Inlander Restaurant Week menus are up as of this morning — check ’em out here.
Unless you’re personally out on the field, the Super Bowl is primarily an eating and drinking event. If you feel like going out, we’re keeping a list of specials and parties in the Inland Northwest here. If you’re entertaining, we’ve got some appetizer recipes from local chef Laurie Faloon in this week’s issue. If you feel like cooking and going out, Press is hosting its annual chili cookoff on Super Bowl Sunday. (And Rosauers is doing their snack-food sale bonanza today until 8 pm.)
There’s another holiday before the Super Bowl: Ice Cream for Breakfast Day on Feb. 1. (Maybe not a widely celebrated holiday, but whose fault is that?) The Scoop serves coffee and waffles along with Brain Freeze ice cream, and posted this delicious photo of their signature Affogato Waffle with Bacon and Salted Caramel.
Later on Saturday, River City Brewing is hosting a Groundhog Day prediction party with David’s Pizza and the last remaining kegs of this year’s Midnight Marmot imperial stout. Come dressed either in summery or wintery garb to register your prediction and enjoy $2 pints.
Oh, we’ve also got the Chinese New Year celebrations — Panda Express is offering a free serving of Firecracker Chicken Breast as part of its Chinese New Year education outreach, and Spokane Community College is hosting a celebration on Saturday.
A few openings… the Ramblin Road tap room near Gonzaga opened last weekend, and English Setter Brewing in the Valley is planning to open Saturday.
This week’s Entree has news of Aebleskivers in Coeur d’Alene, which is settling into a permanent space after a successful holiday season.
In downtown Spokane, the Daiquiri Factory is preparing for its opening weekend of drinks and dancing.
Here in Kendall yards, the Yards Bruncheon will open next week. The adjacent Wandering Table restaurant was framed this week and work has continued through the snow.
The former Sidebar and Grill near the courthouse will be reopening soon as Knockaderry, an Irish-style pub.
Central Food, which hasn’t previously had a happy hour, is starting “The Golden Hour” from 3 to 6 pm Monday through Thursday with food and drink deals.
Neato Burrito and the Baby Bar will be closed for lunch Feb. 3-7 while the crew takes a vacation.
After closing in December, Ace’s Casino is planning to open again soon.
Villagio, at the Vintages @ 611 location on the South Hill, is now closed and looking for a new space.
South Main Restaurant & Sports Bar in Colville is now hiring for a planned opening in February or March.
Orlison Brewing is getting its own “Drink No Evil” badge on Untappd, the beer-tracking app, by drinking two of its beers between Feb. 1 and April 1.
Dry Fly gin got a glowing writeup from Simple Cocktails.
If you make coffee at home, let Roast House show you how to do it properly on Saturday morning.
On a final note, Inlander art director Chris Bovey is unveiling a new Inland Northwest-themed landmark poster next Friday — he's previously done places like Mount Spokane, Dick's and the Tradewinds Motel. I got a little peek at the new one, and I can tell you it’s a local restaurant.
Read previous food news here.
Tags: food blotter , Super Bowl , Food , Image
Tags: Sports , Super Bowl , Seahawks , Food , Image
Remember when I swooned over the warm options on Bon Bon’s winter menu a few weeks ago? It’s still cold, so I’m still on that kick. And Boots is giving Bon Bon a run for its money. Try the boozy coffee or the boozy tea. Loosen your inhibitions, warm your insides, be well.
— HEIDI GROOVER
Like all former denizens of Bend, Ore., I wrongly feel like I own a piece of the Deschutes Brewery. I’ve probably put some brewer’s kid through college with the amount of the Deschutes I’ve downed in my drinking career, so yeah, my allegiance is strong. And it gets stronger every January when Deschutes unleashes upon the market Red Chair Northwest Pale Ale. If you’re not hip to it, “Northwest Pale Ale” is basically a less hoppy IPA. And if you took Red Chair to the East Coast, they’d probably call it an imperial IPA. Sissies.
How good is it? Uh, well it won the World’s Best Beer distinction at the 2012 World Beer Awards. That do anything for ya?
Red Chair is a delightful beer — the beer I’ll be drinking almost exclusively until Deschutes inexplicably takes it away from us sometime in the spring.
— MIKE BOOKEY
Call me new to the beer game. And even then, I don’t care for the taste of a bitter IPA or the slightly urine-like tang of Bud Light. My tastes lie somewhere in the middle — and yes, I think Blue Moon is delicious (roll your eyes if you will). So when I discovered Session Premium Lager at Morty’s on the South Hill I was extremely pleased with what I was swallowing. It tastes better than Miller High Life and PBR, I swear. There’s no bitter aftertaste and is as smooth as can be. Adding to its cool points, the beer has been made by the independently owned Full Sail Brewing Company out of Hood River, Ore., for decades. For anyone out there who, like me, can only handle the more mild beers, pick up a six-pack of Session in your nearest grocery store booze aisle and enjoy.
