dining guide july
heritage of the tribe with Northwest fine dining. The restaurant features an intimate and lavishly appointed dining room just off the hotel lobby in the new wing of the Northern Quest Resort and Casino in Airway Heights and serves up an Elk Sirloin and Seared Scallops worth the drive. Their chocolate mousse on the dessert menu is also a show stopper. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 100 North Hayford Road in Airway Heights. (509) 242-7000. www.northernquest.com/dining/masselows. $$-$$$ Max at Mirabeau. More than the typical hotel restaurant, Max opened in 2005 as a valley destination for fine dining with an infamous menu offering 100 options. Chances are you can find something you are craving on the huge menu, but if an abundance of possibilities scares you, ask your server. We scored at dinner with the gluten-free Cashew Lime Sea Bass and the White Chocolate Mousse with Cherries Jubliee. Casual diners are welcome too breakfast, lunch or dinner. ½ priced bottles of wine on Wednesday nights. Open Mon – Thur, 6 am – 1 am, 6 am to 2 am on Fri – Sat, and Sun, 6 am – midnight. 1100 N Sullivan Road in Spokane Valley. (509) 9249000. www.maxatmirabeau.com. $-$$$ Stacks at Steam Plant. Named for the twin smokestacks that have been a part of the downtown Spokane skyline for nearly a century, Stacks offers a full-service dining experience in a one-of-a-kind space. Unique private dining spaces include boiler rooms where the original pipes still line the walls and ceiling. Signature dishes are created from scratch and incorporate ingredients produced only at the Steam Plant – including smoked meats, fish and vegetables, and many of the ales brewed on-site. 3p.m. – 10p.m. Sun-Thurs, 3p.m. – 11p.m. Fri-Sat. 159 S. Lincoln, under the smokestacks downtown. (509) 777-3900. www.steamplantspokane.com $$-$$$
ITALIAN Europa Restaurant and Bakery. Europa offers much more than pizza (Marsala Steak Penne and Sweet Pepper Tortellini, for example), but if pizza is what you want, then Europa’s are among the best. Among their more notable choices are the “Our Favorite” (chicken, spinach, Feta, mozzarella, provolone, mushrooms, and onions) and the European (five cheeses, roasted garlic, white sauce, basil pesto, chicken, and shrimp). Shrimp, mushrooms, and fresh tomatoes add a twist to their version of the Hawaiian. All desserts are prepared entirely on-premise by pastry chef Christie Sutton, which include Christie’s Triple Layer Chocolate Mousse, as is the little shiny dome of chocolate cake and rum genache known as the “Chocolate Birthday Bomb,” Europa’s traditional compliment for patrons celebrating their birthday. Stop into the cozy pub for daily happy hour specials and live music every Sunday night. Open Mon – Thurs 11am - 10pm, Fri – Sat 11am - 11pm, Sun 11am 10pm. 125 S Wall. (509) 455-4051. www.europapizzaria@comcast.net. $$ Ferrante’s Marketplace Café. This South Hill restaurant combines two great pastimes: gourmet Italian food and shopping. Ferrante’s offers a wide variety of gourmet pastas, pizzas, and paninis along with a kid’s menu and delicious gelato. Stop in for a full dinner or order it to go and shop in the marketplace while you wait. The marketplace offers unique gifts, such as jewelry, wines, cookies and candies, many from local vendors. Enjoy the neighborhood feel of this Italian café. 4516 S Regal. Tues-Sat 11-8p.m. (509) 443-6304. www.doitalian.com. $-$$ Italian Kitchen. Owners Bryce and Lyndsay Kerr have created a beautiful and charming décor along with exquisite cuisine, not to mention the remarkable hospitality. Known for its Calamari, Tiramisu, and Lasagna from scratch, the Italian Kitchen is as authen-
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tic as you’ll find. They were recently placed on the “Best of the Best” list, which honors the top 17 Italian restaurants in the nation. 113 N Bernard. Lunch Mon-Fri 11-3:30, Dinner Mon-Thur 3:30-9, Fri 3:3010, Sat 4:30-10, Sun 4:30-9. (509) 363-1210. www. italiankitchenspokane.com. $$ Luigi’s. Traditional Italian menu specializing in pastas, seafood, steaks and salads served in amazingly large portions. The smoked salmon lasagna has been featured in national magazines. Martinis are a must. Located close to the opera house and downtown shopping. Express service for theatergoers. 245 W Main. Sun & Mon 4-9, Tues-Thurs 11-10, Fri 11-11, Sat 4-11. (509) 624-5226. www.luigis-spokane.com. Lunch $, dinner $$ Tony’s On The Lake. Originally built in the 1940s long the shore of the lake five miles east of Coeur d’Alene, Tony’s is a great destination Italian spot for years but the current incarnation under the D’Alessandro family just might be the best. Drive or boat. Chef Cheyenne D’Alessandro offers wonderful from-scratch sauces and Italian classics executed perfectly. Try the hand-pulled mozzarella if it is on the special sheet and don’t miss the Spaghetti Pescatore if you love a good tomato vodka sauce. Equally excellent are the Sirloin Filetto served with house-made gnocchi and the Saltimbocca alla Romana. All the desserts are made in house. Tony’s has a fun and informative wine list, and you need to hold up their house wine Y NOT to the mirror that stretches along the back of the dining room for a surprise. Open daily from 5 p.m. from Memorial Day to the end of September. Five days a week in the fall and spring. Closed January – March. 