Recently Reviewed

by Inlander Staff


Kafka Coffee House -- Located on the ground floor of EWU's Brewster Hall, Kafka is bright and cozy, with a burgundy color scheme, hardwoods, a fireplace and booths conveniently wired with data ports. The coffee (and yerba and chai) was great. The lunch items (soups, salads, sandwiches and paninis) were tasty but, in some instances, a little problematic. The $5.95 paninis (the Tuscan, with sliced ham, fresh mozzarella, olive oil and lettuce, and the Roma, with sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, Italian herb dressing and lettuce) were really rather skimpy, lightly grilled sandwiches. The $4.95 Drunken Boat sandwich (with oven-roasted turkey, provolone, avocado, bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayo on wheat bread) was more robust and terrific -- save for the substitution of slimy prefab guac for actual avocado. The service was friendly. 410 Second Ave., Cheney Call: 235-2577 (MC)





Coffee House -- Coffee House (across the street from the Rock Pointe office complex) has an informal-but-inviting groove: not too cozy or too edgy, but somewhere in between. There are about a dozen tables, plus overstuffed chairs and plenty of windows for traffic- and people-watching. The coffee was excellent. They don't bake their own goods, but instead offer a selection from a handful of local bakeries. Ready-made sandwiches are available courtesy of the Viking. Soups have just been introduced. The scones ($1.70) are enormous and fresh with a homemade taste. The banana bread ($1.60) delivered a strong banana presence. The bacon and cheddar quiche ($2.95) was just okay. 1231 N. Washington. Call: 326-4005 (Sheri Boggs)





Coeur d'Alene Casino -- Skipping the casino's conventional, full-service fare, we headed straight to the buffet line ($9.99), helping ourselves to mini-burritos, taquitos, rice, chicken and even cod. There were a few misses but almost everything was fresh-tasting and well-prepared. The cod was moist and flaky in a sour-cream sauce, and the taquitos walked the fine line between crisp and oily with perfection. The fajitas tasted more like teriyaki than Mexican food, but the fresh strips of multicolored peppers and the warm flour tortillas made them delicious in any case. The salad bar was smaller than the word "buffet" might suggest, but the options were impressive. On Hwy. 95 in Worley, Idaho Call: 1-800-523-2464 (MD)





The Davenport Brunch -- The atmosphere at the Davenport on a Sunday morning is so remarkably pleasant, it is worth savoring even if you don't have reservations for the hotel's over-the-top brunch located in the grand Isabella Room. The original (and robust) price of $37 per person has since been reduced to $29.50. Even at that price, the brunch had still better be pretty impressive. It is. This is a truly a cosmopolitan brunch with something for everyone: cheeses and salads, huge platters of choice fresh fruit, beautifully prepared sushi, a cascade of gigantic prawns in a river of ice, bagels with luscious lox and herbed cream cheese, pastries (the baklava was delicious), omelets, crepes casseroles galore, roast beef and much, much more. Get the picture? Service is generally delightful. 10 S. Post. Call: 455-8888 (LM)





Mike's Pit -- Featuring real barbecue you can rope up cheap and herd back to the office in minutes -- the eat-in accommodations are clean and tidy, but nothing to write home about -- this family-run operation features all your smoky favorites: pulled pork and sliced beef sandwiches ($4.80-$5.80), pork spare ribs (three bones for $5.70), corn bread, cole slaw, potato salad, baked beans and chili. Everything here is made from scratch and the meat is all slow-cooked over an apple wood fire. The house barbecue sauce is on the sweet side of spicy. It's all quite messy -- and delicious. 307 S. Washington. Call: 458-6094 (MC)





Red Dragon -- Sometimes a situation calls for fast and inexpensive Chinese food. The portions at the Dragon are good-sized, and the food is exactly what you'd imagine when you order it. The Almond Chicken ($8.95) is a deliciously messy mixture of deep-fried coating, thick gravy and chicken breast. And while their Pork Chow Mein ($7.50) is made up primarily of celery and thick, clear sauce topped with a sprinkling of crumbled meat, the soft noodles underneath taste wonderfully like fresh eggs. But it's the Egg Rolls here ($2.25) that meet every expectation perfectly. They serve an order of six Baby Egg Rolls ($5.25). 1406 W. Third. Call: 838-6688. (Marty Demarest)





The Shack -- While the prices have changed over the years, the friendly service, big portions and extensive menu has not. Here you can get it all -- breakfasts, burgers, liver and onions and more. The $7.49 Shack Breakfast Special (nicknamed "The Awesome Two's"), comes with two eggs, two pancakes, two bacon strips and two sausage links. Delicious -- and guaranteed to stick with you well past lunch. The hash browns in the $6.99 two egg-sausage-browns-toast combo were simply outstanding. 1301 W. Third. Call: 747-2713. (SB)








Publication date: 02/27/03