on Feb. 13, from 6-9 pm for music, wine and food. The event is $35 per person. Call (509) 878-1000 or e-mail bankleft@visitpalouse.com.

Love’s Holiday
Feb. 13
Visit CenterPlace (Spokane Valley) on Valentine’s Day eve, 7-10 pm, for dinner and jazz featuring Sessionz. Couples are $25; singles $15. Call Sandi McMillan at 362-3218.

One World for Lovers
Feb. 14
This seven-course dinner will feature food varieties for seafood lovers, vegetarians and vegans. If don’t like eating animals and are looking for a place to take your significant other, this elegant dinner is for you. Cost: $60. Includes a rose. Reservations required. One World Spokane. Call 270-1608.

Dinner at Greenbriar
Feb. 13-14
A four-course meal with your choice of pork loin, seafood over risotto, ribs, chicken or fettucine will be on Feb. 13-14 from 5:30-9:30 pm. Cost: $70 per couple. Greenbriar Inn, 315 Wallace Ave., Coeur d’Alene. Call (208) 667-9660

Marron on Valentine’s
Feb. 14
You and your honey can share eight courses at Café Marron, in Browne’s Addition, on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, from 5-10 pm. Cost is $75 per couple; $100, if you add on the wine pairings. Call 456-8660.

Make more gin

2010-02-10T10:04:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, Spokane produces heroes. For instance, Spokane’s state Sen. Chris Marr gave us the state’s first craft distillery law in 2007. That law defined a craft distillery as one that uses Washington-grown materials for at least half of the ingredients used to make the liquor. That law gave us Spokane’s very own Dry Fly Distilling. That law’s awesome.

Which is why Marr’s a hero.

But even heroes have faults. The same law that gave us Dry Fly (as well as Ellensburg Distillery and Soft Tail Spirits in Woodinville) limits the amount of alcohol the stills can produce to 20,000 gallons a year.

Recognizing this flaw, Marr has set out to improve his two-year-old law this legislative session with Senate Bill 6485, which would raise the allowable annual limit to 60,000 gallons. That would make about 5.1 million shots — more than one shot for every man, woman and child in the state.

“In the next couple of years, we’re probably going to push that number,” says Pat Donovan, distiller at Dry Fly. “We don’t want that [limit] to be the only restriction on us.”

In 2008, Dry Fly produced about 2,500 cases of spirits, or about 5,000 gallons. Last year, they doubled that.

“We probably won’t double it again this year,” Donovan says. “But you never know.”

But Donovan is happy to have the law clarified a little. When the original 20,000-gallon limit was decided upon, it was mainly to appease the guideline-thirsty state liquor control board. Another number Donovan would like changed is the 51 percent benchmark for state-grown ingredients.

“We’re about 99 percent Washington grown,” he says. “We actually wanted [the percentage in the law] to be much higher.” — NICHOLAS DESHAIS

Like a college town in farm land

2010-01-26T18:28:00.000-08:00

When I got the assignment to cover the Immix story, I thought I was being sent to investigate a new pharmaceutical company in town. IMMIX RESTAURANT & WINE BAR is actually an attractive restaurant housed in the old Pita Pit location in downtown Cheney.

Matt Irvin, executive chef/owner, named the restaurant Immix after the old English definition to mix or mingle. The restaurant’s motto “mix, combine, & fuse” refers to a blending of flavors from various cuisines. To give you an idea, the lunch menu features Caribbean fish tacos ($9), Greek spinach salmon salad ($10) and a seared Ahi tuna salad ($11).

The Southwestern chicken wrap ($9) was a sizable portion of zesty chicken, bacon, pepper jack cheese and lettuce tossed with a tangy-spicy Caesar dressing. The menu listed pasta salad as the accompaniment, but I was able to substitute a cup of soup instead. A diner at the next table was raving about the sweet tomato basil soup with Italian sausage, with good cause. Chunky with marinara-like flavors, it reminded me of a spicy version of lasagna in a cup.

The dinner menu offers starters from $10-$12 including a crab-and-artichoke-heart-stuffed portobello mushroom. Entrée salads ($13-$15) include a Greek garden salad and a classic chicken Caesar; several sandwiches are also available. Entrees ($17-$23) feature a variety of cuisines, including Cajun black and blue prime rib, filet of top sirloin with Thai spices and a Greek curry chicken, all served with soup or salad.

On my visit, diners appeared to be primarily EWU faculty and others who were old enough to recognize George Michael’s music in the background. Immix’s success will depend on the ability to draw in a diverse customer base, including students on a tight budget. Even though the name didn’t grab me, the food did. I’ll keep an eye on this place. — KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

Immix Restaurant & Wine Bar, 122 College Avenue in Cheney, is open for lunch Tues-Fri 11:30am-2pm and dinner Tues-Sat 5pm-9pm. Call 235-6001.

Detective Diner

2010-01-26T18:26:00.000-08:00

I was lured into the beautiful, historic Peyton building with promise of a mystery. A mystery café, that is. DASHIELL’S CITY CAFÉ chef/owner Mark McCracken loves a good mystery and named the café after The Maltese Falcon author Dashiell Hammett.

“Dashiell Hammett used to work as a detective in this building, and several of his books are set in Spokane,” says McCracken. He pays homage to one of Hammett’s best-known mysteries by offering The Maltese Falcon, a grilled Panini with turkey, two kinds of cheese and tomatoes. The café’s décor includes memorabilia from several mystery writers, including a copy of Nero Wolfe’s Too Many Cooks. A grandfather clock and old-fashioned telephone add to the 1920s ambiance.

City Café serves its own signature blend of Four Seasons Coffee, along with breakfast and lunch.

The breakfast menu ($1-$5.50) includes pastries, eggs and bacon, quiche and yogurt.

Sandwiches ($5.75 half/$7.50 whole) include the basic choices along with corned beef and Swiss, reubens, tuna melts and a daily special, served with a cup of soup or side salad.

McCracken boasts that his potato salad “is the world’s best potato salad to take to a picnic because it can’t spoil.” Made with vinegar and sugar and no mayo, I’d bring the tangy, German-style potato salad to a picnic just because it tastes good.

McCracken serves a rotating selection of soups, most of which he makes from scratch. The creamy broccoli cheese was surprisingly light, with a great flavor and texture. The secret ingredient, yogurt, provides the creamy texture without the fat. But there’s no skimping on the clam chowder, which McCracken makes every Friday. He’s got a peanut butter soup up his sleeve, which I’m not so sure about, but McCracken insists that the time-honored recipe was one of Thomas Jefferson’s favorites and it tastes just like a peanut butter cookie.

The seating at City Café includes a short counter on the main floor and a small room upstairs, which seats about 20 people and is available for private functions. — KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

Dashiell’s City Café, 10 N. Post, is open Mon-Fri 7:30am-6pm. Call 413-2285.

Chilies and Chorizo

2010-01-20T14:35:00.000-08:00

On a stretch of North Division dominated by Chinese restaurants, EL MERCADO DEL PUEBLO is easily spotted by its colorful mural on the side of the building. Open since Jan. 9, this Mexican grocery store and bakery is bright, clean and stocked with colorful piñatas, cookware and every Mexican staple you can imagine.

“I got tired of driving to Pasco for Mexican food goods,” explains Fred Meyer, who owns the market along with his wife Gilda, whose family is from Mexico.

One of the highlights of the market is the on-site bakery. The shelves are stocked with sweet treats like the hot pink and yellow pan de dulce, cream-filled conchas, crusty piedras, muffins, cookies and coconut candies. Bolillos, the irresistible crispy-chewy sandwich rolls, are available too. Sweet, rich tres leches cakes are available whole or by the slice.

The same kitchen also turns out a variety of tamales, including chicken, beef, pork and jalapeño-cheese. Served hot and ready to eat, the jalapeño-cheese tamales have just the right kick, and the beef tamales simmered in red sauce are tender and equally flavorful. They’re just as good reheated and, at $1.75 each, make a great, portable lunch. Coconut, pineapple and other sweet tamales will be offered, too. Menudo — a traditional tripe, hominy and chili soup — will be featured on Saturdays. Bring your own soup pot, and they’ll fill it up.

The fresh produce section includes everything you need to make your own salsa, including tomatillos, cilantro and several kinds of fresh chilies. Or choose one of El Mercado’s fresh salsas, made from Gilda’s family recipes. Look for fresh roasted corn on the cob later in the year. You’ll also find Mexican cheeses and chorizo.

Behind the 15 barrels of dried chilies, you’ll find a full line of spices and Latin coffees. The snack section features candies, dried mangoes and pork cracklings.

“We have a love for Mexican food, so why not do it?” says Meyer.

We’re glad they took the initiative. — KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

El Mercado del Pueblo, 1814 N. Division, is open Mon-Sat 7 am-6 pm, Sun noon-5 pm. Call 327-2856.

Sandwiches on Garland

2010-01-20T14:33:00.000-08:00

Those who mourn the closing of Ferguson’s Café will be happy to hear that there’s a new lunch spot in the Garland District. Kristen Speller opened the GARLAND SANDWICH SHOPPE at the end of November with her mom Kathy in the former Brown Bag Bistro space. While she has yet to put much of a personal touch on the Sandwich Shoppe, she’s off to a solid start.

“It’s been going really well,” Speller says. “Last week it was standing room only.”

The Shoppe is small and feels a little bit like being in someone’s kitchen. Speller plans to replace the current high counter-and-barstool seating with lower, more user-friendly tables and chairs.

She’s also hoping to feature artwork from local artists.

Speller is no stranger to Spokane’s culinary scene — she’s been a cook at Northern Lights Brewery and a manager at the New Leaf Café. The menu at her Sandwich Shoppe is pretty straightforward, with prices ranging from $5 to $8 for salads, sandwiches and soups.

In addition to the build-your-own sandwich menu, Speller shows some creativity with the Marinated Portobello sandwich, served on garlic sourdough with artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers and basil pesto ($5.50). The satisfying Southwestern Turkey sandwich — with chipotle mayo, pepper jack cheese and pepperoncinis — was grilled to a just-right golden crisp but appeared a little lonely on the plate with only a few cucumber slices for company. A side of chips and salsa would have been a great, even if it meant bumping up the price.

Speaking of sides, for $2 you can add a pasta, potato or green salad to your lunch. Be sure to try Speller’s original-recipe granola bars with dried fruit, nuts and honey. “They’re really healthy,” she promises (except for that stick of butter).

The Sandwich Shoppe uses all recyclable packaging and strives to offer fresh, minimally processed ingredients. Speller’s counting on personalized service to gain repeat customers. Sometimes a simple sandwich made with smile hits the spot. — KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

The Garland Sandwich Shoppe, 3903 N. Madison St., is open Mon-Sat 10 am-3 pm. Call 326-2405.

Winter Carne-val

2010-01-13T11:56:00.000-08:00

If Sandpoint had a particular flavor, what would it be? Tangy tomato, maybe, due to places like Bab’s Pizzeria, Ivano’s Ristorante and Pend Oreille Pasta and Wine? Buttery and soft, like the croissants from Pine Street Bakery? Earthy, wholesome, organic and fresh from Winter Ridge Foods market? More likely, the city’s flavor is an eclectic combination, artfully plated, like those you’ll find at TASTE OF SANDPOINT.

This kickoff event to the annual Winter Carnival showcases area restaurants, catering businesses and beverage purveyors. Admission is free; food tickets are $1, with a bit of this or a sampling of that averaging from three to seven tickets.

From Trinity at City Beach, for example, two carnitas tacos or a hearty bowl of chicken, shrimp and Andouille sausage gumbo are a mere $4. Try the savory chipotle-braised lamb shank on a goat-cheese polenta cake, or a Kobe beef taco with queso fresco ($4) from The Bistro at The Inn at Sandcreek — let’s hope they shorten that to The Bistro when they officially open in February — formerly the Sandcreek Grill and under new ownership. Thirsty? A glass of 2007 Bistro Rouge from Pend Oreille Winery will warm you up for only $5.

New this year is Dine Around Sandpoint, where participating restaurants offer menu and drink specials from $15 to $30 during the Carnival. At DISH Home Cooking, for example, the special $20 menu offers three entrées — such as crispy lemon thyme chicken served with garlic mashed potatoes — two salads and a glass of house red or white wine. And every time you eat at a participating restaurant, you’re entered into a drawing where the top prize is a once-a-month dinner for two at participating restaurants — a $750 value!

Dine Around Sandpoint was started by two longtime Sandpoint residents who quintessentially wear multiple hats: Mel Dick, the former CEO of retailer Coldwater Creek, who biked across the country to raise money for education, and partners with his wife Claudia at the 41 South restaurant; and Gary Lirette, whose credits range from real estate to radio host to restaurateur to book publisher.

The goal this year, explains Lirette, is to get people to come to the Carnival — where events include the rail jam, Schweitzer torchlight parade, bioluminescence fire dance, an 80-plus artist art walk, the K-9 keg pull — and stay for all the rest Sandpoint has to offer. — CARRIE SCOZZARO

Taste of Sandpoint is Thursday, Jan. 14, 5-8 pm at the Sandpoint Events Center, 102 S. Euclid Ave., Sandpoint, Idaho. Winter Carnival events continue through Monday, Jan. 18. Visit www.SandpointWinterCarnival.com or call (208) 263-0887.

What us, worry?

2010-01-13T11:54:00.000-08:00

When INDABA calls itself “West Central’s Neighborhood Coffee Shop,” it isn’t being presumptuous.

On your mental map of Spokane, shade in the area from the river north to Indiana, and from Monroe west to the bluffs overlooking Riverside State Park. Now fill in the coffee shops. See what we mean? Indaba, which opened in November, is the only one.

With the exception of Common Grounds, a kiosk with a few seats, on the neighborhood’s outskirts, you can’t have a chat at any of the drive-thru coffee joints along the Monroe or Maple/Ash.

In the heart of West Central, there’s nothing like Indaba. And that’s a good thing for a neighborhood that has long struggled to be more than a collection of beautiful, run-down old houses.

But we worry.

Because the coffee is good (shots pulled from Newman Lake’s boutique roaster Bumper Crop) and about 25 cents cheaper than the going rate for a latte. The sandwiches (like Mark’s Horseradish Beef, which was creamy and spicy but not too much of either) from Katie’s Table, which shares the space with Indaba, are good too and similarly cheap ($5-$6.75).

We worry most of all because West Central still doesn’t quite feel whole, or like it has a focal point that isn’t the mercurial there-by-day-gone-by-5-pm courthouse crowd.

And that’s why, though we worry, Indaba gives us hope.

The area around Broadway and Walnut, where Indaba sits in a new three-story building that also houses low-income apartments, feels like it could be that focal point. Especially if more new buildings like Indaba’s were to work themselves in among the low-slung old storefronts and wind-blown Victorians.

The space is cute and small enough to be cozy. We’d turn off the fluorescent lights and add some floor lamps and maybe a couch for ambience, but these are small things. It’s the kind of joint where we can imagine young families spending a Sunday morning.

Manager Abe Henderson says people have done just that, the coffee house’s clientele thus far being a mix of “courthouse traffic and strollers coming down from the neighborhood.”

It’s quite a gambit, this whole thing, and you can tell what the payoff would be for the owners. The most curious pieces of décor in the place are artist’s renderings of Greenstone Homes’ plans for Kendall Yards, the massive development planned between Bridge Street and the river, just two blocks from Indaba.

If the long-delayed development actually happens, it’d be a boon for the neighborhood and its new coffee shop. — LUKE BAUMGARTEN

Indaba Coffee, 1804 W. Broadway Ave., is open weekdays 7 am-7 pm and weekends 7 am-4 pm. Call 328-6527.

Death in the family

2010-01-06T16:46:00.000-08:00

We’ll try to get through this without crying, but it’ll be tough. You know how, in the movies, when a family learns their loved one has disappeared, how they go through all those horrible, nervous phases of grief and dread? That’s what it’s been like for us at The Inlander since hearing, from several sources, that FERGUSON’S CAFÉ on Garland Avenue had closed. We put in calls, but received no answers.

Now comes the part of the movie where the family learns the loved one’s body was found by cadaver-sniffing dogs in a drainage ditch up near the old mine. There are two signs on the door, one from owners thanking customers for years of loyalty and another from the Washington Department of Revenue, revoking their license for unpaid taxes. Ferguson’s is officially closed.

In case this sounds in any way sarcastic, it’s not. On countless mornings, Ferguson’s was a homey comfort to Inlander staffers nursing hangovers (or not, but usually) and was a frequent reference point in the what-if scenarios we would draw up for the potential grandeur of the neighborhood (i.e., “Garland already has Ferguson’s, it just needs [fill in the blank]).

It will be sorely missed. — LUKE BAUMGARTEN

Ferguson’s Café was located at 804 W. Garland Ave., in case you want to place wreaths.

Flavor country

2010-01-06T16:45:00.000-08:00

You know all that talk about the Midwest being Flyover Country? Catchy, condescending, perfect for how us gat-damned coastal[ish] liberals feel about the heartland. But it’s incredibly unfair. And since a certain sandwich shop named JIMMY JOHN’S set up a franchise in our fair city, we’ve been thinking about asking Patty Murray to draft a non-binding Senate resolution to rename the Midwest “the United States of Jimmy John’s,” after our new favorite import.

After what seemed like an eternity with the space — sandwiched between Thomas Hammer and Chase Bank on the Main Street pedestrian mall and swaddled in unmistakably branded, floor-to-ceiling “Coming Soon” banners — the joint has opened, featuring two levels of eating space and, of course, the sandwiches ($5-$6), filled with Midwestern portions of meat, veggies and cheese, with the thoughtful option to add an “extra load” of meat ($1.50). If you can fit their delicious pickles ($1.15) in your mouth, well, you have an extraordinarily large mouth.

It’s hardly a scientific sample, but every time we walk by the Inland Northwest’s first installment of the Champaign, Illinois-based company, the place seems bustling, and when we go in, it smells and tastes like good old Jimmy John’s.

Naysayers might balk at a chain, but anything that increases choice, draws people to the core and gets them to walk around is cool by us. — LUKE BAUMGARTEN

Jimmy John’s, 601 W. Main Ave., is open Mon-Fri., 10:30 am-9 pm. Call 838-3278.

Gizzards and football

2010-01-06T16:43:00.000-08:00

There’s nothing much happening at PADDY’S SPORTS BAR these days — darts, billiards, a burger and a brew, football on Sundays, of course — and that’s the way new owners Chris Carper and his father, Pat, like it.

“It’s not really an issue any more,” says Chris Carper, shrugging off the Coeur d’Alene sports bar’s tumultuous past few years.

The difficulties started when former owner Rich Hanlon opened Paddy’s Too in Post Falls, crested with Hanlon’s conviction for arson of another Post Falls sports bar, and ended (hopefully) when the Carpers purchased the bar and completed a month-long remodel.

You’d think folks had kissed the Blarney Stone, with the way rumors were flying, though. Are they going to reopen in time for football? Are they really going non-smoking? Will they still offer fried gizzards?

The answers: Yes. Yes. And yes.

This past November, Paddy’s reopened, serving ridiculously cheap bar food like the aforementioned gizzards, onion rings or mini dogs ($4 each), spicy chicken wings ($6), and Irish Nachos or French fries with cheddar and bacon bits ($7). Their regular menu includes half-pound burgers ($8-$9), assorted sandwiches like the Pork Chop John topped with Jack cheese ($8), pizza ($7-$10) and something no Irish bar should be without: fish ’n’ chips ($9).

Not only did they open in time for football, there’s breakfast beginning at 9 am on Sundays through the end of the season. Beer and wine only, but if you plop an olive and some salt in there, beer with tomato juice tastes plenty like a Bloody Mary.

Besides keeping the menu mostly intact, the Carpers’ remodel preserved the bar’s ’70s man-cave feel, only much cleaner and brighter now: kelly-green walls, dark wood paneling, a rustic stone façade, Naugahyde, Formica. Twelve television screens, nine pool tables. Sports stuff everywhere.

“We’re a working man’s bar,” says Chris Carper, adding that he and his father have no shortage of ideas for what they’d like to do, such as karaoke and more food specials. For now, though, says Chris, they’re just glad to be open. — CARRIE SCOZZARO

Paddy’s, 601 W. Appleway, Coeur d’Alene, is open Sun-Thu 11 am-midnight, Fri-Sat 11 am-2 am. Open Sunday at 9 am for breakfast during football season. Visit www.paddyssportsbar.com or call (208) 765-0701.

Cosmic bowling, stellar food

2009-12-22T15:48:00.000-08:00

Picture this: Stepping through the front doors at HUGO’S ON THE HILL, your eyes fall upon blackjack and poker tables manned by vested dealers, their bodies erect and alert; well-dressed food servers plowing through the swank seating areas to take drink and food orders from 16 lanes full of happy bowlers; music videos (which can be requested) playing above the lanes and music blaring over the dim hang-out area. Under the black lights, the bowling balls were glowing.

It felt like some space station-Las Vegas orbiting near the rings of Saturn.

And that’s just the top floor. Down below, the lounge has booths lining one wall, couches and coffee tables on another.

On the menu, the Fried Onion Tanglers, available with tartar, garlic and parmesan or prosciutto and bleu cheese ($5-$9) are eye-grabbing. I went cheap and got them with tartar. What came out was a mass of thinly-sliced onion rings, wrapped and snarled around each other in pile of greasy, golden deliciousness. Other toothsome starters include tapanade and bruschetta, feta and sunflower seed flat bread and gourmet sliders.

The veggie burger ($9) sported a full portobello mushroom cap, fried expertly and covered in bleu cheese crumbles standard burger fixins. My date went for the pizza: half margherita, half pineapple-and-jalapeno. The pizza didn’t stack up as well as the burger, but luckily my entree was big enough to satisfy both of us.

On tap, the lounge had Bud and Kokanee along with Widmer Hef, Northern Lights Amber, Longhammer IPA and Blue Moon, as well as a large collection of bottled beers ($3.75-$5.25). There’s a full bar, a martini menu ($7.50) and a small wine list.

Leaving, we found ourselves back in the parking lot. In Spokane. Nowhere near Saturn. — NICHOLAS DESHAIS

Hugo’s on the Hill, 3023 E. 28th Ave., serves food every day from 11:30 am to midnight. Visit hugosonthehill.com or call 535-2961.

Now Local, From Scratch

2009-12-22T15:46:00.001-08:00

The Coeur d’Alene Casino isn’t playing games when it comes to food. The latest phase in their $75 million expansion includes bringing their food service under the oversight of exactly one man.

“We do all the events, on site and off,” says executive chef Adam Hegsted. That’s close to 36,000 food customers per month spread among the Sweetgrass Café, the High Mountain Buffet & Grill, the Nighthawk Lounge and the Twisted Earth Grill inside the Circling Raven Club House — including catered events, room service and food service for nearly 1,000 employees daily.

