(SpoCOOL) A Spokane Blog

Somewhere, the George Maupins of the world are sitting around with a list of puns and monikers, waiting for a winter that is not happening.

For the rest of us, there are other things to worry about. Like...

More stuff opening in Browne's Addition! "Project EJ's", as it's currently known, will open in the Roberts Mansion. Billed as the "coolest new bar/restaurant to hit Historic Browne's Addition", you can follow its progress on Twitter and Facebook. We assume -- which we probably shouldn't -- this is the spot Blaine mentioned on his blog, that will feature former Globe chef Howard Bateman at the helm.

More blogs starting up! Speaking of blogs, you should probably check out One Bag at a Time if you enjoy coffee and Spokane and the combination of both. The site is from the mind of the Keaton Violet, so quality is guaranteed.

Twelve String Brewing Company's taproom is open! Actually, it has been for a while now, but that's neither here nor there. A new brewery in town is always a good thing, so make sure you check them out.

Sushi Track is changing! New name is, apparently, Beyond Belt Sushi and Roll. Yeah. 

There is, despite what Trader Joe's want you to think, no "Trader Joe's Brewing Company". I'm sure that's about as shocking as learning COSTCO beer is produced by Gordon Biersch and not Kirkland, but there you go.

Trader Joe's 2011 Vintage Ale is brewed by the often brilliant Unibroue, known for such hits as Trois Pistoles and La Fin Du Monde. With this beer you get a holy mix of the brewery's panache for quality and Trader Joe's low prices. I don't care who you are and how contrarian you want to be about Trader Joe's: that is just a great deal at around $5.

The ale pours a nice dark brown color with a bubbly head. There's a lot of carbonation going on, which might be off-putting to some, but works well for this "Belgian strong".

The nose reveals spicy malts with just a little hint of hopiness toward the back. It should be recognizable to anyone who has enjoyed a Unibroue before.

Tasting, there's a nice subtle sweetness to the profile, almost a smooth caramel, mixed in with the gingerbread like spices. A bit of hopiness hits the back. The 2011 Vintage Ale doesn't come across as a flavor bomb, but has a lot of depth to it if you are willing to look for it. Slowly sip it, while letting it warm a bit, and hints of raisins and fruits will make themselves known.

Mouthfeel might be a bit thin for this style of ale, but not to the point of being unpleasant.

The 2011 Vintage Ale is a great bang for the buck. Flavor wise it's similar to aforementioned Unibroues, but at a better price point. Worth picking up.

We don't get out to Coeur d'Alene too often, but as we made a stop-by there last week, we were kind of curious to check out Seasons. And when I say "check out" I mean that fairly literally, seeing we did not go there to eat.

Rumors have suggested an extensive remodel of the old Coeur d'Alene Brewing Company building has taken place, but that doesn't even begin to cover it. The exteriors barely resembles the old brewpub, and we almost walked straight past it. The interiors, too, look nothing like they used to; the old, slightly rundown pub-feel has been replaced with something resembling a chic hotel lounge. I'll leave it up to the individual to decide if this is a change for the better or not.

Decorations aside, the place was eerily empty at 8pm on a Saturday, and when you read something like this on the menu, the emptiness might be explained...

Rich beef demi-glaced braised Oregon hedgehog and [name of mushroom unintelligible from my photo, sorry] mushrooms...

Multiple people, apparently, have thought they actually served demi-glaced hedgehog (from Oregon!) here. Hey, any way you look at that menu item, it probably should be worded slightly differently. (Or commas could be used more liberally.)

The bar seems well stocked, and there are about eight taps with the usual suspects from Deschutes and Laughing Dog.

We didn't dine at Seasons, so I'm not going to say anything about the food. It might be amazing, it might not be. My real point here is that I find Seasons odd in so many ways. They obviously put a lot of money into remodeling -- or rebuilding, as it seems -- the space, and I'm just not sure Coeur d'Alene was screaming for a place like this. To me it doesn't seem like something quite up to the average North Idahoan's taste -- awful stereotyping as that is -- yet it feels a bit too dated for tourists from larger cities.

Yet I find myself strangely fascinated with the spot. We might be back, just out of curiosity.

Have you tried their food? Send a tweet to @spocool and let us know how it was!

Let's talk about a movie for a while, because why not? Movies are good for the mind and, in case of The Trip, can even serve as inspiration for the stomach. This film follows Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon as fictional-ish versions of themselves, touring restaurants in Northern England as part of a newspaper assignment.

The Trip isn't a food movie as such, not like Mostly Martha or Babette's Feast, but it's certainly aimed at those who like both good food and good dialogue. Some of the region's better restaurants are featured, and there is plenty of "food porn" (do we still use that expression?) to geek out to.

Part of the fun lies in the various under-the-breath comments about the food, most of which would suggest neither should have been sent on this assignment at all. (Think Thomas Haden Church in Sideways: "Tastes pretty good to me!")

Of course, food aside, this is simply a funny movie. A large chunk of it consists of Coogan and Brydon at various dinner tables, making snide comments back and forth, while lobbing a lot of celebrity impersonations. It's dialogue heavy, and I mean that in the best way possible. 

Make tonight a The Trip night, just for some funny dialogue and good looking food. 

Suggested beverage pairing: Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale. You'll feel very English.