— LAURA JOHNSON
I’m a beer-drinker through and through, and while most of the time you’ll see me tipping back something a little crisper and lighter — Belgians, hefeweizens, pilsners, etc. — this winter I’ve been all about the stouts and porters. To be honest, dark brown beers used to scare me. Before I gained a rudimentary beer education, I thought dark = bitterness. (I’m not a big fan of IPAs, by the way.) While I’ve been working my way through the warmer, richer flavors of dark-colored beers this winter, I’ve come across a couple favorites, but the obvious winner of them all is Ninkasi’s Vanilla Oatis Oatmeal Stout. It’s the perfect sipping beer, and with an ABV of 7.2% and the option of single 22-oz. bottles, you can — and should — enjoy its vanilla-y smoothness a little longer.
— CHEY SCOTT
Since I just turned 21 a few months ago, I’m not exactly well-versed in the world of alcoholic beverages (although I do greatly enjoy a rum and coke or a Bailey’s on the rocks every now and then). I’m more of a juice aficionado. And I can be found sitting at my desk drinking Capri Sun — yes, those cute little pouch drinks from elementary school — on a daily basis. If there is a beverage and the word “juice” can be connected to it in any way, I already love it. I save the Capri Suns for work because they’re portable, but at home, I’m drinking Welch’s white grape peach juice, kiwi strawberry Snapple and Tropicana’s peach orchard punch.
— CLARKE HUMPHREY
For the mornings: This isn’t new, but I’ll confirm what other people have said about coffee from local Manners Roasting Co. — it’s excellent. We picked up a bag of the Acopio Suyatal Nicaragua from Coeur Coffeehouse recently and these gray winters mornings have been a lot more bearable.
For the evenings: Boise-area Sockeye Brewing appeared in our market suddenly a few weeks ago, first on tap and now in cans as well. The hearty, hoppy Dagger Falls IPA is great winter drinking. In other cold-weather drinking, winter warmers can start all blending together by this point in the season, but River City’s Deep Thaw Winter Warmer is one worth seeking out.
— LISA WAANANEN
Pineapple-orange-banana juice. All the tropical zing of pineapple, all the can’t-rhyme-with-it defiance of orange, all the slapstick appeal of banana, combined into a single beverage. Now, if only Rosauers carried it in the cheaper concentrate form, I would buy it by the gallon.
— DANIEL WALTERS
Tags: What We've Been... , Culture , Food , Arts & Culture , Image
Here’s a sneak peek at this year’s Inlander Restaurant Week menus. Not that helpful, sorry, but you can see they do exist and they’ll be up at the end of the month. And more than 70 participating restaurants are now listed on the site.
This week’s Entree newsletter has news of Barlows Family Restaurant’s move to a newly constructed building in Liberty Lake twice the size of their previous spot.
Roast House won a Good Food Award last week in San Francisco. Their winning coffee, Batzchocola, is now available around town.
The soft opening at Chairs Public House has not been especially soft — customers were pretty much waiting at the doors. But they still wanted to have an official Grand Opening, and that’s happening this Friday. The party starts at 7 pm, but specials will be running all day and Victor’s Hummus will offer samples from 2:30 to 5:30 pm.
Give blood, get a donut — Dawn of the Donut is holding a blood drive this Saturday from 8 to 11 am. Use sponsor code “DawnoftheDeadDonut” to sign up at inbcsaves.org.
While trying to order sandwiches this week, we heard Kowalski’s Deli is temporarily closed.
Spokane’s first Wingstop location, in North Spokane, is planning to open toward the end of February.
The Unforgiven Lounge up near Mead High School is also planning to open soon.
The Daiquiri Factory in downtown Spokane is holding a soft opening party on Feb. 1, with a number of other events already scheduled after that.
Looking for a Valentine's date? The historic Commellini Estate is opening up for five-course dinners on Feb. 14 and 15 and reservations are required. (See other food events here.)
Last week we mentioned the Doma/Selkirk Abbey collaboration called Guilt — now, up in Sandpoint, we’ve got a collaborative coffee porter from MickDuff’s and Evans Brothers.
A few notes about what’s coming up at River City Brewing that didn’t fit in this week’s story:
• They’ll be doing regular brewery tours soon, so keep an eye out.
• They’ve got a limited-edition ESB in the works, which should be out sometime in February.
• They’ll be adding a second IPA to their standard lineup this year. They started with a lower-alcohol sessionable IPA, which is quite tasty, partly as a alternative to the big, hoppy IPAs made by seemingly every Northwest brewery. But plenty of people — including the folks at River City — really like those bigger, hoppy IPA, so they’re working on one. They’ll also still release the Clocktower Imperial IPA as one of the quarterly big beers.
