(SpoCOOL) A Spokane Blog

We’re taking a quick break this week, but will be back next Monday. You will love it!

In the meantime, this might be the world’s least healthy macaroni salad.

Does Spokane need another diner? Apparently some seem to think so, as 3rd Ave Diner is rocking in the old Bombay Palace space.

Of course, rocking… Let’s be honest here, there is nothing that distinguishes 3rd Ave Diner from something as generic as, say, Perkins. My burger was, for the lack of a better word, forgettable. It wasn’t downright awful, but could I have had an identical sandwich at Shari’s? No doubt. And there is no doubt I wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference either.

The fries, meanwhile, were kind of bad. Just completely flavorless, and probably straight off the truck from Food Services of America. I didn’t try the grilled cheese, but was told by highly reputable sources, that it was as forgettable as the burger.

The question, then, is why bother with 3rd Ave Diner? If you want awesome diner food, then go to the Satellite. It’s just a few blocks down, and it’s infinitely better. Or spend the same amount on a brunch at Sante.

Hey, just saying.

A porter you should find at Post Street Ale House—but alas, you don’t—is Black Butte XXI, the teeth-kicking “special reserve” edition of the Black Butte Porter. Clocking in at a hefty 11% ABV, this is probably not the type of beer you’d want to use to introduce your Bud Light Grapefruit (or whatever it’s called) drinking friends to the better stuff. It is, however, delicious if you, like me, are a porter type of person.

The XXI hits your tongue with a fairly intense smokiness, with more than a hint of chocolate. The latter is explained by the addition of a generous amount of Theo Chocolate to the mix. Furthermore, it is dry-hopped with 100 lbs of coffee, which adds its own signature to the flavor. Coffee, chocolate, and smokiness… Yes, this isn’t necessarily too subtle—although there is more to it than what initially meats the tongue—but also extremely tasty.

With its high alcohol content and flavor-fest, the XXI isn’t a beer to wash down a slice of pizza or anything either. This is the type of beer you take your time with, and sip slowly. Think of it as the hoppy brother of a good cognac. Or a whiskey, seeing that portions of the XII has been aged in whiskey barrels.

The Black Butte XXI can still be found around town. Run and pick one up while you still have the chance.

The Inlander just published their fall ‘09 edition of Dining Out, the theme this time being “casual eats.” And why not? The current economical climate aside, casual can often be a good thing, particularity when the weather climate is taken into consideration. And with the Post Street Ale House—and imaginatively named it is!—with its twenty beers on tap opens tomorrow at 3pm, it is a good reminder that Spokane largely is an unpretentious casual kind of town. (It wouldn’t hurt if it was a bit less casual, but let’s save that one for another day.)

So in spirit of the Inlander’s guide, here are a few casual eats we recommend, some which might be forgotten about:

A sandwich from Sante: Sure, Sante isn’t what first comes to mind for casual dining, and yes, we will find any excuse to dine there (and no, we won’t apologize for it) but we have previously proven that two people can dine at Sante for $11. Hey, how can you go wrong?

Picabu Neighborhood Bistro: We sometimes forget about Picabu, and that’s too bad. When it comes to what could be described as both “casual” and “high quality”—their “Desert Lime Chicken” is an awesome example—this South Hill bistro has been doing its thing for a long time. More info.

Natural Start Bakery: Some places have good food; some places have good coffee; Natural Start has both. I rarely find many coffee shops that offer the whole package, but an Americano and an empanada at Natural Start is a great experience. More info.

Kusina Filipina: Try something other than the standard taco—Philippine cooking isn’t too common around Spokane, but Kusina Filipina is a pretty good place to stop by, particularly for a halo halo. More info.

Cathay Inn: No no, I kid!

Sub Division: Hey, nothing says “eating on a budget” like a sub. And Sub Division has, according to me, the best subs in Spokane. More info.

So there’s a few options for casual dining, all over the map, both literally and figuratively. Which ones do you recommend?