(SpoCOOL) A Spokane Blog

We've heard people raving about butter in coffee for a while now -- granted, not from people who really like coffee -- but we were somewhat surprised to see a cat fight break out over it on the Twitter.

Basically Marco Arment wrote a flawed review about the concoction, which Bulletproof, the... Company? ... Person? ... whatever, behind the concept quickly shot down as being just that. Flawed.

We can kind of see both sides here: Bulletproof is correct Marco didn't follow the recipe correctly -- the butter wasn't mixed in properly, which would make a big difference -- but we can't help but think the coffee sounds very, very (very) gross. So obviously we'll try it ourselves; the recipe is right here if you're interested. Maybe you too can climb a mountain if you drink it.

Anyway, for something completely different: Rick Bonino brings word River City Brewing -- formerly known as Coeur d'Alene Brewing -- is close to open its doors. Frankly, it all sounds very similar to the old incarnation, which is fair enough, I suppose, and it's up to you if that's a good thing or not. We'll hold our judgement for now.

Other than that, things are slow as far as new places opening, unless you count Chevron Food Mart #2 and Broadway Truck Stop getting liquor licenses as big news. Rumors, however loose they might be, have it some interesting places are in the starting phases, so hopefully something a bit more interesting than Backroads changing names to Rumrunners will come about soon.

So, Fire has opened its Spokane location, and we'll be damned if we could notice much of a difference from the Coeur d'Alene spot. We've heard reports of less than stellar lunches early on, and some have complained about the prices, but that aside... Our experience did not differ from the Coeur d'Alene spot. At all.

We mean that in a quite literal sense too. The interiors in the two spots are nigh identical -- that's a good thing, by the way -- as is the food. The latter might not be quite up there with the likes of Veraci or South Perry, but it's definitely good enough to make Fire downtown's best pizza spot. (Granted, that doesn't take too much, though Europa is pretty decent too.)

The pies here are a bit different than what you may be used to, particularly from what we usually see in Spokane. The crust is more flatbread like, with a fluffy inside and crispy outside. ("Flatbread" is kind of a misnomer in that sense, but you get the point.)

The toppings on our "Gordy" all felt fresh, and were also a bit out of the ordinary. Dates on pizza might seem different, but it worked well, especially with how it was complimented by a tangy balsamic reduction. The gorgonzola/mozzarella cheese mixture also held up pretty well, though a bit more gorgonzola wouldn't have hurt. They didn't drown the pizza in cheese, which is good, but had just enough to provided a good backbone for the other toppings.

There's a good selection of appetizers to pick from too. The "Market Tour Sampler" is a charcuterie plate which, while not bad, does not stack up to what we're used to from Sante. It also is a bit expensive at $14. Next time we'd probably look toward one of the other options, like the "Cured Olives". These were also included in the charcuterie plate, and were not too bad.

Finally, while the selection isn't bad, the beer is served way too cold. Way. Too. Cold. I really hope this will change.

Overall, though, we like Fire. The Coeur d'Alene location has been pretty consistent as far as quality goes, and we hope that'll be the case here too. Give them a shot, they deserve that at the very least.

(Note: We received Chemistry of Love from DOMA, no charge. Please skip the rest of the post if you think this will lead to nepotism or whatever.)

Chemistry of Love is an aptly named Ethiopian -- Valentine's Day and all -- from DOMA, which still is our favorite regional roaster. One can hope they eventually will get in a slap-fight with Manners over that position, but that's neither here nor there. As for the Ethiopians, we tend to quite enjoy them, and the Chemistry of Love is no different.

This is one of those refreshing coffees with a fruity, juicy body, and a good kick of berries. Typical for an Ethiopian, I suppose, but the profile here comes through as being distinct. We AeroPressed ours, and suspect it would go equally well through a French press. Roast level seems to be just on the south-side of medium.

(Its profile page has been removed from DOMA's website, so our excuses if we're off on any of that.)

Let it cool down just a bit, and strong notes of summer will come through. Really, it's that fruity. Like having a bunch of berries dancing on your tongue.

The Chemistry of Love is sold out from DOMA, but we assume the usual suspects have some cans of it left. Go out and grab one if you can find it; it won't let you down.

It's with tears in our collective eyes we wave farewell to Mr Spokane, Mike Tigas. Hailing from the tundras of the Midwest, Mr. Tigas travelled to Spokane with glee in his eyes, and a unbridled enthusiasm for his new hometown. We crowned him Mr Spokane, a title he so rightly deserved.

Yet everything comes to an end, and as Mr Spokane sets his sights on new adventures, we all know what needs to happen: A new Mr Spokane has to be crowned. The torch needs to be passed. And we have found the man who will follow in Mr. Tigas's ample footsteps.

You might already know the new Mr Spokane, but if you don't, you soon will. We introduce to you, Jeremy Williamson.

The new Mr Spokane hails from the depths of Alabama, and has moved through the plains of Tri Cities and many a small burg in Oregon. Settling in Portland, Mr Williamson honed his coffee skills at the grandest of roasters: Heart.

But he wanted more. Something bigger. Better. And his resolve was clear: He had to forego the plush lifestyle offered by Portland, and relocate to the diamond in the rough. The unpolished jewel of the Northwest. The hidden gem. Spokane.

You might already know Mr Williamson from Coeur where he is doing his barista thing. But Mr Williamson is not content stopping there, and he truly is putting money where his mouth is. Bringing with him his experience from Heart, Mr Spokane is starting up a new coffee roasting company called Manners Roasting. Soon we will find his product all(-ish) around Spokane, so we all can join together and enjoy what Mr Williamson has to offer.

Like the former Mr Spokane, the new bearer of the crown has embraced our city with a passion rarely seen outside Fifty Shades of Grey. Mr Williamson started a Tumblr site where he documents his life in his new home town. Here he gushes about the city and all it has to offer. It is a love letter to Spokane, one written from the proverbial heart.

Many have clamored for the title, but we truly believe Mr. Williamson deserves to be crowned the new Mr Spokane. To quote the man himself: "Spokane is awesome. Don't forget it."

Mr Williamson: The man. The legend. Mr Spokane.