Mizuna


One doesn't have to be a vegetarian to appreciate Mizuna's inventive, fresh cuisine and cozy, intimate atmosphere. The restaurant began serving fish a little more than a year ago due to customers' requests. Entrees include your choice of a house salad or the soup of the day. The roasted salmon with wild mushrooms ($18) was generous and oven roasted to perfection, surrounded by an outstanding portobello red wine reduction. The Indian samosa ($14.50) consisted of a beautiful pastry pocket criss-crossed with asparagus spears and filled with a heavenly melange of Yukon gold potatoes, seitan, fennel bulb, onion, garlic and ginger atop a rich yellow pepper sauce. The accompanying eggplant relish and coconut-cilantro-mint chutney were wonderful. 214 N. Howard. Call: 747-2004. LM





Cannon Street Grill


The food at this dependable, breakfast-and-lunch-only Browne's Addition establishment is -- in conception and execution -- several notches above that which you would find during a more typical diner experience. Breakfasts include traditional favorites along with more creative concoctions such as the Everything Frittata for $7.50. Sandwiches and entrees are served with a cup of the soup du jour, a tossed green salad or fresh fruit. The Roy Sandwich ($6.95) with grilled chicken breast, bacon, Provolone, lettuce and tomato on grilled sourdough scored high in taste and looks. The smoked salmon sandwich ($7.95) -- smoked fillet of salmon and tomato slice perched atop a thin layer of pesto sauce open faced on French bread -- was excellent. As was the service. 114 S. Cannon. Call: 456-8660. MC





Fugazzi


Fugazzi has a well-deserved reputation for creating outstanding, inventive entrees and appetizers presented with simple elegance. For starters, try the rock crab springroll ($9) with two crispy fried springrolls arrayed on top of a bed of crisp bean sprouts, shredded red cabbage and julienne carrots. Seafood and fish dominate the entree list. The tortilla crusted halibut ($24) reveals itself as a nice thick piece of halibut coated with crushed tortilla chips and adorned with a generous portion of avocado salsa and a treasure trove of mashed potatoes. The halibut was tender and moist, and the chip-coating added an interesting corn flavor and nice crunch. The crisp white tablecloths, soft lighting and a slow jazz vocal music complete the relaxing atmosphere. 1 N. Post Street. Call: 624-1133. LM





Sand Creek Grill


This pleasant eaterie on Sandpoint's main drag has a lot going for it, but most of all, the Sand Creek Grill excels in the details. A wine bar, fireplace and cozy dining sections beckon the Inland Northwest-bound traveler to sit back and sample such rewarding starters as the French onion gratinee ($5) the baked brie with carmelized walnuts, apple slices and grilled baguette ($8) and the peppered ahi ($7). The farm salad ($8) was refreshing, with farm greens, bacon, avocado, roasted peppers, carmelized onions, tomato, gorgonzola and buttermilk dressing. It made a nice segue into our main course, the grilled pork loin ($9), which came presented atop a mound of garlicky mashed potatoes, and this, in a pool of carmelized onion jus. The asparagus spears on top were thin and perfectly cooked, and the flavor of the pork was amazing. 105 S. First Street, Sandpoint, Idaho. Call: (208) 255-5736. SB

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