Friday night buffet? How about 1,200 customers in five hours gobbling down 2,500 pounds of crab, and hundreds of other food options, now mostly made from scratch?

It’s all in a day’s work to Hegsted, the deceptively boyish-looking engineer of what is a near-complete overhaul of the casino’s food operations. Having served such Idaho venues as Black Rock Country Club, Cedars, Brix and the Beacon, Hegsted was up to his chef’s hat in Le Piastre, his first and unfortunately now defunct restaurant in downtown Coeur d’Alene when the casino called last year. Since then, the pace has been whirlwind.

“We broke ground on the new hotels and two new restaurants,” he explains. “They remodeled the whole kitchen, and in that was the café,” which was closed for a bit. While new construction continues outside — a steakhouse, pub, martini bar and spa are slated for completion in 2011 — Hegsted is busy inside training staff on his paradigmatic shift in vision.

“The biggest thing is: Now most of our food is homemade. We work really hard on putting out really high-quality products — not just rip open a freezer box and throw it into the steamer or oven,” says Hegsted. “We have incorporated small farms into our buffet and cafe, and have worked hard on sourcing a lot of great products,” says the chef. (He likes to use local products.)

Sweetgrass Café, for example, balances what Hegsted calls down-home food, like the country-fried steak ($7) with healthier fare like the lemon thyme-roasted Idaho trout ($9).

A staff of 60, including six sous chefs, prepares everything to order in small batches. “We have red-wine braised short ribs, prime rib, done the same way I did at Cedars. We just started doing sushi on Saturdays, and it has been going over really well. It’s just really great seeing the whole place evolve.”

The sample menu reads like the United Nations: enchiladas with charred tomatoes, baked penne pasta with prosciutto, roast maple-ancho squash, pot stickers, General Tso chicken, seafood paella, and Yankee pot roast.

The Casino’s investment in the food program is just one part of an overall healthier outlook. A fitness center will be included in the 105-room hotel expansion. The roof of the nearby Stensgar Pavilion features a man-made prairie of native grasses, part of a larger greening program for the resort, including a new water-treatment facility, the restoration of natural habitat and drought-resistant landscaping.

Now if they’d only do something about all that smoke. — CARRIE SCOZARRO

Each restaurant has its own unique (persnickety) schedule. Visit www.cdacasino.com/restaurants.html for details or call (800) 523-2464.

Tequila and tacos

2009-12-16T11:52:00.001-08:00

When I heard that the owners of the Elk had opened a new Mexican spot, I wasted no time. EL QUE, located in the former Cabin Coffee space in Browne’s Addition, did not even have a sign up yet, but the warm lighting and cozy interior beckoned me in. The orange and lime green walls, along with pink and mint-colored bar stools, give the place a hip, Latin feel. Votive candles with images of Mary glow softly and paintings of Jesus watch over the beer at the bar.

Past the religious décor, El Que is a serious tequila bar. In addition to the 20 different tequilas listed on the menu, the shelves behind the bar are lined with mason jars of house-made flavored tequilas.

Tequila infusions include flavors such as jalapeno-honeydew, pineapple, beet, vanilla bean, Serrano chile, cilantro and strawberry. “It’s amazing how much the flavors come through,” says manager Marshall Powell. El Que also serves wine, several cocktails and a good selection of Mexican beer.

If you’re not a tequila fan, El Que is worth a visit for the food alone. While the menu is fairly short, the dishes are long on flavor and at $3-$6 each, a night out won’t break the bank. The sopa de tortilla ($3 for a cup) is perfect for a cold night, with its slightly spicy chicken stock rich with avocado chunks, crunchy tortilla strips and fresh lime. Add a banana leaf tamale ($6), with chicken, roasted tomato sauce and poblano chiles and you’ve got a great, light dinner.

The menu also includes several kinds of tacos, a guajillo chili Caesar salad, and Vietnamese guacamole with fresh mint.

With a great neighborhood feel, interesting food and reasonable prices, it looks like El Que is set to mirror the success of the Elk in its own unique way.— KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

El Que, 141 S. Cannon, is open 4 pm-late, 7 days. Kitchen closes at 11 pm, 12 pm Thurs-Sat. Call (509) 624-5412.

Pizza on Perry

2009-12-16T11:50:00.000-08:00

Pizza is the most primal and ancient of foods: flat bread cooked on a hot stone, covered in just about anything that’s handy. It’s easy to imagine our cave-dwelling ancestors stuffing their pie holes with mammoth and pineapple pizza, washed down with some accidentally fermented yeasty concoction.

So remember that when you’re at the new SOUTH PERRY PIZZA, chomping on their already amazing pizza and connecting with your inner caveman. “This good,” you’ll think. “Want more!”

But there’s nothing old or too rote at South Perry — the latest landmark in the neighborhood’s resurgence. Across the street from the Lantern Tavern, which opened in April, South Perry Pizza took over a former storage space with two large garage doors and somehow transformed the forgotten building into a swank, and welcoming, pizza joint.

“Our goal is to be for friends, family, neighbors,” says Pat Kautzmann, who opened the restaurant with wife Sue and daughter Krista. “We’re a neighborhood place.”

Large windows line the building’s west side, looking out on to Perry Street, and inside is an open, warmly industrial dining area. Behind the bar sits the oven, the stainless-steeled pizza machine manned by the restaurant’s cook, Christopher Deitz.

The menu is uncomplicated, featuring eight pizzas, four salads and some appetizers.

“We wanted to keep things really simple,” says Krista. “There’s a lot of things that are complicated in life. Pizza shouldn’t be.”

This doesn’t translate to boring pizza. The dough, which took the family six months to perfect, bakes into a thin crust that is both crispy and chewy.

And check out the Sopressata. This pie’s main attraction is the Italian dry-cured salami, which is supported in its scrumptious fame by basil, mozzarella and a delicate tomato sauce. Of course, the old stand-bys are there for the habitual: pepperoni, margherita and cheese.

The restaurant also has a bevy of topping options, from mascarpone and Beecher’s cheese curds to prosciutto and arugula.

You don’t have to be a hunter-gatherer to get behind that. — NICHOLAS DESHAIS

South Perry Pizza, 1011 S. Perry St, is open Tues, Wed, Sun 4 pm-9 pm, and Thurs-Sat 4 pm-10 pm. Call 290-6047 or visit southperrypizzaspokane.com.

Americanized

2009-12-02T12:35:00.001-08:00

A steaming plate of pork fried rice, beef with broccoli swimming in sauce, a big bowl of egg drop soup and, of course, the ubiquitous egg roll, thick-skinned and fried to a golden brown. While it’s laughable to call this Chinese food—most of us wouldn’t know authentic Chinese food if it poked us in the eye with a chopstick — it’s still plenty popular with Americans.

Regardless of whether you’re in Illinois or Idaho, the Chinese restaurant experience is often uncannily similar. Offerings include comfort foods like fried meat and abundant, affordable, satisfying starches — basically variations on the rice/noodles theme. Savory sauces. Just enough esoteric and vegetarian offerings to keep the purists happy. Huge helpings. Determine your own spiciness from blah to blistering. (For a head cold, you can’t beat the curative powers of Chinese mustard or hot-and-sour soup.) Dine-in or to-go. And a décor that blends culture and camp — zodiac, paper lanterns, etc. — in an ethnically exaggerated yet endearing way.

That’s why Wah Hing will likely succeed in its new Rathdrum, Idaho, location that formerly housed a quick succession of meat-and-potatoes places in this cozy prairie town of nearly 7,000 people. Good food. Predictably familiar dishes from chicken chow mein ($8.50) to Szechwan veggies ($9) to sweet and sour pork ($9.50). Fast service. Reasonable prices, like lunch combinations for $6-$7 and dinner from $8-$12.

The Rathdrum Wah Hing is the third of the Hing’s empire of family restaurants; it marks the midway point between Spokane’s Division Street store and the oddly placed Kellogg, Idaho, branch. The parking lot has been full to overflowing since the place opened this fall, so either plan on a bit of a wait or get there early.

While some may cringe at the idea of how wildly off-the-mark the Americanized Chinese restaurant is, others merely smile with a mouth full of Moo Shu and ask for a to-go box while popping open the fortune cookie that comes with your bill. At least in the world of Chinese-American dining, the future is always certain. — CARRIE SCOZZARO

Wah Hing, 15512 N. Hwy. 41, Rathdrum, Idaho, is open Mon-Sun 11 am-9 pm. Call (208) 687-1688.

Steaks on low

2009-12-02T12:34:00.000-08:00

Two years ago, Bill Alles had plans to turn his Spokane steak restaurant, Churchill’s, into a chain extending into Idaho and California. Now he’s just hoping to get the first location back on its feet.

In July 2008, a fire destroyed a neighboring business, Dorian Studio. Nine hours at 5,000 gallons of water per minute later, Churchill’s was still structurally sound but a complete mess.
Water and smoke damage shut down the restaurant just 11 months after its opening.

Then came waiting on the fire investigation, waiting on insurance companies — both of which Alles finally resolved last summer — and sorting out building plans. “It’s been a long struggle,” Alles says. “It’s been a difficult struggle to get from there to here.”

Reconstruction began in September, with Alles initially estimating a December opening date. Now he has reset his goal — he’d like to be open for the 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, which begin on Jan. 14. His contractor, however, is estimating an end-of-January completion date.

When Churchill’s finally gets around to reopening, it will continue to brand itself as a high-end steakhouse. Expect to spend between $25 and $55 on a USDA prime steak entrée. Amid economic concerns, however, Alles will extend his price points downward.

“This time around, we’ll probably have some items around that are lower in price so that they’re more approachable, but we’ll still focus on our prime steak reputation in what we do,” he says.
That will include a “casual-focus” bar menu with steak sandwiches and burgers.

“There was the genuine air of elegance to the place before,” says Alles. “We used to have a grand piano as you walked in. It was immediately in front of you when you walked in, with someone playing the piano seven days a week.”

Alles hopes to recreate that atmosphere and iron out a few kinks in the process.

“The chairs I had before were so big, you could fit a suburban family of six in one,” he says. The new ones, he says, are a little more slick.

The entryway piano won’t be back, but there will be live Dixie-style New Orleans jazz played on a piano downstairs in the bar. — ERIKA PRINS

Churchill’s Steakhouse, 165 S. Post, will re-open in mid- to late January. Hours: 11 am-midnight.

Fresh Mex

2009-11-23T17:46:00.001-08:00

A new Mexican retail and wholesale grocery store, MERCADO DEL PUEBLO, will make its debut in mid-December with piñatas dangling from the ceiling and fresh tamales on the shelf.

The store’s owner, Fred Meyer (no relation to the chain of mega-stores), promises fresh produce and south-of-the-border goodies like chilies, spices and bulk piñata candy. Mexican breads, pastries cakes, desserts will come out of the shop’s “authentic, baked-from-scratch” bakery, says Meyer. They’ll also take orders for weddings and quinceañeras (coming-of-age celebrations for young Mexican women).

“Spokane has a very small, but growing, Mexican population,” says Meyer. “You see multiple stores down in Central Washington and when you come to Spokane, to be honest, you see two stores” – not to mention, he notes, a lack of products from Central and South America.

Belonging to a food-loving family of Mexican in-laws and 30 years of experience in the baking industry inspired Meyer to fill that niche.

Meyer is most excited about offering tamales and his wife’s salsa, which are already a hit among family and friends.

If “December 14th at the latest” is too long a wait for your share of the tamales, Meyer hinted that they’re already making them to order with a variety of fillings. We’re just saying… in case you’re brainstorming easy ways to feed holiday guests. — ERIKA PRINS

Mercado del Pueblo, 1814 N. Division, opens mid-December, Mon-Sat 7 am-6 pm, Sun 12 pm-5 pm. Call 327-2856 or e-mail pueblospokane@msn.com.

Natural start

2009-11-23T17:45:00.000-08:00

Eating “green” is hip, but not hip enough to keep a much-loved local organic café afloat.

Just as Main Market Co-op prepares to open, another business selling organic, locavore food will close. Natural Start Café, near Gonzaga University, served its last customers on Sunday. When it re-opens as a “college-hangout” coffee joint, it will no longer carry exclusively organic products — most of which come from within a 30-mile radius of Spokane — in the way that Natural Start did.

Citing financial hardship, co-owner Marc Gauthier is selling his share of the business to his partner. Gauthier and his business partner, Gib Sharpe, believe that the hip-coffee-shop model will be more lucrative. “We’re going to take a break from baking,” Shape says. He’ll contract with Taste for all the baked goods and continue serving Doma Coffee.

But for Gauthier, opening Natural Start two years ago was more about promoting the organic, local lifestyle than owning a business. If it’s not about the movement, he’s not interested.

So Gauthier will instead direct his energy toward other businesses in Spokane pursuing the same mission — namely Coffee Social (113 W. Indiana Ave.) and the Main Market Co-op (opening soon at 44 W. Main Ave.). “I would like to see the organic community communicating better,” he says, pointing to the large number of small local farmers markets as an example of poor coordination in the local and organic foods movement: “It’s frustrating when even the people who are on your team are fighting.”

Gauthier says Spokane is a tough market in which to sell the organic and local concept. “It is an uphill battle here in Spokane and we knew that starting off,” he says. “We’re the only place in town selling free-range, organic chicken anything, and [Subway across the street] is booming all day.”

He’d hoped to see that battle through, but in the end, couldn’t continue to make ends meet. “It was just numbers,” he says. “I basically couldn’t afford to wait for Spokane to catch up.”

In late August, The Inlander spoke with Gauthier about the “buy local” label, a concept he says corporations have cashed in on to the detriment of consumers. The word “local” is now thrown around with no real definition, and corporations lobby to ease standards for the USDA “organic” label, he says, “diluting” its meaning.

Then, Gauthier said the shop was “surviving,” having intentionally positioned itself to compete with a Starbucks in hopes that their comparable prices and locavore ethos would give them an edge among social justice-savvy Gonzaga students. But consumers rarely distinguish between, say, partially fair-trade coffee from Starbucks and a salad from Natural Start made with greens grown just outside of Spokane. That makes it tough, Gauthier says, to compete with Starbucks’ advertising budget and brand recognition. “Corporations are to blame. That’s who I blame. I blame Starbucks,” he says. “I think this corporate model we’ve set up is failing us — we’re setting ourselves up for a huge failure because we don’t produce anything [locally] anymore.”

While the hegemony of Starbucks is a factor in the difficulties any small local coffee shop has staying open, the closing of Natural Start raises questions about the ability of the burgeoning locavore movement to sustain itself in Spokane. – ERIKA PRINS

The café formerly known as Natural Start, 1718 N. Hamilton, will reopen Dec. 1. Call 483-3366 for information and hours of operation.

Family fun

2009-11-18T13:14:00.000-08:00

“We serve fun at Shakey’s, also pizza. Shakey’s!”

The old ad jingle evokes memories of crew cut teens in Bermuda shorts and horn rim glasses, all piling into a wood-paneled van with their surfboards. In California in the ’60s, SHAKEY’S was where you hung out, mostly for the pizza and the irreverence. (Sample vintage sign: “In case of fire, remain calm and stay seated until all employees have left the building.”)

In the ’60s and ’70s, there were a couple of Shakey’s outlets on East Sprague; in the mid-’80s, there were a couple more on East Francis. Now the “Pizza Parlor and Ye Public House” has returned — and they’re still making their own pizza dough on the premises, fresh daily.

Steve Hersey, who owns the new Northpointe Shakey’s, says, “Everybody has a Shakey’s story — like standing on the bench and peering through the window as the dough was being made.”

Hersey tells of families driving in from the Tri-Cities and Seattle just for the taste. (Nearly all of Shakey’s U.S. locations are in California.)

The menu features appetizers, a salad bar, fried chicken (eight pieces with Mojos for $16), nine specialty pizzas (from Ultimate Meat to Garden Veggie, both thin-crust and pan, $7.50-$21), make-your-own pizzas ($4-$19), kids’ meals ($5), family meals and party packages.

Everything caters to large gatherings and family fun: the sports-bar nook (beer and wine only, but with big TVs), the arcade games in the next room (win long snakes of tickets on the Spin-N-Win!), the long-bench seating.

When Hersey says that he likes to “bring in the large groups,” he means it. Got 20 people you need to feed fast? Get four one-topping pizzas, two dozen pieces of fried chicken and Mojo potatoes (thin, lightly battered and fried potato slices) for $110. (It’s on the menu.)

From the oddball slogans to the fun room, from the uniformed sports teams slurping down soft drinks to the nostalgic gray hairs cuddling their grandchildren, it’s clear that Shakey’s is fixated on making sure that you have fun.

Oh, and they also serve pizza. — MICHAEL BOWEN

Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, 9602 N. Newport Hwy., is open Sun-Thu 11 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-11 pm. Call 464-0200.

Spirit's on

2009-11-18T13:13:00.000-08:00

Soulful Soups is open under new ownership and a new name — well, an addendum to the old name. R.J. Portmann and Julles Messman bought the restaurant last summer and spent a few weeks learning the ropes before closing to make some minor changes. If the crowd on opening day is any indication, soup lovers are happy to see Soulful Soups back in business.

The new look includes bar-height bistro-style tables and chairs in a bold-red color theme. The front counter was revamped to make space for the beverages that will be part of the bar, Soulful Spirits, opening in two weeks. Nooks built into the walls showcase Grey Goose vodka and other libations that will be available when the bar opens.

Soulful Soups returns with all of the previous favorites, including house-made beer bread to go along with the rotating selection of daily soups. The menu is simple, with two sizes of soup, paninis and croissant sandwiches, ranging from $6.75 to $9. Regularly featured soups include spicy mac ’n’ cheese (the ultimate comfort food), clam chowder and tomato bisque. Specialty salads include a cranberry, walnut and feta cheese salad for $7. Great Harvest multi-grain rolls and bread bowls are coming soon.

The real change is evident after 3 pm, when SOULFUL SOUPS AND SPIRITS showcases the second half of its name. Lights will dim and Soulful Spirits will offer a selection of wines, beers and spirits from Washington, Idaho and Montana, along with a food menu that Portmann describes as “tapas-style snacks, but more eclectic.” Each menu item has a story, gathered from Portmann’s and Messman’s travels and life adventures. Customers are encouraged to share dishes from the menu, which will be offered in what Portmann calls “social portions” — enough food to be shared by the number of people at the table. The bar will also host wine tastings and other events. — KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

Soulful Soups and Spirits, 117 N. Howard St., is open Mon-Sat 10:30 am-3 pm. When the bar opens in few weeks, Spirits will be open Mon-Wed until midnight and Thu-Sat until 2 am. Call 459-1190.

Community Thanksgiving

2009-11-11T12:42:00.000-08:00

Chefs from the Davenport, Latah Bistro, Santé, Wild Sage, Catered for You and Scratch have all volunteered to carve up 150 turkeys that will be served at the The Women’s and Children’s Free Restaurant’s Thanksgiving Dinner on Tuesday, Nov. 17. “They can break down a bird in 12 minutes, and it looks great,” says Marlene Alford, executive director.

It takes a small army of volunteers to prepare 846 pounds of mashed potatoes, 65 gallons of gravy, Caesar salad, green beans, sweet potatoes, cranberries, pumpkin pie and the numerous other dishes that will be on the menu.

In addition to the volunteer staff in the kitchen (including one volunteer who grew and dried the sage for the stuffing), several local businesses have pitched in. Spokane’s Pawn 1 is sponsoring the event. Darigold is lending refrigerated trucks for extra cold storage, and the pumpkin desserts will be baked in the convection ovens at Meals on Wheels. “There’s a community teamwork feel that’s important to everyone involved,” says Alford.

This year, for the first time, the Free Restaurant is adding a second site to its annual Thanksgiving feast (everyone is welcome — not just women and children). Alford is expecting 500-700 diners at the Free Restaurant and another 700-800 guests at the East Central Community Center.

“We don’t cut any corners. We do all of the extra nice things — like nametags that allow people to visit,” says Alford, who strives to create a sense of community and not just a free meal. She notes that many come for the companionship as much as they do for the food.

In addition to the big event, the Free Restaurant serves dinner to women and children on Tuesdays-Wednesdays at 3 pm, and Friday lunch and Fresh Market for take home produce at 12:30 pm. — KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

Thanksgiving Dinner will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 3-7 pm at two locations: The Women’s and Children’s Free Restaurant at 1620 N. Monroe St. (inside St. Paul’s Methodist Church) and at the East Central Community Center, 500 S. Stone St. Free. Call 324-1995.

Bones goes dry

2009-11-11T12:38:00.000-08:00

When The Inlander marched out its “Nuthin’ Fancy” cover story, we used Lazy Bones Barbecue as prime, juicy proof that in times of recession, casual restaurants thrived.

Oops.

Call the Lazy Bones number today and it will ring and ring and ring. And ring. Tuesday, Nov. 3, was Lazy Bones last day, owner John Fletcher says.

“There was a lot of factors.” Fletcher says, “It was an expensive location, the recession, we were under capitalized.”

Fletcher had been impressed by the solid, consistent business when Lazy Bones opened. “It’s slowed down in September,” Fletcher said back in late September. “I’m not sure if it’s a seasonal thing.”

That makes some sense. Barbecue is a summer-style food and may not fit with the soggy months of fall. And where the open rugged interior captured the spirit and light of summer, in the dark of the encroaching winter, it just seemed gloomy.

There may have been other problems: When Latah Bistro Chef David Blaine announced Lazy Bones’ opening on his From the Back Kitchen blog, three of the 10 comments were complaints about the parking.

Anyone who’s been tried to find parking at the Regal Pond strip mall understands the problem.

“It’s tough,” neighboring Twigs Bistro manager Rob Graham said. “People have to park on the street. There’s so many different restaurants in the strip here.” But Fletcher doesn’t blame parking.

“I wish I could say that was part of it,” Fletcher says. “We had lots of slow lunches were there were plenty of open parking places around.”

Wheat Montana, the previous tenant in Lazy Bones’ location, also closed in less than year. — DANIEL WALTERS

Sunrise for Vito

2009-11-04T11:21:00.000-08:00

It might take as much time for the distinctive smell of Market Spice tea to let go its hold on the former Sunshine Trader restaurant as it will for diners to discover that the Coeur d’Alene location has been newly transformed into VITO’S ITALIAN. When it does, this place has the potential to fill a niche for Italian food vacated by the recently closed Wine Cellar and to give lunch-goers a quieter, grown-up alternative to Tomato Street.

Dishes like Salsiccia Peperone (mild Italian sausage, sweet peppers and onions atop spaghetti with white wine/garlic scampi, $14) and Osso Bucco ($22) will appeal to hearty eaters. Lighter fare includes orange-glazed Arancia Chicken over spinach, with almonds and fire-roasted sweet peppers ($10).