For serious beer nerds who aren’t impressed by just wandering the aisles at Total Wine, Nu Home Brew & Bottles is launching a Beer Geek club with access to exclusive bottles all year long.
New career goal? A classmate of mine from grad school shared this photo recently: “The highest accolade a reporter could ever have.”
Read previous food news here. If any local brewery would like to name a beer after me, we could probably work something out.
Tags: food blotter , Food , Image
Starting last fall, No-Li unceremoniously began transitioning its flagship Crystal Bitter to a new name: Spin Cycle Red.
Bars got new tap handles, bottles got new labels. No-Li had the Crystal Bitter identity on its own website through the end of the year, but has now switched the names and images. It’s still possible to find Crystal Bitter around town — as well as drinkers and servers still confused about the switch — but the transformation has tipped toward the new name.
The description on their site confirms that the beer itself hasn’t changed.
Crystal Bitter, No-Li’s best-known beer, took home a Gold Medal in the Extra Special Bitter category at the 2012 Great American Beer Festival. Its original name played homage to its crystal malts and the Crystal Laundry in Riverfront Park, which was torn down for Expo ’74. (You can still see of the foundation bricks.) The bottle's laundry motif predates the Spin Cycle name.
Though Spin Cycle is now labeled as a “red ale” on the bottle, No-Li still describes it as a “celebration of the classic English-style ESB.” ESBs are typically considered more akin to British-style pale ales than red ales, but lots of beers cross the traditional style boundaries. Reds are broadly interpreted, and the crimson-hued Crystal Bitter/Spin Cycle has always been an unique one, whatever you call it.
No-Li offered a more traditional — and excellent — red ale this past year in its rotating Expo Series. The latest in that series is the single-hop Skyrail IPA, also made with Amarillo hops, which is now out in 22-oz. bottles.
Tags: No-Li , Crystal Bitter , Food , Image
The good folks behind Madeleine’s and Casper Fry are opening a third restaurant, Durkin’s Liquor Bar, in the former Dutch’s Music space on Main Avenue. Read more about that, and a new location for Love @ First Bite Desserts, in this week’s Entree newsletter.
We have to speculate that the name honors legendary Spokane liquor tycoon Jimmie Durkin, who is appropriate to remember today, the anniversary of the approval of Prohibition.
The long-empty former Rex’s in the Peyton Building downtown appears to be preparing for a new restaurant: Mi Casa.
Cafe Rio opened a new location in Spokane Valley, its first in Washington.
This weekend the Lantern Tap House is hosting a winter beer festival with 12 regional breweries and two dozen seasonal beers. (And live music, too.)
Paradise Creek Brewery in Pullman is releasing their latest year-round beer, Kügar Kolsch.
English Setter Brewing is planning to open at the beginning of February in Spokane Valley.
Tonight, watch the city’s top baristas battle it out at Revel 77’s Latte Art Competition. It’s free to watch, $5 to compete. And, food for thought while you’re there: Why are most world champion baristas male?
Coming soon to the South Hill: Wisconsinburger, a Midwestern-style restaurant from the former Lantern Tavern owners.
Coming to Hillyard: A new business called The Good Shop, registered as a beer/wine specialty shop. (The owner has previously advocated for renewal and testing green technologies in Hillyard.)
Stella’s is bringing back breakfast. They’re still working on the menu, but it does include vegan biscuits and gravy.
Italia Trattoria has been closed the past few weeks — but now the owners are back from Switzerland (where chef Anna Vogel is from) and regular mealtimes will resume.
Laughing Dog got a mention in USA Today from Washington D.C. beer expert Greg Engert as the “most unexpected place” he’s traveled for beer. (The article says Iowa, not Idaho, but never mind that.)
Everyone’s teaming up these days. Doma Coffee Roasting Company and Selkirk Abbey have been working on a Belgian coffee porter called Guilt, which could be out any day. Ninkasi was in town to collaborate with Iron Goat on a triple IPA. And who isn’t doing something special with Dry Fly’s old barrels?
Sweet Frostings posted a delicious cupcake flavor photo gallery. Looking at it may ruin your dinner. They also recently started a separate Facebook page for the Wandermere shop.
Menus won’t be up until Jan. 30, but the participating restaurants are starting to be posted at the Inlander Restaurant Week site. We’re excited to see some of the new ones in Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls, like Fleur de Sel, Beverly’s and 315 Martinis and Tapas.
Kendall Yards Watch: Our building has been mysteriously shaking all day — it now appears that’s because they’re breaking ground for the building next door, which will be home to Veraci Pizza.
Also, an alert for downtown restaurants from a reader who works at Olive Garden downtown: Several times this week, the same man has come in and tried to order alcohol without ID, then says he is waiting for two others, orders appetizers and leaves without paying. He has blondish hair, medium build and has reportedly stopped at other restaurants as well. Keep an eye out.
