(SpoCOOL) A Spokane Blog

Let's talk Hair of the Dog, and specifically Doggie Claws for a while, because why the hell not?

This is a barleywine weighing in at an impressive 11.5% ABV, and is definitely one you should age. However, for comparison purposes -- for you, if you like -- I kind of had to crack one open. And it was worth it, as it is pretty glorious, even now.

Just by the color you can see Doggie Claws is something else. Deep, dark amber, with just a slightly off-white head, it looks like the type of beer that is not about to take crap from anyone.

The nose confirms the suspicion. There's a lot going on here. Different dialects of sweetness pull your nose into a citric potpourri of hops. It's one of those beers you can keep sniffing and constantly pick up on different nuances.

Finally, the flavor hits it all home. This is insanely flavorful; very boozy, but not in a bad way. The presence of caramel is welcome, and it helps take the edge of the initial punch. Keep tasting, and a nice aftertaste of fresh grapefruit will linger and round out the sweetness and booze.

I like a good barleywine, which Doggie Claws clearly isn't -- it's a great barleywine. Age this sucker, and I imagine the flavors will play even better together when you finally crack it open.

Doggie Claws takes no prisoners with its booze profile, so stay away if you're not a fan of big beers. It's hard to find any faults with it, however, if you like a bit of a punch.

We talk a lot about winter ales, but let's not forget the winter coffees. The fact that DOMA's Santa's Little Helper is all about Scandinavia is enough for us to take note, and we'll even forgive the somewhat incorrect Swedish bend to the historical description of Santa Lucia's Day.

Either way, the day to celebrate is tomorrow, December 13th, and you should probably do so by drinking some Santa's Little Helper, as this makes a very good cup of coffee. It reminds me of the more traditional Scandinavian roasts -- not as light as the current trend, but not too dark either -- so that seems to go well with the theme.

"Coffee cherry" has been used in its description pretty liberally, and I can see why. I do also pick up on notes of grapefruit pretty well here. There's a certain crispness that hits straight on the tip of the tongue, just before the gentle creaminess embraces the mouth, like a mellow, comforting hug.

We AeroPressed ours, but I'd be curious to try the recommended French press method, for comparison's sake.

Should you want to go all traditional, I imagine this would be well enjoyed the traditional way: After dinner, with a good XO cognac on the side.

Either way, go grab a bag. The coffee is available for a limited time, and is well worth a try. We liked Santa's Little Helper a lot, and we're sure you will like it too. It can be found most anywhere DOMA coffee is sold, including at Revel 77 where we found our bag.

Best show on TV right now? The ultra stylish, ultra surreal American Horror Story: Asylum. Some might say the show doesn't make a lick of sense, with a story running through every sub-genre of horror possible, and they might be right about that. And for them, we have this drinking game which... Well, it might not make the story any clearer, but maybe it'll make it more mind altering.

Take a drink when...

... Sister Jude Martin punishes a patient. Take a second shot if it's physical punishment. Take a third one if it's surgery.

... Bloody Face kills someone.

... you can't help yourself from rooting for the possessed sister Mary Eunice. Take an extra shot if you wonder if you'll go to hell for doing so.

... Sister Jude Martin gets plastered.

... the Angel of Death kisses someone.

... one of Dr. Arden's "experiments" are seen or heard. Take an extra shot when they kill someone.

... Sister Jude Martin gets frisky.

... a new person is revealed to be a Bloody Face copycat.

... an alien abduction occurs.

... fragments of sister Jude Martin's sordid past comes to light.

... there's a flashback or flash-forward.

... you really don't understand what the hell is going on.

The most bizarre, the most Tarantino-esque Chinese restaurant we have ever visited is located in Hillyard. Really: There are so many odd things going on at the Red Dragon that it reminds us of something from a movie, and a good movie at that. It takes us to fictional places, the ones created by directors like Tarantino and Lynch.

Red Dragon does, of course, have many claims to fame: For example, it has been around since 1946, and it has a good following among the vegetarian and vegan crowd. On face value there's nothing odd about either of those, but the mix of clientele here really is something else. You have the hipper-than-thous, and you have the... less than highfalutin... segment of Spokane, each group filling about half of the (well-designed) space each.

The real bizarreness becomes clear when the entertainment kicks in. Yes, Red Dragon has entertainment: Belly dancing. That's right, belly dancing. And this is not just your average belly dancing. The dancer actually chit-chats with the guests during her routine. It's odd, trying to eat while somebody is shaking their... everything... in your face, carrying on an idle conversation. "Have you ever seen belly dancing before?" Not in a Chinese restaurant, no.

During the intermission, the gentleman to our left chugged a PBR, burping into the air, while the couple on our right discussed the lyrics to "Pumped Up Kicks" which was currently playing. (The song's lyrics and melody juxtaposition really seemed appropriate for the situation.)

As for the food, some of it is pretty well stuck in 1946 -- I couldn't finish the gloppy egg drop soup -- but most of their vegetarian dishes were actually pretty good. The vegetables seemed to be fresh and well prepared, as in not being soggy. I enjoyed the sesame seed balls, and the fried rice had a good flavor to it.

I don't think the sweet and sour ribs will win many awards, particularly seeing they were neither sweet nor sour, but the pork chow mein wasn't too bad.

So, while the food has its ups and downs, Red Dragon is worth visiting for its ambiance alone. It's just an odd place, and I mean that in a good way. I can see why it's popular among vegetarians; the selection is huge, and those dishes are definitely the better ones here.