For lunch, sandwiches predominate, with choices like the Italian grinder with prosciutto, salami, ham, pepperoni and provolone; the Caprese Wrap with mozzarella and marinated veggies; and the classic meatball or sausage sub ($8-$10). Oven-baked pita bread “pizza” has an Italian twist with fresh basil, Roma tomato, parmesan and chèvre ($8).

Everything is made from scratch, including traditional soups and daily desserts whipped up by Chef Rich Grow, whose New York roots lend authenticity to his delicious New York-style cheesecake. Owners Vito and Joy Barbieri give it an authentic Italian spin with their family recipes and a cozy dining area with dimmed lighting, images of Italian villas, and a Tuscany-inspired color scheme.

Although the Barbieris have owned Sunshine Trader since 2006, it’s only been Vito’s for a few months. After all, Sunshine Trader had previously enjoyed nearly 30 years in a town plagued by turnover in the casual dining market. And it’s hardly a central location — camouflaged by tall pines, set back from the busy health care-oriented stretch of Ironwood between 95 and Northwest Boulevard, neither downtown nor mid-town. It is, however, super-close to the freeway, making it a convenient location for diners both locally and out-of-town.

With a grand opening in the works, a small but reasonable wine and beer list and well-trained, friendly wait staff, they might just become your new favorite Italian family restaurant. — CARRIE SCOZZARO

Vito’s Italian, 1116 W.
Ironwood Dr., Coeur d’Alene, is open Mon-Thu 10 am-4 pm for lunch, 5-9 pm for dinner; Fri-Sat 5-9 pm. Call (208)
667-1233 or visit
www.vitositalian.com.

Comfy, Victorian

2009-11-04T11:19:00.000-08:00

I should’ve known that the fireplace was going to be trouble. To call myself hot-blooded conveys the wrong image, but seriously, I don’t generally need an external heat source to keep warm.

Quite the opposite.

And so, usually, when I walk into a new place, I scope the fireplaces and set up camp as far from them as possible.

It’s just that, at Left Bank Wine Bar, there’s a fainting sofa parked right across from the hearth.

And that sofa … just … looked so. Damn. Comfortable.

(Spoiler alert: It was.)

It’s the duty of any coziness-concerned establishment — and Left Bank is such a place — that the first bite of autumn brings a roaring fire, and so, on this early October evening, the fireplace was in full blaze.

Quickly enough, my heat-related discomfort was offset by shock at the happy hour prices ($5 wine glasses, 10 beers at $5 and under, including the Dogfish Head Pumpkin Ale that Joel Smith loved so much in our Dining Guide) and generous portions. The flights on the night in question seemed like full pours.

We ordered two appetizers to accompany the quick after-work drunk and the thing started to feel like a proper fête. The cheese plate with the server’s suggestions of Humboldt Fog, Tallegio and Vache Fermier ($10) got more robust when upsized with prosciutto and salami (an extra $6). The Gorgonzola honey bruschetta ($8), though, with its nice interplay of sweet and tart on a wonderfully toasted medallion of baguette, got everybody swooning. (Good thing I scoped out the fainting sofa.)

This is simple, well-built, tasty food, a thoughtful counterpart to the well-chosen, well-priced wines and microbrews. The same goes for the comfortable, rich-looking environment.

Though it’s now long in the tooth, the enduring legacy of the whole shabby chic trend will be that it has put people at ease with the idea that ornate décor needn’t feel stodgy, and certainly needn’t be uncomfortable.

Left Bank isn’t shabby chic or anything. There’s no chipping paint in sight. Everything is nicely appointed — velvety damask drapery, adorable little chandeliers, that fainting sofa, etc. But without a doubt, the concept of cozy Victoriana (at less-than-Gilded Age prices during happy hour) is in full effect. — LUKE BAUMGARTEN

Left Bank Wine Bar, 108 N. Washington St., Suite 105, is open Mon-Fri 11am to “late in the evening,” and Sat from 4 pm to “late in the evening.” Happy Hour is 3-6 pm during the week.

Let them eat cake

2009-10-21T14:25:00.000-07:00

No more delicious, buttery croissants. No more chocolate-orange scones. Those were the tear-stained, pastry-deprived thoughts of Bittersweet Bistro regulars when the favorite South Hill bakery shuttered its doors last June.

Gina Garcia, who ran Bittersweet, says not to fret: Those same croissants and scones will live happily again in your belly — you just have to stick it out until the first of the year. That’s when she plans to start firing up the ovens at Cake, a bakery being opened by Chaps Coffee Company’s owner, Celeste Shaw. Cake will open in a new 3,000-square-foot space connected to Chaps — baking all of the bread sold at Chaps and offering some of the delicious treats you could get at Bittersweet.

Garcia says that she and Shaw have been talking for years about collaborating on a bakery. When Bittersweet closed “for a number of reasons,” they started to get serious.

Cake won’t be the one-stop crèpe shop that Bittersweet was — they’ll leave the bistro end of things to Chaps. But Garcia says that Cake will be the spot for “bread you can’t find anywhere in town” — baguettes, sweet breads, pan loaves that are “different and really high-quality.”

Garcia, who’ll serve as the pastry chef for Cake, says that Shaw’s vision will enable her bakers to do things they couldn’t at Bittersweet, including top-notch ovens and high-end training — not to mention a huge, brand new space.

“We were trying to do so much in a small space up at Bittersweet. This is going to broaden our horizons even more,” she says.

More details to come — but Garcia promises to have those chocolate orange scones from Bittersweet on the menu.

“We sold the crud out of those things,” she says. — LEAH SOTTILE

Chaps, 4237 S. Cheney-Spokane Rd., is open Tues 11 am–3 pm; Wed–Thurs 11 am–3 pm and 4:30–close; and Fri–Sun 7:30 am–3 pm and 4:30–close. Call 624-4182.

Upscale flapjacks

2009-10-21T14:24:00.000-07:00

I always intended to swing into Dolly’s before it closed in December last year for massive renovation. The sheer seedy audacity of the formerly Pepto pink-and-white exterior promised a great greasy-spoon diner experience. The quality of the remodeling effort suggests that it was good that I waited.

Dolly’s today looks positively swank. Its cinderblock façade has been redone, with muted green and canvas arches in green, maroon and goldenrod over the windows. Inside, the transformation is equally upscale with high-backed booths, rich fabrics, polished wood and warm harvest colors on the walls. Then there are the bathrooms, which must be seen to be believed: Imagine a cross between high-end chic and an airplane lavatory.

It’s not just the bathrooms either: I find it stunning how many people can actually fit into the truly tiny building at once. From the street, you might guess five to 10 — but that many fit just at the counter that wraps around the tiny galley kitchen, which itself is just large enough for two cooks working shoulder to shoulder.

But the space wasn’t the most important thing Desiree Olsness bought when she took over Dolly’s 16 years ago. With the space, she got the name and a story stretching back to 1958: Dolly Mueller and her famous pies. For several years, Olsness personally served as custodian of the Dolly’s name, but in the late ’90s, she arranged a lease-to-own deal to save herself from restaurant burnout. That deal fell apart last year, and Olsness found herself faced with a building in serious disrepair — customers complained of a waterfall inside when it rained — and a business to resurrect.

And that’s exactly what she’s doing. The current menu doesn’t feature any of Mueller’s pies, but Olsness and her kitchen crew do serve up a great Belgian waffle and menu of diner classics.

These include chicken fried steak and eggs ($11.49) and eggs Benedict ($9) on the breakfast side of the laminated menu, and hot roast beef and turkey sandwiches with mashed potatoes and gravy at on the lunch side. For breakfast, I’m sweet on the waffle; at lunch, a great place to start is the straightforward mushroom and swiss burger. At either meal, grab a stool at the counter and listen to the regulars banter with each other, Olsness and her staff. — KEVIN FINCH

Dolly’s Café, 1825 N. Washington St., is open daily, 6 am-2 pm. Call 326-0386.

First impressions

2009-10-14T13:28:00.001-07:00

For most of last week, the POST STREET ALE HOUSE’s bar was stocked and its neon signs were blazing but, alas, we weren’t allowed in. On the door, a sign read: Private Party. That party ended at 3 pm Friday, and another party began, this one big and open to the public. By sundown, this new pub was packed, the waitresses looked like frightened deer and almost every table was taken in the expansive location that once housed both 360 and Cavallino Lounge. First day, new staff, an untried menu and a packed house. Needless to say, there were some bumps, but plenty of potential.

Sitting down in the back of the restaurant, the place seemed familiar. Not in the I’ve-been-here-before way, but in the this-kinda-looks-like-a-chain way, despite it being locally owned by Walt Worthy, the man behind the Davenport Hotel, who bought the piece of land the new pub stands on earlier this year along with the Hotel Lusso.

While the décor did not overwhelm us, the menu, at first glance, did. Twenty beers on tap and a full bar promised many quaffable selections. And the food menu — with BBQ Pork Sliders ($7), Peel & Eat Shrimp ($8), Patty Melt on Grilled Marble Rye ($9) and Guinness Braised Short Ribs ($14) — was nothing to scoff at.

Looking closer, however, the beer selection wasn’t as awe-inspiring as hoped, mainly because there was nothing too surprising there — Bud Light, Northern Lights Chocolate Dunkel, Stone IPA, Anchor Steam, Moose Drool, Blue Moon and others ($3-$5). All brews you can get in many other locations.

And for vegetarians there is zilch. Some salads (which all come with meat, so you gotta tweak ’em) and appetizers (mainly deep fried) and that’s it. How ’bout a veggie burger or some fake German sausages?

A downtown pub is great. And we have high hopes that they’ll soon start staking out taps for truly strange brews, and add a little more greenery to the menu.

On this night, though, the place was packed and buzzing with cheery diners. “We’re staying across the street [at the Davenport],” I overheard the man next to us telling his waitress. “We asked for a great restaurant, and they told us to come here.” — NICHOLAS DESHAIS

Post Street Ale House, 1 N. Post St., is open daily from 11 am-2 am. Call 789-6900.

Tacos Tumbras

2009-10-14T13:27:00.001-07:00

The bright splash of yellow-and-orange paint on an otherwise drab corner of Second and Cedar was a sure sign of good things to come. Apparently I’m not the only one who had eagerly anticipated the opening of TACOS TUMBRAS. The restaurant was buzzing with diners and take-out orders on its second day of business.

Carlos and Susana Zuniga know a thing or two about the restaurant business. Along with their son Ben, they own three taco trucks and a second Tacos Tumbras restaurant in Spokane Valley.
“It’s just like a Mexican taqueria,” Carlos says of the new space, where patrons can perch on red vinyl barstools overlooking the kitchen or slide into a booth. The sound of sizzling meat and the clang of spatulas on the flat-top grill attest to the freshness of the food.

If you are looking for adventurous Mexican food, the menu includes tongue and tripe tacos. But don’t worry if you don’t fall into this category — the extensive menu includes simple à la carte tacos for $1.50, fajita platters and combination meals with rice and beans topping out at $11.

You’ll find your favorite burritos and enchiladas as well as lesser-known items like the huarache (Mexican sandal). Imagine a warm, foot-shaped corn tortilla, topped with beans, tender, tasty beef, lettuce, tomatoes and cotija cheese. It was deliciously satisfying and fun to eat.

Then there are the sopes. Palm-sized round tortillas are fried to chewy-crunchy perfection and topped with carnitas — rich, juicy shredded pork. I stole as many bites as I could before my 4-year-old scolded me for eating off his plate. At $2.50 a pop, I can afford to order my own next time.

The Zunigas plan to open a Mexican market in the back of the restaurant and have applied for a liquor license with thoughts of opening a bar in the adjacent space. In a section of downtown saturated with fast food, Tacos Tumbras is a welcome change. — KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

Tacos Tumbras, 1325 W. Second Ave., is open Thu-Sat 11 am-2 am and Sun-Wed 11 am-9 pm. Call 456-8226.

Cherry-picked items

2009-10-07T16:30:00.002-07:00

A dense-looking baguette, bisected and stuffed with some sort of cheese, sits in a cooler, wrapped in cellophane. Stuck to it is one of those red-and-white striped badges that reads, “Hello, my name is,” and then, handwritten, “Gruyere & Butter.”

The presentation makes me chuckle. I know what I’m having for lunch, because it just introduced itself to me.

Atticus, the new coffee and gift shop owned by Andy and Kris Dinnison, is (or will be, once they’re done painting and changing out the horrid ’90s track lighting) subtle and tasteful and clever in all the ways their other venture, the beloved adult toy store Boo Radley’s, is brash and hip and gaudy.

The Dinnisons have added their touch to the goods of sale, which still communicate the subversively quick-witted, bookish vibe of Boo Radley’s, while doing so in a toned-down way.

The Halloween décor they sell is all allusions to Poe and the Romantics. There’s a nice collection of inspirational cards and some antique-y furniture. There’s an insane collection of Four Seasons teas — along with those super-hip Tea Forte pyramids — and the location, which used to be a Four Seasons Coffee, is still selling the roaster’s bulk beans.

An autumn opening is fitting. The whole place — from the gorgeous, backlit window decoupaged with pages from To Kill a Mockingbird in a way that recalls a shoji screen to the pillowy foam on their lattes ($2.20-$3.35) — makes you want to curl up and tuck into a book.

The cleverest thing about the food selection, besides the name tags, is that Atticus buys from multiple local bakeries. They stock scones ($2.50), including the deliciously smoky ham-and-cheese, along with various turnovers ($2.50) from Bouzies Bakery. They stock éclairs ($2.50), macaroons ($1.75) and the tantalizing-sounding Citrus Madeleine ($1.25) from Santé. They have the Rocket’s famous no-bake cookies ($2.25) and a gooey-as-all-hell caramel almond roll ($2.75) from Sweetwater Bakery. “We just kinda cherry-pick,” Andy says. I don’t know why more coffeehouses don’t do this.

The signage by designers Richard and Kate Vande Wend — an outline of a bird on a branch with “ATTICUS” in a ragged-edged typewriter font above — communicates, with few cues, what the space is all about.

It’s pitch-perfect branding. You get it before you even walk in the door.

— LUKE BAUMGARTEN

Atticus, 222 N. Howard St., is open Mon-Sat 7:30 am-6 pm, Sun 10 am-5 pm. Call 747-0336.

Nautically Speaking

2009-10-07T16:30:00.001-07:00

The Hayden Lake Marina is a little off-the-beaten path, on the southern part of Hayden Lake. But it’s nestled among the toniest of tony residences on one of North Idaho’s most stunning lakes.

With its casual, local feel and extensive deck overlooking the busy marina, The Boathouse should have no problem capturing the tourist crowd, yet it’s locals who’ll keep this place afloat through the long winters that have been tough on previous tenants docked there. Thus their menu is nicely broad-based: fairly reasonably priced appetizers, salads, burgers and an after-5 dinner menu that remains under $20.

Appetizers have nautically themed monikers like Life Rings and Buoys (onion rings and fries, $8) or the Bailer’s Bucket (clams in garlicky wine broth with warmed bread, $14). Other easy-to-share items include beer go-withs like chicken strips ($8), taquitos ($8), or the ever-popular fish and chips ($12).

Certified Angus beef is featured in the one-third-pound Boathouse burgers: classic ($8), mushroom and mozzarella ($9.50), the double-patty “works” burger with grilled onions, bacon, cheese and the usual garden items ($12.50). Other sandwich options include fish tacos ($8), and the Chicken Point Sandwich, which includes — no surprise — chicken ($9).

The regular menu lists five standard dinner options, such as the First Mate ($12), penne pasta with grilled veggies and a creamy Parmesan pesto and tomato sauce. The Lake Runner was an 8-ounce salmon filet (with lemon dill sauce or blackened), and either potatoes (thick with cheese and topped with green onion and bacon) or wild rice and seasonal vegetables ($18). There are also dinner specials like the Idaho Fried Chicken, which the reader board boasts is so good that it made the Colonel leave his wife. Sometimes it’s refreshing when a restaurant doesn’t take itself overly seriously.

While warm weather means dining outdoors on the deck, cooler weather is made all the more cozy by the small and lively bar scene that anchors one end of this eatery. There are six microbrews on tap at any given time and a modest wine list. — CARRIE SCOZZARO

The Boathouse, 3799 E. Hayden Lake Rd., Hayden Lake, Idaho, is open Mon-Thu 4–9 pm, Fri-Sun 11 am-9 pm. Call (208) 772-5057.

Become friends, family

2009-09-30T13:25:00.000-07:00

“Over food, strangers become friends and friends become family,” explains Tina-Marie Schultz, quoting her Nonna (grandma) Rosa Bonaventura, after whom Rosa’s Italian Market and Deli is named. It’s located across from Post Falls’ newly constructed City Hall in the town’s only historic-registry home, which Schultz converted to include indoor and outdoor dining.

Rosa’s place is abundantly about food: take-home entrees, fresh or frozen; pastries and breads, fresh or frozen; assorted wines, dried pastas, sauces, and a small wall of other market items; an espresso bar, and a dine-in menu of sandwiches (hot to cold), soups, salads, frittatas (like a quiche), pizza by the slice, and even breakfast.

Cold sandwiches like muffuletta ($7) — cappicolla ham, salami, mortadella, Fontina cheese, giardinierei (pickled vegetables), lettuce and tomato — showcase recipes and ingredients dating back to early American immigrant history, in this case the Sicilians in New Orleans. The Sinatra sandwich tips its hat to the legendary entertainer with sopressata and other salamis, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese ($7). Hot subs include Sabrett-brand hot dogs with sautéed potatoes, onions and peppers, inspired by Schultz’s other grandma, Nonna Tillie, and the ubiquitous meatball sub (both $7.25).

For dessert, traditional Italian treats include cannoli ($3.50) and decadent tiramisu ($4.99): lady finger cakes soaked in espresso and topped with a sort of mascarpone cheese custard, then a layer of cocoa.

With local delivery available, your dinner tonight could be veal or chicken parmesan, meatballs or pasta and marinara, pesto and other sauces (prices vary). An online menu makes ordering easy — and if you don’t know, Schultz can help you figure out what you need. — CARRIE SCOZZARO

Rosa’s Italian Market and Deli, 120 E. Fourth St., Post Falls, Idaho, is open Mon-Fri 7 am–6 pm, Sat 8 am-5 pm. Visit www.rosasmarket.com or call (208) 777-7400.

Coming soon

2009-09-30T13:24:00.000-07:00

Spokane has enough sports bars, at least in the mind of Chris Hale. So in anticipation of opening the new Hale’s Bar & Grill, Hale gutted and remodeled the old Parker’s Bar & Grill locale on Broadway.

Hale is keeping the Kokanee, the pool leagues, the NFL package on HDTV and, of course, the bar food. He also plans to offer healthier deli sandwiches and salads for lunch, plus a full (vegetarian-friendly) dinner menu and wine list.

Sports bar dudes may feel squeamish about their buffalo wings so close to vegetables (other than celery) in the kitchen, but Hale insists it’ll be OK. “There’s no reason why they can’t coexist,” he says.

No greasy bar food, however, is allowed at the The Local Pub. Brenda Mowry signed the lease for the old Merq Café building “on a whim.” They’ll exclusively offer local foods, local microbrews, local music and local art.

Mowry’s booking philosophy is a case study in “super-laid-back” — “Anyone, basically, if they wanna play here or they wanna have a good time, they’re welcome to hang out here and jam,” she says.

The food at Los Tacos Tumbra is authentic down to the lengua and cabeza — tongue and brain — tacos. “It has the flavor of Mexico City,” says owner Carlos Zuniga.

Five years ago, Zuniga and his sons were working in the fields in Walla Walla. Now the family operates three taco trucks, along with one restaurant in the Valley (and soon, a second one downtown).

“It’s hard to find an opportunity like this to open a business,” says Zuniga. The new Second-and-Cedar space (previously Cruiser’s Cuisine) comes equipped with a full kitchen, so he only had to spring for tables and chairs.

Which brings us inevitably to the 500-pound gorilla in any discussion of casual fare near downtown. Principals in the long-rumored, hotly anticipated, still-to-be-named Elk-owner-owned taco joint in Browne’s Addition aren’t ready to make any announcements.
Elk Manager Marshall Powell would only say that, yes, there will be a “taco shop” in the next-door space but didn’t have anything else to add. “I’d say we should know within a month,” Powell says, laughing, “but I’ve said that for about eight months.” — ERIKA PRINS AND LUKE BAUMGARTEN

Hale’s Bar & Grill is set to open in mid-October at 1011 W. Broadway Ave. Open 10:30 am-2 am every day. Contact halesbarandgrill@yahoo.com. The Local Pub is expected to open in mid-October at 706 N. Monroe St. Open 11 am-2 pm every day. Contact thelocalpubandpatio@yahoo.com. Los Tacos Tumbras may open as early as this weekend. They’ll be open for lunch and dinner (exact hours pending) every day — and until 2 am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Call 927-8220.

Winter fresh

2009-09-23T12:04:00.000-07:00

Summer squash, cucumbers, peppers and peaches still stock farmers’ market stands, but many area farmers markets — including the Spokane Farmers Market downtown and the South Perry Market — will fold up their tents for the season by the end of October.

But for the next four weeks, says Fresh Abundance owner Eden Brightspirit Hendrix, “we’re in the biggest bounty of our entire year.”

Another few weeks of juicy peaches is still just another few weeks, though. And then what? What do people even eat after the parking lots that bustled with produce shoppers and acoustic guitar all summer are buried in white?

Here’s what: more fresh seasonal produce. Spokane’s clamor for year-round fresh deliciousness has been heard by the produce gods, and they have granted us an unprecedented number of winter farmers markets held indoors.

The Community Building farmers market, which began informally a few years ago with just one vendor — Arabesque Farms & Bakery — now takes over as the downtown source for a weekly “fresh” fix when Spokane Farmers Market closes in mid-October.

Fresh Abundance’s Community Roots Market will continue at least through the end of the year, says Hendrix, offering root crops like carrots and potatoes, winter squash and “heartier greens” like cabbage.

Millwood Farmers Market began staying open for winter last year at the request of vendors, who were scrambling to figure out how to continue delivering their fresh meats, produce and bread to regular customers after the market closed, says Susie David’s Cattle Company owner Dave McCullough.

And Local Marketplace & Gallery owner Michael Peterson is making preparations for their market’s first winter in the arts-and-crafts shop as we speak. “In fact.” he says, “I’m just building shelving in one of the rooms to set up for the farmers market moving in there.” — ERIKA PRINS

• The Community Building Market is open Thursdays from 11 am-3 pm at 35 W. Main Ave.
• The Millwood Winter Market begins Wednesday, Oct. 7, from noon-5 pm at the Crossover, 8919 E. Euclid Ave.
• Community Roots Market is on Sundays from 11 am-4 pm at Fresh Abundance, 2015 N. Division.
• The Local Marketplace & Gallery Market is on Fridays from 2-7 pm at 122 N. Argonne Rd.