6823 East Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive outside of Coeur d’Alene. (208) 667-9885. www.tonysonthelake.com. $$-$$$ Uva Trattoria. Brother and sister chefs Lisa and Steve Vanzeveren opened Uva with a vision of creating a Napa Valley bistro for the Coeur d’Alene community. They’ve done just that with a simple menu of hearty Italian classics, an extensive wine list, generous portions and a light, friendly atmosphere. The neighborhood restaurant offers calamari (dredged in rice flour instead of wheat), lasagna, chicken piccata and house-made tiramisu, as well as fresh salads made with organic and locally-sourced ingredients. They also offer gluten-free pizza and pasta. Rustic and authentic, Uva is fairly priced and suitable for families or couples looking for a clean and modern lunch or dining spot. Open Sun-Thurs 11-9, Fri-Sat 11-10. 2605 N 4th St, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815. (208) 818-9257, www.uvacda.com. $$
MEXICAN Rancho Viejo. Jose Rodriguez and his staff offer up traditional and familiar Mexican fare with some of the amplest portions and most caring family-friendly service in Spokane. 14201 E Sprague. Sun-Thurs 11-10, Fri & Sat 11-11. (509) 927-8428. www.ranchoviejo.net. $$
PIZZA The Flying Goat. Careful thought went into the design of this pub and pizza sibling of the Downriver Grill— and it’s paying off. The Goat offers both classic and artisan toppings on Neapolitan-style pies, the “char” on the crust imparting a distinctive, crunchy flavor. Try the surprising Kiernan and wash it down with a craft beer (14 taps, 1 gravity-fed cask beer, and over 50 more in bottles). The Goat has a “Mug Club” for regulars; all dishes are named after neighborhood quirks – see if you can decipher their menu-cryptography. Open daily at 11 am. Closes at 10 p.m. (11 on Fri and Sat). 3318 West Northwest Boulevard in Spokane. (509) 327-8277. www.theflyinggoat.com. $-$$
Mackenzie River Pizza, Grill and Pub. The first Mackenzie River opened in Bozeman Montana in 1993—serving up pizzas that caused the cowpokes to scratch their heads. Toasted pine nuts and Mandarin oranges on a pizza? But they kept coming back. Now there are 15 locations with two in Spokane. The menu offers nearly two dozen pizzas and you have four crust options: sourdough, natural grain, thick, or thin. Both Spokane locations also boast a full bar. Open daily 11 am – 10 p.m.. Northside: 9225 N Nevada, (509) 413-1043. South Hill: 2910 E 57th Ave, (509) 315-9466. www.mackenzieriverpizza. com. $-$$$ South Perry Pizza. Fresh, innovative pies (minus the gourmet pretension) in the heart of the Perry district on Spokane’s South Hill. Located in a former auto body shop, the restaurant has an open kitchen centered around an open-flame pizza oven that turns out brilliant pizzas with a yeasty bready crust that has good chew and the right amount of char. Try the popular Margherita, Veggie, Prosciutto, or one of their creative daily specials. 6 microbrews on tap and several fresh salads start things off right. The garage doors roll up in good weather for patio seating. 11 am – 9 p.m., Tues - Sun. 1011 South Perry Street in Spokane. (509) 290-6047. www.southperrypizzaspokane.com. $-$$
PUB AND LOUNGE FARE Crafted. A gastropub located in the heart of downtown Coeur d’Alene, Crafted is serious about their brews and burgers. A casual and hip atmosphere with a generous patio for a post-lake rendezvous, Crafted offers solid burgers, like the B-I- Double G-I-E, a hamburger with bacon, avocado and sharp cheddar, and other creative dishes like the Spunky Crawfish Chowder, a variety of salads, and the Rockafella Ya’ll, layers of fried chicken, waffles and bacon topped with an egg and serrano-huckleberry syrup. Don’t forget to share the deep-fried Oreos— a nice treat to round out a day at the lake. Mon-Thurs 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-2am, Sun 11am-10pm. 523 Sherman Ave in Coeur d’Alene. (208) 292-4813 www.facebook.com/ CraftedTaphouse $-$$ Dave’s Bar and Grill. A neighborhood tavern with free popcorn all day long, a surprising family feel inside, and specials at breakfast, lunch, and dinner that have created passionate patrons. Try the monthly special at breakfast or split the massive Killer omelet. The bacon cheeseburger headlines the lunch favorites and steaks, ribs, and chicken (all under $15) keep the tiny galley kitchen hopping all night. Lines out the back door for breakfast on the weekends. 6 am – 10 p.m. daily. 12124 East Sprague in the Spokane Valley. (509) 926-9640. www.davesbarandgrill. com. $-$$ Manito Tap House. Manito is living into its name as a gastropub that offers high-quality dining fare to go with their 50 beers on tap. A fun pub atmosphere and friendly service make this a great hangout. Try the yam chips, the Carne Adovada, the Murphy’s Beef Boxty, or the inventive veggie burger that comes inside out,. 11 am – 11 p.m. Sun – Thu. Open until 2 am Fri – Sat. 3011 South Grand Blvd in Spokane. (509) 279-2671. www.manitotaphouse.com. $-$$ O’Doherty’s Irish Grille. Traditional Irish pub fare. Reuben sandwiches, fish and chips, burgers and salads are the specialties. An outdoor eating area in this downtown restaurant overlooks Spokane Falls Boulevard and Riverfront Park; perfect for early evening dining and people watching. Live folk music most Tuesday evenings. 525 W Spokane Falls Blvd. Sun-Mon 11:30-9, Tues-Thurs 11:30-11, Fri-Sat 11:301am. (509) 747-0322 $-$$ O’Doherty’s Irish Pub and BBQ Catering