(SpoCOOL) A Spokane Blog

Pacific Ave Pizza's past is of the sordid kind, one filled with pies that could take on Pizza Hut and lose. Years have gone by since I last tried them and ownership has apparently changed in the meantime. We're all about second chances here at SpoCOOL.

Now first, the space has certainly been kicked up a notch. Gone is the more laidback pub look, replaced with more of an edgier (I use the word loosely here) feel. It's probably more appropriate that way, and the outdoor seating is quite decent. All in all the space is nice, and with a good selection of beers on tap it could be a destination for its porch alone.

The pizza, meanwhile, is so-so. Better than what it used to be, but still a bit of a letdown. It's all about the crust, which here is comprable to the Pizza Ritas of the world. A higher quality version, but yet without a proper bite to it. It's also a greasy pie, and excessively so.

On the plus side the toppings are pretty good, and my pepperoni came nicely charred.

The pizza isn't fantastic then, but it could be improved by giving the crust a bit more of a zap. We hold out hope for it, as it's not awful by any means. The outdoor seating is great and the service is friendly.

Pacific Ave Pizza is worth stopping by if you're in the neighborhood. Here's hoping the pies will improve.

In 2011 Mark Zuckerberg is eating only what he kills himself. This brings forth some questions. Will he starve to death? Creepy as the Facebook founder might be, I can't help but think his animal-killing-skills being as bad as what I imagine his ball throwing skills are. But hey, good for him.

Spokesman says Townshend has bought Mountain Dome.

Clock is ticking down quickly if you want to sign up for the art portion of SpoBREW. The original quota has already been met, but we're accepting new sign-ups until the end of the week, so make sure you enter if you want to be part of history in the making.

Liquor License Stalker has been revealing quite a few new places opening around town recently. Places like Luxe and Black Pearl Restaurant and Card Room may or may not be spots you'll frequent soon. Check it daily if you're curious to learn what is happening, as application activity has been rather plentiful lately.

Azar's hits the "crap, we forgot about that place" list with a bullet, and that's too bad. It's a good Mediterranean/Middle Eastern/Greek/Turkish/anything-east-of-Italy spot, if you know what to order.

Their kufta kabob sandwiches, for example, are good. The ground beef is nicely spiced and mixed with a good tahini sauce. For those who are fans of the Döner kebab and its many regional European cousins, this is about as close to that as anything I've seen in Spokane. Part of what makes it work is the pita, both nice and fluffy. Not sure if they bake it themselves, but whoever makes them at least succeeded. The fries go well with the sandwich too.

Other items don't meet the same quality. The hummus, a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine, is just bland, reminiscent of the grocery store stuff some people are so fond of. So granted, this stuff might fly with those who don't know better, but I'm sure the 3 or 4 people reading this expect the good stuff, not fast-food hummus.

The baba ghanoush is a bit better, but not something to parade about. Again just a bit dull, lacking a fresh kick.

And so the list goes. Kind of eh gyros; good Greek salad. So on, so forth.

Azar's has its ups and downs but overall it's recommended, if only for the kufta kabobs. You can also get the pitas to go, which in some ways might be a good idea if you have a proper hummus recipe at home. 

Time: July 9th, 7pm.

Place: The Porch, 1804 W Broadway.

Who: Brewers and artists and possibly you!

We even have a Facebook event page. Granted, you have to be invited by one of the participants to attend, this because of logistical reasons of having a private event, but there it is all the same.

So, what else have we got? Prizes! DOMA is donating bags of coffee for the winners, which is pretty sweet. We assume Team DOMA is erroneously expecting to take home the prize, and it's pretty adorable how they can dream like that.

Goldies, hipster-zine number one, will provide autographed copies of its latest issue. And Ryan Keberle, local musician gone big with solo albums, SNL appearances, and touring with Sufjan Stevens, has offered up an autographed copy of his latest album as a prize. Yes, you can actually play to win something now, and more prizes will be announced soon! (Feel free to donate prizes if you'd like by e-mailing team@spocool.com.) The brewing contest is full, but the art part is still open, so sign up!

Did we mention Veraci will be selling pizza? And there will be Big Sky beer available. 

This is all pretty awesome!

Yes, beer brings people together and take us back to a simpler time, a time when men were men, when women stared longingly at them while serving them beer, and advertisements were every bit as bafflingly sexist as Mad Men portrays them as.