Pancakes and patties

2009-09-23T12:03:00.000-07:00

If you’re a fan of biscuits and gravy, chicken fried steak, and all day breakfast, there’s a new diner in downtown Spokane you should know about. Located next to the Days Inn hotel, it’s a place where generous breakfasts fuel weary travelers and hot-off-the-grill lunches feed those passing through the busy Third Avenue corridor.

The minimalist décor has a subtle Western theme, with paintings of wild game animals and rooms named “Back at the Ranch” and “Wild West.” Country music plays in the background, rounding out the ambience.

The breakfast offerings are plentiful, including standard favorites like pancake platters, strawberry-topped French toast and bacon and eggs. Breakfast prices range from $5 for a short stack to $9.25 for Joe’s favorite: pancakes, three kinds of meat, eggs, hash browns and toast. Omelets, oatmeal and Belgian waffles are also available.

For lunch or dinner, the menu features char-broiled burgers, tuna melts, and Reuben sandwiches served with thick-cut fries or applesauce. The Turkey Deluxe sandwich ($7) rates high on the comfort-food scale, with just the right amount of crispy bacon and melted Swiss cheese grilled between layers of golden sourdough. Our order was slow in arriving, but the kitchen seemed just to be getting warmed up, as other customers’ orders were filled promptly.

Starters include mozzarella sticks, onion rings, or soup of the day. Entrees ($7-$14) are traditional all-American favorites like chicken fried steak, charbroiled salmon, fish and chips and a rib eye with asparagus and hollandaise. For lighter appetites, Third Avenue offers a grilled chicken Caesar and a diner salad.

I had visions of ordering a chocolate milkshake along with my lunch, but it was probably a blessing to my waistline that the dessert options are limited to ice cream and cheesecake.

Third Avenue Diner serves its purpose by offering well-executed, tried-and-true favorites at affordable prices. After two failed Indian restaurants in the same space, maybe a little down-home comfort food isn’t such a bad strategy. — KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

Third Avenue Diner, 128 W. Third Ave., is open 6 am-10 pm, daily. Call 747-3251.

Top Notch Returns

2009-09-16T12:47:00.000-07:00

Walk into the newly reopened Top Notch Café and you can expect to be greeted with friendly service, a great cup of coffee, and classic breakfast and lunch options with a few twists. You also get to slip back in time.

The Top Notch first opened in 1931 on the corner of Monroe and Mallon, and original art deco touches remain in the renovated space. “Daily people come in with stories from the past,” new owner Don Torbenson says with a grin, “and I just found out that the grandfather of one of our servers used to wash dishes here.”

Torbenson also discovered that early in its history, a previous owner would leave the door open all night long with a hot pot of coffee on for beat cops when they walked by. They came, warmed up and left money on the counter for the coffee they drank.

The coffee is still hot and several notches above typical diner brew, but the door is no longer open 24 hours. Torbenson and his crew open at 7 am during the week (8 am on weekends) and close at 2 pm after the last stragglers from the courthouse have been in for their Reuben or French Dip ($8.25 each).

Order an early breakfast special and $4.95 gets you two eggs, hash browns, toast, and coffee. We like the fact that the bread comes from just across the street at the Alpine Bistro and Bakery, and the hash browns are sliced thick.

Overall the menu highlights comfort food and traditional fare. “We wanted to bring it back to what it used to be,” Torbenson says. But along the way he and his wife Tama also had a little fun. There is Tama’s Jalapeño Burger ($7.95) at lunch, amped-up enough to make you cry, and an omelet packed with… wait for it… sauerkraut, cheese and German sausage.

Torbenson asked Terry Best from O’Doherty’s in the Valley if he could put a Terry original on the menu, and notes that “the people that try it, fall in love with it.” But he adds with another grin that not everyone is willing to try it. You can decide whether you’ll stick to the standards or try a Top Notch adventure, but either way, swing in soon for some good, unfussy food and a little living history in the shadow of the courthouse. — KEVIN FINCH

Top Notch Café, 825 North Monroe St., is open 7 am-2 pm weekdays and 8 am-2 pm weekends. Call 315-5567.

Pho-Tastic

2009-09-16T12:46:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the good stuff is right under our noses, like the fragrant soup served by Pho Thanh and Café. This humble eatery serving traditional Vietnamese fare actually was opened five years ago by Sau V. Nguyen, when he relocated to Coeur d’Alene from Spokane.

It took us awhile to discover what others already know: the food is delicious and well-priced (nothing over $9), and most dishes are so abundant you’ll need take-home containers. That may be why Pho Thanh has developed a loyal following, like the family who’d traveled up from the Coeur d’Alene reservation for a hearty meal of things like the No. 28 chow mein noodles with lemon grass chili beef, chicken, shrimp and pork ($9).

For us it was a starter of spring rolls (2 for $3): tender chicken, hints of basil, and spicy, peanuty dipping sauce. Other options are fried egg rolls and fried wontons most diners might associate with Chinese cooking ($3).

Of course we had to try the beef soup or pho bo, which arrived in a large bowl with a side of raw bean sprouts, basil leaves, lime and jalapeno slices. A perfect blend of soft noodles, crispy veggies and tender beef, which arrives surprisingly rare since it continues to cook in the steaming broth (our motto has always been: eat first, ask questions and do research later).
Variations on pho include the addition of meatballs, beef tendon, tripe and even chicken ($7 small/$8 large).

Steamed rice (com dia) and vermicelli-like noodles (bun) are menu staples, topped in numerous variations: lemon grass chicken, beef or pork; beef meatball; shrimp skewer; charbroiled chicken, and fried egg roll ($8.45-$9). Two stir-fried special dishes, wonton soup, and Vietnamese chicken salad round out the menu. Beverages include soda, traditional soybean and coconut drinks in a can and a small assortment of bottle beers ($1-3).

All tables are equipped with dipping sauces — hoisin, sriracha chili, soy, lemon grass chili — so you can adjust the spice of your food, as well as extra plates for sharing, which you’ll definitely want to do as you discover your new favorite. — CARRIE SCOZZARO

Pho Thanh and Cafe, 2108 N. Fourth Street, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, is open Mon-Sat 9:30 am–9 pm, Sun 9:30 am-7 pm. Call (208) 665-9903. Reservations recommended.

Logger hangout

2009-09-09T11:37:00.001-07:00

A bar that pays tribute to logging should be described as run-of-the-mill; upscale or pretentious just doesn’t seem fitting for the humble history of backbreaking logging and millwork upon whose foundation much of the Inland Northwest was built.

THE MILL is just such a tribute bar, its dark-paneled walls adorned with historic photos, logging lore, saw blades and assorted beverage advertisements. A few history books on logging are scattered about, and rough-cut logs serve as end tables here and there.

But if you’re envisioning the Snake Pit or White Horse Saloon, kick it up a few notches. Even though the Mill is located on a former mill site, that site is now Riverstone — Coeur d’Alene’s high-end, river-view development along Northwest Boulevard, with condos starting in the $200s. Next door is Starbucks. Nearby is a chi-chi new movie theater and places like Zi Spa.

Inside the Mill, the overall feel is sort of a tastefully appointed man cave. There are darts, shuffleboard and televisions, of course, yet its storefront location, outdoor seating and overall sparse décor keeps it from feeling like a male-only haven.

The menu is mostly finger foods, such as our sweet-hot chicken wings ($7.25), which can be ordered hotter. The seasoned fries ($3.75) can be topped with chili, onions or cheese ($0.50-$1 each). Mozzarella sticks, jalapeño poppers ($6) and onion rings ($4.50) round out the deep-fried appetizer offerings. If you’re not into sharing, try a quarter-pound burger or chicken sandwich ($6.50), or maybe a corn dog and fries ($3.50).

Nothing goes better with griddled food than ice cold beer — the selection includes your basic domestics like Budweiser, but also Sam Adams, Fat Tire, Drop Top, Stella Artois and Deschutes. The best feature on the beer menu was the Red Light Wheat Lager from Wallace Brewing Company, a Silver Valley startup (opened in December 2008) with a growing following and a great sense of humor. — CARRIE SCOZZARO

The Mill, 2360 Old Mill Loop, CdA, is open Tue-Sun 4 pm-midnight. Call (208) 667-6455.

Pork and plantains

2009-09-09T11:36:00.000-07:00

There is nothing about BLUE ISLAND’S location or décor that does justice to its name. Housed in the Club Edge space on East Sprague, the exposed timber and rock wall interior is more befitting of a hunting lodge than a tropical island paradise.

But don’t let the location put you off. Club Edge still operates the bar, but Rolando Diaz and his wife Doralquis Labrada have taken over the restaurant operations with an extensive menu of Cuban dishes. The Diaz family personally welcomes their guests and is eager to explain their native cuisine to newcomers.

Blue Island describes Cuban food as “a mixture of Spanish, indigenous, African, French and Arabic,” and the menu reflects these multicultural influences with pork shashlik, eggplant roulettes, chicken cordon bleu and simple dishes like Cuban-style ground beef and lamb brochettes. Entrees ($10-15) are served with congri (beans and rice) or potatoes and salad.

Dim lighting at my table (think nightclub) made it difficult to read the menu, but that didn’t put a damper on my crusty, grilled Cuban sandwich with ham, roast pork and Swiss cheese ($6.50) served with house-made French fries and salad. There are 10 choices of grilled sandwiches, including a vegetarian option. My son finished an entire plate of Chatinos — a simple but pleasingly chewy snack of fried plantains. I was disappointed to learn that they were out of Cuban coffee, which I’ll have to try on my next visit because I am still thinking about it.

I satisfied my sweet tooth with the bread pudding, a cinnamon flavored, dense pudding reminiscent of cheesecake. The Cuban flan, creamy and drizzled with caramel, scored high marks too.

Blue Island is unique in Spokane for its diverse menu of Cuban cuisine from traditional snacks to vegetarian dishes and meat brochettes. If you want to try something new and enjoy being treated like family, I recommend a Blue Island get-away. — KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

Blue Island, 8122 E. Sprague, is open Tues-Sun 11 am-9 pm, full menu. After 9 pm, sandwiches, appetizers and drinks. Call 926-6921.

Greasy pleasures

2009-09-02T12:01:00.000-07:00

It’s late. Really late. I was ferrying my friends home when one shouted from the back seat, “I want a burrito!” As weary as I was, I wanted to tell him to shut his mouth and eat something when he got home but… I had a taste for some nachos, too. “Let”s go to the new place,” I shouted over the radio.

The new place, ABELARDO’S, is one of Spokane Valley’s few options for food at 2 am. The Cal-Mex restaurant, started by employees from the small California chain Adalberto’s, keeps its drive-thru open 24-7 and is always offering breakfast. All dishes are made to order so the drive-thru can take as long as 15 minutes.

The cuisine, which owners admit is based off Adalberto’s menu, is a mix of traditional Mexican recipes and fast food staples. For example, Adalberto’s “California” has melted shredded cheese, rice and traditional carne asada but Abelardo’s uses French fries instead of potato chunks.

After negotiations and bartering, we came up with something that resembled an order: two bean burritos ($1.99 each), a shrimp burrito ($3.89), two chicken tacos ($1.89 each), an order of super nachos ($6.29) and extra hot sauce. The final total was still under twenty bucks.

The shrimp burrito was the size of an energy drink and, if thrown with some might, it’d be heavy enough to take out a window. My chicken taco was an overstuffed half oval of grease and love. The slow cooked chicken dripped juice from the shell every time I took a bite.

The stand-out of the night was the super nachos. The house-fried corn ship was topped with refried beans, cheddar cheese, over half a pound of carne asada, a cilantro-heavy homemade salsa, sour cream and guacamole. It was not only a formidable midnight snack but made for a good breakfast the next morning.

Abelardo’s is far from healthy (almost everything will leave a puddle of grease on its wrapper), but in the middle of the night, who cares? — SAM STOWERS

Abelardo’s at 11519 E. Sprague Avenue in Spokane Valley is open 24 hours a day, Mon-Sun. Inside seating is available from 6 am to midnight. Call 924-7485.

Tacos and tequila

2009-09-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

Recently opened AGAVE LATIN BISTRO is a partnership between Ian Wingate (owner of the nearby Moxie restaurant) and Sergio DeLeon, owner of DeLeon’s Mexican Deli. Formerly Bluefish and briefly Aqua, Agave’s cool aqua walls and sleek black and chrome furniture give the place a hip, high-tech feeling. Friendly service, candles and miniature cacti on the tables make Agave warm and inviting.

“We use his [DeLeon’s] ingredients incorporated into my style,” Wingate explains. The warm chips are made from DeLeon’s tortillas and accompanied by a demi-tasse of salsa, made from DeLeon’s recipe.

The starter menu ($4-$14) includes grilled smoked paprika prawns, ceviche, and several salads, including a pear and arugula salad with prickly pear cactus vinaigrette. You’ll also find gazpacho and Spicy Tequila Lime chicken soup.

Taco plates ($12-$14) are served with DeLeon’s rustic rice, tortillas and a choice of mild rancho beans or spicy Cuban black beans. For fillings, you can choose from chipotle grilled tofu, ancho grilled chicken, steak or fish tacos. Garnished with lime crème fraîche, fresh peppers and cilantro, the tacos rate a notch above standard Mexican fare for their colorful and artful presentation.

The Wild Boar Chile Verde ($14) was simmered to buttery perfection in a tomatillo sauce with green peppers and cilantro. Accompanied by rice, rancho beans with peppers, warm tortillas and a crunchy cabbage slaw, it tasted as good as it looked. Peruvian Seafood Cioppino, Lobster Paella, tequila-and-cactus-braised short ribs, and duck breast with chorizo sausage risotto round out the menu, with plans to add a late-night tapas menu soon.

Desserts include flan, cheesecake and chocolate cake, made at DeLeon’s bakery.

If you are a tequila lover, you’re in luck. Try the popular bright pink Prickly Pear margarita with cactus juice, or one of Agave’s 25 tequilas, including a caramel-flavored one. Wingate plans to increase the selection to number 100 varieties.

Agave combines DeLeon’s solid Mexican flavors with Wingate’s upscale style. The resulting Latin fusion is a welcome and refreshing addition to Spokane’s dining scene. — KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

Agave Latin Bistro and Tequila Bar, 830 W. Sprague, is open Tue-Sat, 4 pm-midnight. Call 473-9180.

Here Piggy, Piggy

2009-09-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

Spokane’s annual extravaganza of overindulgence is already underway — the six solid days of PIG OUT IN THE PARK began on Wednesday and continue clear through Monday, Sept. 7 (aka Labor Day). Thousands will descend on Riverfront Park this weekend to hear the free music or partake of the beer gardens (three of them!), but the food is the heart of the party, as the name suggests. More than 40 food vendors offer a couple of hundred different food items, from chocolate-covered fruits and ice cream to pizzas and more noodles than you can shake a spatula at. Local vendors including Pizza Rita, Longhorn BBQ, Boehm’s, Azars and Pho Van join the usual selection of traveling vendors to bring food to the masses. Prices this year top out at $9, so hit up the ATM on your way to the park. And arrive hungry. — ANN M. COLFORD

Pig Out in the Park, sprawling across Riverfront Park, is open daily 10 am-10 pm through Monday, Sept. 7. Visit spokanepigout.com.

We're going nuts over it

2009-08-26T13:29:00.000-07:00

Ice cream and chocolate — two of life’s most decadent pleasures. Now you can enjoy both at the same time with SPOKANDY’s new line of ice cream. The almost century-old chocolatier is teaming up with Mary Lou’s Homemade Ice Cream of Spokane Valley to offer eight flavors of ice cream with Spokandy’s goodies mixed in.

Spokandy recently remodeled its downtown location to include a larger retail area and room for the ice cream. “It’s something we’d talked about over the years,” says manager Natalie Vlasaty. They are also remodeling the wholesale area next door to allow customers to view the candy-making operations.

If you’re feeling a little nutty, then the vanilla ice cream with peanut brittle, macadamia nuts, coconut and white chocolate is just the answer. Or how about a scoop of coffee-flavored ice cream flecked with Spokandy’s dark chocolate? Grandma’s Maple Nut Cream features whole maple buttercreme candies mixed into maple ice cream. Peppermint Rainbow, one of the store’s bestsellers, features mint candy chunks in mint-flavored ice cream.

A generous scoop in a large waffle cone will cost you $3.50; two scoops, $5.50. A child-sized scoop is $2.50. If you’d prefer to indulge at home, pick up a half-gallon ($9) and one of Spokandy’s new dessert toppings: You can choose from caramel, butterscotch or chocolate truffle.

The seating area consists of two large sofas, minus any frills like tables, restrooms or a water fountain. But, hey, when you’re enjoying deliciously creamy, locally made ice cream with chunks of gooey goodness, surrounded by displays of fudge, almond bark and dark chocolate truffles, it’s hard to complain.

If you’re a coffee lover, you’ll be pleased to hear that Spokandy is working with Spokane coffee roaster Thomas Hammer on a new chocolate-flavored coffee to be sold by the pound, available sometime in September.

It’s nice to see local businesses working together, especially when they are combining all of my favorite things. — KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

Spokandy, at 1412 W. Third Ave., is open Mon-Fri 9 am-6 pm, Sat 10 am-6 pm and Sun 11 am-5 pm. Call 624-1969.

Get your licks in

2009-08-26T13:28:00.000-07:00

Some foods just taste better out-of-doors. Ice cream, for example, on a warm summer evening is a sweet treat indeed, especially when rolled expertly into an icy cold mound and perched atop a crispy waffle cone. So when word got out that ROGER’S ICE CREAM AND BURGERS had reopened, it was no surprise to see the line snaking across the sidewalk on a recent August night.

Sure, the supermarket across the street has ice cream, maybe even Ben and Jerry’s or Haagen-Dazs, the stuff that reignited our love affair with this icy foodstuff. But as easy as it would be to pop into the market, it’s not the same.

At Roger’s, cones start at $1.50 and top out at $3.50 for a double, either cone or cup. There’s the usual strawberry and mint chip, and then the texturally laden pecan praline, bear claw and almond mocha fudge — 18 flavors in all, including huckleberry when it’s in season, and berry-pomegranate sorbet for those wanting something lighter.

We were there for the ice cream — but the smell of burgers on the griddle was heavenly, too. Burgers include lettuce, tomato, onion and special sauce (starting at $2.50), and fries are freshly made, not frozen ($1.50).

The menu hasn’t changed much from the previous ownership. A Coeur d’Alene landmark since the ’80s, Roger’s was recently reopened by Mark Randolph, who is the latest in a long line of owners since the restaurant was first established in Moscow in the 1940s.

Only outdoor seating is available — a few rows of benches on either side of the building — but that’s not a drawback: Folks seem preoccupied by their individual race to the bottom of the cone.
Their licking, biting and wiping methods are complex enough to warrant an anthropological study. Or maybe it’s more than that… maybe it’s something akin to reverie. We’re all lost in a rare little moment of icy cold joy. — CARRIE SCOZZARO

Roger’s, at 13th St. and Sherman Ave., Coeur d’Alene, is open Mon-Thu 11 am–9 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-10 pm, and Sun 11 am-9:30 pm. Call (208) 930-4900.

EVENTS - Of Dinners and Fairs

2009-08-19T12:56:00.000-07:00

The midsummer cavalcade of food happenings continues this week with events across the region. Pullman celebrates all things lenticular this weekend (Aug. 21-22) with the NATIONAL LENTIL FESTIVAL, as noted in our Calendar (page 46), but that’s just the start. THE SCOOP (1001 W. 25th Ave.) will play host to the Flatbread Pizza Co.’s mobile wood-fired pizza oven again on Friday night, along with live music outside on the patio. Inside, of course, you’ll find the usual array of Brain Freeze ice cream flavors and made-onsite waffle cones.

On Saturday, the second annual MADELEINE’S STREET FAIR takes over the corner of Main Ave. and Wall St., next to the restaurant. Artisan vendors and musicians will fill Wall Street, which will be closed off to vehicular traffic, and Madeleine’s will be serving specials all day, along with pastries, cookies and delectables from the deli case.

If you’re feeling like a getaway, the LEAVENWORTH WINE TASTING FESTIVAL is set for Saturday (Aug. 22, from noon-6 pm) as well, at the Sleeping Lady Resort outside of Leavenworth. About two-dozen wineries from Central Washington (Leavenworth, Wenatchee, Chelan, Quincy) will show off their vintages, and there will be live music all day long. Tickets are $30 per person (or $50 per couple), available online (www.visitwashingtonfarms.com), or call the resort at (800) 574-2123.

One thing that separates chefs from the rest of us kitchen mortals (other than shallots and really sharp knives) is a mastery of sauces. The legendary French chef Auguste Escoffier, whose system of organizing the work of a commercial kitchen is still followed today, established what he called the five “mother sauces” — basic sauces that could inspire nearly endless variation — and these sauces continue to be taught in culinary schools everywhere. On Tuesday (Aug. 25, from 5:30-8:30 pm), Chef Jeremy Hansen will offer a COOKING CLASS AT SANTÉ on those five sauces. The class includes a recipe notebook and a group meal at the end of the evening. The cost is $75; send a message to mail@santespokane.com to reserve your spot — and don’t forget to bring along empty containers to take your creations home with you.

Finally, the Shared Harvest community garden in Coeur d’Alene is hosting its first fundraising dinner in the garden next weekend (Saturday, Aug. 29) — right at the peak of the growing season. The DINNER UNDER THE STARS kicks off with a silent auction at 6 pm, followed by dinner (prepared by a local chef) at 7 pm. There will be plenty of music, scads of local art for sale in the auction, and the full, lush beauty of the reclaimed garden (at 10th and Foster) all around. Organizer Kim Normand says the event is going as “green” as possible by using real dishes on loan from a local thrift shop. Tickets are a bargain at $25, available at the Art Spirit Gallery and Java on Sherman.

— ANN M. COLFORD

CASUAL - Twigs Stix With It

2009-08-19T12:52:00.000-07:00

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. That seems to be the motto of the folks at STIX BAR & GRILL (formerly Twigs, Bin 98 Twenty and 98 Twenty Bistro). Reincarnated three times with two major remodels in less than two years, the restaurant is moving away from fine dining to a more casual neighborhood bar and grill.

“There was a vast misconception Bin 98 Twenty was too high-end,” explains sous chef Christian Chally.

The most recent remodel removed the wine display and added more open seating, giving Stix a less intimate, more approachable feel. A large bar space doubles as a daytime dining area.

The restaurant reopened in mid-July, and things seem to be going well. The regular customers still come, and people aren’t afraid to drop by in their work clothes, or bring their families. “We’ve easily doubled our business, almost overnight,” says Chally.

The bistro-fare menu of salads, sandwiches and pizzas ranges from $6 for appetizers to $17 for main dishes. The Greek salad and the muffuletta sandwich are favorites from the 98 Twenty menu. You’ll find comfort food like chicken wings and mac-and-cheese, alongside a truffle spinach salad and ahi tuna with mango vinaigrette.

