We’re all about local restaurants wanting to do something a bit outside of their comfort zone, which is why Latah Bistro’s “Vegetarian Wine Dinner” sounds cool. The six course dinner—it includes a variety of dishes like borscht, torta, and caramel popcorn—is served with three glasses of organic wines, and is limited to a seating of 20. At $62 it is looking like a pretty great deal.
More than anything, I do like the tagline, “you don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy meatless.” One thing that always has impressed me about Mizuna is how they integrate vegetarian dishes on their menu, and even sworn omnivores like myself will order from them without giving the lack of meat a second thought. That’s definitely better than the age-old “replace burger with a portobello” feeling many places give.
Looking at Latah Bistro’s event menu, I get a good vibe from dishes like “cheese fritter with tomato balsamic jam” and “vegetable torta with with organic farm egg.” But then again, I’m just a slut for tortas, so maybe that’s the only reason?
The “Vegetarian Wine Dinner” will be held on April 21st at 6pm, and reservations are being taken. Check it out if you can.
Did you know that the Laughing Buddha—or Hotei as, apparently, his real name was—is considered the deity of contentment and abundance? I kid you not. This is why his image often can be seen in restaurants, as he is somewhat of a “patron saint” of food and drinks. And that’s kinda cool.
The Seattle based brewery Laughing Buddha, meanwhile, lives up to its namesake while producing some strange but often wonderful brews. The Mango Weizen is a great example of that. I always approach fruit-based beers with a bit of uncertainty; nobody wants to feel like they’re drinking Wine Coolers when they’re expecting a beer. And this Weizen certainly smells like mango, which is why it comes as a surprise when the flavor is very mild. Think of it as a very subtle sweetener to the weizen.
I like this beer quite a bit. It feels very refreshing, and has a nice deep flavor to it. It’s definitely a sipping beer, and I can imagine it winning some fans as the season gets warmer.
This is definitely my favorite Laughing Buddha so far. I mean other than the one in the picture.
I am just going to say it—Sante is the best restaurant in Spokane. Not to take anything away from Mizuna or Latah Bistro or any of the others I have a love affair with. They’ve not gotten worse. It’s just that Sante, in my not so humble opinion, is better.
So in case you still haven’t enjoyed Sante, here are ten reasons you need to go there. Right now. Before it’s too late:
The food is out of this world. I mean, it’s as simple as that. The food is consistently great, and always creative.
The portion sizes are just right. I’m tired of plates filled with food you won’t eat anyway. Sante serves true portions.
It’s affordable. And surprisingly affordable at that. Grab some brunch and we’re talking something close to diner prices. Dinner, too, is a lot cheaper than you’d expect from a place that—pretty literally—makes everything from scratch. Even the ketchup.
They have a to-go charcuterie menu. Grab some of their duck prosciutto and put it in your pasta or with your steak—I did both. (This isn’t the dumbed down prosciutto you might be used to, though, this is the real, super-salty, Better Taster stuff.)
The coffee is awesome. Four Seasons, and brewed really quite well. I admit to enjoying an espresso con panna.
Vegetarian/vegan options. Even I have ordered from the vegetarian menu. That’s just how I roll.
Best waiter in Spokane. Go during dinner service and you can experience what I consider to be the best waiter in Spokane. This guy really puts pride into his job, and watching him work is poetry in motion.
The ambiance. Hey, feels just like a Southern European cafe. Plus being inside a bookstore is just kind of cool.
Best gnocchi in town. Not that the competition is stiff, but the gnocchi is what dreams are made of.
No really, it’s just really, really, really good. I mean, I hate ketchup, but I’d eat their homemade stuff by itself. Gourmet ketchup? I’ve heard the word used, but here it’s actually true.
I’m honestly worried that not enough people visit Sante. This should be a reservation-only place, yet we have never had any issues getting a table. And that’s not good enough. While I only listed ten reasons to visit the place, I could have gone on. $25 three course brunch should be its own bullet point. As should desserts.
But whatever, skip out of Lesser Taster places, and visit Sante, right now! Chef Jeremy Hansen just recently won Taste’s grilled cheese cook-off and word has it it’ll be on the menu this week.
The Sourdough Place might be gone… But look out for Crazy G’s Burgers, Phillys & Dogs opening in its old space May 16th. We really don’t know much about it other than what we’ve been told:
The best burgers around they all come with a 6oz Angus beef patty, choice of cheese, caramelized onions, grilled mushrooms, Crazy sauce and if you want grilled jalapenos . We also have Pastrami and Bacon Burgers. Large Dogs with all the fixings, a Char chicken and last but not least the best Philly in Spokane. Everything is cooked on a open Charbroiler except of course the Philly they are cooked on the flat grill with onions, peppers and provolone cheese.
We’re all about local restaurants wanting to do something a bit outside of their comfort zone, which is why Latah Bistro’s “Vegetarian Wine Dinner” sounds cool. The six course dinner—it includes a variety of dishes like borscht, torta, and caramel popcorn—is served with three glasses of organic wines, and is limited to a seating of 20. At $62 it is looking like a pretty great deal.