Midtown Bluebird

In the heart of Coeur d'Alene, Viljo and Autumn Basso's Midtown Bluebird, which opened in mid-2016, offers refined but accessible cuisine to locals and tourists looking to sample the city's culinary array. For dinner, under the "briny, raw and crunchy" menu heading, choose from a pickle plate, tater tot poutine, baked clams, a charred octopus salad and many other starters that offer a creative melding of flavors. A dinner staple of Muscovy duck is cooked confit-style and served with Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and bacon. The Bassos are known in the region for opening Syringa Japanese Cafe & Sushi Bar, which they still own. (Next door to Syringa, the couple founded but no longer owns the Garnet Cafe, a popular local breakfast spot.) With an old Western saloon-themed interior in the space, a relic of previous tenants, the Midtown Bluebird's owners embraced the quirky and eclectic atmosphere, which complements their ultra-varied menu offerings.