Our server recommended the fish tacos ($11), featuring grilled halibut with black bean and corn salsa. While the tacos could have used a little more zip, the accompanying Caribbean chicken soup was flavorful with a sweet and spicy kick.

I was impressed with the pizzas ($11-$12), which are hand tossed and brick-oven baked for a perfect thin and crunchy crust. We opted for the classic pepperoni, but the Italian Junker and the Taco Pizza sounded tempting also.

It’s rare for any restaurant to successfully re-invent itself, but this one seems to be working. Let’s hope it Stix.

— KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

Stix Bar & Grill, 9820 N. Nevada St., is open Sun-Thu 11 am-11 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-midnight. Call 468-9820.

Classes, fests and wine

2009-08-12T12:38:00.001-07:00

Just in case you’ve hit the midsummer doldrums, several food-related events are on tap this week.

Economic stimulus is an important thing — and if the first round doesn’t do everything you wanted, then it’s time for a second round. At least that’s the theory behind TWARP II — the second edition of the Troubled Wine Assets Relief Program, led by wine guru Carl Carlsteen at the Rocket Market on Friday evening. Part of the ongoing Friday wine-class series, TWARP II will demonstrate that plenty of dang tasty wines are available for no more than $10 per bottle.

Sip 10 different bargain quaffers, accompanied by cheeses and La Brea breads, while Carlsteen holds forth on the virtues of each vintage and shares stories about the wineries.

Speaking of Rocket Market, it’s also the place for the Sunday Brunch With DJs, featuring food by Chef Shilo Pierce and Pastry Chef Dena Carr, complemented by tunes spun by a different guest DJ each week. The music runs 11 am-2 pm, but the food is available both earlier and later. This week’s tune-spinner is Breezy Brown.

The Post Falls Food Festival is set for this weekend, too, albeit in a new location — on Fourth Street by the Post Falls City Hall. Organizer Tim Mitchell of Mangia Catering says to expect plenty of live local music and a variety of food vendors, along with arts and crafts booths at this second annual event.

The Main Market Co-op will host a fundraiser at the Fox Theater next Thursday, Aug. 20, with readings by local authors Jess Walter and Cheryl-Anne Millsap plus musical performances by pianist Brad Greene and Kaylee Cole and her band. Food for the event is catered by the Glover Mansion, and there will be raffles for prizes as well.

Also next Thursday, Huckleberry’s will offer the first in a series of classes on food canning, led by new Executive Chef Anne Bauer and Bakery/Cheese Specialist Amy Clark. This class will explore pickling — “It’s not just for cucumbers!” they tell us — along with canning basics. Preserving local produce is the way for locavores to stay local during the lean winter months, not to mention a way to save on the grocery bill. But even more important, it’s the path toward tasty treats like spicy pickled green beans. Yum.

Finally, we hear that State Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown of Spokane will be taking a turn as guest chef at Santé next Thursday; call the restaurant (315-4613) for more details. — ANN M. COLFORD

The TWARP II wine class will be held at Rocket Market, 726 E. 43rd Ave., on Friday, Aug. 14, at 7 pm. Cost is $20 (plus tax). Call 343-2253 to preregister.
The Post Falls Food Festival, on Fourth Street in Post Falls, Idaho, is set for Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 15-16. Visit postfallsfoodfest.wordpress.com.
“Local Artists for a Local Food Co-op” at the Fox Theater, 1001 W. Sprague, is Thursday, Aug. 20, at 6:30 pm. Cost is $25 until Aug. 14; $35, thereafter. Visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/72743 or call 624-1200.
Canning class at Huckleberry’s, 926 S. Monroe St., will be Thursday, Aug. 20, at 7 pm. Cost is $10 per person; must preregister and prepay. Call 624-1349.

Tiki sun

2009-08-12T12:37:00.001-07:00

They blew into town this past winter like tropical winds bringing some welcome sunshine and Hawaiian-style barbecue to mid-town Coeur d’Alene. Then just as quickly, the storm passed and Teriyaki Tiki was closed. Now they’re back, the winds calmer now, as they settle into their recently approved-by-the-city location at Fifth and Spruce (behind the Corner Bar).

TERIYAKI TIKI is the Atteshi family’s latest endeavor after closing the Sunset Grill in Hayden a few years back. Daughter Tiara and mom Aggy are the ever-ready smiles at the counter of this takeout/outdoor-seating-only establishment. They’re joined by dad, Mic.

Aggy’s as likely to interject some of her native Filipino recipes into the mix as she is the Hawaiian fare she grew up on. She makes lumpia, or Filipino egg rolls (three for $4.50), once a week, offering them alongside such Hawaiian staples as kalua pork ($7.50).

The pan-Pacific approach is menu-wide. Hawaiian barbecue is the focus of Teriyaki Tiki, which serves plate lunches with two scoops of steamed, slightly sticky rice and a macaroni-potato salad hybrid. Pork, chicken and beef teriyaki ($7.50) are joined by Korean-style kalbi ribs ($9.25) and Japanese-inspired fried chicken katsu ($7.50).

Other island favorites include Loco Moco: a beef patty topped with egg and gravy ($5.50). And — what Hawaiian lunch would be complete without it? — handwritten signs announce Spam dishes, sometimes over eggs, sometimes marinated and served over a shaped mound of rice (aka, Spam sushi).

Sandwiches are a super deal at less than $5 for your basic hamburger, or choose a chicken katsu burger or a teriyaki pork burger. You almost want to order the mini Pupu platter (chicken katsu, teriyaki chicken or pork) just to be able to say “Pupu” — loosely translated to appetizer.
Save room for dessert. Haupia is a very, very firm coconut-based pudding that behaves like Jello ($2.25). The pineapple includes li hing mui ($2.25), a salty/tangy/sweet dried plum you (try to) suck on — almost as much of an acquired taste as Spam.

Call ahead to place an order and don’t forget to say mahalo (thank you!). — CARRIE SCOZZARO

Teriyaki Tiki, at Fifth and Spruce, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, is open Mon-Sat 11 am-10 pm, Sun 2-7 pm (summer hours). Call (208) 676-0123.

Brats in the vines

2009-08-04T17:42:00.000-07:00

In past summers, Whitestone Winery hosted a catered sit-down dinner called Dine in the Vines, complete with live jazz, in the middle of their vineyard. The setting is spectacular — perched on a rocky down-slope on the south shore of Lake Roosevelt, the rich emerald vines are a shock of vibrant color amid the landscape’s stark geology — but it’s rugged and remote and lacks electrical power.

Delivering fancy food to guests in such a location was a huge challenge for everyone involved, says winemaker Michael Haig, but visitors raved about the event. While planning this year’s dinner, Haig had a revelation.

“What people remembered about the event were the views, the wine and the music,” he says. “The food was secondary. We thought, let’s do something that we can prepare ourselves.”

And what they can do is barbecue. Stocked with bratwurst and sausages from Egger’s and Sonnenberg’s, Haig and the rest of the Whitestone family will grill up a BORDEAUX BBQ in the vineyard on Saturday afternoon. Whitestone’s wines will flow freely, and 6’ Swing will entertain, but the atmosphere will be far more casual, more like an open house than a party with fixed hours.

“It’ll be all you can eat and all you can drink,” says Haig. “People don’t have to stay the whole time — they can come and go.” — ANN M. COLFORD

Whitestone Winery’s Bordeaux Barbecue in the vineyard is Saturday, Aug. 8, from 1-5 pm. Tickets are $55, available at the Spokane (111 S. Cedar St.) and Wilbur (115 NE Main St.) tasting rooms, online at whitestonewinery.com or by phone at 838-2427. Advance purchase is required.

Cobs of fun

2009-08-04T17:41:00.000-07:00

A cob oven doesn’t burn corncobs for fuel. Nor does one use a cob oven solely to roast corn — although you could stick a few ears in and they’d be really tasty. No, “cob” is the name for a time-honored building material made of clay, straw and sand, mixed with water and formed into a rustic earthen dome. The small wood-fired ovens are used to bake old-style breads and pizzas.

Last fall, Riverfront Farm in West Central Spokane built a cob oven next to their community garden, as part of a natural building workshop linked to Project HOPE’s “Jobs Not Jails” program. Next Thursday, Riverfront Farm teams up with Slow Food Spokane River to host a COB OVEN PIZZA DINNER AND POTLUCK at the urban farm. The aim of the event is to raise awareness of both organizations while building relationships in the neighborhood and across the city.

The basic ingredients for making personal pizzas will be available, says Slow Food’s Jennifer Hall — thus the nominal fee of $5 — but people are welcome to bring along their own favorite toppings. “We’re also asking people to bring a side salad or dessert to share,” says Hall.
The Plaid Cats will provide live music during dinner — but only you can bring along the community spirit. — ANN M. COLFORD

Slow Food’s cob oven pizza dinner and potluck, at Riverfront Farm, 2603 W. Boone Ave., is Thursday, Aug. 13, from 6:30-8:30 pm. Tickets are $5. Visit brownpapertickets.com.

Comforts of home

2009-08-04T17:40:00.000-07:00

SWEETIE PIE CAFÉ makes me think of a time when life was slower and simpler, and neighbors dropped by the corner café for the latest news and a bite to eat. While owners Marilyn Blair and daughter Julie Becker don’t actually live on the premises, you’ll feel as though you are dining in someone’s home. The café’s 15 seats are located in several rooms throughout the little house (just off Northwest Blvd. and Ash), with a cozy table for two tucked in one of the nooks. Shelves of games and magazines will make you feel right at home, and Hawaiian-themed artwork from Becker’s time spent living in the islands adds to the homey feel.

The menu is simple, with an emphasis on home-style comfort food. Breakfast (served all day) includes quiche served with potatoes and a biscuit ($8), omelets ($7), oven-baked French toast ($3.50), and biscuits and gravy ($4.50). The light, airy biscuits are a house specialty, drawing praises from diners at the neighboring table. “They’re layered, and I always add a little extra
baking powder,” says Becker, divulging her secret.

The lunch menu includes traditional hot and cold sandwiches (including meatloaf and French dip) served with a cup of soup or side of pasta salad ($7).

A half of a turkey sandwich with a cup of house-made clam chowder ($7) left me with just enough room for a piece of raspberry-rhubarb pie — the main reason for my visit. The tender, flaky crust and tangy-sweet fruit combination was perfect. For $3 a slice or $16 for a whole pie, regular offerings include chocolate cream, pumpkin and fresh fruit, or call ahead and order your favorite.

If you are looking for upscale dining with an extensive menu, then this homey little café is probably not for you. But if you like mouthwatering fruit pie and generous sandwiches served in a friendly neighborhood cottage, give Sweetie Pie a try. Maybe life isn’t so complicated after all. — KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

Sweetie Pie Café, 1724 W. Carlisle Ave., is open Tue-Sun 8 am-4 pm. Call 328-4458.

Mobile tacos

2009-07-29T12:21:00.000-07:00

Far too many paranoid souls shudder at the mention of taco trucks. I, on the other hand, nearly swerve into oncoming traffic in excitement when I see a new taco truck parked alongside the road. Yet even I was a bit skeptical when a new truck appeared on North Division in the spot formerly occupied by one of the two Tacos Tumbras trucks.

My skepticism stemmed from the name spray-painted on the truck: “PATTY’S TACOS.” Accuse me of culinary racial profiling if you must, but I would have stopped the very first time I saw the new truck if the name on the side had been Eduardo, José or María. But every Patty I knew growing up in Montana made tacos with hard shells, ground beef and cheddar cheese.

I was wrong. There are two Pattys in the family that owns the truck: Patty Pineda and Patty Ramirez. Jonas Lopez manages the truck, but decided to name it after his cousin and his sister-in-law who split the cooking with him. Patty Pineda was at the grill the day I stopped, and the family truck is a brilliant addition to our local fleet. In fact, if you love Mexican food, drop what you are doing this instant and head for Division and Garland for a $1.25 Alambre taco piled with steak, grilled peppers and onions, and melted mozzarella. It is like a heavenly mini fajita. Add a dash of Patty’s hot sauce and pico de gallo (request both from the cooler), or eat it straight up. Muy delicioso. Then return to the window and repeat after me: “Uno mas, por favor.”

The two Pattys and Jonas also serve up a mean torta (a Mexican sandwich served on a bun with the meat of your choice for $4.50) and other authentic standards like burritos, sopes, huaraches, quesadillas and enchiladas. They also offer something less standard and quite welcome: vegetarian options. — KEVIN FINCH

Patty’s Tacos, parked on Division between Garland and Walton, is open daily 10 am-8 pm. Call 217-2504.

State of breakfast

2009-07-29T12:20:00.000-07:00

It was a bit like musical chairs when Beach House owner/manager Dave Libbey left to reopen CONNIE’S CAFÉ, a Sandpoint institution serving home-style meals since the ’50s. Libbey’s departure paved the way for Café Trinity’s owners to take over the Edgewater hotel location, now called Trinity at City Beach (Fresh & Tasty, 7/24/09). Yet it was music to the ears of loyal Connie’s customers who have followed the longtime restaurant’s struggles over the past few years as successive owners tried to make it.

The only part of the restaurant not fully restored to its former status, in fact, is the music portion in Connie’s Lounge, which is open but not booking bands right now.

In the meantime, the menu has been updated, along with some of the interior, booths, carpeting and parts of the kitchen facilities. But the general ambience is the same. It’s still the kind of diner where the light seems to be perpetually twilight, where a server will likely know your name if you’re a local, and where breakfast is a state of mind served daily until 2 pm.

Breakfast is chock full of the kinds of basics you’d expect at Grandma’s table: eggs, omelets, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, steak and eggs — even oat groats. The vegetarian benedict was a plentiful portion of crispy hashbrowns, poached eggs, avocado, tomato, spinach and hollandaise ($7, half/$9, full).

For lunch, steer toward the Angus beef burgers served with soup, fries or three kinds of salad (green, potato or coleslaw). Other lunch sandwiches ($9-$10) include home-style favorites like open-faced turkey or the Reuben. The Portobello salad with roasted red pepper ($9) and Caribbean chicken wrap with fruit salsa provide great appeal for health-conscious or summer-minded appetites.

For dinner, there are standbys like meatloaf ($9), fried chicken ($13), and weekend prime rib ($9/$20). Other menu items will come as a welcome surprise, like the bronzed escolar fish, which Connie’s does up Cajun style ($16), or Twisted Mac & Cheese with linguica sausage, fresh crab and roasted red peppers ($13).

Overall the menu has something for everyone, with reasonable prices and quick service. It’s the kind of place you can go for breakfast on a Sunday with the kids or hook up with friends for beer and appetizers out on the back patio and feel right at home. — CARRIE SCOZZARO
Connie’s, 323 Cedar St., Sandpoint, is open Mon-Sat 7 am-9 pm, Sun 8 am-8 pm. Call (208) 255-2227.

Savory and sweet

2009-07-21T16:43:00.000-07:00

The croissants, scones, and cookies all looked inviting at the PETIT CHAT VILLAGE BAKERY in the Whitworth area, but I came for the bread. The problem was making a decision. My mouth began to water as owner Brenda Gerhart described each loaf, noting her favorite way to enjoy each one. “The rosemary-cranberry bread makes good turkey sandwiches,” she says. I’m sure she’s right, but I’ll probably never know since we finished most of the loaf before we left the store.

When Brenda and her husband Kevin bought the bakery nine months ago, it had no retail outlet of its own. “We knew we wanted to go retail,” Brenda says, explaining that they remodeled the adjacent space and opened the retail shop several months later. Bakers’ racks filled with just-out-of-the-oven bread divide the retail space from the production area, allowing a peek at bakers crafting their artisan loaves and sweet pastries.

The bread costs a reasonable $5 a loaf, so I also tried the Nutty/Seedy Breakfast Bread, a slightly sweet whole-wheat loaf filled with dates, raisins, walnuts and a variety of seeds including fennel. I’m dreaming about a slice with my morning coffee, along with the remains of the enormous cinnamon roll with a hint of orange that I managed to confiscate from my kids.

Petit Chat has staples such as Tuscan and whole-wheat loaves, and a rotating selection of savory and sweet loaves each day, like the pumpkin-pecan loaf and hard-to-find brioche. The breads are made with Shepherd’s Grain flour, so you can feel good about supporting local farmers. Petit Chat also sells bread at Huckleberry’s on Monroe and supplies several local restaurants.

Whether you just make a quick stop to pick up a few loaves (they freeze well) or sink into a leather chair with a cup of coffee and a chocolate-dipped almond horn, you don’t want to miss Petit Chat. I’ll happily make the drive for high-quality, hand-crafted breads and European style pastries at this north Spokane gem. — KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

Petit Chat Village Bakery, 9910 N. Waikiki Rd., is open Mon-Fri 7 am-6 pm and Sat 7 am-4 pm. Call 468-2720.

Triple the view

2009-07-21T16:42:00.000-07:00

Café Trinity, formerly located on Sandpoint’s busy First Avenue, recently moved eastward to Bridge Street to take over space inside the Best Western Edgewater Resort. Now known as TRINITY AT CITY BEACH, the restaurant is moving away from its original foundation of Southern-inspired cuisine to a more diverse menu that suits the new digs.

With nary a hitch nor interruption in service, owner and general manager Justin Dick transformed Trinity into a full-service daily restaurant serving not only the hotel clients, but also folks who flock to City Beach.

“Can’t pass up the view,” quips award-winning chef Edsol “Eddie” Sneva, whose extensive pedigree includes Sawtooth Grill, Brix, Cedars and Crickets.

Now with triple the staff, Sneva’s kitchen is serving up biscuits and andouille sausage gravy or West Coast benedict ($9) with smoked salmon for breakfast, and a dozen egg scrambles, combos or hash, like the prime rib hash with red peppers and green onion remoulade ($10).

Lunch could be corn/crawfish chowder ($8) or a salad with pecan-crusted chicken ($11), a few of the Southern-inspired dishes carried over from Café Trinity. How about a soft shell crab po’ boy ($9) with a tall glass of Laughing Dog or Blue Moon Belgian White?

For dinner, the menu is plentifully stocked with seafood: lemongrass-marinated prawns with tamarind glaze ($25), Gorgonzola scallops with prosciutto, garlic and cream ($25) or cedar-plank salmon with thyme-infused jasmine rice ($21).

Trinity offers an appetizing and affordable assortment of small plates, including gumbo, salad caprese with mozzarella and tomato, steamed manila clams, and grilled Korean short ribs ($4-$12).

Many lunch and dinner items are available on the “deck menu,” which features fun little nibbles like peel-and-eat shrimp ($12), chips and salsa ($2.50) and jalapeño poppers breaded in Idaho potato flakes ($6).

The breathtaking view and an expanded menu with prices that seem more reasonable than comparable hotel dining establishments means Trinity at City Beach has made all the right moves. — CARRIE SCOZZARO

Trinity at City Beach, 56 Bridge St. (at Best Western Edgewater Resort), Sandpoint, Idaho, is open Sun-Thu 7:30 am-9 pm, Fri-Sat 7:30 am-10 pm. Visit cafetrinitysandpoint.com or call (208) 255-7558.

Crazy tasty

2009-07-15T11:39:00.001-07:00

There is another new burger in town, and unlike Northern Quest’s Fatburger, this one doesn’t come with a half-a-century franchise history and a Los Angeles pedigree. The burger at CRAZY G’S is simply the juicy, goopy creation of a retired engineer, Gary Swiss.

Gary’s wife Chris is just as involved in the restaurant now, but when he first came up with the idea, she said he was crazy. She wasn’t alone. Her family chimed in. Friends were incredulous. Their kids said it was nuts.

“Everyone told me flat out I was crazy,” Gary says. But rather than discourage Gary, all these comments did was give him an idea for the name.

The menu plays with the name: You can order the “Crazy” burger, the “Super Crazy” burger, or the “Certifiable” burger. All come with Gary’s “crazy” toppings: secret sauce, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, and your choice of provolone, cheddar or Swiss cheese. The Super adds bacon or pastrami to the 6-ounce Angus patty, and the Certifiable piles on both bacon and pastrami.

You are also welcome to request grilled jalapeños, lettuce, tomato, mustard, ketchup, pickles or sauerkraut to anything on the menu, but I’d suggest you try your first Crazy G’s burger the way Gary intended it and go on from there. Order the Certifiable ($6.25 alone, or $8.75 with a soda and fries or onion tangles) if you like a lot going on as a carnivore. Order the simple Crazy if bacon and pastrami seem like a distraction from the juicy beef at the heart of the char-grilled burger.

East Coast refugees should perk up at the Philly steak sandwich on the menu, even though they will have to settle for provolone rather than the cult classic Cheese Whiz offered in Pennsylvania. Or try the dark horse on the menu: the “Super Crazy Dog” that splits a bulging special-order frank down the middle and jams in bacon and cheddar before wrapping it up in a butter-toasted bun that retains just the right chewy bite. Skip the sweet relish on the dog if you add the bacon and cheese. The Super Crazy Dog is the best in town, and one that could contend nationally. Their hand-dipped vanilla and chocolate shakes made from Columbia Premium hard ice cream ($3.25) also set them above your typical burger-and-dog establishment.

One truth-in-advertising note: Don’t expect fast-food drive-thru timing. “We build everything to order,” Gary says, “including sandwiches without meat.” This takes time. Plan on a 10- to 15-minute wait while they cook your food to order, and use the time to wonder what exactly is in their Crazy sauce.

— KEVIN FINCH

Crazy G’s, 821 N. Division, is open Mon-Sat 10:30 am-9 pm. Call 315-8943.

Lake City scratch

2009-07-15T11:38:00.001-07:00

The owners of Scratch had an itch to expand from their original and highly successful Spokane restaurant, much to the delight of Coeur d’Alene diners. Although many mourned the loss of Le Piastre (this Fifth and Sherman location has hosted a long list of eateries), SCRATCH promises to fill the small niche of moderately priced upscale dining locations downtown.

Named for its claim to make all things from “scratch,” the restaurant focuses on freshness, innovation, presentation, service and seasonal ingredients — all the hallmarks of bistro cuisine, which has come to include multi-ethnic elements and an increasingly eclectic menu.

There are Asian influences, like the (Japanese) Kobe beef tacos ($11), the tri-tip with creamed Yukon gold potatoes and Burgundy veal au-jus ($25), or the Asian Reuben with soy-cured corned beef ($9). Europe is represented in the Italian panini with mortadella sausage, sopressata and coppa salami, roasted red peppers, mozzarella and fresh basil ($9) and the wild-mushroom ravioli with spinach and beurre blanc sauce. From the Mediterranean, hummus appears as an appetizer ($7) and in the vegetarian wrap with roasted garlic, Kalamata olives, Roma tomatoes and English cucumber ($11), while the chicken with bucatini pasta features a hearty mix of Kalamata, caperberries, sundried tomatoes, onions, Feta cheese, mushrooms, red peppers, basil and white-wine lemon sauce ($14). American cuisine is reflected in the hot pot — scallops, prawns, lobster, clams, Andouille sausage, spices and fingerling potatoes ($25) — and dishes like the half-rack house-smoked ribs with huckleberry sauce ($14) or the wild salmon ($16).

