(SpoCOOL) A Spokane Blog

SpoBREW is now less than two weeks away. Can you believe it? Apparently the brewers can't, and many are now reacting with panic or depression or, even more commonly, a mix of the two. With beers ranging from the tantalizing (Team SpoCOOL, obviously) to the ridiculous (Team Border War, even more obviously) the clock is ticking down to July 9th, 7pm, when the best beer will be named at The Porch. Look forward to more details soon.

Speaking of best, remember our Best of Spokane? Of course you do, and a while back some winners asked if we would provide plaques or diplomas for them. And sure, why not, but the thing is, printing these things and putting names on them take time -- time we could use for more important things, like watching TV -- but we're ready to hand them out to those that want them at SpoBREW.

So, if you are one of the businesses listed on our Best of... page, and would like your coveted award, send a mail to team@spocool.com and we will hand it to you at the event. (And if you happen to frequent and of the winners and know that they don't read this site -- they do exist -- then feel free give 'em a heads up about this. Who wouldn't want a SpoCOOL award on their wall?!)

Boom goes the dynamite, with Stone's Imperial Russian Stout, one you should run out and try on tap at Jones Radiator. Bottles should be hitting stores soon.

This is a jet black beer with an almost equally dark head, powered by 10.5% ABV. It's a smack in the face, for sure, but it's an enjoyable slap none the less.

Sniff it -- as you should because you could probably use this as a perfume -- and the depth reveals itself straight away. The malts are present, as are hints of chocolate. Hints of sweetness tickles the back of the nose, in a creepy yet wondrous way.

Take a sip, and the beer ballets onto your tongue, lacing it delicately, telling you everything will be OK. You can taste the alcohol, certainly, but it's not booze-y. The hints of vanilla and caramel makes this reminiscent of a nice brandy, and a smooth one at that. If a beer could be velvet-textured, this would definitely be it.

The mouthfeel is thick and creamy, and this is obviously a sipping beer. One to enjoy.

Sometimes you just need to treat yourself and Stone will help you do just that. This could be a strong contender for ale of the year.

So here's another great Deschutes, one that makes up for this year's Twilight. It's a dark IPA, called a "CDA" (Cascadian Dark Ale), and it's pretty magnificent, particularly for hop fans.

The name says it all, really. This is a dark and hoppy beer. Pour it, and it's easy to mistake it for a stout. It's dark as night and the thick head is tan, measuring in at just under two fingers.

A sniff reveals a very fresh and crisp smell of hops and citrus, flanked by a maltier note of chocolate. Taste it, and it's definitely hoppy, but with a lot more complexity than your standard IPA. The body is surprisingly full for something this refreshing, and the hints of chocolate nicely lingers with each sip in a perfect harmony with the hops. It's like they joined hands, singing "Give Peace a Chance".

Granted, this is not one for those who aren't into hops. If you do like it, you can't go wrong with Hop in the Dark. It's a complex yet refreshing ale, and a whole lot better summer ale than Twilight. Highly recommended.

And let's not forget the Coconut Lounge.

Thai Bamboo has been around for a long time, probably since Spokane was known as "Spokane Falls". There are now four locations around town, this one being their new "flagship" spot. 

It's a gaudy spot at that, though sort of in a fun way. Fake bamboo all around, fake palm trees... Porch seating with a scenic view of Division St.

That aside, the food is what one would call inconsistent, and definitely not in a fun way. The Gaen Gai curry, for example, was good. Nicely cooked chicken in a sauce that was spicy for being three-star, and definitely a dish worth trying.

On the flipside was the Pad Thai. It wasn't even luke warm with the tofu being soggy and cold, like it had been sitting out for a good half an hour. This one was also supposed to be three-star, but had absolutely no kick to it. I'm not sure if they forgot to add spices or not, but the dish was overall highly disappointing. 

In fact, it's always a major letdown when a signature dish is so far off from what you expect.

Bonus point, though, for using a lot of local ingredients. That's more than many places do.

Overall our visit to Thai Bamboo was a mixed experience. The Thai Tea was good, as was the curry. It is hard to get past the Pad Thai, however, and the location doesn't exactly scream high-class.

We'd go back, but Thai Bamboo is not near the top of our list.