Read previous food news here.
Tags: food blotter , Food , Image
Last week, I had the opportunity photograph a pig being butchered at Tim's Special Cut Meats in Couer d'Alene, featured in this week's food section. Owner Tim Branen and Meat Manager Mike Cobetto quickly processed the pig from a whole animal into the various parts we are used to eating, including roasts, chops, pork bellies and ribs. With decades of experience, Branen says that he can process an entire animal in 15-20 minutes.
Tags: butchering , pig , Tim's Special Cut Meats , Coeur d'Alene , Idaho , Food , Photos , Image
Not to brag too much about our own ’hood, but there’s a lot of construction progress happening in Kendall Yards. We peered into the Yards Bruncheon the other evening, and it seems like the brunch-focused Adam Hegsted restaurant is still on schedule to open as soon as next month. Brain Freeze Creamery posted a rendering of what their shop will look like, and Veraci Pizza showed up in the liquor license applications. (Construction is yet to begin.)
Hooters in Spokane Valley closed its doors this week. The Owl Club Casino will remain open, and two new restaurant businesses are planned for the space.
Grumpy Monkey Coffee & Bakery opened its door in Coeur d'Alene the weekend before Christmas, and this week's Entree newsletter has more about the new shop.
Indaba remodeled for the new year, and will be serving Manners Roasting Co. coffee.
Clover has a loyal fan at Food & Wine. Cocktail guru Jim Meehan gave the restaurant and cocktail bar a nod as one of the Top 100 new cocktail bars earlier, and now included them among a handful of best new bars in the U.S.
Up North, Mr. Wok is now home to a dual concept with Chicago Beef Co., purveyor of hot dogs, sausages and sandwiches.
More beer! Iron Goat is doubling their brewing capacity and Ramblin’ Road is getting very close to opening the taproom.
We wrote about Nectar Tasting Room coming up on three years last fall — now it’s actually time for the three-year celebration this weekend.
In Pullman this Saturday, allergen-free bakery Artfully Yours is hosting an indoor market with area farmers market vendors.
This one’s a little late and a little out of our region, but who can resist a good David vs. Goliath story? Missoula’s Big Sky Brewing is suing Anheuser-Busch for using the “Hold My Beer” slogan that appears on Big Sky cans. They don’t want anyone to think there’s an association between the two.
Restaurant Week is coming up in February, and it’s got a new name — Inlander Restaurant Week — since it expanded to North Idaho this year. More than 70 restaurants have signed up to participate, and menus come out Jan. 30.
Read previous food news here.
Tags: food blotter , Food , Image
This year’s restaurant week is coming up at end of February, and the format is similar to last year’s inaugural event: Go to a participating restaurant, get a three-course meal for a fixed price, repeat as desired.
A few things have changed, however, and the biggest change is the name: last year's Spokane Restaurant Week is now Inlander Restaurant Week. This is partially because the Inlander is again pairing with Visit Spokane to organize it, but also because — the most exciting part — restaurant week is going regional with restaurants in Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene on this year’s list of participants.
Many other things are the same: It will still be 10 days instead of an actual week; price points will still be $18 or $28; restaurants are still encouraged to offer local wine, beer and spirits.
The public release of the menus is Jan. 30, and Inlander Restaurant Week itself runs Feb. 21 to March 2. Keep track of updates on Facebook or Twitter.
Tags: Spokane Restaurant Week , Inlander Restaurant Week , Food , Culture , restaurant week , Arts & Culture , Image
This week’s Entree newsletter features three openings: longtime chocolate purveyor Halletts is trading its outlet store for a more visible location on Nevada, and both the Boiler Room and Waddell’s Brewpub & Grille are now open for businesses in the new Cedar Crossing development.
SAVORx Spice & Flavor Co. is coming to your local Rosauers or Huckleberry’s.
South Perry Pizza says goodbye to the Kautzman family and starts the new year with new owners. New owner John Siok assured regulars that changes will be minimal: “Just to reassure all of the South Perry Pizza fans out there, everything that you love about this Perry District gem will continue. Great pizza and salads, half price bottles of wine on Tuesdays, music in the summer time, and all the rest.”
Bella Cova, the parenting center and cafe that opened last year in the old Caterina Winery space, has an Indiegogo campaign to build a commercial kitchen that would be open for community classes.
The Kickstarter campaign for Yards Bruncheon and Wandering Table reached its goal with 105 backers.
Maybe you were lucky enough to get a kegerator for Christmas? River City is offering discounted kegs of Riverkeeper Red to make way for a new winter brew.
If you’ve got any healthy-eating New Year’s resolutions, we’ve been cleaning up the archive of recipes printed in INHealth. There's some good stuff from local chefs who know how to make healthful tasty.
Read previous food news here.
Tags: food blotter , Food , Image