The décor, ambience and menu at Coeur d’Alene’s Scratch, according to chef and former Coeur d’Alene High School graduate Jason Rex, is similar to Spokane’s. CdA Scratch offers some Spokane staples — like the crispy duck lettuce wraps with ponzu sauce, cilantro, onion, peppers, and cashews ($10) — yet has a much larger lunch menu than Spokane and favors beer and wine only.

What’s next for Rex and business partner Connie Naccarato? More territory, according to Rex, who wants to franchise the restaurant someday. Until then, he’s splitting his time between the two locations, hoping that Scratch will make its mark permanent in downtown Coeur d’Alene.

— CARRIE SCOZZARO

Scratch, 507 E. Sherman Ave., Coeur d’Alene, is open Sun-Thu 11 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-midnight. Visit scratchspokane.com or call (208) 930-4762.

News in Browne's

2009-07-08T12:10:00.001-07:00

Changes are afoot at CAFÉ MARRON: Nicholas St. Clair, who served as sous chef and pastry chef at Luna for the past year and a half, has taken over as chef at the Browne’s Addition dining spot. The restaurant has been through its ups and downs, but it maintains a loyal following, especially on the weekends for breakfast.

“My goal is to make breakfast really good so people will want to come back for dinner,” says St. Clair, adding that he’s simplifying Marron’s lunch and dinner menus. “We’re trying to do the small things right, and then grow. We’ll be adding some classic bistro lunches like a croque madame, steak frites and duck confit.”

At dinner, the top sirloin ($20) and wild salmon ($17) entrées are standbys, along with the surprising paella. For dessert, don’t miss St. Clair’s signature blackberry cobbler with lemon-zest ice cream.

Breakfast favorites like the chorizo scramble ($9), the avocado sandwich ($10) and the corned beef hash ($10) — braised in Guinness, with peppers and onions, and served over home fries — remain on the menu, along with pancakes, French toast (made with Bouzies brioche) and the house-made granola, with its hint of cinnamon. The breakfast menu is now available weekdays until noon (weekends till 3 pm), with the updated lunch menu kicking in then.

Early in his career, St. Clair spent about three years as sous chef at Los Olivos Café near Santa Barbara, California, one of the restaurants featured in the film Sideways. (It’s the place where Miles has his merlot meltdown before going in.) Later, after attending the pastry program through Le Cordon Bleu Schools, he worked with Chef Dan Bower at North Idaho’s Black Rock Resort and then at Wild Sage with Chef Alexa Wilson.

Café Marron also offers Happy Hour specials from 3-5 pm daily, with half-off drinks and dinner appetizers about $3 below regular prices. In addition, the former parking lot on the building’s south side has been turned into a patio, with outdoor tables and umbrellas. It’s a great spot to kick back and enjoy Spokane’s gorgeous summer weather.

Up the hill at LUNA, Marron’s sibling restaurant, Chef Anna Vogel is offering a casual Sunday-night barbecue dinner during the summer, grilled up on an old-fashioned drum-style grill on the back patio. For $25, you get an overflowing plate of backyard favorites — chicken, ribs and wild sockeye salmon, plus corn on the cob, coleslaw, potato salad and cornbread — plus a bowl of fresh-baked cobbler and ice cream for dessert. The chicken is served with a pineapple-based barbecue sauce; the ribs get a spicy dry rub and then are slow-smoked to tenderness; and the salmon is brushed with a simple, light sauce. Sitting on the patio, with a frosty beer or a glass of wine in hand, it’s the essence of casual summer dining. And you don’t have to stand over hot coals to make it happen. — ANN M. COLFORD

Café Marron, 144 S. Cannon St., is open Sun-Thu 8 am-8 pm, Fri-Sat 8 am-9 pm. Call 456-8660. The prix-fixe barbecue dinner at Luna, 5620 S. Perry St., is offered Sundays from 5 pm-close. Call 448-2383.

New leaves

2009-07-08T12:09:00.000-07:00

Tucked away on a shady tree-lined street on the lower South Hill, TASTE AND SEE TEAROOM is located inside Angelica’s Bed & Breakfast. The beautiful brick house with the wrap-around porch looked inviting after a harried morning of errands. I took a seat by the window and felt immediately relaxed by the charming interior. The soft jazz music, high timbered ceilings, and gleaming hardwoods were warm and welcoming. I felt pampered by the lace tablecloths, china cups and silver tea service that graced my table.

The tearoom is a nonprofit business that provides job training and temporary employment to women in transition. By working with women from shelters in Spokane, owner Thada Ziegler hopes to provide a nurturing environment for the women to learn the life skills necessary to gain employment.

“We have our first graduate,” Ziegler says with obvious pride. “After completing the 350-hour internship, she regained so much confidence and self-esteem.”

The tearoom serves tea and scones, desserts, and a few à la carte lunch items. There are 18 teas to choose from, plus a “sniffer” display so you can smell the teas before you decide. A chalkboard lists the lunch items for the day: a chicken-salad croissant ($5.25) and an organic garden salad ($4.75). Although I was tempted by the double-chocolate Kahlua cake, it was a little early in the day for such indulgence, so I opted for a pot of tea and a scone ($5.50) instead. The Cinnamon Stick tea (black tea, with three types of cinnamon and cloves) and huckleberry scone was just the mid-morning pick-me-up I needed.

Taste and See also offers afternoon teas for $20 and light lunches for $12 by reservation. An open house with live jazz and refreshments is scheduled for Aug. 1 at 6 pm.

In a world of drive-thru coffee and fast food, Taste and See is a tranquil oasis. Treat yourself and feel good about it. — KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

Taste and See Tearoom, 1321 W. Ninth Ave., is open Wed-Sat 9 am-4 pm for tea, scones and limited lunch. Call 714-0097 for afternoon tea or lunch reservations.

Carnegie's bar

2009-07-01T11:26:00.000-07:00

If every part of Spokane needs a bar, then ANDY’S is fulfilling this need. Suddenly — the place had its grand opening just over a week ago — the area between Browne’s Addition and downtown has a watering hole. What exactly is the point of that?

“The whole idea of this bar is for it to be the neighborhood’s bar,” says Steffan Wachholtz, the proprietor. If it seems like a strange neighborhood to serve, the idea is getting less strange. The intersection of First and Cedar in Carnegie Square, where Andy’s is located, is sputtering toward becoming its own district: Count Andy’s among the Rocket Bakery, Finders Keepers and Studio
One, an upscale salon that also houses wine-and-chocolate hawker, the French Quarter.

Neighborhood revitalization aside, for now Andy’s is competing against the Rocket for the lunch crowd. On any given day, diners have up to 20 choices including standard bar and grill fare such as burgers, Reubens and sliders, but Andy’s also offers less traditional bar grub like Monte Cristos and paninis. They also offer the ever-amazing sweet potato French fry.

“It’s more like a little bistro,” says T. Ackerman, Andy’s manager. Facing north, windows stretch from ceiling to floor, flooding the space with natural light. And on the east side of the building, a patio holds numerous tables and chairs. Wachholtz, who also owns Irv’s in downtown, says another goal of his was to give “a lot of this stuff in the bar … a second life.” The bar top is made from old escalator side panels from the Sherwood building, and Wachholtz is a metal worker who has bent many slices of elemental earth for the bar’s needs. The result? “Contemporary and a little retro,” says Ackerman.

But back to Andy’s real goal of serving spirits. The liquor selection is extensive, like many bars, and the beers on tap number just a handful, again like any bar. The ambience is fine. For Andy’s to survive, it’ll have to depend on its location, and the advantages of that have yet to be determined. Nevertheless, Ackerman says they’re building a gathering.

“I’ve had the ladies sip the wine, and the rum and coke crowd, the beer crowd,” says Ackerman. “We’re happy to have anybody.” — NICHOLAS DESHAIS

Andy’s, at 1401 W. First Ave., is open daily 11 am-2 am. Call 744-1111.

Dress for success

2009-07-01T11:13:00.000-07:00

It’s an unlikely idea in an unlikely place that might catch on for Coeur d’Alene-area diners who believe the art of fine dining should indeed include dressing up (and should also exclude children). After all, new owner Rocco Zito went all out to dress up a former diner on Sherman Avenue’s less-than-glamorous eastern fringes and turn it into MY PLACE.

New is a warm brown exterior, with chic wood seating and dimmed lighting inside, linens and candlelight, a wine list. My Place emphasizes northern Italian but is still eclectic, notes Chef Frank Ciccone, formerly of the Wine Cellar and Sandpoint’s Café Trinity.

My Place is reminiscent of the Wine Cellar, in fact, with a smattering of pastas, seafood, meat options yet — unlike most fine dining establishments — My Place serves breakfast: Amoretto French toast and three eggs cooked-to-order ($8), Prosciutto Eggs Florentine ($9.50) or a cheesy frittata ($9.50).

The lunch menu (served from 11 am-2 pm) includes a variety of pasta dishes — gnocchi, linguine, rigatoni, fettuccine — with your choice of sauce, including a lightly spiced clam sauce and zesty puttanesca ($7-$10). Including soup or salad and choice of parmesan or fried potatoes or pasta salad, lunch offerings are as generously portioned as dinner. Try the Italian BLT with pancetta, spinach and aioli on French bread ($11).

For dinner, salad and vegetable is included in such entrées as Cordon Bleu ($22) or the seafood combo of prawns, scallops, salmon, calamari, spinach and roasted tomatoes over angel hair or fettuccine ($22).

Fridays and Saturdays are “couples” nights, with female diners receiving a red rose and live music in the background. Who knows? Your amorous feelings might even extend to the Lovers Plate: two 10-ounce steaks, with two 6-ounce Australian lobster tails ($90, or $120 with wine pairings).

Open just over a month, My Place has generated a buzz around town that has been mixed and — prompted by a Coeur d’Alene Press article in which Zito proclaims, “It ain’t IHOP” — very vocal.

The bloglist that ensued is an amusing diversion from the real issue: How’s the food?

See for yourself, but remember: Leave your flip-flops and T-shirts at home (with the kids) for weekend dinners. — CARRIE SCOZZARO

My Place, 1801 Sherman Ave., Coeur d’Alene, is open daily 6 am–2 pm for breakfast and lunch, Fri-Sat 6-9 pm for dinner only, with reservations recommended. Call (208) 665-2277.

Gangster Rolls

2009-06-23T16:30:00.000-07:00

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.

Wrap It Healthy

2009-06-23T16:09:00.000-07:00

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.

BBQ Grammar and Culture

2009-06-17T12:21:00.000-07:00

“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

2009-06-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

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.

Still buzzing

2009-06-10T16:57:00.000-07:00

“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.

Phat happy

2009-06-10T16:56:00.000-07:00

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.

Don't worry, be happy

2009-06-02T17:28:00.000-07:00

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.

Breathe the salt air

2009-06-02T17:27:00.000-07:00

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.

Sushiyama go-go

2009-05-26T17:47:00.000-07:00

When I first heard that Spokane’s last remaining Arctic Circle restaurant on Third Avenue was closing down and would be replaced by a sushi bar, I thought, “Self, this marks a seminal moment in Spokane dining.” Chain burger joint makes way for sushi? Deep thoughts bubbled.
But then I found out that Chef Charlie Yamamoto of BAEK CHUN SUSHIYAMA was opening a downtown Spokane outpost at the site. All abstract philosophical meanderings gave way to one simple question: When?

Luckily, the answer is: Now.

Yamamoto is a sushi veteran going back to the Puget Sound area in the 1980s. He trekked east and opened his humble restaurant and shop in an Airway Heights storefront about five years ago, quickly attracting a loyal cadre of followers from nearby Fairchild. Word of his skill with sushi spread through foodie circles; I and others made quiet pilgrimages westward.

The Spokane shop has been open about a month now, and a steady crowd of devotees stopped by on a recent Friday evening — some who knew Sushiyama from Airway Heights, some drawn by either word of mouth or simply the sign out front.

One couple said they’d been directed by a co-worker to come in and sit right up front at the sushi bar. “Oh, first-time customers, let Charlie choose,” Yamamoto suggested. “Yes, yes. Charlie take care of you.”

And take care he did, delivering two signature sushi rolls, a stunning variety of nigiri sushi (raw fish on rice), plus a sampler of pickled vegetables and salads.

The menu has a broad selection of Japanese and Korean dishes, from appetizers to entrées to full bento-box meals (either dinner or lunch). The seaweed salad ($5) tastes clean and refreshing; the deep-fried tofu appetizer (agedashi, $7) encases chunks of moist, silky tofu in a light, crunchy coating, topped with a piquant sauce and served over shredded cabbage.

But the fresh fish is the star. (The shop is closed every Wednesday so Yamamoto can go to Seattle and buy his seafood.) Pay attention to the server’s recitation of which items are the freshest: Last week, the suzuki (sea bass), mirugai (geoduck) and hirame (halibut) were high on the list. Two pieces of nigiri will run anywhere from $4 to $10, but as a special, you can choose any eight pieces for $14.

Shoji-screen panels float above the sushi bar and elsewhere, and the interior looks nothing like its former burger-joint incarnation.

Whether the larger cultural shift — from burgers to sushi — is a good thing remains an open question, but while I ponder that one, I’ll happily let Charlie take care of me.

— ANN M. COLFORD

Baek Chun Sushiyama, 1321 W. Third Ave., is open weekdays (except Wednesday) 11 am-9 pm, Fri 11 am-10 pm, Sat 11 am-midnight. Call 624-5553.

Just relax...

2009-05-26T17:46:00.000-07:00

With its sleek black furniture, mirrored bar and elegant crystal chandeliers, the new LEFTBANK WINE BAR appears quite formal. But don’t be deceived: With a glass of Cougar Crest Viognier ($7.50) in hand and Norah Jones playing softly in the background, I wanted to slip off my shoes and put my feet up on the plush, red velvet love seat. I restrained myself and concentrated instead on my bruschetta with Gorgonzola and honey ($8), which was delightful paired with the wine. Buddies meeting for a beer, girlfriends catching up and two moms with a babe in stroller all looked equally relaxed. LeftBank is the kind of place that gives a city its urban feel.

The wine menu offers 60 wines by the glass, most in the $5 to $7 range, and a dozen beers. Owner and sommelier Aaron Kelly helped me navigate the list and poured me a taste of the Cougar Crest before I decided. LeftBank’s extensive wine list offers familiar favorites like Barnard Griffin and Kim Crawford, boutique wines selected with the help of wine manager Jen Nichols from Walla Walla, and several dessert wines.

LeftBank opens at 8 am, serving Craven’s coffee and scones from Taste Café. An all-day menu includes panini sandwiches and salads ($7-$8), as well as an antipasto plate ($9) featuring prosciutto and salami from Santé. Desserts, including chocolate mousse, are from Just American Desserts. “We try to support as many local businesses as we can,” says Kelly.

The grand opening event is set for Saturday, May 30 — “meet the winemaker” during the day, and listen to live music at night.

LeftBank offers cheese plates to go along with the wines, giving wine-pairing suggestions for each cheese. The cheese menu provides phonetic pronunciation, so go ahead — order the Taleggio (tah-LEH-joe), a semi-soft Italian cheese, and a glass of Zardetto Prosecco.

Kelly and his wife Katrina want to create a place where people can try different wines in a non-threatening way and linger in a relaxed environment. I think they have succeeded.

— KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

LeftBank Wine Bar, 108 N. Washington St., is open Mon-Fri, 8 am to late, and Sat 3 pm to late. Call 315-8623.

Big pie dreams

2009-05-20T12:29:00.000-07:00

As Bruce Springsteen sings: “From small things, mama, big things one day come.” A big-time hit in its humble downtown Sandpoint location across from the park, BABS’ PIZZERIA had barely taken over the former Ice House Pizza place in 2007 when they realized the space was just too small. Across town on Highway 2, the new Mountain West facility was being built, housing several other restaurants including Dish and a new Subway.

“This fills a need on this side of town,” says Babs Tietjens, who runs the pizzeria with her mother BJ.

The signature offering is New York-style, thin-crust pizza. Besides your basic cheese ($2.75/slice; $10-$16/pie), there are specialties like the Village (pesto, mozzarella, sundried tomatoes, artichokes, crumbled feta), the Little Italy (marinara, mozzarella, sweet sausage, green peppers, red onions) and the Hells Kitchen (marinara, mozzarella, spinach, roasted red peppers, mushrooms and chicken). Not sure if it’s indecisiveness or the need to have it all that inspires the Yuppie — half “meat lovers” and half “veggie lovers” — pizzas ($16/$25), but it’s funny either way.

Most pies are $14 for 12-inch and $20 for 18-inch, and all are available for dine-in or takeout.
Besides pizza, there are sandwiches like the meatball parmesan or Italian sausage and pepper ($8), stromboli ($7-$12) and its cousin, the calzone, with a choice of four toppings ($8).
Although they don’t make their own pasta, they do make the sauce. Besides the standby of spaghetti with or without meatballs or sausage ($8-$10), they have a daily special.

Babs makes the puff pastry-filled artispins — artichokes and spinach — and spanokopita with spinach and feta, as well as the raspberry-chipotle wings ($7-$12).

They also serve salads, a few soups, some desserts and both wine and beer, all parts of the menu they hope to continue to expand. Both mother and daughter are still dreaming big. — CARRIE SCOZZARO

Babs’ Pizzeria, 1319 Hwy 2, Suite C, Sandpoint, Idaho, is open Mon-Thu 11 am–8 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-9 pm. Call (208) 265-7992.

Hooray for Local

2009-05-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

Spokane’s newest outdoor market opened quietly on Friday in the parking lot at the Center on Sixth (1717 W. Sixth Ave.) with a handful of vendors selling everything from hand-chopped salsa to beaded jewelry to hand-dipped chocolate truffles from the French Quarter. Market organizer Nathan White is a big fan of the Portland Saturday Market, the waterfront arts and crafts marketplace that’s been part of that city’s scene since 1974, and he’s hoping to create a similar venue for Spokane.

Another new market this year is the Community Roots Market, hosted by Fresh Abundance at its North Division store (2015 N. Division). The market has been happening on the third Sunday of each month since early this year, but starting on June 14, the outdoor local products market — featuring about 35 vendors selling produce, meats and locally produced crafts — will be open every Sunday through the summer.

Once the season is in full swing, shoppers seeking local foods and crafts will be able to find a market nearly every day of the week. This week, look for bedding plants, potted starts of herbs and vegetables, plus a few early greens, rhubarb, eggs, meat, honey and prepared foods. Here’s who’s open when:

• Coeur d’Alene Farmers Market, Fifth Ave. between Sherman and Front, Coeur d’Alene, is open Wednesdays from 4-6 pm.

• Friday Market, 1717 W. Sixth Ave., is open Fridays from 8 am-2 pm.

• Kootenai County Farmers Market, Highway 95 at Prairie Ave., Hayden, Idaho, is open Saturdays from 8 am-1 pm.

• Liberty Lake Farmers Market, 1421 N. Meadowwood Ln. (Liberty Square parking lot), Liberty Lake, Wash., is open Saturdays, 9 am-1 pm.

• Millwood Farmers Market, 3223 N. Marguerite Rd. (at Millwood Presbyterian Church), Millwood, Wash., is open Wednesdays from 3-7 pm.

• Montfort Farmers Market, 1915 W. Monroe Rd. (Montfort School Community Center), Colbert, Wash., is open Thursdays from 4-7 pm.

• Moscow Farmers Market, Friendship Square, Main Street at Fourth, Moscow, Idaho, is open Saturdays from 8 am-noon.

• Pend Oreille Farmers Market, Spruce and Union St., Newport, Wash., is open Saturdays from 9 am-1 pm.

• Pullman Farmers Market, 245 SE Paradise Rd. (Old Post Office Wine Bar), Pullman, Wash., is open Wednesdays from 4:30-6:30 pm.

• Sandpoint Farmers Market, Farmin Park, Third and Main streets, Sandpoint, Idaho, is open Saturdays from 9 am-1 pm. (The market will also be open on Wednesdays from 3-5:30 pm starting in June.)

• Spokane Farmers Market, Second Ave. at Division, is open Saturdays from 8 am-1 pm. (The market will open on Wednesdays from 8 am-1 pm starting in June.)

Starting May 29, Cheney Farmers Market, First St. and College Ave., Cheney, Wash., will be open Fridays, 10 am-3 pm. (The market also will open on first and third Saturdays from 9 am-1 pm, through the summer, starting June 6.) We hear that the Airway Heights Farmers Market will be open on Thursdays from 9 am-1 pm starting May 28, but we haven’t received confirmation. And June 4 will see the opening of the South Perry Farmers Market (1317 E. 12th Ave.), in the parking lot of Christ Community Church, running Thursdays from 3-7 pm. Happy local shopping! — ANN M. COLFORD

Where there's fire

2009-05-13T13:14:00.000-07:00

The ROCKET MARKET saw some excitement on the day before Bloomsday when a fire heavily damaged the second-floor office, but the market is open, and events are going on as planned. The summer music series was already scheduled to kick off this Saturday, May 16, and it will kick off in tongue-in-cheek style at 6 pm with an event that’s being dubbed the “Firepalooza Outdoor Music Festival,” featuring Darin Hildebrand and Kevin Long.

On Friday evenings, the Market holds wine classes (with beer thrown in once a month for variety) hosted by wine manager — or “wine savant” — Carl Carlsteen, and the lineup for the rest of May is looking particularly intriguing. This week (May 15), inspired by economic stimuli and bargain hunting, Carlsteen presents the Troubled Wine Assets Relief Program, a sampling of 10 quality wines that cost no more than $10 per bottle. Wine students will get to sample each of the 10 wines, along with cheese and La Brea breads, for $20.

Next week (May 22), Carlsteen explores the world of white wines, just in time for (we hope) the onset of warmer weather. To close out the month (May 29), he presents a cabernet sauvignon smack down — eight cabs, spanning the globe, sampled blind. Think you know your ABCs? (That’s Australia, Bordeaux and Chile.) Take up the challenge, and emerge victorious. — ANN M. COLFORD

Wine classes at the Rocket Market, 726 E. 43rd Ave., are in session on Fridays, starting at 7 pm. Cost per class varies from $20-$25. Preregistration requested. Call 343-2253.

If you build it...

2009-05-13T13:13:00.000-07:00

Every night since their little South Perry Street pub opened two weeks ago, LANTERN TAVERN owners Jeff Nordvall and Laura Paisley have been busy slinging drinks from their expansive beer and wine menus. Almost too busy. As the neighborhood’s first watering hole, the Lantern has unleashed the growing district’s thirsty forces. Walkers turn out en masse to pile into the pocket-sized tavern, and nomads from further reaches drive over to steal one of the 12 seats.

