(SpoCOOL) A Spokane Blog

Both Zagat and Obama are fans of Five Guys, and why not? The red and white decor might be austere, but with signs proudly displaying where today's batch of fries came from, it certainly has a leg up on the McDonald's of the world.

It's all pretty good too, so that helps. Not that I would walk hours in snow to get there or anything -- Crazy G's has better burgers -- but the fries here are something else. Fried in peanut oil, the fresh cut fries feel about a mile away from the frozen stuff most chains peddle. As far as fast food goes, they're the best in Spokane. Only real issue is that the "regular" serving is humongous, easily enough for three people. And that seems like sort of a waste.

The burgers aren't overly amazing, but probably within reach of the overrated In-N-Out. There's nothing particularly gourmet about what you get -- it's all cooked to "well done" and feels a bit greasy. On the plus side, you can custom order the toppings from a pretty decent arsenal, so some customization could be involved. 

And that's about it. Five Guys is a simple burger chain, really, with a limited menu, and free peanuts while you wait for your order. I'd recommend it, more so than any other fast food chain in Spokane, but there are better options from local vendors. Hit up Crazy G's or D. Lish's for some truly great burgers.

A sparkling wine at that -- very fancy! Apparently it is a "sparkling toast to our beautiful area" which sounds like local celebration at its best. Until, of course, you turn the bottle...

But hey, who am I to judge?

It’s kind of easy to forget about Picabu Bistro, crammed in the corner of a Rosauers building, and that’s too bad, as it is quite an excellent casual restaurant. It probably won’t have Michelin come running here, nor will it be what sways Zagat to start a Spokane guide, but hey, it was good enough for Guy Fieri, so this is obviously a spot anyone can enjoy.

The menu is charmingly casual, inspired by all corners of the world. We tried the falafel in tahini, which was surprisingly similar to what we ate in Morocco. The tahini sauce might have been a bit more lemony than what I’ve become used to, but it was still very good. More important was the falafel, which was perfectly fried, nice, and crispy. The pepperocinis added a spicy crunch to the dish, too. In fact, the only thing that could have been kicked up a bit was the hummus. It got a bit lost in the mix. It is forgivable, though, as getting hummus just right is kind of an art form.

The curry bowl, too, is good. Kudos to Picabu for actually keeping its promise when they call it “spicy.” The sauce actually has a great kick to it and goes well with the jasmine rice. Go with the tofu, and it will soak up the flavors just beautifully.

Finally, the vegan cheesecake. I have a hard time believing it’s vegan, but then, who am I to argue? It’s always great.

Casual goodness aside, Picabu provides good food for everyone: omnivores, vegans, gluten-free… They’re all covered. A large portion of the dishes are also under $10, making this a place for cheap eats.

It might not be Sante, but Picabu covers its own niche, and it does it well. Now pull a Guy Fieri and head there for a good meal.

My experience with the whole Mongolian grill concept is sadly lacking. Of course, "sadly" might not be the first word that pops to mind, but you get what I'm saying. It's lacking.

So for those as unfamiliar with it as I am, this is how it goes: You pick from a large buffet of vegetables, noodles and meats, put it all on your plate, and spice it up with different sauces and broths. Then you take the plate up to some random looking guy who throws it on a large hot plate. Said person throws it on aforementioned hot plate, and then hands the finished dish over to you. To then have the option to tip him.

The latter might sound odd, but when you see the admiring stares of some the Moon customers, I am guessing they're making quite a pretty penny from doing a seemingly mundane task.

So, the food... It's not that bad. The vegetables aren't of super high quality, but when grilled they do the job. And there are recipes of how you can mix the different sauces into various super-sauces, although I preferred to make my own combination. Even if I wasn't on the month long Sustaining Straight Edge Vegan Foods During September in Spokane (Challenge) challenge I would have stayed away from the meat, which looked awfully suspicious.

And that's about what there is to it. For $9 you can go an unlimited number of times, and from what I noticed, people were using that privilege liberally. 

This isn't great food by a long shot, but for mixed company I suppose it's all OK. Nothing tasted offensively bad, other than the rice, which was just mush.

I'm not sure I'd go back, but it's worth visiting at least once.