(SpoCOOL) A Spokane Blog

The North Division Pizza Pipeline has a bar. You have probably noticed it, we certainly have, and even The Inlander has.

The concept is actually quite genius when you think about it. They already have the pizza, so why not expand the operation and make it a bar? It has worked for -- and no offense to the Pipeline here -- more... upscale pizza places? Pizza places where you actually enjoy the pizza? I mean, you get the point.

As for The Bar @ Pizza Pipeline, it is pretty much what you'd expect: a bar. The interiors could certainly be worse, and they have their own menu. By that I mean a physical menu made of paper, with a heading saying "The Bar @ Pizza Pipeline". You can get all the items to go (even the "exclusives" not listed on the to-go menu) and everything is cooked up in the connecting kitchen/pick-up area you have known, and possibly (but probably not) loved for all these years.

In that sense, you will enjoy the food served up at The Bar if you usually like the Pipeline. If you don't, well... You won't.

They have libations too, of course. The tap selection is a potpourri of Spokane favorites -- the Mac & Jack's of the world -- and you can get some pretty nasty looking mixed drinks too.

OK, snarky as I may sound here, we really don't dislike The Bar, at least not for what it is. This is an all-ages spot, and it's probably a sweet place to hang out if you're a fan of Pizza Pipeline's cuisine. The staff is very friendly, and the TVs undoubtedly show sports all the time.

It might not be our thing, but do check it out if you like the Pipeline, and want to enjoy their pies somewhere else than your home.

At least I assume that's its real name, stylized as the name is on the packaging...

Appel Farms is located in Ferndale, a town I frankly was unfamiliar with until we tried this smoked gouda from Appel Farms. (And my apologies should I type "Apple" at any time.) And, you know, Ferndale might have something going for it, at least in this farm. Their Farmstead Smoked Gouda is a pretty nice cheese, well suited for a grilled cheese sandwich or possibly a cheese plate.

It's a relatively mild cheese, at least as far as a smoked gouda goes, with the smokiness just very gently hitting the roof of the mouth. I personally prefer a bit more of a kick than this, but hey. Nothing wrong with a mild cheese either.

It's a creamy cheese, and melts well on a sandwich. Other than that, I don't know if there's a whole lot more to the cheese, really. It's mild, and just a little smokey. It flanks some sort of cured meat well on a grilled cheese sandwich, though it would probably seem a bit lonely on its own. Same goes for a cheese plate; you'd probably want something a bit heavier to pair it with. (Though probably not something that'd over power it.)

Overall the Smoked Gouda is certainly worth trying, but I don't think it'll knock you off your feet. Which is OK -- there is room in your life for some mildness.

We found the cheese at Main Market. It might be found other places too, or it might not. 

Not sure how many of you are using Foodspotting, but kind of interestingly they've sold out to OpenTable. Foodspotting is actually quite a cool service, letting you share images of what you're eating at various restaurants. That's a pretty good-ish way for others to get an idea what to expect from said spots. We messed around with the service for testing purposes, but for whatever reason did not really keep up with it. Maybe we should?

Speaking of questions, but not the rhetorical kind, we've been playing with the idea of implementing a voting system for restaurants and libations on this site. Meaning you -- yes you -- would have the chance to have your say. (Though not really say as such... Rather a vote.) Worthwhile, not worthwhile? Tweet us, or email us at team@spocool.com, if you have any opinions.

And finally, speaking of Twitter, today's deserves-more-followers is Evans Bros Coffee. The Sandpoint roaster is doing some good stuff, so follow them.

Now don't get us wrong, we do prefer the real thing as far a good pizza crust goes, Veraci and all, but, for whatever reason, we've had to go more with the gluten free crusts as of late. This has resulted in a hardship; ask what kind of crust a parlor use -- they have, so far, never been house made -- and you're usually met with a blank stare.

We're assuming most places are using the same type of crust, as the base flavor seems to be vaguely similar place to place. Of course, "base flavor" is just that, and the quality varies greatly based on everything from what oven used, preparation, and, of course, quality of toppings.

We plan to update a list of gluten free crust pizzas we try. Most places around town now have this option, and we're certainly not trying all of them (seeing most pizza places are... so-so...), but instead we'll be focusing on a few of the usual suspects. Like...

Bennidito's: We've had our ups and downs with Bennidito's, but they seem to have been getting their stuff together lately. The crust was nicely charred, and had a crispness to it not dissimilar to that of a regular flat crust pizza. Overall, very good, though it has to be said: Bennidito's greatest strength is its fluffy, regular crust.

Pizza Pipeline: I mean, you have to try them, right? They're kind of a Spokane institution. As for the pie, I have no idea what happened here: The edges were charred to the point of being burned, and the bottom seemed like it hadn't been cooked. At all. Burned edges and a cardboard flavored bottom? Ouch. Add the Pipeline's typical toppings, and this was kind of a car wreck.

South Perry Pizza: You know, South Perry really puts together some good pies. The gluten free ones are no different. There wasn't really much char to the edges -- like with Bennidito's -- but the crust was crispy, with a great bite to it. Add a nice variety with their specials, and I think we have a winner here. For now at least.

Keep in mind it's hard for us to know about cross contamination, etc., as we're not allergic to gluten. Consider this more of a take on gluten free crusts for those who want to avoid... well... gluten.