But it’s no surprise the place is popular: They have many palate-pleasing beers, from bottles of organic Pinkus Hefeweizen to Big Sky Brewing’s Trout Slayer on tap. And their wine list is not bad, either. Buy a bottle from the local Barrister Winery and split it with a friend.

Once inside, check out the woodwork. Hewn from 100- and 200-year-old reclaimed barn wood by local woodsmith Dan McGrew, the interior is a masterpiece.

South Perry, for sure, struck gold with the Lantern. Prices are reasonable and the barkeeps, pleasant. Once you go to the Lantern, you might never want to leave. But, please do. We’re waiting for a seat. — NICHOLAS DESHAIS

The Lantern Tavern, 1004 S. Perry St, opens Tue-Fri at 4 pm, and Sat at 2 pm. Sun hours vary.

That's Italian

2009-05-13T13:12:00.000-07:00

When Italian food lovers dream, they dream of a place like CASSANO’S ITALIAN GROCERY.
And now Cassano’s, having outgrown its longtime location on East Sprague, has a new home: Owner Carl Naccarato relocated the shop to the corner of Mission and Napa in the former Piccolo’s market building. The new location — with triple the space, a commercial kitchen and ample parking — allows Cassano’s to offer more products and services, such as fresh meat and produce, more than 20 kinds of olive oil, a deli counter serving Italian sandwiches, and a new restaurant called THE MISSION BISTRO.

If you like to cook, you’ll be inspired to fill your shopping basket with house-made sausages, fresh pasta, roasted peppers and truffle oil. Don’t forget the Chianti and fresh Italian bread to go with your meal.

If you’d rather leave the cooking to someone else, head for the back of the store and look for the Mission Bistro. The private dining room was recently remodeled by Dave Finney, Naccarato’s partner in both the Bistro and in the store’s catering business, known as David deCarlo Catering. Finney and Naccarato plan to offer cooking classes this fall.

The Bistro’s space is simple and homey, as is the menu: The choices are pizza, pasta and made-to-order deli sandwiches. Our 14-inch pepperoni pizza ($10) arrived piping hot with a chewy scratch-made crust, Italian pepperoni and loads of fresh, deliciously stringy melted mozzarella.

Our server recommended Cassano’s Famous Lasagna ($11): “People from the East Coast say it’s the best they’ve had since they’ve moved out here.” Naccarato’s recipe is a vegetarian version — tender sheets of pasta layered with pesto, five cheeses and a red sauce with a hint of fennel. Served with a warm Tuscan roll and a green salad, it was divine.

The chicken asiago fettucine ($11), with a wild mushroom and truffle cream Alfredo sauce, smelled heavenly as it passed by my table. Maybe next time. — KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

Cassano’s Italian Grocery, at 2002 E. Mission Ave., is open Mon-Sat 8 am-8 pm, Sun 10 am-5 pm. The Mission Bistro, located inside Cassano’s, is open Mon-Sat 11 am-2 pm for lunch, 5 pm-8 pm for dinner. Visit www.cassanositaliangrocery.com or call 747-3888.

Vino for Mom

2009-05-05T17:26:00.002-07:00

Breakfast in bed is overrated — just ask any mom who’s actually been so fêted. Instead, spend quality time with Mom while doing something that you’ll both enjoy: drinking local wine. The annual Spring Barrel Tasting — a great excuse to sample Spokane’s locally produced wines — is set for this weekend, and all 14 local wineries are participating. The newest entrants in the Mother’s Day tradition are Whitestone Winery, with its newly opened downtown tasting room (at 111 S. Cedar St. next to the Rocket Bakery), and Liberty Lake Wine Cellars (1018 S. Garry Rd., Liberty Lake). Tasting fees vary, and most of the wineries offer limited munchies to go with the vintages.

— ANN M. COLFORD

The Spokane Winery Association’s Spring Barrel Tasting runs Fri-Sun, May 8-10, from 11 am-5 pm at all 14 of the association’s wineries. Visit spokanewineries.net.

Join the club

2009-05-05T17:26:00.001-07:00

Breakfast is a simple meal to make, ranging from the minimalist approach (bread products, fruit) to full-blown cardiac specials (dairy, meat and bread products). Who among us can’t heat water, fry eggs or operate the toaster? Yet breakfast out is a treat, a break from cold cereal, lingering over the morning paper while someone refreshes your coffee.

Open seven days a week, KC’S BREAKFAST CLUB in Post Falls wants you to be a regular member. Their menu features home-style breakfast and lunch, with variations for different size appetites, plus menus for kids, seniors and to-go.

Breakfast could be omelets with home-style potatoes or hashbrowns and three buttermilk pancakes ($8-$10). Order your omelet plain, with chef’s choice of vegetables, or choose the meat lovers’ (think pizza flavors). “Country”-style items include three biscuits and sausage gravy (ridiculously low-priced at $4), steak and eggs ($8.50) or Country Eggs Benny ($7.50). The Eggs Nicole is a fabulous benedict variation with mushrooms, spinach, onions and Swiss over an open-face croissant with hollandaise, plus a side of potatoes and fruit. The leftovers were even good reheated the next day.

Traditional options include egg-and-meat combos (bacon and eggs, ham and eggs, etc.) and egg-based scrambles ($6.65-$8.65). They serve waffles, French toast and pancakes ($4.75-$10.75) with various toppings. Variations include crepes, cream cheese-filled blintzes and the decadent Apple Pancake soufflé with house-made apple syrup.

Although breakfast is served all day, lunch (served after 11 am) may tempt you, too. Charbroiled burgers range from traditional to jalapeño, mushroom and Swiss, or the Hawaiian-style with teriyaki and pineapple ($7-$9). Sandwiches, including standbys like the BLT and the unusual Alaskan — smoked ham, shrimp, Swiss, tomato and special sauce on wheat bread — are served with choice of salad, soup or homemade waffle fries ($7-$9).

Service is prompt and friendly, prices generally reasonable, and quality is good. The building’s covered, angle-in parking spots are reminiscent of its first incarnation as an A&W, yet this restaurant location at Seltice Way and Spokane Street has thoroughly reinvented itself.

— CARRIE SCOZZARO

KC’s Breakfast Club, 115 W. Seltice Way, Post Falls, Idaho, is open Mon-Sat 6 am-2 pm, Sun 7 am-3 pm. Call (208) 773-3764.

Ole on Freya

2009-05-05T17:26:00.000-07:00

For those of you Mexican food fans who were sad to see La Katrina Tacos close its shutters, don’t despair: Jorge and Adriana Hernandez have opened HACIENDA LAS FLORES in the old space. They gave the brick building a much needed facelift inside and out. The cheery yellow and blue exterior is eye-catching, and the bright color theme continues inside with decorative flags and hot pink walls.

“We did everything ourselves,” Jorge says. “My wife painted. I’m in the kitchen. My brother and friends help.”

The fiesta atmosphere and warm, welcoming smiles will make you feel right at home. Along with the standard basket of chips, you’ll get four different dips: spicy and mild red salsas; a crunchy, fresh cabbage pico de gallo; and a bean dip. You might be tempted to make a meal out of the chips and complimentary dips, but you’ll want to save some room for Jorge’s cooking. The dishes are fresh and flavorful with just the right amount of spice, and the portions are generous.

The extensive menu contains favorites like burritos, fajitas and enchiladas as well as Mexican soups, salads and huevos rancheros ($9) in case you missed breakfast. The Pollo de Mole ($12.25) features tender chicken and Jorge’s own mole sauce — a mildly spicy, smoky version with peanut butter. I was skeptical about the peanut butter, but the dish was the favorite at our table.

The spinach enchiladas ($10.50) are filled with quickly sautéed spinach, bell peppers, mushrooms and onions giving the dish a fresh, light twist. The Verde Burrito ($9.50) combines peppery, tender pork with beans and rice topped with green salsa.

The kids’ menu, crayons and special drink cups were a hit with my 4-year-old. The family-friendly atmosphere and 99-cent kids’ meals on Sundays make it a great choice for an affordable dinner out.

Judging by the steady stream of customers, I’m not the only one happy to see another Mexican restaurant in town.

— KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

Hacienda Las Flores, 510 S. Freya St., is open daily 11 am-9 pm. Call 315-8853.

Turn it over

2009-04-29T15:58:00.000-07:00

Behind the beautiful, shiny new kiosk housed just inside the newly constructed Catholic Charities building is the NEW LEAF BAKERY CAFÉ, the public face of an employment and job-skill enhancement program for homeless and low-income women, operated by Transitions.

The women receive individualized training in food services — both front and back of house — while producing reasonably priced pastries and salads (organic and sustainable, when feasible).

It’s about living in right relationship.

Doma — fair trade, certified organic — is the coffee of choice, be it drip ($1.50, 12 oz.) or my 16-ounce iced hazelnut mocha ($4), which was deliciously robust with a just-right blend of coffee, chocolate and hazelnut.

A perfect accompaniment is the Signature Cookie ($0.75): huge peanuts, dried cherries, chocolate chips and flakes of coconut, all baked together in a sweet and crumbly dough. “It’s the best of everything,” says café manager Kristen Speller.

Speller trains women in front-of-house operations — customer service, dishing up food, making lattes, and making change. “I’m giving back, because life’s been good to me,” she says with a wide smile.

In keeping with the notion of right relationship and caring for the Earth, you won’t find boutique water here. “I don’t believe in bottled water,” says Speller, citing numerous problems caused by the ubiquitous plastic containers. She reluctantly carries a small selection of bottled juices, but to-go cups and utensils are biodegradable, and there are glass plates, cups and bowls for in-house dining.

The café menu is a work in progress with several rotating choices including fresh fruit salad, pasta salads and one of my favorites, fresh pea salad ($3.50/$4.50). Made with smoky bacon, sliced celery, bits of red onion and lots of fresh peas in a mayo-based dressing, this is reminiscent of the best summer potluck fare.

A fine choice with any of the salads is a fist-sized roll ($1.75) made from challah bread. Rich with eggs, it has a light, airy texture that’s slightly sweet and yeasty. “It makes a beautiful sandwich,” says Chef-instructor Vira Melendez-Redman.

The café is opening “softly,” with a grand opening planned later in May. The dining area will be dedicated to the memory of former Spokane Catholic Charities Director Donna Hanson, who died of cancer in 2005. Begun with grants, the training program aims to become self-sustaining through revenue from the café and catering service.

Suddenly it hit me that I’m not just eating well by being here. I’m doing good.

— M.C. PAUL

New Leaf Bakery Café, 12 E. Fifth Ave (in the new Catholic Charities building), is open Mon-Fri 8 am-1 pm. Visit help4women.org or call 496-7298. (For catering information, call 496-0396.)

Eye-popping cuisine

2009-04-29T15:57:00.000-07:00

I first visited GINGER ASIAN BISTRO soon after it opened, tagging along with two friends who know their way around a sushi bar. I started off easy, with calamari and a 007 roll (spicy tuna, cucumber, fish roe), but then I came face to face — literally — with the sweet shrimp sushi ($6): large, meaty tail-on shrimp, on mounds of rice, and a glass filled with deep-fried shrimp heads. All eyes at the table were on me, including those of the shrimp. I grabbed one of the heads, wrangled the wayward antennae and bit down. It was surprisingly delicate, lightly crispy and tasted like… shrimp. Popcorn shrimp. With eyeballs. (Those were light and crispy, too.)

But don’t be misled about Ginger, located in the star-crossed space across Grand from the Cathedral of St. John. Most items don’t require a dare to eat — and even then, it’s only the first time. The menu offers more than 30 different sushi rolls, from basic to exotic ($3-$14) — and if you don’t see what you want, the sushi chef will be glad to create something special. A long list of seafood varieties is available as sushi or sashimi, including yellowtail, toro, mackerel and white fish. I sampled the surprising mirugai — the large Northwest bivalve also known as the geoduck — and it tasted like clean, cold ocean.

Co-owner Jing Ou Sun came to Spokane a little more than a year ago from Los Angeles, where she operated a combination Chinese/sushi café. She partnered with Bin Liu, of Ding How in Liberty Lake, to bring that blend of traditional Chinese-style dishes and sushi to Spokane.

Chinese-style entrées range from moo goo gai pan ($13) and the seafood hot pot ($16) to spicy Szechwan combos ($12-$16) and the Mongolian beef tenderloin ($12). The calamari appetizer ($8) — tempura-fried strips — is served with a tangy and unusual ginger-lime dipping sauce, and the vibrantly hued seaweed salad ($4) is a fresh execution of the sushi-house favorite.

Japanese-style bento box meals are also available both at lunch ($10-$11) and dinner ($14-$19), and several Chinese dishes are offered as lunch specials. In addition to tea, beverages include a good selection of wine, beer and sake — including the refreshing yogurt sake, a drink I’ll be keeping an eye on come summer.

— ANN M. COLFORD

Ginger Asian Bistro, 1228 S. Grand Blvd., is open Tue-Thu 11 am-9 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-10 pm, Sun 11 am-9 pm. Reservations recommended on weekends. Call 315-5201.

Dig deep

2009-04-22T14:50:00.000-07:00

The buzz is out there — we can feel it. The snow is gone (finally!), the sun is shining, and people are itching to get outside and work in the garden. The Inland Northwest has always had a cadre of dedicated gardeners, but this year — thanks to the local/organic/sustainable food movement, growing health awareness, and concerns over the safety of industrial agriculture — even people whose thumbs are far from green are talking about digging in the dirt. After all, you can’t get much more local than a tomato grown in your own back yard.

Or in a community garden in your neighborhood. For instance, Coeur d’Alene’s first community garden, SHARED HARVEST, kicks off this weekend with a workday (9 am-noon), unveiling ceremony (2 pm) and plot sign-up day, Saturday, April 25 (weather permitting). The garden has taken over three formerly vacant city lots in — appropriately — the Garden District neighborhood, and property owner Marshall Mend has reserved the land for use by the garden for at least the next two years.

Water conservation will be a big part of the garden — each of the garden’s 53 plots (4 feet by 10 feet) will have a drip irrigation system for efficient water use, and there will be a xeriscape (drought-tolerant) demonstration garden on site. The city is pitching in with help to offset the cost of both the irrigation system and the xeriscape garden, and several local small businesses have committed skills and service.

In addition, the garden’s planners envision donating about half of the produce grown in the garden to area food banks, soup kitchens and transitional homes through the Community Roots program.

The workday and plot sign-up for Shared Harvest Community Garden, 10th St. and Foster Ave., Coeur d’Alene, is Saturday, April 25, starting at 9 am. Call Kim Normand at (208) 664-0608.

Spokane’s community gardens are getting rolling for the season as well — in fact, the Hemlock and Fairview Community Garden, adjacent to the Transitional Living Center, is having a cleanup and garden bed-allotment day on Sunday, April 26, starting at 1 pm. And Project HOPE is hosting an Earth Day cleanup event at the corner of Maxwell and Belt in West Central on Saturday, April 25, from 9-11 am. Visit www.spokanegardens.com for details.

We know there’s more happening in our area around community gardens, and we’re trying to learn everything you know about it. If you’re organizing a community garden in your neighborhood — or you’re interested in volunteering your time, donating supplies or even donating a plot of land to the cause — we want to hear from you. E-mail ann@inlander.com, and tell us what you’re up to.

— ANN M. COLFORD

Catch the wave

2009-04-22T14:44:00.001-07:00

“There’s no surfing in Riverside.” That was one memorable advertisement for In-N-Out Burgers, California’s first hamburger drive-thru. While there’s no surfing in Rathdrum, Idaho, either, SURF CITY BURGERS serves up classic American cuisine — burgers, dogs, fried food — like you might find at mom-and-pop stands along the beach.

Owner Gary Kender — who used to surf as a young man in his native Huntington Beach, Calif. — features a burger style as emblematic of the West Coast as White Castle (square) burgers are of the East. Basic burgers start at an unbelievable $2.49. The double-double is a 4-inch stack of 100 percent beef, with or without onions, and all the trimmings — aka, animal style ($3.75; combo, $5.75).

Surf City Burgers — also expanding to Post Falls in the next month or so — appeals to nostalgia. Try Philly cheesesteaks ($6, combo), jumbo dogs ($2.25), real ice cream shakes and malts ($2.50-$3) and burger options that include bacon-cheese, mushroom-Swiss, pastrami, chili and — of course — Hawaiian.

The surfer theme is typical for Kender, who started Longboard Burgers in Coeur d’Alene (now run by his ex-wife) and owned Schoonerville — with its Hawaiian mural — in Hayden for 13 years. And he likes having those local connections. Housed inside Stein’s IGA (in a space he shares with Subway), Surf City offers discounts to nearby Lakeland students. Most meals, however, are already affordable: 13 combos under $5, nothing more than $6.

It’s all about low prices but good quality. Kender hand-breads his chicken strips, finger steaks and onion rings ($3-$5). And he cuts fresh potatoes for his fries — which, like most things on the menu, can be ordered with chili.

Convenience is another big draw. They average a four-minute response time, says Kender, smiling as he recognizes a customer approaching, calling his order out even before the gentleman gets to the counter. Yes, it’s that kind of place, like family.

“Food is about family,” he agrees, noting that he cooks gourmet, sit-down meals for his five children every night. “I’m passionate about food, about everything I do.”

— CARRIE SCOZZARO

Surf City Burgers, 16102 North Hwy. 41 (inside Stein’s IGA), Rathdrum, Idaho, is open Mon-Sat 11 am-7 pm, Sun 11 am-4 pm. Call (208) 687-0492.

A good year

2009-04-14T21:23:00.000-07:00

The economy is a mess, but people still have to eat. Tana Rekofke, owner of the newly opened VINTAGES AT 611, says she “always wanted to have a restaurant” — although she admits that her timing may be less than perfect. Still, her mission is simple: “Keep prices moderate so that people can enjoy eating here [frequently] — not just for special occasions.”

The lunch menu features sandwiches and burgers — like the Signature Vintage Burger ($9), Kobe beef served up with jalapeno peppers, smoky cheddar cheese, and all the trimmings — plus pastas, soups and salads. Manager Deborah Rathburn suggests the Greek orzo and shrimp salad ($9), and its colors, textures and flavors blend brilliantly: Large slices of crisp cucumber, strips of red and green bell pepper, and slices of purple onion join grape tomatoes and pitted Greek olives to give texture and depth to the simple bed of spinach topped with orzo and feta in a delicate vinaigrette. Four large shrimp and a garnish of fanned perfectly ripe avocado complete the dish.

Dinner appetizer choices vary in from $14 for the cheese platter to the cheesy Gorgonzola Frites ($5). A selection of steaks, seafood, pastas and entrée salads rounds out the dinner choices.
The dining space is large and beautifully appointed. The kitchen, however, is small — meaning, Executive Chef Mike Dodd explains, that everything is ordered and delivered every day.

“We try to stick to the prime ingredients,” says Dodd. “We want those beautiful natural flavors to come through.” And they do, in entrées like the 16-ounce bone-in ribeye in a wild mushroom demi-glace, served with garlic mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetable ($27).

There’s a relatively small cocktail list, but the real draw is the wine. Extensive and continually changing, the wine menu is amazing: 67 by the bottle, with prices for every budget from the $90 Cakebread Cellars Merlot on the high end to the Quarra Chardonnay ($15) and La Palma Cabernet ($17) on the low end. By the glass, 18 choices range from the 2007 Mionetto II Prosecco ($5) — Italy’s favorite sparkling wine — to the big and beautiful 2006 Nelms Road Melot ($9), produced in Washington.

Basking in the afterglow, I overhear a group of women complimenting Rekofke, saying they’ll return. A month in, her “mission” seems to be working.

— M.C. PAUL

Vintages at 611, at 611 E. 30th Ave. (in the Manito Shopping Center), is open Tue-Thu 11 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-midnight. Call 624-3202.

Flicks, sips, earth food

2009-04-14T21:22:00.000-07:00

The SEEDS OF CHANGE FILM SERIES, exploring the intersection of social justice and the local food system, kicks off tonight at 7 pm at the Porch Church (1814 W. Broadway Ave.) in West Central with a showing of Food Fight: Revolution Never Tasted So Good, a documentary about the emergence of the organic food movement and featuring journalist Michael Pollan and legendary restaurateur Alice Waters. Admission is free with a donation of food or seeds. Visit www.projecthopespokane.org or call 328-6527.

Project HOPE Spokane, a nonprofit that works with at-risk youth and is working to develop a community gardening program in the neighborhood, is sponsoring the film series, which will continue on Thursdays at 7 pm through the end of May.

On Friday, April 17, at noon in the City Council Chambers (808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.), Councilman Richard Rush’s lunchtime film series continues with another food-related film: “Food Miles,” a 30-minute documentary, examines the impact of food transportation on health and the environment. A panel discussion follows. Call 625-6715.

Now this is some news we can get behind: WHITESTONE WINERY, the estate winery in Wilbur, Wash., is opening a tasting room in downtown Spokane just south of the Rocket Bakery at First and Cedar — in time to be part of the annual Spring Barrel Tasting coming up on Mothers Day weekend. Winemaker Michael Haig says the tasting room will be open regular hours in addition to hosting special events, like artist receptions during the monthly First Friday art walk and wine release parties.

A grand opening celebration is set for Friday and Saturday (April 17-18), along with the launch of the latest edition of the winery’s Pieces of Red blend. Other current releases will be available for sampling, along with cheese and bread.

The best news? The tasting room is just three blocks from our office. This makes us very happy.
Regular hours at Whitestone Winery’s tasting room, 111 S. Cedar St., will be Thu-Sat, noon-6 pm. Visit www.whitestonewinery.com or call 838-2427.

Slow Food Spokane River hosts two EARTH DAY DINNERS this week. On Saturday, April 18, at 5:30 pm, the group joins with Get Lit! at Santé for the Earth First Dinner, prepared by Chef Jeremy Hansen. The event is also a reception for author and activist David Suzuki, who speaks as part of Get Lit! on Saturday evening (see page 37). The meal alone is $18, and seats are going fast; visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/58642 for tickets. Then on Wednesday, April 22 — Earth Day — the group gathers at the Glover Mansion at 6 pm for “At the Table,” a family-friendly dinner with local food producers and the organizers of the Main Market Co-op. Visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/57793 to buy tickets.

The Crossing Community Center in Millwood teams up with the Millwood Farmers Market and Millwood Presbyterian Church for a series of FOOD CLASSES called “Cultivating Community,” to be held on four Sunday afternoons at the center (8919 E. Euclid Ave., Millwood). The first class, set for Sunday, April 19, at 4 pm is “Vegetable Gardening in the Inland Northwest,” with featured instructors Bob and Bonnie Gregson, authors of Rebirth of the Small Family Farm. Future classes will tackle home canning and food preservation (with County Master Food Preservers), baking artisan breads (with Tom and Louise Tuffin of Arabesque Farms and Bakery) and how to eat local in the Inland Northwest (with Spokane locavores Craig and Nancy Goodwin). Classes are free. Visit www.millwoodcrossing.org or call 924-2350.

