For whatever reason, Huckleberry's seems to have a bad rep within certain groups. Maybe it's because of the natural market's Rosauers association or maybe the aforementioned groups don't appreciate the finer things in life. Maybe it's because their local selection, while definitely decent, is not on par with Main Market. My bet it's a little of all, and I personally don't find that much of a reason to hate the store.
Huckleberry's, of course, is booming, and is pretty much the standard of natural foods here in Spokane. Really, it is for a good reason. Their selection is pretty dang excellent, and if you have any interest in high quality perishables, you will find it here. The array is quite something, and should a Whole Foods eventually come to town, I think Huckleberry's could hold its own.
The beer and wine selection is stellar, easily among the best in Spokane, and you'll find one of the better picks of Washington and Oregon micros here. Organic boxed items are also plentiful.
But really, if you're reading this site (god knows why!) you already know this. And you have already made your mind up. If you can live with buying meat that's from a little bit further out than what would be strictly classified as a locavore radius, then there are few things you can really criticize Huckleberry's for. I mean, really, the place is pretty classy.
Not that the colors of the exterior should make much of a difference, but more stylish as the tan might be, I preferred the pink. It was kind of a landmark. A garish landmark, sure, but a landmark all the same.
That aside, I do think Dolly's at least looks better after its makeover, particularly as far as the interiors go. The food, too, is actually pretty decent stuff. My omelet was nicely cooked -- eggs still fluffy and what not -- and was served with a Hollandaise sauce that probably didn't come straight from a bag. (Though probably pre-prepared by URM or something, but hey, this is a diner after all.)
The vegetables also weren't bad, and some jalapenos added a bit of kick to the whole dish. It'd probably make for a good hangover cure too, if that's what you're in the market for.
A quick sample of Top That's pancake was also good. Nice and fluffy, and definitely of a higher quality than many diners.
Add to that a good and quick service, and say Dolly's is a very good diner. I wouldn't wade through ten feet of snow to get there, but would possibly consider braving some summer showers.
Of all the chain stores people want in town, I'm still not sold on Trader Joe's being the ultimate pick. I mean, I get it. It's cheap and good and all, but you can find substitutes for most anything they carry at places like Huckleberry's and Main Market.
Oil & Vinegar is a franchise you might be able to find replacements for as far as products go, but possibly not for the experience. I mean, it's the little things. You're greeted by a lit up wall with dozens of glass containers containing various types of olive oil. To me, that says "class," and I think Spokane could do with a bit more of that.
You can pick up a number of different containers and have them filled with your choice of oil. If you want to mix oils then that's possible too. Granted, this might be be fluff to those who prefer just picking up a pre-packaged bottle. Whatever. Time to live a little!
There's a bunch of other things to try out too, all Oil & Vinegar branded. Particularly their bruschetta spice mix is good for lazy days. Mix it with some water and olive oil and add some tomatoes, and there you go. Very tasty.
The olive oil is good too. We went with the unfiltered Spanish one, which at $6 for 200ml is nicely priced for its quality. Sure there are better oils out there, but as far as bang for the buck goes, Oil & Vinegar is great.
There are only six franchises in the US, with three of them are located in the Northwest, so it's hard to call Oil & Vinegar overly corporate. And even if they were, who cares? I mean, really? They deliver good products and add a bit of class to town. I think we're in need of both.
Now here's a fun little stout from Winthrop. Old Schoolhouse Brewery -- named so for the schoolhouse they're located in -- calls it the "Hooligan" though it's not as wild or crazy as the name would suggest; just good.
It pours hazy black with a nice thick brown tinted head. A good amount of lacing too. There's a bit of bitterness to the nose with hints of coffee and a bit of fruitiness. The flavor has few surprises from that, and is dominated by a fairly full on chocolate flavor.
It's a very pleasant beer, and for being a chocolate stout it is surprisingly refreshing, even now in (albeit a pretty bad) June. I might not stand in a long line to pick one up, but it's definitely worth grabbing a bottle to kick up the norm a bit.
