Ambrosia Bistro and Wine Bar in Spokane Valley
photos and review by Sylvia Fountaine
Tucked into the west end of the Argonne Village Shopping center, Ambrosia Bistro and Wine bar is an unexpected oasis of good food, drinks and service. Though its location is considered “in the Valley,” it’s an easy drive from downtown Spokane and has free, convenient parking. Contemporary in style with dark wood accents, Ambrosia’s atmosphere is warm, friendly and inviting. They offer a good range of seating options: bar seating, tables that can be put together to accommodate larger groups, and comfortable intimate booths. Fresh flowers adorn the tables and in the evening the overall feel is cozy and bustling. Ambrosia is the creation of husband and wife team, Scott and Kara Cook, who opened their doors in 2006. Scott has been in the restaurant business since age 14 and both he and Kara have worked at numerous food establishments in varying capacities for many years before finally venturing out on their own. “When we first decided to open in the Valley, we had a lot of people tell us that we couldn’t make it here, that there were too many chains, and that the Valley people would not support us,” says Scott. “We have actually found it to be just the opposite. Our guests are extremely loyal and they want to see good restaurants succeed. We consider ourselves very fortunate to have the support both financially and emotionally of so many people who have become our friends over the years.” Scott and Kara have enlisted their whole family at Ambrosia. “It is truly a family run restaurant. Besides Kara and I, all three of our sons work here. Kara and I run the floor, our sons all work in the kitchen, and our son Tanner also hosts and serves. One of us is always here, six days a week, from open until dinner starts to die down. We take Sundays off together,” says Scott. Since its inception, Ambrosia Bistro and Wine bar has won the coveted Wine Spectator Award of Merit three times. They have 80 wines by the bottle and
20 wines by the glass and offer food and wine pairings. “My favorite part of the job, is walking through the dining room and seeing people sharing food, or trying a wine suggestion with their meal and seeing their eyes light up because they ‘get it’,” says Scott. Having never been there before, I really wasn’t quite sure what to expect. When my husband and I decided to try it for a spontaneous “date-night,” we arrived without a reservation, during prime seating time to a bustling restaurant. Bustling is always a good sign. We were warmly greeted and seated within minutes. Our server was friendly, efficient and professional. We ordered drinks, which arrived in a timely manner. Everything was off to a great start. My husband ordered a cocktail called the “Scooby Snack” ($8) which sounded a little silly, and with a name like that, I thought to myself, it had better be seriously good. And it was just that: seriously good. A tropical martini of sorts, with coconut rum, melon liqueur, pineapple juice and a touch of cream, shaken and deliciously frothy. My drink, a Pear Champagne Cocktail ($7.50), which sounded seasonal and “fall-ish,” might have benefited from pear juice instead of pear flavored vodka. It was good, but the Scooby Snack was seriously good. So, as I sat there, coveting my husband’s tropical island paradise, I mentally started preparing myself for the drink to be the highlight. Then, everything changed: our appetizer arrived. Fried Polenta with a Romesco Sauce ($10) served in a bowl with shiitake mushrooms was the appetizer we had chosen, and it was comforting, flavorful and hearty. The polenta, soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside, had great texture and the mushrooms gave the dish nice depth. My husband loved it, but it would take more than this to win me over. The Beet and Pear Salad ($7) arrived with red and yellow beets, fall pears, tomatoes, candied walnuts and mixed greens tossed with a white-bal-
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Scott and Kara Cook, with Chef Mitch Thomas
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