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.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
State of breakfast
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.
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.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Savory and sweet
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.
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
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.
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.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Crazy tasty
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.
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
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.
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.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
News in Browne's
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.
“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
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.
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.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Carnegie's bar
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.
“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
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.
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.
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