— ANN M. COLFORD

Celluloid slippers

2009-04-08T15:05:00.001-07:00

EVENT Thrillin’ Grillin’
Few sandwiches recall the flavors of childhood better than a grilled cheese sandwich. The basic formula is simple: sliced bread, the right kind of cheese, and butter for grilling.
But as adults, we crave more. Vegetables, perhaps? More than one cheese? Seasonings? A creative chef could come with any number of variations on the theme. And that’s the challenge of the first-ever GROWN-UP GRILLED CHEESE GRILL-OFF, set for Saturday at Taste Café downtown. Six of Spokane’s chefs — Chana Hershberger of Taste, David Blaine of Latah Bistro, Jason Rex from Scratch, Jeremy Hansen of Santé, Jonathan Sweatt from the Downriver Grill and Mike Dodd of the newly opened Vintages at 611 — will go head to head in the event. They’ll serve up the sandwiches to a panel of five judges, who’ll pronounce their decision on whose grilled cheese is tops. We hear a rumor that there will be samples…
— ANN M. COLFORD

The chefs will grill their cheeses at Taste Café, 180 S. Howard St., on Saturday, April 11, starting at 9 am. Visit www.tastecafespokane.com or call 468-2929.
If the stars align, the faithful second-run theater-goers of Spokane will soon have the privilege of drinking a nice, cold brewsky while watching a flick at the GARLAND THEATRE. (And you know here in the newsroom we’re doing everything in our power to align said stars, including hiring an army of astrologers.) Yes, the Garland is gearing up to become a theater pub.

In late March, the theater applied for a snack bar liquor license, which if approved will allow the theater to serve beer in its original container (bottles and cans and such). Owner Katherine Fritchie says they’ll provide both domestic beer and microbrews, pleasing all palates.

“But it’s not for sure yet,” Fritchie says. “It’s hard for theaters to get licenses because of the lighting issue.” Fritchie is currently trying to find the sweetest of spots: bright enough to see who’s drinking and check IDs, but dark enough so as not to bother people watching the movie. Anne Radford, with the state liquor control board, says it has to be bright enough for enforcement officers to read 8-point type (like on your driver’s license).

That’s complicated. We’ve got an idea: Just designate some movie times for the over-21 set and check ID when the beer is sold. Voila. Astrologers no longer needed.

— NICHOLAS DESHAIS

Lift our spirits

2009-04-08T15:04:00.001-07:00

We knew Dry Fly Distilling had developed quite a following locally for their vodka and gin (and soon whiskey) made right here from Eastern Washington grains, but now the whole world knows about them. DRY FLY VODKA topped 70 finalists — including vodkas from Russia, Finland, Canada and the U.S. — to win “Best Vodka” (and a double gold medal) at the annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition in late March. Congrats, guys — we raise a glass in your direction.

— ANN M. COLFORD

Thrillin' grillin'

2009-04-08T15:03:00.001-07:00

Few sandwiches recall the flavors of childhood better than a grilled cheese sandwich. The basic formula is simple: sliced bread, the right kind of cheese, and butter for grilling.

But as adults, we crave more. Vegetables, perhaps? More than one cheese? Seasonings? A creative chef could come with any number of variations on the theme. And that’s the challenge of the first-ever GROWN-UP GRILLED CHEESE GRILL-OFF, set for Saturday at Taste Café downtown. Six of Spokane’s chefs — Chana Hershberger of Taste, David Blaine of Latah Bistro, Jason Rex from Scratch, Jeremy Hansen of Santé, Jonathan Sweatt from the Downriver Grill and Mike Dodd of the newly opened Vintages at 611 — will go head to head in the event. They’ll serve up the sandwiches to a panel of five judges, who’ll pronounce their decision on whose grilled cheese is tops. We hear a rumor that there will be samples…

— ANN M. COLFORD

The chefs will grill their cheeses at Taste Café, 180 S. Howard St., on Saturday, April 11, starting at 9 am. Visit www.tastecafespokane.com or call 468-2929.

South bridge savvy

2009-04-08T15:01:00.000-07:00

If anyone can put 41 SOUTH on the map it’s likely to be Sandpoint-area restaurateurs Mel and Claudia Dick. They own Café Trinity, 219 Lounge and the seasonal Trinity at Willow Bay, all uniquely positioned personalities in the local dining and entertainment scene.

Located on Lakeshore Drive where Highway 95 crosses the Long Bridge, 41 South already has several things going for it (which the previous two owners no doubt recognized). Its Lake Pend Oreille frontage means both indoor and outdoor dining areas have gorgeous views. Inside rustic floor-to-ceiling wood paneling and mammoth fireplaces are offset with elegant black and maroon linen, old French advertising posters on the walls, and a smattering of jazz in the background. In the kitchen is top-notch chef Jeremy Heidel, formerly of Café Trinity and the Idaho Club, and the wait staff is friendly, knowledgeable and attentive.

Located adjacent to the Lodge at Sandpoint — a 24-room, $100-plus-per-night hotel — the restaurant is decidedly upscale. The seasonal menu emphasizes well-presented, unusual variations on familiar foods. For starters, try the Apricot Fire Shrimp Cocktail with huckleberry coulis ($6) or the Flat Bread Napoleon ($5): an island of layered bread, spinach, garlic, marinated tomato, artichoke and caramelized onion, topped with feta cheese mousse and surrounded by a moat of balsamic vinegar and basil oil.

Dinner entrées include choice of soup or house salad — or upgrade to a choice like the Roasted Roots salad ($7), a healthful blend of beets, carrots, parsnips, turnips and fresh fennel bulb, garnished with arugula, dill and tomato vinaigrette.

Main courses include pasta, meat and seafood choices: fettuccini adobo, with chipotle and grilled chicken, shrimp or salmon ($17), or hearty beef stroganoff ($18); the classic steak Oscar ($33), or lamb chops marinated in mint pesto and garnished with fruit compote ($26). Seared scallops with saffron/vanilla bean/brandy cream sauce ($26) and a potato-crusted Chilean sea bass ($28) round out the seafood selections.

A separate menu affords more casual dining amongst overstuffed couches and cozy tables in the lounge, which is also an ideal place to share the abundant Sunday brunch ($15 adults, $6 children 10 and under).

— CARRIE SCOZZARO

41 South, at 41 Lakeshore Dr., Sandpoint, Idaho, is open Tue-Thu 4:30-9 pm, Fri-Sat 4:30-10 pm, Sun 10 am-2 pm. Visit www.41southsandpoint.com or call (208) 265-2000. Reservations recommended.

What a dish

2009-03-31T21:11:00.000-07:00

Located at the corner of Highway 2 and Division, DISH is a quintessentially Sandpoint restaurant — funky and family-friendly, with a little play area for kidlets, open seating, lots of light, and bright walls of lime, teal and avocado. There’s a good buzz about the place, which focuses on “affordable gourmet dining for the whole neighborhood,” according to owners Gary and Laura Peitz.

The menu holds a mix of traditional American comfort foods and unexpected spices from Cajun to curry, all served with gourmet panache.

Breakfast reflects the southern stylings of Chef Gabe Cruz (formerly of Café Trinity and Chimney Rock), with dishes like crawfish etouffee benedict ($10), served with a heap of homefries. The Almost Joe’s features sausage from local Woods Meats, as well as herbed mushrooms, spinach and Asiago cheese ($8.45). Pancakes Banana’s Foster ($9) — topped with a sauce made of orange juice, brown sugar, Myers rum, bananas and butter — will appeal to your sweet side while house-made organic granola ($5) packs plenty of energy.

For lunch, make friends with the Rachel — hot, thin-sliced turkey breast with melted Fontina cheese on grilled rye with slaw ($8.45). Salads range from traditional Caesar ($5) to the JFK ($10), with dried cranberries and apricots, toasted walnuts, Stilton cheese, red onion, bacon and baby mixed greens. Both the curry chicken potpie ($9) and capellini pesto ($10) include Dish’s rotisserie chicken, which will be featured in the dinner menu slated to come online later this spring.

Many breakfast and lunch items are available at the drive-thru, which opens at 6 am daily and features Doma coffees served by a proper barista, not some fly-by-night coffee-cutie in your average drive-up window. There’s also a to-go menu, giving new meaning to the idea of “home-cooked” as your family will be impressed with the gourmet meal you were clever enough to pick up on your way home.

— CARRIE SCOZZARO

Dish, at 1319 Highway 2, Suite A, Sandpoint, Idaho, is open daily 7 am-2 pm; drive-thru opens at 6 am. Visit www.sandpointdish.com or call (208) 265-6100.

Downtown burritos

2009-03-31T21:10:00.000-07:00

We’re not sure how we missed this for so long. Our California-Style Burrito Sensors are usually carefully attuned to the proximity of tightly packed meat and beans. (We rejoiced with the arrival of Taco Del Mar at River Park Square, then went nuts when De Leon’s opened a satellite bistro on Lincoln last year.) But on Jan. 22, a new burrito joint slipped in under the radar at the old Taste of Asia/Zip’s on Third Avenue.

ATILANO’S is spacious, in more ways than one. Take a look at the menu. There are 75 items on there — burritos, tacos, tortas, tostadas, combos, specials, kids’ stuff — plus 14 side orders, including (strangely) tater tots and French fries. There are even seven breakfast burritos choices, like machaca, chorizo and bacon. And it’s all cheap as hell. Lunch with a giant paper-wrapped burrito and a medium horchata will run you just a little over $6.

“Have you ever been to San Diego?” a guy in line asks me. I tell him I went to college in southern California. “These are the closest I’ve had to what they make down there,” he says.

Patricia Gonzalez doesn’t put a regional tag on the food they serve. Just Mexican, she says. The 19-year-old is one of three employees at Atilano’s, which is owned by Atilano Gonzalez, who operates Atilano’s I in Coos Bay, Ore. (The Spokane store is Atilano’s III; the second store, also in Oregon, closed.) Patricia commands the counter while cousin Efrain and another man work the kitchen and tend to the steady clanging of the bell at the drive-thru window. “Almost everybody is family, except for the guy in the back,” she says. “But we treat him like he’s part of the family.”

Patricia says they’ll need two more employees before they can live up to the ambitiously optimistic hours printed on their take-out menu: Fridays and Saturdays, open until 3 am. As it is, they’re staying open until midnight seven days a week. Patricia says it’s often busy.

At least there’s plenty of seating. The dining room is weirdly huge, with 40 chairs and five benches. All look like they were bought used from some fast-food stop in the mid-’80s — pink, turquoise, stiff, uncomfortable. In between are acres of empty space. One small chair/table combo sits all alone. Elsewhere, two chairs are arranged side by side, facing a wall.

The mise-en-scene is a little disjointed, but it works as it recalls so many of the little family-owned burrito joints that dot places like southern California. “This place has to survive,” says the guy from the San Diego, as he steps up to the counter.

— JOEL SMITH

Atilano’s, 725 W. Third Ave., is open Mon-Sat 6 am-midnight, Sun 8 am-midnight. Call 838-7677.

Spring wining

2009-03-24T16:35:00.001-07:00

March can be a miserable month, with weather that makes us wonder why we choose to live in this little corner of the world. Ah, but this March is also Washington Wine Month, we hear, and that’s enough to perk up even the most die-hard curmudgeon. Even though the month is nearly gone, we still have a couple of good opportunities to celebrate the occasion.

At the LUNA WINE CELLAR DINNER on Sunday, they’ll be drawing Washington vintages from the restaurant’s extensive cellar to pair with five courses (plus dessert) created by Chef Anna Vogel. The 2007 white blend from Walla Walla’s Buty Winery — Semillon, sauvignon blanc and muscadelle — leads off, paired with seared diver scallops, a potato and green onion cake, and watercress foam. And that’s just the first course. Selected wines include Barrister’s Rough Justice (a blend of cabernet sauvignon, syrah, merlot and cabernet franc) and Robert Karl’s 2006 Horse Heaven Hills Merlot. Northwest mushrooms, roasted lamb and kobe beef all have a place on the menu as well.

On Monday, Vino! teams up with 360 (the former Fugazzi) for a WINE DINNER featuring the vintages of Walla Walla’s Pepper Bridge Winery and its sibling, Amavi Cellars. Pepper Bridge focuses exclusively on cabernet sauvignon and merlot grown in the Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills vineyards; Amavi also offers a cab, along with syrah, Semillon and a rosé. Both estate wineries are owned and operated by members of the Goff, Pellet and McKibben families; partner Ray Goff will be on hand to discuss the wineries and the wines served. Three Spokane chefs — Jeremy Hansen of Santé, Mike Jones of Mizuna, and David Lee, the newly appointed executive chef of 360 — have joined forces for a six-course extravaganza, and each course will be paired with a wine from either Amavi or Pepper Bridge. Salami made at Santé, plus seared duck breast and a rosemary-smoked grilled ribeye are among the highlights, along with a dessert course of made-from-scratch ice creams.

It’s enough to make you wish that March would last a little longer.
— ANN M. COLFORD

The Wine Cellar Dinner at Luna, 5620 S. Perry St., is Sunday, March 29, at 6 pm. Cost is $65 per person plus tax and gratuity. Reserve via credit card at 448-2383.

Pepper Bridge and Amavi wine dinner at 360, 1 N. Post St., will be Monday, March 30, at 6 pm. $95 per person. Reserve through Vino!; call 838-1229.

Browne's addiction

2009-03-24T16:32:00.000-07:00

“Hello. My name is M.C., and I am addicted to caffeine.”

That’s the first step, I hear. But my addiction hasn’t been a problem — although now that TULLY’S newest location is walking distance from my apartment, it might be. They’ve got bags of whole beans for my grinder and pods for my Keurig, including one of my fair trade favorites: the nicely balanced Evergreen Blend ($14 for 24 pods).

Dave Tawney owned Cabin Coffee, across Cannon Street, but he jumped at the opportunity to open a Tully’s franchise in the space adjacent to Pacific Avenue Pizza, which he also owns. “It’s just better coffee,” he says.

And Tully’s is not your classic franchise, he says. It’s not publicly traded, it’s a regional company rather than an international corporation, and the beans are still hand-roasted in small batches in Seattle. Comparing Tully’s to a certain ubiquitous Seattle-based coffee company, he says, is “like comparing Two Wheel Transit to General Motors.”

Ginny Tawney, Dave’s mother, manages this location, though the family owns and operates two other Tully’s locations as well. She appreciates the atmosphere of the new location, including a gas fireplace: “It’s warm and cozy,” she says. “Cabin was cozy, but you could hear everyone’s conversation.” In the new location, a larger room accommodates more intimate conversation along with the smooth jazz.

Her favorite? “That would have to be the vanilla mocha breve. Iced,” she says. (That’s an iced mocha made with half-and-half instead of milk.) “I’ve been drinking it for years — I can’t get away from it.”

She also got me hooked on my new favorite drink: an iced mocha, made with regular milk then topped with a touch of half-and-half rather than whipped cream. Both drinks are rich, sweet and addicting.

In addition to the coffee drinks, you can get a healthy-sounding fruit smoothie like “The Antioxidant” ($4.25, venti), made with yerba mate, acai, blueberry and pomegranate. It’s low in caffeine and loaded with vitamins, minerals and — yes — antioxidants.

If Pacific Avenue Pizza isn’t open yet, there’s the Breakfast Sandwich ($3) — a sausage patty with egg and cheese on a croissant — and other sandwich options, plus a selection of pastries from Sweetwater ($2-$3), such as the pumpkin bar and cinnamon-swirl loaf.

Writing this has been great fun, but I’ve got to go to Tully’s. I need my coffee. Now.

— M.C. PAUL

Tully’s Coffee House, 2001 W. Pacific Ave., is open Mon-Fri 6 am-9 pm, Sat 7 am-9 pm, Sun 7:30 am-7 pm. Visit www.tullys.com or call 747-3088.

Neighborhood Flavor

2009-03-18T16:42:00.000-07:00

I first heard about the MAPLE STREET BISTRO sometime last year but somehow didn’t get there to check it out until recently. I felt even more sheepish when I learned that the sweet little cottage-y café has been open since August 2007, serving sandwiches, salads, smoothies and sweet treats to north-side travelers cruising Maple between Francis and Wellesley. Fortunately, owner Henry Cohrs is a forgiving sort.

“The building has been here for about five or six years,” he says with a shrug, “so a lot of people don’t know we’re new.”

Cohrs runs the place with his wife, Dezy, and a team that includes several family members. The light and airy café felt cozy on a cold rainy day, but the pergola-covered patio holds the promise of warmer days to come.

The menu appears on chalkboards that hang above the kitchen area, high up near the vaulted ceiling. Breakfast items include sandwiches ($4.79) and a wrap filled with ham, bacon, cheese and vegetables ($5), plus fruit-and-yogurt parfaits and fresh-baked sweet treats. All of the baked goods — including scones, cookies, oat-fruit bars and oversized cinnamon rolls oozing with thick icing — are made from scratch right there, says Cohrs, who holds a culinary arts degree from Spokane Community College. My cinnamon-vanilla scone had a good crumb and crust, while the chocolate chip cookie — about 4 inches around — was slightly soft and filled with mini chips.

Both treats had the unmistakable flavor of butter, and neither was overly sweet.

“All of our baked goods are made with real butter, real cream,” he says. “That’s one of our personal goals — to make sure that the food we serve is not only good but healthy at the same time.”

For lunch, you’ll find tossed salads (including Cobb and Asian chicken), deli sandwiches and panini sandwiches ($4.79, half; $7.79, whole), served with pickle or pepperoncini and chips. Everything is prepared and assembled to order, and all menu items are available all hours.
Cohrs strives to buy local — bread from Petit Chat, seasonal produce from Dan Jackson, coffee from Anvil — and really be part of the neighborhood. After all, he lives right around the corner and walks to work every day.

“We consider it more of a family-run community store,” he says. “It’s been a growing process, a sense of involvement with our customers. It’s never been about just us trying to run a business.”
— ANN M. COLFORD

The Maple Street Bistro, at 5520 N. Maple St., is open Mon-Fri 6 am-6 pm, Sat-Sun 7 am-5 pm. Fax 479-0264 or call 443-3129.

Positive Pizza

2009-03-18T16:41:00.000-07:00

"Upbeat" is a good word to describe the atmosphere at MACKENZIE RIVER PIZZA, located at Highway 95 and Canfield in Coeur d’Alene. Mackenzie might even give the nearby Olive Garden a run for its money.

MacKenzie offers a well-dressed package, typical of its parent company, Glacier Restaurant Group (which last year brought Ciao Mambo to Hayden). Expect a clean, semi-bright urban lodge: raw pine and brick, dark greens and browns, images of fly fishermen, suspended lighting, a perimeter of well-partitioned booths and open high-top seating along the handsome bar.

Although it looks like a chain, it feels friendly and almost local, with an abundance of servers and a family-friendly, boisterous vibe.

“The training to get in here was intense,” says server Brittany Wilson. Indeed, Glacier’s restaurants are known for their service, which was excellent the night we visited.

“We expect our employees to have an upbeat approach to life, and to come to work filled with positive energy,” intones MacKenzie’s Website. “Our guests can feel the difference.”

MacKenzie ups the ante with a range of sandwiches, salads and pasta like the Broadwater Bag — roasted chicken, basil-marinated tomatoes, prosciutto, garlic chunks and herbed olive oil over bowtie pasta ($12). Starters range from wings ($8) to Lodgepoles, their version of breadsticks ($3.75), to Rollino ($6.50) — pizza crusts of pepperoni, basil and mozzarella, served with marinara.

The Maverick sandwich ($8.50) features MacKenzie’s trademark bread — warmed sourdough or natural grain — topped with sliced beef, onions, peppers, mushrooms and provolone. Panini sandwiches like the chicken pesto ($9) or turkey pear ($8.50) sound good, too.

But how is the pizza? The Athenian (garlic, spinach, sliced tomato, roasted red onion, Kalamata olives, feta cheese) was full of flavor. Options range from the traditional Stockman (beef, pepperoni, bacon, sausage) to the Southwest-influenced Bell Ranch (fajita chicken, barbecue sauce, black beans, onion, jack cheese) to the outlandish Jamaican Jerk Chicken. All 21 standard pizzas and the create-your-own offering are available in small or large ($6.50-$15.25), with a slight upcharge for thin crust.
— CARRIE SCOZZARO

MacKenzie River Pizza Company, 405 W. Canfield Ave., Coeur d’Alene, is open daily 11 am-9 pm (Fri-Sat until 10 pm). Visit mackenzieriverpizza.com or call (208) 772-5111.

A new roast

2009-03-11T14:38:00.000-07:00

Here one day, gone the next. That’s not unusual in the restaurant business, even more so in challenging economic times. It happens to the best of places, even RUSTLER’S ROOST, which has stood at Hayden Avenue and Highway 95 in Hayden, Idaho, since 1991. It was the second of two locations for owner Daren McEvers and his brother Woody. The original downtown Coeur d’Alene location (opened in the ’80s) closed some years back, but the Highway 95 location and the catering business continued, flourishing as a local favorite.

So when the owner of the Hayden building announced plans to sell, the brothers considered their options. Buy and renovate, or build new? Nothing penciled out, though, says Woody McEvers, who is also a Coeur d’Alene city councilman. Then the opportunity arose to relocate just across the parking lot from the old location, giving travelers on Highway 95 reason to do a double take as if the Roost just up and… uh, flew the coop.

Although they no longer have banquet facilities, says McEvers, working with the developer allowed them to maintain the rustic feel of the old place while installing all new, more efficient kitchen equipment. They reused or rebuilt most of the old furniture, carrying over all the western antiques and saloon-style decorations.

The familiar smell of Market Spice Tea — from Seattle’s Pike Place Market, and available for purchase, along with Rustler’s own brand of barbecue sauce — will entice you. On a Sunday, bring the paper and sip your coffee as you wait for a booth or seat along the counter. It’s a low-key locale that’s big on service and making you feel at home.

Down-home style is their specialty. The “famous country breakfast” is served all day ($5-$10), with names like the Rawhide or Wrangler (three eggs, four bacon strips, home fries, biscuits and gravy) and tasty eggs benedict atop slow-cooked pit ham. Lunch is burgers, sandwiches, house-made soup or chili, salads and platters of home-style treats like meatloaf or roast turkey (most $6-$8). The only change you will see someday soon is the return of dinner service several days a week, with items like the popular barbecue ribs — served up with a smile, of course.

— CARRIE SCOZZARO

Rustler’s Roost, 9627 N. Highway 95, Hayden, Idaho, is open daily 6 am-2 pm. Visit www.rustlersroost.com or call (208) 772-6613.